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5 common barriers to good health — and how an Aetna D-SNP can help you overcome them
Learn how a D-SNP can help you get access to healthy foods, reliable transportation, safe housing and more
Good health isn't just the result of good genes and following doctor's orders. Other lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet and living in a safe place are proving to be just as important.
The less access you have to these things, the higher your odds of developing a chronic condition or other illness. That's why they are called social determinants of health (SDOH).
If factors like these are getting in the way of your well-being, take heart: There are resources out there that can help. On the list: Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans, or D-SNPs like the ones offered by Aetna®.
D-SNPs include both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, along with additional benefits and services to eligible members.* Those additional benefits are designed to help members deal with everyday roadblocks to wellness.
Keep reading to learn more about common obstacles to good health and how an Aetna D-SNP may help you overcome them.
Health obstacle: Unsafe housing
No home is perfect. But sometimes home feels more stressful than it should. Maybe your apartment is overcrowded, or your street feels unsafe. Perhaps the water or air in your area is polluted. Or maybe you struggle to afford the rent.
The stress that comes with having to worry about these things impacts your health. Over time, an unhealthy living situation can lead to illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.*
How an Aetna D-SNP can help: D-SNPs provide resources to help members find or afford safer housing. For example, all Aetna D-SNP members have a personal care team. This team can help connect you with local programs for safe housing.
Health obstacle: High food costs
It’s hard to eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies when you can’t find them at your local grocery store. Or maybe you can find them, but they cost too much. This might mean relying on less expensive, processed foods.
Unfortunately, these foods tend to be higher in unhealthy fats and added sugars. They can drain your energy and memory. And they can raise your risk of chronic illness.*
How an Aetna D-SNP can help: All Aetna D-SNP members get an Extra Benefits Card. The card comes pre-loaded with a monthly allowance called a “wallet”. You can use that allowance to help pay for approved healthy foods like:
- Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables
- Healthy grains like bread and pasta
- Meat and seafood
- Pantry staples
- And more
Having healthy foods at home makes it easier to prepare meals that are good for you. And using your allowance to help buy them means you have more money left over for other things you need to stay well.
Want help paying for healthy foods?
Aetna Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP, members get an Extra Benefits Card with monthly benefit amounts called a “wallets” to spend on healthy foods and other approved items and services. Learn more about Aetna D-SNPs today.
Health obstacle: No reliable transportation
Nearly six million people say that a lack of reliable or easy transportation keeps them from seeking the medical care they need.* It makes sense. If you don't have a car — or public transportation nearby, or cab fare — getting to the doctor's office can feel out of reach.
How an Aetna D-SNP can help: There are a few ways Aetna D-SNPs can help members get to where they need to be on time. Some members can choose to use their Extra Benefits Card monthly allowance to pay for gas at the pump or public transportation. That includes ride shares like Uber or Lyft. Other members get a certain number of rides to and from approved locations at no extra cost. Either way, all Aetna D-SNP members get transportation support.
Health obstacle: Lack of social support
Positive relationships can boost your physical and mental health. That's true if it’s a trusted family member, a long-time neighbor or a new friend at the senior center. All meaningful connections, big or small, can benefit your well-being.
On the other hand, feeling alone or isolated can raise stress levels and harm your health. Research links social isolation with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, depression and more.* Unfortunately, it’s more likely among older adults and people living with health issues like chronic illness or hearing loss.
How an Aetna D-SNP can help: Remember, Aetna D-SNP members have a personal care team. The care team can answer questions, help coordinate care and access to local resources and more.
Aetna D-SNP members also have a membership to the SilverSneakers® fitness program. It includes access to both online and in-person fitness classes of all levels.
Have a health question after hours? Aetna D-SNP members can call the 24/7 Nurse Line at any time to talk to a registered nurse.
Enrolling in a D-SNP just got a lot easier
A licensed Aetna® agent can help answer your questions and guide you through the enrollment process from start to finish — for free. Schedule a call with a licensed Aetna agent today — it can’t hurt to learn more.
Health obstacle: High-cost health care
Tens of millions of Americans have inadequate or unaffordable health care. In fact, 1 out of 10 people in the U.S. don’t have health insurance at all. It’s easy to see how that can get in the way of feeling your best.
How an Aetna D-SNP can help: D-SNPs are designed to meet the special needs of their members. They are especially helpful for people with:
- Low income
- Certain health conditions
- Disability or other unique health care requirements
The cost of a D-SNP varies by plan. But it is very low or may even be no cost. And the plans come with coverage beyond medical. An Aetna D-SNP also includes prescription drug coverage with a $0 copay for covered Part D prescription drugs at in-network pharmacies. Aetna also offers D-SNPs with dental, vision and hearing coverage.
The bottom line
The cost, benefits and added services and supports that come with an Aetna D-SNP are designed to help meet members where they are. Because when you’re able to stop worrying about access to quality health care, you can focus on taking the next best steps to feel your best.
Want to learn more about D-SNPs and becoming a member? Check out these related articles and resources to get answers and support:
If you are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, you may be eligible for an Aetna® Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).
Aetna® is a recipient of the Newsweek America’s Best Customer Service Award for <2023>.<*>
*FOR D-SNP ELIGIBILITY: If you have Medicare and Medicaid, you may be eligible for a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan or D-SNP from Aetna. Call us to learn more and confirm coverage in your area.
*FOR LINK BETWEEN LIVING SITUATION AND ILLNESS: Bhat AC, Almeida DM, Fenelon A, et al. SSM – Population Health. A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between housing insecurity and physical health among midlife and aging adults in the United States. June 2022, 18, pp: 101128.
*FOR LINK BETWEEN FOOD AND CHRONIC ILLNESS: Ziso D, Chun OK and Puglisis MJ. Nutrients. Environment: a review of mixed methods intervention studies with residents of low-income communities. May 29, 2022; 14(11), pp: 2278.
*FOR LINK BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS TO CARE: Oluyede L, Cochran AL, Prunkl L et al. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Unpacking transportation barriers and facilitators to accessing health care: interviews with care coordinators. March 2022, 13, pp: 100565.
*FOR LINK BETWEEN LONELINESS AND HEALTH: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious health conditions. April 29, 2021. Accessed August 8, 2023.
*FOR NEWSWEEK AWARD: The 2023 Newsweek America’s Best Customer Service rankings were identified from the results of an independent survey of more than 30,000 U.S. customers who have either made purchases, used services, or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. Customers evaluated several brands: In total, over 200,000 evaluations were collected. The awarded brands each received on average 100 evaluations from customers. For more information, visit https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-best-customer-service-2023
Aetna Medicare is an HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our DSNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. To send a complaint to Aetna, call the Plan or the number on your member ID card. To send a complaint to Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1- 877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week. If your complaint involves a broker or agent, be sure to include the name of the person when filing your grievance. This material is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Health information programs provide general health information and are not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician or other health care professional. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about specific health care needs. Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice. Aetna is not a provider of health care services and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change. For more information about Aetna plans, refer to our website. Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change. Eligibility for the Model Benefit or Reward and Incentive (RI) Programs under the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model is not assured and will be determined by Aetna after enrollment, based on relevant criteria (e.g., clinical diagnoses, eligibility criteria, participation in a disease state management program. If your plan’s Extra Benefits Card includes roll-over, any unused amount will rollover into the next month. The monthly amount can be rolled over through the end of the plan year but will not carry over into the next plan year. SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. © 2023 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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