So what does it mean for us, the insured. katydid11

I wonder what is going to happen next for those who are being insured with CHP It has been a good insurance. I know nothing about Aetna. katydid11

From my experience in long term care, Aetna does not cover needed care very well compared to other insurance companies.

This was my first question too, katydid. I asked this of my manager and this was what I was told:

If you had insurance coverage under CHP, you still have insurance coverage under Aetna. If you have a broker, or work for a company that uses CHP, talk to the broker or your CHP rep to find out how this will affect you. If you work for Heartland your insurance simply stays the same as it is right now.

I did some research online and it looks like Aetna has a great credit rating and is one of the biggest insurance companies in the country. Based on its size, I'm hoping the rates will be competitive to CHP or even better. I've asked about rates via our employee opinion link on our intranet and I'm waiting for a response. I will post the response here as soon as I get it.

Have local doctors agreed to accept patients who are insured by Aetna? I have some experience with Aetna in another state that was not positive. Many of the doctors would not accept Aetna as an insurance provider and for a very good reason.

Light, I asked this question via email to a CHP employee and I was assured that Aetna is working with the region's providers to get signed up as we speak. All of Heartland's providers will accept Aetna and most others will too. Each provider has the option to accept or not. Aetna is working with all of the providers CHP worked with in NWMO. This transition should be seamless.

Thank you, "I Am", for your response. The "most others will, too" -- where did you get that information since, as you stated, "Each provider has the option to accept or not..."

Iamheartland: No transition is seemless. From both of us being Heartland employees, you should understand that as well as anyone. I will be interested to see how our coverage will change. Even our CHP plans changed from year to year so I am anxious to see the offered plans for Aetna.

Light, from what I gathered, even though the providers have the option to not carry Aetna, CHP and Aetna feels that they will be able to add most (if not all) of the providers that do not already carry Aetna to their books. Aetna is a nationally-recognized insurance company. If the providers accepted CHP they will more than likely accept Aetna. It's being done as we speak. Time will tell us the exact coverage.

sassy, I agree. That is still a question that remains to be answered. I know our coverage remains the same for now, but come Annual Enrollment, it will be interesting to see if there will be changes. I'm sure over the next few weeks we'll learn more in-house about how this transition will affect us.

Some questions that were not answered in the story:
1. Was CHP organized as a for-profit or non-profit group?
2. Since inception, what has been the financial performance? If there were losses, were these subsidized by the not-for-profit elements of Heartland? If there were profits, what happened to these?
3. For the same coverasge, how do Aetna's premiums compare with CHP's?

"CHP is transforming into something more than an insurance company...Heartland's and Aetna's focus on community health make this a great partnership."
"...no Heartland employees are losing their job over this transition..." iamheartland

iamheartland, the tone of your comments bespeak of a relative lack of familiarity with CHP and you are incorrect on the quoted comments. The notice clearly states that CHP is exiting the market place. This is not a "partnership" and eventually all CHP commercial processes will be handed over to Aetna. Further, jobs have already been lost due to this endeavor. Some have preemptively taken other jobs upon being notified that their job would not survive future changes and others after outright job elimination. This will continue during the 18 month transition as is indicated in the open memo dated May 27th to all Heartland employees. Those few who remain, whether directly or indirectly, will ultimately answer to Aetna. There will be little to no local customer support for members or providers, which is what has been CHP's anchor selling point since the beginning and the primary reason it has lasted this long. CHP has been the third largest player in NW MO and was never intended to be a national one, so the contention that it becoming national is a positive move is in conflict with all that the company has ever stood for. There was a time when CHP staff meetings virtually filled all three auditoriums at the West campus. Today there is probably less than thirty commercial staff remaining. So when your congratulating the architects of this fiasco, think about the folks who gave it there all to make CHP work for the past fourteen years only to have it come to this. You'll find just a hand full of them left.

jbbooks, you seem to have quite a bit of knowledge of CHP, but you are incorrect in some of your comments. CHP is transforming into Community Health Improvement Solutions. CHIS will provide Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, etc. for local businesses. Aetna is not taking over CHP... they are going to begin handling the insurance part of CHIS. This was all spelled out in the intranet notice that you referenced in your comments.

