Why is Aetna not paying claims?

Asked by: Jane Gottlieb  |  Last update: March 7, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (7 votes)

If you've had a health treatment or disability claim denied by Aetna, it could be because: The procedure is considered cosmetic (not medically necessary) Your doctor is out of network or doesn't participate in the plan. Your plan doesn't cover your medical condition.

Does Aetna deny a lot of claims?

In the same year, Medicare denied 6.85% of its claims. One year later, AMA reported that all the surveyed insurers were denying fewer claims: Aetna's denial rate was down to 1.81%, Anthem BCBS reduced its rate to 4.34%, and private insurers overall were down to 2.79%, while Medicare denied only 4% of claims.

Why is my health insurance not paying claims?

Health insurers deny claims for a wide range of reasons. In some cases, the service simply isn't covered by the plan. In other cases, necessary prior authorization wasn't obtained, the provider wasn't in-network, or the claim was coded incorrectly.

Why is Aetna struggling?

Aetna majorly miscalculated utilization trends in pricing Medicare Advantage plans for this year, causing hundreds of thousands of seniors to flock to its generous coverage and saddling the insurer with an unexpectedly steep price tag for their care.

How long does it take Aetna to pay a claim?

If we approve your request, it can take up to 30 days to send payment once we have all the required information.

What US Insurance Companies Aren’t Telling You | Informer

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How do I see pending claims on Aetna?

Where can I go to check the status of a claim? You can check claim status: By using Aetna Voice Advantage® (AVA), our interactive telephone self-service system. By registering or logging in to your secure site.

How to fight Aetna denial?

Call the toll-free number on your Member ID card or the number on the claim denial letter. Once expedited review is requested, our clinical team reviews the request to decide if our criteria is met for urgent appeal, if it is not met the appeal then flows to our standard workflow.

What is happening to Aetna?

CVS is removing Brian Kane, the head of Aetna, citing the division's poor performance and outlook. CEO Karen Lynch, who was the president of Aetna from 2015 to 2021, will now lead the business, while CFO Tom Cowhey will help oversee its day-to-day operations.

Does Aetna have a good reputation?

Aetna's customer satisfaction is usually below average. But it depends on the specific Aetna company in your area. One of Aetna's largest companies has 7% fewer complaints compared to an average company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Is Aetna in financial trouble?

Aetna's revenues hit $33 billion in Q3, up from $26.3 billion in Q3 2023. But it posted an adjusted operating income loss of $924 million this year. Its Medical Benefits Ratio was 95.2% in the quarter, compared to 85.7% in the same period last year.

What to do if insurance doesn't pay enough?

What Can I Do If My Insurance Company Won't Pay Me Enough for My Insurance Claim?
  1. Understand Why Your Claim May Be Underpaid. ...
  2. Review Your Policy in Detail. ...
  3. Document Everything. ...
  4. Request a Re-Evaluation or Second Opinion. ...
  5. Dispute the Claim in Writing. ...
  6. File a Complaint with Your State's Department of Insurance.

Why is my health insurance claim taking so long?

Unfortunately, health insurance companies can sometimes be slow when it comes to processing health insurance claims. In some cases, a delay in a health insurance claim is the result of an insurer investigating a claim and deciding that it doesn't fall within the health plan's scope of coverage.

What is the class action lawsuit against Aetna?

The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment, injunctive relief to end Aetna's exclusionary policy, and compensatory damages for all policyholders who have had to pay out of pocket for gender-affirming facial surgery because of Aetna's discriminatory exclusion.

How do you fight insurance claims denial?

If your health insurer refuses to pay a claim or ends your coverage, you have the right to appeal the company's decision and have it reviewed by a third party. You can ask that your insurance company reconsider its decision. Insurers have to tell you why they've denied your claim or ended your coverage.

Does Aetna negotiate?

We negotiate rates with providers to help you save money. We refer to these providers (such as doctors, hospitals and surgical centers) as being “in our network.” There may be times when you decide to visit a doctor or hospital not in the Aetna® network. Some plans cover out-of-network care only in an emergency.

Why is Aetna so expensive?

Factors influencing Aetna insurance monthly costs

Plans with broader coverage and extensive benefits, such as lower deductibles, co-pays, and comprehensive services like dental and vision care, often come with higher monthly costs.

Who took over Aetna insurance?

2018: On November 28, 2018, CVS Health completed the acquisition of Aetna. The company's ticker AET is delisted from the NYSE.

What is the best healthcare insurance?

Investopedia's analysis ranks Kaiser Permanente as the best health insurance company for 2025 because of its blend of affordability and low customer complaints. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna also earned top marks. We evaluated nine insurers using dozens of criteria, such as customer satisfaction, plan types, and costs.

How do you fight Aetna?

To help us resolve the dispute, we'll need:
  1. A completed copy of the appropriate form.
  2. The reasons why you disagree with our decision.
  3. A copy of the denial letter or Explanation of Benefits letter.
  4. The original claim.
  5. Documents that support your position (for example, medical records and office notes)

Is Aetna having technical issues?

Aetna.com is UP and reachable by us. Please check and report on local outages below ... The above graph displays service status activity for Aetna.com over the last 10 automatic checks. The blue bar displays the response time, which is better when smaller.

Is Aetna a reputable insurance company?

Although Aetna is one of the oldest insurance companies in the country, it's not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. It has an A+ rating with the BBB, but only a 1.05 out of 5 stars after 139 customer reviews.

What is the denial rate for Aetna?

Other insurance companies with the highest claim denial rates included Sendero Health Plans (28%), Molina Healthcare (26%) and Community First Health Plans (26%). Additionally, the analysis found the denial rates for other major insurance companies, including Anthem (23%), Medica (23%) and Aetna (22%).

Why did Aetna deny my CT scan?

In some instances, a CT scan might be an excluded procedure under your health insurance policy, or you may have neglected to obtain the required pre-authorization. Other reasons a CT scan could be denied would be if your insurance company deemed the CT scan to be medically unnecessary.

How many insurance claims are denied each year?

A separate KFF survey also found that people with private insurance are more likely to have denied claims than those with public coverage. Overall, 18% of insured adults said they'd experienced a claim denial in the past 12 months, according to the survey.