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While their roots date back over 200 years with the beginning of what was then called Aetna Fire Insurance Company, the company as we see today was officially founded in the 1853.
See our Aetna Medicare review here
Aetna Products
Aetna provides a wide range of products for individuals, families, and businesses. Some of their most popular offerings include:
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Care
- Disability Insurance
- Pharmacy Coverage
- Life Insurance
- Business Medical Insurance
- Business Dental Insurance
- Business Vision Insurance
Aetna Consumer Complaints
Although Aetna is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau, the company currently maintains an A+ rating. In the past three years, there have been 591 complaints filed against the company, 214 of which have been closed in the past 12 months. The largest complaint category concerns “Problems with Product or Service.” A close second is “Billing and Collection Issues.”
The number of complaints on Consumeraffairs.com is 688 for Aetna Health Insurance. There have been a total of 82 ratings left by reviewers, 79 of which were one-star. The popular consumer websites complaints revolve mainly around poor customer service and coverage issues. The complaints are not only from customers but also medical professionals who have difficulties dealing with Aetna’s representatives and policies.
The second major complaint is not receiving coverage they believe is due. This can happen for multiple reasons including customers not understanding the coverage provided in the plan, providers changing coverage and not properly notifying customers, and even providers claiming a particular service was not medically necessary.
Aetna Financial Ratings
| Rating Company | Grade | Financial Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best | A- | Stable |
| Fitch | AA- | Negative |
| S&P | AA- | Stable |
*These grades have been standardized for comparison. For more information, click here.
Bottom Line
Aetna operates all over the country and has a lengthy list of health care related products they can offer. Additionally, they offer many different health care solutions for businesses of all sizes. Aetna has been in the news more recently as they were on route to merge with Humana, however the merger was denied as a judge ruled that the merger was not in the best interests of consumers or competitors. Aetna is a very large company with a strong financial backing, reputation, and plenty of options. Although the company does not offer the best rates, they are certainly worth taking a look at.
For a list of companies that we recommend, visit our Best Insurance Companies page.
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Review Information
I am a former insurance agent and banker turned consumer advocate. My priority is to help educate individuals and families about the different types of insurance they need, and assist them in finding the best place to get it.
Sue says
Aetna is, by far, the most difficult insurance carrier to deal with.
I work on the provider end of it.
I do credentialing for medical providers, behavioral health providers, and vision providers.
Because they have NO DIRECT PROVIDER REPRESENTATIVES, you have to fax whatever the issue may be and even asking to speak with a network manager, you have to fax a request.
Then they tell you, it will take 30+ business days before you receive a response.
I have been told that a provider is in the network and then the provider bills a claim and is told that they are out of network.
It is the most inconsistent and unreliable insurance plan out there.
I wouldn’t even give this plan 1 star. Impossible to work with.
Wade says
AETNA denied my claim for short-term, then denied my long-term claim, saying they never got my medical records, which they did and sent them back. So, now I’m in a lawsuit with them, won my short term, and waiting for long-term, this insurance company sucks. I switched to another insurance company which paid some of the bills this company should have paid. I’ve nothing good to say about this company. I say do research before doing anything with this company, they have a lot of lawsuits against them for not look at nor accept medical records. Google away on Aetna lawsuits and see if this is a company you really want. I’m paying for my mistake in trusting them.
Robert Snytka says
As of today I totally agree as I see I will be suing Aetna for the process and run around that they give their patients.
I only hope that each one of their employees has to suffer the same poor treatment and run around while they are waiting for approval.
I hope they have as much discomfort and pain as all those they have abused with there lack of compassion and little knowledge as they pass the buck.
I can not wait until next year to change companies!!!
Ramon I Valdivia says
I didn’t know that they sucked, I’m trying to get a quote on jaw surgery, my oral surgery office keeps playing phone tag with Aetna to different people, supposedly to get the answer but they have no clue what they’re doing plus not to be or sound racist there out of the U.S. in the Philippines. I agree, no good insurance.
Gari Jai says
My daughter was in a car accident in Feb 2018. After going back and forth between the car insurance and Aetna (our health insurance), we were able to settle the ‘policy covered’ amount with the car insurance. We gave the ‘exhaustion letter’ to Aetna at the beginning of May. It’s been almost 3 months and Aetna has yet to send all the EOB’s (explanation of benefit) to the medical providers. The bills are piling up with the additional threat of being sent to collections. Spoke with Aetna multiple times, but keep on giving the runaround. The agents are rude and not helpful; their answers are inconsistent with one exception. They always have 2 weeks to send the EOBs to the service providers. And this is the case when we received the EOBs around July 1.
