Aetna, P4 Healthcare Expand Their Collaboration to Georgia, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Aetna (NYSE: AET) and Cardinal Health’s P4 Healthcare business today announced that their evidence-based program to improve cancer care will be introduced in Georgia, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Aetna provides health benefits to approximately 1 million members in those three markets.

In February, Aetna and P4 Healthcare launched the program in Maryland and Florida. The program is designed to identify and promote the best clinical practices to improve cancer treatment while achieving more cost efficiency.

"We can improve cancer care and make it safer, more effective and more affordable for our members,” said Robert Kropp, M.D., regional medical director for Aetna’s Southeast Region. "Our collaboration with P4 Healthcare has produced promising early results in Maryland and Florida. We’re excited to make it available in Georgia, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. The P4 Healthcare program helps us work with local doctors at the point of care on treatment plans that result in better patient outcomes, often with lower costs.”

The collaboration with P4 Healthcare is part of Aetna’s collaborative approach to cancer care that includes:

• Working with the medical community;
• Applying evidenced-based medicine;
• Delivering decision support;
• Providing incentives for the delivery of quality, cost-effective care; and
• Sharing cost savings with participating doctors.

P4 Healthcare and Aetna will establish regional committees in Georgia, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., comprised of local oncologists who participate in Aetna’s networks. The committees will identify evidence-based treatment regimens, or clinical pathways, for delivering patient care initially for breast, lung and colon cancers.

"Our collaboration with Aetna and its regional physician networks reinforces our belief that local physician engagement is critical to the success of cancer care pathways,” said Bruce Feinberg, vice president and chief medical officer of Cardinal Health’s P4 Healthcare business. "The involvement of local thought leaders increases network physician participation, improves pathway compliance and optimizes the care and service patients receive.”

P4 Healthcare will also provide proprietary technology, tools, educational programs and training to help doctors within the Aetna network implement and monitor use of the treatment pathways. These tools also capture clinical results and track cost savings of the program – without additional administrative work.

P4 Healthcare is part of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions, which provides clinical, reimbursement and distribution services to help health care providers, payers and pharmaceutical manufacturers deliver quality, cost-effective care to patients with complex diseases.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 33.8 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com. To learn more about Aetna’s innovative online tools, visit www.aetnatools.com.

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $99 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.