Provider options for Aetna changed after retirees made choice

My husband and I were in for a shock when we opened our letters from Aetna recently to find that our health care provider, Optum Care Washington (formerly The Everett Clinic) would no longer be in its provider network, effective June 7.

If we choose to remain with Optum we will be paying the higher fees for the out-of-network provider. During the 2024 enrollment period Boeing had switched to a Aetna Medicare Advantage plan. Retirees had a choice to accept or reject the plan by a certain date in November.

At the time, The Everett Clinic was not part of Aetna’s network and we rejected the Aetna plan. We then heard that The Everett Clinic and Aetna were in contract talks to include the clinic as a preferred provider and that happened in December.

Boeing told retirees that had opted out that they could get back into the plan and we did; knowing that the Everett Clinic would be a preferred provider. Optum and Aetna need to work on the present contract until the end of the year so extra costs for staying with plan does not present a hardship for retirees that do not want to give up their primary physicians. I wonder how many customers of Optum Care Washington are affected by this change of care?

Helen Arnold

Mukilteo