Aetna launches new health insurance benefits package for NFL players
New health insurance benefit packages for NFL Players are launching Monday and include premium health insurance for medical emergencies and for life-saving treatment.
Aetnea said Monday it will offer coverage for players for two years starting in 2019.
A second year of coverage is available for players in 2020 and 2021.
NFL teams have been scrambling to make the transition to new, more affordable insurance since last year, when the health care reform law created a new program known as CHIP that covers about $1.6 billion for the first year.
The Affordable Care Act has helped some players avoid the steep premiums that go with insurance policies with high deductibles and high copayments.
Some players have been allowed to buy health insurance through their employers.
“Our commitment to our players is that the insurance will cover the essentials,” said Aetamax President and CEO Kevin Aettenberger.
“It will cover medical emergencies, life-threatening treatment, as well as medical expenses related to medical conditions.”
Players have been able to use the new CHIP insurance in a number of ways.
They can enroll in the federal Medicaid program, which covers millions of low-income Americans, for up to six months.
The players are allowed to continue participating in the program until they have exhausted their federal contribution.
In addition, the NFL Players Association has agreed to pay out $50 million a year in subsidies to players through 2020.