The trauma of a child in a car accident and the surgery after that is something I would not wish on anyone. Even more than that, I would not wish anyone to experience this super-efficient, well-oiled machine. Not sure if it is just Aetna or is this a common response amongst the payer community in health care. But I get a sense that they think the way for them to avoid paying is to stall and outlast the average patient.
Donna Hogsed says
We are going through the same thing they are not sending any eobs and won’t answer any questions when we call and will not let us talk to a supervisor either.
Elizabeth says
I was approved for a breast reduction this fiscal year (2017-2018), which was good for six months (needed to have the procedure by March of 2018). However, at the time of this approval, I found I needed surgery for an aneurysm; thus, putting the reduction on hold until cleared of blood thinners. I was cleared in April after my follow up angiogram and picked back up with the reduction in June (after school being let out, as I’m a teacher). Now they are denying the once approved procedure, stating I need to go through a “specialty procedure process” for approval. Even the doctor’s office isn’t sure what they mean.
I believe this is a stalling tactic in order to get to the new fiscal year since I’ve met my out of pocket. Basically, they do not want to put any more money out on me if they can avoid such.
I’m at a loss. I would appreciate any feedback on this issue.
Margaret says
I have had an extremely negative experience with Aetna. They do not care about the health of their customers at all. I filed claims with them 18 months ago that I still have not received reimbursement for, despite repeated phone calls. Because of this, I have to keep looking up my claims on two different websites, since they recently switched to a new system, which is extremely inconvenient. I have spent dozens of hours on the phone with them with few results. Every time I submit a claim, they tell me they need more and more information from me to process the claim, and then when I do provide that information, they tell me that they didn’t receive it. They process my claims out of order and tell me that I haven’t submitted claims that I definitely have. Many claims I have submitted three or four times, at their request. Sometimes when they give me cheques, they don’t tell me what the reimbursement is for, so I have to try to look it up on their website for my records, which is often difficult. They have trouble processing many of the prescriptions my doctor gives me. My pharmacy will call them to ask about the delay in processing the prescription, and Aetna tells them they will call me the next day, but they do not. Several times, I have had to give up on said prescriptions and simply ask my doctor to prescribe me a different medicine. Their coverage is extremely limited, deductibles are ridiculously high, and their call wait times are very long. I have had to stay late at work multiple times because I had to wait so long on the phone trying to talk to them during my lunch break, and they inconveniently do not offer customer support before 9:00 a.m., after 5 p.m., or on the weekends. I cannot recommend steering clear of this company strongly enough.
jonathan a gray says
Careless, incompetent, or fraudulent? It is hard to tell which. They will claim they didn’t receive their own faxes, then turn around and deny a claim they say they didn’t even receive. God help you if you ever really need this insurance, you’ll survive the medical procedure and kill yourself trying to get them to pay up.
Cathy says
Does anyone have a phone number to corporate customer service for Aetna dental? I have tried every number online and nothing works. If you do please respond to [redacted].
Thank you
Tim says
The worst insurance I have ever had. They deny everything from tests, surgery, treatment, and prescriptions. I am going to drop them. What am I paying g premiums for?
PGM says
To fill their pockets. It’s all about profit.
Janis northington says
I have to Tell you I am leaving Aetna because at the end they started denying all medical claims and became difficult to deal with forgetting I’m am the one paying the premium. I instead opted to come off my husband’s policy and go on my policy run by the state of CA. I need a 4th neck revision mind you I don’t want a surgery I don’t need…but I am in constant pain. Major docs at Cedars Sinai..they have an OBG doc reviewing the cases and denying them…Really? How is that relevant? So our plan allows for 3 appeals but at this point…Aetna take a flying leap and shame on you for denying me a much needed quality of life surgery you and your staff should be ashamed of themselves. United health care here I come and Aetna rot…
brett everett says
hmm..good read, good read, luckily i just got the news in the mail that i would automatically be changed to this plan “if i do not call and tell them i don’t want it” it’s funny, they even tryn force u into joining. read all your mail folks, there are many snakes out there trying to prey on the sick. thank you all for your stories. ..easy decision
Fred says
Aetna new scam!
Dental discount card!
Bought card and was told I could us it right away(minor pain in tooth).
$75 plus a $15 fee.
Called three dentist listed on the web sight and found that non of them heard of this plan Vital Savings by Aetna.
