Aetna, Mercy Health Partner For Accountable Care

Aetna and Cincinnati, Ohio-based Mercy Health have announced they are forming an accountable care organization, which will be Aetna's first commercial ACO in the Cincinnati area.

The organizations are also introducing Aetna Whole Health^SM, a collection of benefits plans that will provide Aetna members access to coordinated care from 350 primary care physicians and 2,400 specialists, in the Cincinnati area.

Aetna Whole Health ^SM will be available to self-insured businesses beginning July 1 for an effective date of September 1, and it will be available to fully insured businesses beginning August 1 for an effective date of October 1.

"This agreement is part of our transformation to help keep patients healthier and also better manage their healthcare costs," said Yousuf J. Ahmad, market president and CEO of Mercy Health, in a news release.

"The people of Cincinnati will be able to access quality healthcare that delivers an exceptional experience at a lower cost," said Nitin Bhargava, president of Aetna's Ohio operations, in the release.

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