Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Answered Below

Since becoming a member, I've changed my address. How do I notify ARA?
What do I do if I have general questions or comments?
And what if I have specific questions about my own benefits such as premium rate changes, 401K issues, change of addresses (in Aetna's records), changes in bank accounts, eligibility for a pension, processing of a recent claim, etc.?
How will ARA respond to a question I ask concerning the particulars of my own benefits?
How receptive and helpful are your contacts at Aetna when you approach them with questions/concerns/problems?
How often do you meet with Aetna and what subjects are discussed?
Is ARA really making a difference?
How competitive are the premium rates which Aetna charges us for our retiree health insurance plans?
What are our dues and contributions to ARA being spent on?
Can I get an accounting of the funds held by ARA?
AAA, AARP and other such entities provide discounts at various retail establishments and travel/vacation related entities. Will Aetna provide a similar "discount card" to retirees?
Wouldn’t we be better off with more regular employees representing us rather than former executives?
May active employees join the Aetna Retirees Association?

Since becoming a member, I've changed my address. How do I notify ARA?

If either your email or post-office address changes, you can – and we urge you to – notify us via the Contact Us page.

What do I do if I have general questions or comments?

This website can be used to submit to ARA personnel various questions or comments about ARA or about Aetna's actions. You can send these questions and comments to us via the Contact Us page. We welcome your input. For a specific question relating to your own Aetna benefits, however, please follow the process for handling this category of question, described in the answer to the next question (below).

And what if I have specific questions about my own benefits such as premium rate changes, 401K issues, change of addresses (in Aetna's records), changes in bank accounts, eligibility for a pension, processing of a recent claim, etc.?

Usually these questions can only be answered by Aetna (or their "subcontractors" -- e.g., Hewett). The best way to reach the appropriate individual there is by referring to the 2014 Resource Guide to Your Aetna Retiree Benefits, which can be accessed via a link on the homepage of this website. By clicking on this link, a document containing a whole array of departments, names and phone numbers will be displayed. Most questions can be resolved through these sources. As an alternative, the general Aetna Human Resources number at 1-800-AETNA-HR could be used to resolve issues. If, after using these resources, issues or questions are still not resolved, that is the time to contact ARA.

How will ARA respond to a question I ask concerning the particulars of my own benefits?

Our general approach to this category of questions is to first establish that you have followed the procedure outlined in the answer to the previous question (above). If that avenue has been exhausted and an issue or question still remains, please contact us and we will try to help you resolve your issue, including when appropriate getting in touch with our contacts at Aetna.

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How receptive and helpful are your contacts at Aetna when you approach them with questions/concerns/problems?

Through the years we have built a very collaborative and congenial relationship with Aetna. They have been very receptive and helpful in resolving issues our members may be encountering. Once a member has attempted to resolve the issue through "normal channels" (examples - Member Services, Human resources, Aetna/Hewitt) and the issue remains unsolved, Aetna will then be amenable to stepping in and getting the outstanding problems fixed.

How often do you meet with Aetna and what subjects are discussed?

In general, our Liaison Team will meet with Aetna periodically throughout the year. We meet with their team each fall to get a preview of what the next year's benefits and rates will be. We receive a complete overview of benefit and rate changes along with the reasons for the changes (legislative requirements, state mandates, cost projections, etc.). In addition to our Fall meeting, we will meet with Aetna on other issues which may arise during the year. Examples of this would include discussions concerning the soundness of the pension plan, new initiatives in the Affordable Care Act, and changes in how claims may be displayed to members on EOBs, to name a few.

Is ARA really making a difference?

We think we are! Besides the fact that our Aetna benefits for existing retirees have remained essentially unchanged during ARA's lifespan, we have assisted numerous individual members with their benefit questions and problems. We have also been in not-infrequent dialogue with Aetna in various contexts. Besides resolving individual ARA-member problems this interaction with Aetna includes discussions about benefit variations, premium changes, governmental regulations, and the best way to communicate to retirees, to mention a few. We believe this has been beneficial to all Aetna retirees receiving benefits.

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How competitive are the premium rates which Aetna charges us for our retiree health insurance plans?

Through the years we have attempted to measure the competitiveness of Aetna's rates as compared to others in the marketplace. With the help of an outside consultant, we conducted a relatively detailed study a number of years ago which concluded that the Aetna rates were very competitive with other entities in the marketplace.

While it may be somewhat useful to compare rates from a variety of insurers, we must remember that each individual and each family's situation is unique. In addition, a complete review of the plan's benefits must be examined to assess competitiveness of rates. For example, items such as deductibles, coinsurances, copays, out of pocket maximums, etc. must be compared when making any decisions on competitiveness of plans. In other words, the plans and rates must be compared on an apples-to-apples basis to achieve an accurate comparison.

What are our dues and contributions to ARA being spent on?

The Association has a website, a newsletter, computer and other office related expenses, auditing fees, mailing costs and similar expenses. All Board Members are unpaid and volunteer their time for the business of ARA. We are very judicious in how and when we do spend money; there must be a clear benefit to ARA's membership for any funds we do spend. Most of our funds are earmarked for a "rainy day fund" so that we will have resources available in the event we ever do have to become more active on legal or legislative matters.

Can I get an accounting of the funds held by ARA?

The Board of Directors reviews ARA’s income, expenses and balance sheet quarterly. Each such review includes questions about our expenditures and investments to assure we are acting in a fiscally sound manner and available funds are being applied appropriately. Moreover, our books are audited periodically. In addition, ARA is complying with all federal and state financial reporting requirements for organizations of our type.

We will make our reports available to any member who would like to schedule a review in our offices. However, we will not be publishing our financials.

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AAA, AARP and other such entities provide discounts at various retail establishments and travel/vacation related entities. Will Aetna provide a similar "discount card" to retirees?

We have approached Aetna more than once with this question. For the present time, Aetna is not planning to create and offer any sort of discount card. Instead, they have created an entity named LifeMart from which you may get discounts on a variety of products and services. A complete description along with login instructions is contained in our January 2014 newsletter (Volume X, Edition 1).

Wouldn’t we be better off with more regular employees representing us rather than former executives?

It is hard not to agree with this one. We are hopeful that more women and more of the people who had the non-managerial jobs will not only become members, but leaders who help with the work we have in progress. These are the people who contributed so much to Aetna's success and now we need them to keep ARA successful. They can also help us identify other issues and other actions that will make us a better stronger organization. If you are one of those who are willing to work and bring your ideas and capabilities into the mix, we want to hear from you.

May active employees join the Aetna Retirees Association?

Because the Association will not represent the interest of active employees, membership is not appropriate. However, those that want to learn about retirement issues and the impact of Aetna's decisions are certainly welcome to do so by visiting our website.

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