By this time I was getting annoyed with this company. The third dentist office ( listed three dentist as being in plan) called me back after calling the company and was told that they were not in-network and I had to find one in network. I called the company back again and was put on hold so he could call the dentist office and tell them that they were in-network. WHAT A MESS!!!!!!
When I called the dentist back I was put on hold for 12 minutes so I hung up waited and called back. This time they answered right away and the appointment they had available at 11:30 that day was with a doctor that was not in-network and I would have to make a appointment with one that was. HOW MANY OFFICES HAVE DENTIST THAT DO NOT EXCEPT THE SAME INSURANCE OR CARDS. Hint this town was listed as having 4,139 in 2010 census have not looked into how many dentist are in this office but three were listed on web for this insurance.
Aetna said they would give me my $75 but I would have to spend MY TIME filling out papers and sending it in to the company to get the $15 back ( what do you think just on form and done or 1 year and multiple form to maybe get the fee back).
To end, ordered one day, canceled the very next day because no dentist called heard of Vital Savings by Aetna should cost the consumer a fee, Buyer beware when dealing with Aetna and there associates.
Anonymous says
It is my opinion: Years ago, I purchased a long-term and a short term disability policy from Aetna through my employer. Over 2 years ago, I became disabled because age and numerous other health issues, verified by 3 doctors and other insurance companies. Aetna harassed my spouse and I, threatened me with job termination, discontinued my employer pay and benefits, conveniently lost or never received documents my doctors and I sent to them several times, misquoted and distorted facts in medical documents I submitted, forced me to retire because of no pay or benefits, committed fraud, made numerous mistakes always in Aetna’s favor, told me verbal lies in phone conversations, made outrageous demands under the threat of being fired “if you don’t go to the doctor today and submit these forms you will be terminated from your job”, Etc, Etc., Etc. Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini’s compensation was valued at $17.3 million last year. He got it by screwing people like you and I. Don’t get Aetna insurance for any coverage of any kind. Aetna will not pay claims and will do anything to avoid paying. If you do have Aetna coverage, get rid of them ASAP. If you do have problems with Aetna, keep a log, FAX or send all documents 3 times and file a complaints with your state department of insurance.
Joshua says
No one at Aetna can seem to give us a straight answer in regards to my wife’s doctor and her visits. We have been fighting with them for months now to cover my wife’s Well Woman Exam which has been legally covered by Executive Order since 2013 and they are refusing to pay. At first it was an “experimental” procedure and they would not cover it; they also stated that my wife’s doctor was out of network but when we looked it up the website said she was in network. After a month of phone calls and no consistent answers from anyone, we were able to get the actual exam paid for but they still refused to pay for the doctor visit. Another month of phone calls later, we finally got to someone that “fixed” our problem, an email saying they resolved the issue and that all along [Redacted] was in our network. We thought our problem was fixed but unfortunately my wife is in need of a procedure for her endometriosis and we are now being told once again there was a mistake and [Redacted] is out of network and she needs to find a new doctor. Nevermind the written document we have saying that she is in our network and apologizing for the mistake in the first place. Instead “you must be mis-informed” is what we were told with no offer of help to fix this ongoing problem.
What great customer service!!!
At this moment, we are counting the days until open enrollment begins again and we wont make this mistake again.
Christine Ferguson says
My 84-year-old mother started with Aetna health insurance Jan. 1 2016. It is now Feb. 2, 2016, and we, too, are counting the days until open enrollment begins and we can ditch Aetna. In only one month’s time, there have been numerous issues concerning coverage, mail order pharmacy, and copays, with conflicting and contradicting information, depending on who you talk to. My mom doesn’t need this kind of stress.
Linda England says
Hi Christine,
I hope that you got your mother off Aetna’s Medicare Supplement or their Med Advantage Plan. I am an insurance agent who enrolled one of my clients into a CIGNA Med Supp, then helped her choose a drug plan to correspond. She chose Aetna. We got a confirmation number. This goes through Medicare, so they see what she chose. Two weeks later she called me to say she never received anything from the Aetna drug plan she chose. They should have mailed her a card or called her. Nothing. So we called Aetna. I spent LITERALLY 6 HOURS on the phone that day with the client, 3-way conf calls with an agent after agent, got yelled at by them, supervisor “not available”, AND TO TOP IT OFF they provided me and my client misinformation about the drug plan. They said they never got her request. When we provided the confirmation number they said it “was irrelevant” because they never got the request. We called Medicare that day, filed a complaint against them. Medicare positively showed her choice and her confirmation number and said they would pursue them. They did. She did not have any penalties and was given the option to choose another drug plan company (recommended!!!) and now I NEVER ALLOW ANYONE TO CHOOSE AETNA FOR ANYTHING! Now, get this, my company just signed up for Aetna’s Home Care and Recovery Care Plans. I am totally refusing to sell anything Aetna to anyone because they are not educated on Medicare, do not know the rules and could care less. EVERYONE on this page is correct when they say they are ignored and scammed by them, they are horrible!!! The very best thing everyone can do is to boycott anything AETNA. That is the ONLY WAY to get them to either go out of business or change when their bottom line is affected. If you choose them after reading ANY of these comments by all these people, it’s your problem from here out…and you WILL have problems I promise you!
