Aetna, Merck collaborate on type 2 diabetes drugs, AetnaCare

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Aetna and Merck are collaborating in a value-based agreement for the type 2 diabetes medications Januvia and Janumet.

Merck's rebates on Januvia and Janumet will be based in part on how well these medications contribute to helping Aetna's commercial member population with type 2 diabetes achieve or maintain treatment their objectives, according to Aetna.

Merck is also signing on to AetnaCare, the insurer's patient-centric care approach that will initially target patients with diabetes and hypertension in the mid-Atlantic markets.

Merck is the first healthcare company to participate, Aetna said.

AetnaCare uses predictive analytics to identify target populations and connect them to available health and wellness services.

[Also: Feds accuse Aetna/Humana attempting to derail merger challenge by blocking CMS defendants]

Working with a patient's physicians and other caregivers, the program is designed to support treatment adherence, ensure that social support needs are met, and reinforce healthy lifestyle behaviors, Aetna said.

The AetnaCare initiative combines three key features: Analytics to identify in real time the target population; individually customized care maps that promote evidence-based actions for specific conditions; and a health ecosystem that brings together clinical and non-clinical services.

[Also: Aetna launches value-based model with Baptist Health & St. Vincent's HealthCare]

The foundation of AetnaCare is the analytically driven care map, a  customized health and wellness plan for individuals with particular chronic medical conditions.

The care maps alert providers to times when AetnaCare nurses should meet with members – often in person and at home – to educate them about their condition, explain the value of key health services such as nutrition, behavioral health, and work with their physician to develop a wellness plan, Aetna said.

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AetnaCare is building a health ecosystem in which every facet of the healthcare system is working to improve outcomes for patients, Aetna said.

Merck is contributing resources on patient engagement, behavior and treatment adherence which Aetna will incorporate to support more effective patient self-management.

"Today, individuals receive care in a variety of ways, including retail clinics, healthcare devices, pharmaceutical services, behavioral health, and social services, yet these services remain uncoordinated," said said Dr. Harold L. Paz, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Aetna. "Working with their physicians, AetnaCare not only integrates all these services into a coherent plan for members, it also curates care so patients don't have to figure out for themselves how to get the treatment they need. At Aetna, we believe that focusing on how physicians prescribe medications in real world settings is a key element in determining the value of the treatment." 

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