Q. Are all Aetna members eligible to participate in the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program?
A. No. The Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program® is available to Aetna members who are enrolled in a self-funded Aetna HealthFund® or self-funded PPO-based plan and have the program included in the benefits package provided by their employer. The program is not a standard feature for all plans, but is an add-on or buy-up.
Q. With which self-funded PPO-based products and self-funded Aetna HealthFund products is the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program available for purchase?
A. The program is available for purchase with Aetna's Traditional Choice®, Open Choice® PPO, Managed Choice® POS, Elect Choice® EPO, Aetna Choice® POS II, Aetna SelectSM and Aetna HealthFund®plans.
Q. How do I join the program?
To help you adopt a healthier lifestyle, the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program needs you to provide some information. To join our program, you will be asked to complete the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life® Health Assessment. Here’s how:
- Go to www.aetna.com.
- Look for a blue box marked “Members” on the right side of the screen; click on the link marked “Log In to Aetna Navigator.”
- If you are a first time user, you will need to register for Aetna Navigator. To register, you need the ID number or social security number of the person in your household who is the primary member.
- Once you are registered, log on to Aetna Navigator using your password and click on the “Take Action on Your Health” section in the top blue toolbar.
- Look for a link to Simple Steps To A Healthier Life on the left side of the screen under the orange box.
- Click on this link to access the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life Health Assessment.
You can also go directly to www.simplestepslife.com and log in using your ID and password. If you are a first time user, you will need one of the following items to register for the Health Assessment:
- Your work e-mail address
- Your employee access code
- Your 11-digit dependent key code (for dependents)
Once you are registered, complete all of the questions in the Health Assessment. Make sure to let us know that you would like to participate in the program by answering yes to the question, “Would you like to participate in Aetna’s Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program which is offered by your health plan benefits?” This question can be found near the end of the Health Assessment questions.
Once you have completed your Health Assessment, you will be contacted in approximately 10 to 14 days. This gives our nurses time to review your information. If you need help with the Health Assessment, call toll-free 1-800-606-1031.
Q. Is the program voluntary?
A. Yes. Members must opt in to the program using the Health Assessment.
Q. How are members identified for participation in the program?
A. Members whose employers have purchased the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program are identified for participation when they complete the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life® Health Assessment. Members whose body mass index (BMI) is 25 or above are eligible to participate in the program.
Q. Do members who previously completed the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life Health Assessment need to complete another in order to participate?
A. No. Members who have already completed the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life Health Assessment do not need to complete another Health Assessment. They must simply log in to their Simple Steps To A Healthier Life account and indicate their intent to participate by answering the additional question mentioned above.
Q. Who is on the staff of the Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program?
A. The Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program is staffed by:
- Weight loss therapists (licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers with expertise in weight loss issues)
- Nurse case managers
- Nutritionists
- Care management associates
Q. After I enroll, what happens during the first phone call?
A. Once an eligible member has completed the Simple Steps To A Healthier Life Health Assessment, he/she will be contacted by an Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program staff member. During this call, the staff member will address:
- The member’s nutritional status, eating habits and exercise patterns
- Any medical problems the member may have
- The member’s medication regime
Q. What materials are offered by the program?
A. The program offers:
- Discounts to community-based weight management programs
- A pedometer (an instrument for measuring the distance you walk)
- Educational materials about nutrition and the importance of exercise
- Ethnically and culturally appropriate recipes
Q. How can employers increase awareness of the program at the work site?
A. The Aetna Healthy Body, Healthy Weight Program has developed a plan sponsor promotional toolkit to assist our customers in advertising the program to their employees. The CD-ROM includes:
- Two posters with messages that promote health and program awareness for use throughout the work site
- One postcard which promotes the program and can be mailed to the employees’ homes or used through the interoffice mail system
- A Member Overview Flyer (a description of the program for use on the company intranet site or to print for use at the work site)
- An e-mail message which promotes the program (for use in the company’s e-mail system)
