Aetna Signs Contract With Shore Memorial Hospital

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. -- Aetna announces it has reached agreement on a three-year contract renewal with Shore Memorial Hospital to provide covered hospital services for Aetna members in Atlantic County and other parts of southern New Jersey.

Under the agreement, which took effect last month, Aetna members will be able to continue accessing Shore Memorial Hospital for all covered inpatient and outpatient services.

"Aetna is very pleased to announce this agreement," said R.J. Franzoi, head of healthcare delivery for Aetna's Mid-Atlantic Region. "We are working to give our southern New Jersey members access to a broad network of quality hospitals and physicians. We have had a very positive, long-term relationship with Shore Memorial Hospital, and we're excited to be continuing that relationship for another three years."

Shore Memorial Hospital is a non-profit, 302-licensed-bed medical facility that has grown to become a regional leader in high-technology, state-of-the-art acute care, with more than 35 medical and surgical specialties, more than 350 doctors and more than 1,400 employees.

"Shore Memorial Hospital is pleased to have the opportunity to provide an extensive array of services to Aetna subscribers throughout our community," said Albert L. Gutierrez, president and CEO for the hospital.

Aetna provides health coverage to more than 300,000 members in southern New Jersey, and to more than 1 million members statewide. Southern New Jersey members have access to a network of 27 hospitals, 1,183 primary care physicians and 2,405 specialists.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare and related group benefits, serving approximately 13.9 million medical members, 11.9 million dental members and 11.7 million group insurance customers, as of September 30, 2002. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 539,000 health care services providers, including over 327,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,300 hospitals.

Source: Aetna