iamheartland, your recent and previous commentary not only reaffirms my belief that you have little experience with CHP, but also demonstrate a reliance on scripts and talking points. My comments addressed the commercial insurance hand off to Aetna and you have failed to point out an error in my assessment. Changing the name and the services provided does not preclude the fact that Aetna is taking over the commercial insurance product which is the heart of CHP and CHP the local insurance company will be replaced by an Aetna administered product with no local support for external customers. Wellness is and will continue to be a separate effort from the nuts and bolts of commercial insurance processes and putting a different marketing spin on it does not change this. Feel free to believe the propaganda being sent your way, but Heartland has been looking for a way to get out from under CHP for quite some time and in the end it will be all Aetna. In the future you might consider forming your own opinion. You will sound less like a Heartland Marketing staff person assigned to influence public forums.

jbbooks:
You have hit the nail on the head with that last post!

jbbooks - I eluded on another post that iamheartland is basically a marketing sock puppet regurgitating toe jam. It would be nice if they could think on their own and not spew rehearsed garbage. Kudos to your insight of what's really going on with CHP! Please share more...

I noticed in the article that CHP "will allow CHP employees to keep their jobs and remain in their location at 801 Faraon St." Interesting, considering the fact it's nothing but an empty lot. Will displaced CHP employees be placed in Heartland's so-called redeployment program?

Wow. Jbbooks states that CHP is going to be run by Aetna which is blatantly false, but I am the one drinking the koolaid and not thinking for myself? Please. Your comments sound very much like sour grapes, jbbooks. You can call me names all you want, but the FACTs are that CHP is transitioning into CHIS with Aetna running the insurance part. I have always stated this. It's not a talking point, it's just the way it is.

In the future you might consider forming your own opinion. You will sound less like a disgruntled employee looking to bad-mouth your employer or ex-employer. Want to let us know which one YOU are?

So is it Aetna or CHIS? It cant be both.

"CHP is exiting the insurance market" That sounds pretty clear to me. Aetna. No more CHP.

This sounds pretty close to the IT dept saga. Is it HH or is it Cerner. Oh wait, its a "partnership".

There sure are alot of "partnerships" but what I cant figure out, whose personal pocket books are being influenced.

My guess: The ones calling the shots.

"Light, I asked this question via email to a CHP employee and I was assured that Aetna is working with the region's providers to get signed up as we speak. All of Heartland's providers will accept Aetna and most others will too. "

it is darn hard to find a physician in this city who isn't heartland. please provide a list, i am interested!!!

disclaimer:::: i think most medical care providers are wonderful. i disagree with heartland's corporate policies. i really don't like their billing procedures.

suzy, Aetna is providing the insurance for CHIS. CHIS is the umbrella for all of the services that will be provided to the community including Wellness programs, Employee Assistance, insurance, etc. I hope that makes sense. I know people want to find the "man behind the curtain" but there is no conspiracy here. CHP, now CHIS, will still be local and provide local sales and service to NWMO. Partnering with Aetna allows companies in NWMO that could not be covered by CHP due to out of state headquarters or employees outside of plan coverage to choose CHIS now that they have national coverage via Aetna.

Unlike some people, I am in contact with CHP administration to get the most accurate information I can provide. I started commenting on here because I wanted the information to be accurate and from the source. Yes, I work for Heartland... I've never hidden that fact. But, I am not a shill or talking head trying to manipulate the public. I am a humble Heartland employee trying to provide accurate information. If anything I say is not true ( and you can prove it) please let me know. I am not naive enough to believe that Heartland is perfect. I know we aren't. But, in this article, Heartland is doing the right thing. Which is why I am taking the time to get the facts and provide them here for the public to decide for themselves.

heritage, that is a great question and one I would like to know myself. I am going to try and get an answer for you. Keep in mind, it's not just the City of St. Joseph we're talking about here, it's all of NWMO.

Also, thank you for the disclaimer on your message. It's very easy to lump all 3,000 employees together when speaking of Heartland. Like I stated before, I know Heartland is not perfect, but we do have an exceptional number of people who work hard and provide excellent service to the community. I am proud and humbled to include myself in their ranks.

