A Letter from the Chief Executive Officer

February 15, 2010

Dear Aetna Health Member,

In my last letter I provided information about the contract negotiations between your health plan, Aetna Health, Inc. (Aetna), and Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH). The contract determines how much and under what terms Aetna pays SBUH for providing services to you and its other members.

After an extended period of difficult negotiations and despite our best efforts, we regret to announce that we have been unable to reach what we believe would have been an equitable agreement with Aetna. The contract terminated on February 15, 2010.

Aetna has notified its members that after February 15 it will not cover non-emergency services provided at SBUH unless the member has out-of-network benefits in his or her policy. The notice from Aetna will tell you which hospitals and facilities continue to participate in the Aetna network. Please contact your employer’s benefits manager to discuss the implications of this change in your provider options.

We were seeking a contract that would allow SBUH to continue to provide ongoing care as Suffolk County’s only tertiary care hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center. SBUH is unique in Suffolk County, providing many critical lifesaving services not available elsewhere in the region, such as open-heart surgery, advanced cardiac imaging, interventional stroke care, kidney transplantation, and blood and marrow stem-cell transplantation, to name a few. All of these services significantly enhance the quality of life here in Suffolk County.

Rather than seeking to improve care, Aetna’s position actually jeopardizes the health of many. The reality is that for the past several years Aetna has been compensating SBUH at a rate significantly lower than the amount paid by other health plans. And, in negotiations for a new agreement, Aetna’s proposals have been much lower than the Hospital requires in order to continue treating Aetna members.  

We are keenly aware of the need to contain the cost of healthcare. Over the past year SBUH has reduced expenses by millions of dollars and we are committed to doing more. We understand that businesses and individuals cannot survive with unbridled increases in health insurance. At the same time, we need to be certain there are sufficient resources to ensure critical patient access and lifesaving care.

As Long Island’s only academic medical center, we are committed to serving the healthcare needs of Long Island residents. We consider our patients and their families to be an integral part of our healthcare team. 

We will continue to do everything possible to reach an agreement with Aetna, for our patients, and for the larger community. However, given the history of discussions like these, this is unlikely in the near term. If you have specific questions or would like additional information, please call our hotline between 8:30 am and 7:00 pm at (631) 444-4392 or go to www.StonyBrookMedicalCenter.org.

We truly regret any inconvenience that this situation may cause you and your family.

Sincerely,

Steven L. Strongwater, MD
Chief Executive Officer

To view frequently asked questions on the termination of the contract between Stony Brook University Hospital and Aetna Health, Inc. Click Here