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Section 1 – Introduction<br />
This directory provides a list of <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong><br />
<strong>HMO</strong> and PPO network providers. To get detailed<br />
information about your health care coverage, please<br />
see your Evidence of Coverage.<br />
If you are enrolled in a standard <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong><br />
Health Maintenance Organization (<strong>HMO</strong>) plan,<br />
you will have to choose one of our network providers<br />
that are listed in this directory to be your Primary Care<br />
{Physician/Provider} (PCP). The term “PCP” will be<br />
used throughout this directory. Generally, you must<br />
get your health care coverage from your PCP. Your<br />
PCP will issue referrals to participating specialists and<br />
facilities for certain services. For some services, your<br />
PCP is required to obtain prior authorization from<br />
<strong>Aetna</strong>. You must use network providers except for<br />
urgent care or out-of-area urgent care/renal dialysis.<br />
Except for those benefits described in your plan<br />
documents as direct-access benefits, or in an<br />
emergency, you will need to obtain a referral from<br />
your PCP before seeking covered non-emergency<br />
specialty or hospital care. Check your Evidence of<br />
Coverage for details.<br />
If you are enrolled in an <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong> (<strong>HMO</strong>)<br />
Open Access plan, you are not required to choose a<br />
primary care physician (PCP) and are free to visit<br />
network providers without a referral to receive covered<br />
services. You must use network providers except for<br />
urgent care or out-of-area urgent care/renal dialysis.<br />
If you are enrolled in an <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong><br />
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan, you<br />
have the flexibility to choose either network providers<br />
at lower out-of-pocket costs, or out-of-network<br />
providers at a higher cost sharing level. With the<br />
exception of emergencies or urgent care, it may cost<br />
PPO members more to get care from out-of-network<br />
providers. You can use any <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong> PPO<br />
network PCP and pay the plan's lower primary doctor<br />
visit copay. Although you are not required to select a<br />
PCP, you are encouraged to do so.<br />
The “network providers” listed in this directory have<br />
agreed to provide you with your health care coverage.<br />
You may go to any of our network providers listed in<br />
this directory; however, some services may require a<br />
referral. If you have been going to one network<br />
provider, you are not required to continue going to<br />
that same provider. In some cases, you may get<br />
covered services from non-network providers. In cases<br />
where non-contracting providers submit a bill directly<br />
to you, you should not pay the bill, but submit it to<br />
<strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong> for processing and determination of<br />
your financial liability, if any.<br />
Certain healthcare services, such as hospitalization or<br />
outpatient surgery, require precertification with <strong>Aetna</strong>.<br />
This means the service must be approved by <strong>Aetna</strong><br />
before it will be covered under the plan. Check your<br />
Evidence of Coverage for a complete list of services<br />
that require this approval. When you are to obtain<br />
services requiring precertification from a participating<br />
provider, the provider is responsible to precertify those<br />
services prior to treatment. If your plan covers out-ofnetwork<br />
benefits and you may self-refer for covered<br />
services, it is your responsibility to contact <strong>Aetna</strong> to<br />
precertify those services which require precertification.<br />
If you need emergency care, you are covered 24 hours<br />
a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the world. Whether<br />
you are in or out of an <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong> service area,<br />
we simply ask that you follow the guidelines below<br />
when you believe you need emergency care.<br />
■ Call the local emergency hotline (ex. 911) or go to<br />
the nearest emergency facility. If a delay would not<br />
be detrimental to your health, call your PCP. Notify<br />
your PCP as soon as possible after receiving<br />
treatment.<br />
■ If you are admitted to an inpatient facility, you or a<br />
family member or friend on your behalf should<br />
notify your PCP or <strong>Aetna</strong> as soon as possible.<br />
If you are traveling outside of the <strong>Aetna</strong> <strong>Medicare</strong><br />
(<strong>HMO</strong>) (PPO) plan service area, you are covered for<br />
emergency and urgently needed care. Urgent care<br />
may be obtained from a private practice physician, a<br />
walk-in clinic, an urgent care center or an emergency<br />
facility. If, after reviewing information submitted to us<br />
by the provider that supplied care, the nature of the<br />
urgent or emergency problem does not qualify for<br />
coverage, it may be necessary to provide us with<br />
additional information.<br />
www.aetnamedicare.com<br />
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