Carriers Gear Up for 2007 Medicare Marketing

- Medical Mutual of Ohio, Cleveland, will be starting to sell 2 Medicare drug plans and 3 Medicare managed care plans.

Medical Mutual has permission to sell the drug plans throughout Ohio and the managed care plans in 30 counties, but it will start by selling the plans in Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and Youngstown, the company says.

- Aetna Inc., Hartford, says it will be selling Medicare managed care plan coverage in 16 states and the District of Columbia in 2007, up from 13 states in 2006, and providing Medicare drug coverage for auto-enrolled beneficiaries in 36 states and the District Columbia, up from 8 states in 2006. The company will continue to sell drug coverage to individuals and employers who take active steps to sign up for coverage in all 50 states.

Aetna also is introducing Medicare fee-for-service coverage for retirees in all states and for individuals in some markets.

Aetna has signed deals with other insurers that will add 5,500 independent brokers to its Medicare distribution network, the company says.

- The Ovations unit at UnitedHealth Group Inc., Minnetonka, Minn., says it will continue to offer stand-alone prescription drug plans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and all 5 U.S. territories. The unit also will enroll lower-income Medicare recipients and individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid in every region.

- WellPoint Inc., Indianapolis, will be supporting efforts by CVS Corp., Woonsocket, R.I., to run Medicare drug plan education programs in 5,800 CVS pharmacies in 43 states.