Pardon me, but at no time did I call anyone names, unless you feel that Marketing staff person is a derogatory reference. I think iamheartland is upset at being outed as a Heartland Marketing employee who has been assigned to monitor posts and schmooze the public should anyone not just smile an agree with anything that they publish. I've never heard someone say that telling the truth equals being disgruntled but think what you will, or should I say reference your talking points. As for me, I may be someone you see in meetings or maybe someone you know and go to lunch with. I might be sitting in the cube next to you, but since this is an anonymous public forum I'll leave it at that. You however can feel free to identify yourself, but if you did that you would only confirm that I am right about who YOU are. I've made my point so I'll close and not chastise you further even if you choose to rant on. The folks who read this can decide who to believe. Have a nice day.

So when (if I currently have CHP) call about my services/beneifts next year, will they answer...Thank you for calling Aetna please hold or press 1.

-or-

Good afternoon, thank you for calling CHIS, if this is regarding insurance, press 2 for Aetna?

Also who is controlling the purse strings? Aetna or Heartland? Thats what I really want to know. Will HH be setting the rules and beneifts and Aetna just administer accordingly, or will these be strictly Aetna plans that CHP..I mean CHIS has completely outsourced?

Are the brokers soliciting for CHIS plans or Aetna plans?

Thanks for your help.

maybe i should amend that disclaimer to except public relations drones who have really annoying talking points and verbal ticks such as..." that is a great question" , "i asked this question" and "it will be interesting". dead give away, and sounds exactly like the drones who flocked to the comments section on the school issue.

sorry i am not buying it. now, i need to go down to KC for a dermatology exam. have a nice day.

um... sorry if my manner of speaking annoys you heritage. I'm just trying to be respectful. I was serious when I said that I was interested in the same thing. I got the information you asked for if you still want it.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WMMSPB2G

I would tell you to have a nice day as well but, like you, I don't really mean it.

suzy, I am getting a response to your questions. I do not have all of the answers, I'm not even working off talking points. If I don't know the answer based on what's been provided to me via the regular employee communication process I have to ask the CHP folks. Contrary to popular opinion, I am simply a Heartland employee who wants to provide accurate answers to questions people may have about this article. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

falcon, here are the answers to your questions:

1. Was CHP organized as a for-profit or non-profit group? Not for profit, taxable

2. Since inception, what has been the financial performance? CHP was only profitable 5 of the 14 years it was open.
If there were losses, were these subsidized by the not-for-profit elements of Heartland? Yes.
If there were profits, what happened to these? Stayed with CHP

3. For the same coverasge, how do Aetna's premiums compare with CHP's? Because each group is individually underwritten, it is very hard to give a specific answer. Generally, we believe their premiums will be similar to CHP.

A side point is that they also own an insurance company charter they bought in 2003 or so from AG Edwards and renamed. I wonder what they will do with it? It has historically been a life insurance company while CHP was mostly an HMO.

I'm so sad to see CHP leave, what a asset to our community. I wish our community had been a little more supoortive of the insurance. It might have cost a little more but if you or a loved one have a illness it sure paid off. They really cared about the customer and provided the best coverage I have ever seen. We were not numbers we were real people. Thanks CHP for 15 years of great care and service.You saved my daughters life more than once and I mean that.

Thanks, iamheartland, for taking the time to answer my questions. I am surprised to learn a not-for-profit has a taxable status. I appreciate your response.

suzy, here's the best way I can explain this. Currently, I have CHP. If I look at my insurance card it would have the number for CHP customer service. A year from now, if I took out my card, it would have the number for Aetna. If I had an insurance related question, I would contact Aetna directly and you would talk to an Aetna rep. If I was a business, I would contact CHIS which will remain local and continue to be ex-CHP employees. The brokers will still be CHIS employees, the customer service for CHIS will still be local, etc.

So, to simplify... Aetna will handle the insurance side of CHIS and everything else will be locally handled by ex-CHP staff. Please let me know if that does not make sense.

To answer your purse strings question, Aetna will pay CHIS for the Health Services that CHIS will be providing. CHIS will pay Aetna for handling the insurance side. CHIS keeps their profits from the health services they provide and Aetna keeps their profits from the insurance. CHP has always had a Wellness component to their product. With CHIS they can now focus more on that side of the business and let Aetna handle the insurance side. Again, please let me know if this does not make sense. I had to speak personally with a CHP administrator to understand their world better. I may not have translated the verbiage very well. :)

Falcon, you're welcome. I got that information direct from Linda. Before this article I knew very little about the CHIS transition other than what we were told on the intranet. This has been an eye-opener for me as well.

I'm done for the weekend. The warm weather and my family beckon.