Who does CVS use for health insurance?

CVS employee health insurance is considered decent by some workers, but employee opinions are mixed.

How It Works

• Provider: Coverage is provided through Aetna Health, which is owned by CVS Health.
• Income-Based Premiums: CVS sets the cost of your monthly or bi-weekly health insurance premium based on your salary level. Lower-wage workers (like cashiers or pharmacy techs) pay lower premiums, while higher earners (like pharmacists or managers) pay more for the exact same tier of coverage.
• Eligibility: Available to full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week.

Pros

• Affordable for lower-wage roles: Entry-level or hourly employees often pay very little per paycheck for basic or mid-tier coverage.
• HSA Contributions: For certain Health Savings Plans (HSP), CVS contributes money directly to your Health Savings Account (HSA) card.
• In-house perks: Coverage includes access to CVS Caremark for prescriptions and free or discounted preventive care via MinuteClinic.

Cons

• High Deductibles: Many of the plans feature high deductibles, meaning you pay out-of-pocket for most care before major medical coverage kicks in.
• Cost for Dependents: Adding a spouse or family can become quite expensive, even with the income-scaled pricing model.
• Mixed Reviews: On platforms like Glassdoor and Reddit, employees frequently debate the value, with some praising the low cost for singles and others complaining about high out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles.

CVS MinuteClinic accepts most major health insurance carriers and plans, including Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Molina, UnitedHealthcare, TRICARE, and many regional or state plans. They also accept Medicare and state Medicaid programs, depending on the specific location.

Major Insurance Accepted

• Aetna
• Anthem / Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Humana
• UnitedHealthcare
• TRICARE
• Medicare & Medicaid (in-person visits)

Important Tips

• Verify Coverage: Coverage and copays vary by state and specific plan. You can check your plan details directly through the CVS MinuteClinic Insurance Checker.
• Call Your Provider: Always call the phone number on the back of your insurance card before your visit to confirm that the specific service you need is covered.
• Alternative Payments: If you are out-of-network or uninsured, CVS accepts cash, major credit cards, checks (except at clinics inside Target stores), and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) cards.

Neither UnitedHealthcare is universally better than Aetna; the right choice depends on your specific needs, location, and whether you want a larger provider network or better quality ratings.

Network and Coverage

• UnitedHealthcare: Offers a massive national footprint with a large provider network available across all 50 states. It often stands out for robust individual and health savings account (HSA) options.
• Aetna: Owned by CVS Health, it provides near-nationwide coverage and frequently scores higher on government quality ratings, particularly for Medicare Advantage plans.

Costs and Perks

• UnitedHealthcare: Tends to feature lower maximum out-of-pocket spending caps on certain Medicare plans, though general plans can sometimes carry higher price points.
• Aetna: Frequently features a higher percentage of $0-premium plans and integrates well with CVS pharmacy benefits (CVS Caremark).

Customer Satisfaction

• Both major insurers often score around the industry average or slightly below on independent customer satisfaction surveys, meaning experiences can vary significantly depending on your local market.

CVS Health owns Aetna, but it does not own Humana.

CVS and Aetna

• CVS Health officially completed its acquisition of Aetna in November 2018 for roughly $70 billion.
• Aetna operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary and health insurance division of CVS Health.

Humana

• Humana is an entirely separate, publicly traded healthcare and insurance company.
• Aetna previously attempted to merge with Humana in 2015, but a federal court blocked the deal in 2017 due to antitrust concerns.
• CVS and Humana remain distinct competitors in the healthcare and Medicare Advantage markets.

Aetna is owned by CVS Health, making it directly affiliated with CVS rather than Walgreens.

Corporate Ownership

• CVS Health acquired Aetna in November 2018.
• Aetna operates as a subsidiary and health insurance branch under the CVS Health corporate umbrella.
• CVS subsidiary CVS Caremark frequently manages prescription drug benefits for Aetna members.

Pharmacy Networks

• CVS Pharmacy is a preferred in-network retail pharmacy for most Aetna plans.
• Depending on your specific commercial, individual, or Medicare plan, many broader retail networks also include Walgreens, Walmart, and major grocery chains, though cost-sharing and "preferred" status vary by plan.