Aetna Unveils New Online Benefits Administration System

Aetna U.S. Healthcare continues to make its mark as one of the first major health insurance companies to embrace electronic commerce for employee benefits transactions.

After several pilot trails, Aetna U.S. Healthcare recently launched EZLink, its new state-of-the-art benefits administration system. EZLink is among the first fully integrated, Web-based benefits and human resource administration solution for managing benefits eligibility, enrollment, billing, reporting, and employee communications, according to Aetna officials.

EZLink relies on the Internet to deliver speed, efficiency and accuracy to the traditionally time- and paper-intensive process of administering employee benefits for employers and brokers. Customers are already reporting savings in time spent on administrative functions of up to 50%, the company said.

EZLink's benefits functions include:

• Real-time eligibility
  
• Online enrollment and account maintenance
  
• A single consolidated electronic bill
  
• Electronic funds transfer payment options.

"EZLink marks an important milestone on the path toward paperless benefits transactions for the businesses we serve," said Michael J. Cardillo, president of Aetna U.S. Healthcare.

EZLink is available with Aetna U.S. Healthcare HMO, preferred provider organization (PPO), and Quality Point-of-Service health benefit plans; dental, pharmacy, vision, and disability coverage, and group term life insurance. Exports of data to payroll vendors are also supported, providing for payroll deductions that are consistent with the benefits that have been elected.