Scott Pollock says
I have been working with Carefree Dental Plans, a division of Aetna Dental Access. The Company has a A- rating and has a positive rating per the Better Business Bureau. Carefree Dental and Reassurance Dental and Divisions of Aetna Dental Access that is a Divisions of Aetna Insurance. Although it is not Dental Insurance, once I understood how it works, and how it can work with Dental Insurance, I have been very satisfied with their services, costs and coverage. Work with over 132,000 Dental Providers (70% of all Dental Providers) in the United States. After you make sure you understand how these Dental Discount Savings Plans work, they can save you substantial cost on Dental Care. Carefree also offer Vision Savings Plans and Prescription Savings Plans for $14.95 per month. The Carefree Guarantee is great; if you save less than the amount you saving in a year, CAREFREE DENTAL WILL SEND YOU A CHECK FOR THE DIFFERENCE, so their limited financial lose with Carefree Dental Plans. If you understand how the Plans work, it can be a great addition to Dental Insurance and/or a lower cost replacement. Carefree Dental, DOES NOT HAVE WAITING PERIODS, DEDUCTIBLES YOU MUST MEET BEFORE THE COVERAGE STARTS AND DOES NOT HAVE A CAP ON THE SAVINGS (which is a huge benefit over Dental Insurance alone. (I also like the no cost additional vision and prescription coverage.
Chip says
The Dental plan is a joke.
Kathy says
Carefree Dental and Aetna are engaging in false advertising. They list dozens of participating dentists in Seattle, WA. I found a dentist near me and he told me what he would charge me applying Aetna insurance (Carefree is a re-insurer under Aetna) and the reductions were significant enough for me to go ahead and sign up. When I called Carefree, I was told that they didn’t provide services in Washington. I asked the woman on the phone to go to the website and pull up my zip code, and she saw dozens of allegedly participating providers. (Many dozens more vision doctors and pharmacies were also listed under Carefree Vision and Carefree RX.) I then asked her to transfer me to a senior supervisor in customer service, so I could file my complaint there. That individual also provided the typical uneducated-in-customer- service response: “There is nothing I can do about this.” I asked for his supervisor, in an effort to get high enough up the ladder to find someone who could actually influence the misleading content on the website, and was disconnected. I will be filing a formal complaint against Carefree with the Washington State Insurance Commissioner and the state Attorney General later this week.
thom shafer says
I also have a HUGE problem w/ this ins co. first off, their provider page is woefully wrong. they list several doctors at different addresses, however they all have the same phone number!!!
so i called the numbers listed on the website to make a GI dr appt. guess what??? even the doctors listed on Aetna’s website don’t take this insurance!!! why would a company put the name and numbers of physicians on their website, and yet, they doctors listed dont’ take the insurance!!!!
DC Chase says
Thank you Thom, for your comments. Since my last post, I have been force to into LTD. Mr. [Redacted], my case manager, stated that I have been denied because they found evidence of a doctor appointment during my “probation period.” Here-in lies the problem; When I filed all the paperwork with Aetna, I specifically gave them authorization for records from the date of my surgery to the present. This was ignored, and they submitted a document to my provider requesting medical records from my initial date of hire and a separate document with my signed authorization minus the dates I allowed for information to be released. Now because I am not a lawyer, I am pretty sure that this action violated my Privacy Act rights to release information. After several heated phone calls to Aetna, I was told that because I signed a medical information release, this gives them a right to request ANY information they need to pursue an investigation regarding my claim. Granted, I am currently in a Legal Proceeding against the original Employer and its Insurance company, but this information is “off-limits” to Aetna as it is still in litigation. Now that I have no income and Aetna has no regrets for violating my signed authorization, I am trying to find a way that will penalize Aetna for this breach of contract.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I’m sure there are a slue of legal terms for this violation, but I need to find a legal advocate with knowledge of Aetna’s practices to assist me in this battle.
DC Chase says
Prior to my back surgery in August 2014, I notified and filed all the necessary paperwork to take my leave of absence 1 month prior to my surgery date.. My employer uses Aetna Insurance for their STD & LTD claims, along with BCBS of Illinois for medical coverage.
Now I have gotten close to the end of my STD benefits and will be switching over to my LTD claim… due to the fact my doctor still has not released me to return to work.
In the beginning, Aetna faxed a request to my doctor for paperwork to substantiate my Short Term Disability. Several weeks later, I received a bill from my doctor for the paperwork they requested. After a heated dispute with Aetna, they agreed to pay the bill for the paperwork they requested and received. I also notified them that I had no written or verbal agreement with them to cover the cost of any forms, X-rays, or updated prognosis they request from my provider. I was boldly told that “Aetna does not pay for paperwork they need to process any claim.” It is now coming to a point where Aetna is now trying to deny my claim because my provider will not release any more documents to them without payment for their services.
I honestly hate this Insurance company, first of all…. for inflicting undue aggravation on me for payment on records and paperwork they request from my provider. Secondly…. due to the fact that Aetna is now requesting personal, financial, educational, medical, and employment history from me for (?) nothing that pertains to my recovery. Sadly to say, short of the doctor’s information, I will and have only given them the papers pertaining to my “current” disability claim. The LTD paperwork they sent to me, in my opinion, is a phishing expedition to disallow or find reason to deny my claim. This information is private and is in no way related to my current medical state.
I personally find Aetna, in this case, is and will try anything to deny a viable claim. The biggest, and most pathetic, reason is non-payment for medical records. They claim, “If WE don’t get the forms necessary from the doctor, your claim may be denied. Because, WE don’t pay for paperwork that we request and need to justify your claim!”
This is TERRIBLY one of the WORST insurance companies I have ever had the joy of dealing with. Needless to say, my employer isn’t much help on the matter either. Passing the BUCK is one of their stronger ethic traits, and I don’t mean handing out money.
If you have a choice, find a different insurance company, or send in a request to your employer to get a referral Insurance carrier for your own well-being.
roger says
Hi Jesse,
My name is Roger. I’m have the same problem you had with Aetna .They have done alot to keep me from getting my short term disability money from my work. I had back surgery in July and will be out for 6 months. They are the WORST INS. Co. i have ever had to deal with, and their doctor has rejected my doctor’s paper work. I haven’t gotten my disability money for over 1 and a half months. I’m a single parent and have a son, we are praying that we won’t loose evrything we own. If you can help me with these &%$!?* people. I would be thankful. Roger
William says
I was told that I may be having a stroke and was admitted to the hospital, after a day of testing, stroke was ruled out and I was released. Aetna says that since I wasn’t having a stroke, I should not have been in the hospital and they denied the claim as not being medically necessary. I seek medical care based on symptoms, but Aetna pays based on the results of tests done for those symptoms. My opinion, they suck, my employer really went cheap when they dropped Blue Cross for Aetna.
Kevin says
To so many of these entries. Aetna engages in Economic [Redacted] on a daily basis. They denied 2 brain surgeries to remove 2 huge blood clots in my daughter. Why, because these brain clots were not an emergency and were not pre-approved. The MRI on Saturday afternoon, with emergency room admittance on Sunday for surgery on Monday morning, is not considered an emergency. Aetna is a criminal entity headed by criminals in my humble opinion. They are in court constantly for class action suits for just this type of planned and executed corporate philosophy.
And the media can’t understand why AMERICA is PISSED!!! Every thing requires a lawyer!!! I am sooo pissed at both industries, enabled by the DC [Redacted].
PGM says
Aetna is the definition as to why profit should not be in healthcare.
Paula LeVance says
AETNA is denying medications paid for by prior AARP insurance medicare plan and denying the MDINR devise that allows me to self check blood levels at home that AARP paid for. I have history of blood clots, stroke, and AFIB. I went with AETNA only because they had docs that are excellent on their lists. I really regret AETNA and the good docs. with probably not stay with them. I spent two hours on the phone with AETNA to get a necessary med. coverage. Docs office spent another hour on phone with them. Finally got approval for six months. Drug requires a needle to inject each day and AETNA will not pay for the needles.
Chip says
They also denied my cancer drugs