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What's New for 2027 – Aetna Medical Benefits

Beginning January 1, 2027, Loyola is introducing two programs to help employees access quality healthcare while managing out-of-pocket costs:

• Garner Health – Provider Search & Reimbursement: Helps employees find high-quality, in-network healthcare providers and offers reimbursement of eligible medical expenses up to $1,000 for individual coverage or $2,000 for family coverage. Visit the Garner Health section below for program details.
• OptiMed – Site-of-Care Program: Helps employees identify appropriate, cost-effective locations for certain medical treatments and services. Beginning January 1, members can learn more by contacting the Aetna Concierge Line on/after January 1, 2027.

Important Change: Effective January 1, 2027, the Loyola Home Hospital Network discount will be discontinued. Garner Health will replace this program as an additional opportunity for eligible employees to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses.

No enrollment or action is required for either program during Open Enrollment. We will provide additional information and instructions for accessing these services closer to January 1, 2027.

Connecting with Aetna

Aetna Concierge Line (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.): (855) 586-6958. Access the Aetna portal online and find a provider: .  *Sometimes providers are listed individually and/or by medical group. The group number is 143775.

If you have questions regarding Aetna coverage, you may contact the Aetna Concierge Line at (855) 586-6958 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Insurance Cards

You may download the Aetna Health app to your smartphone and are able to use the app to view your benefits, track progress toward your deductible, and access the digital version of your member ID card. To request additional copies of your Aetna insurance card to be mailed to your home address, contact the Aetna Concierge Line at (855) 586-6958 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Please see the details provided below on new insurance cards for 2027.

Summaries of Benefits & Coverages (SBCs)

View the s for a general description of the benefits provided by the health insurance plans.  Plan documents will be loaded once they are finalized for 2027.

Find an In-Network Provider

To verify your current medical providers are covered by Aetna’s extensive network, you may visit  to search for a network provider at . Simply enter your ZIP code, select the number of miles you wish to search, and click "Search." Then you will be able to choose from a variety of categories of health care providers and facilities. It should be noted that "Aetna Choice® POS II (Open Access)" is the plan name for both Loyola medical plans. 

How Can I Learn More about Aetna?

www.Aetna.com/Loyola for more information. Additionally, you may wish to review the Aetna New Member Account Registration Flyer to get accommodated with Aetna health insurance and set up your account once you receive your ID card(s) in the mail. 

Aetna Medical Insurance Cards

All employees enrolled in an Aetna medical plan for 2027, including those continuing their current coverage and those newly enrolling, will receive new medical insurance ID cards. New cards are being issued to reflect the changes to the annual deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for both the PPO and High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), effective January 1, 2027.

New ID cards will be mailed in December 2026 to the home address on file. Employees should review and update their mailing address in Employee Self-Service, if necessary, to ensure timely delivery. Please begin using your new Aetna medical ID card for services received on or after January 1, 2027. Your current card will expire on 12.31.2026

• If you need a new or additional card(s) at any time, contact Aetna directly at (855) 586-6958 or online at .
• You can access a digital copy of your insurance card anytime if you create an  or download the Aetna Health App to your smartphone.
• The group number is 143775. 

Contraceptive Medical Services with Aetna

• Contact the member services number on your current Aetna medical ID card (855) 586-6958 and request that a Contraceptive Payment Program ID card be sent to you.
• You may also access the  to print an image of this ID card.

Your plan covers emergency medical care for the initial treatment of a sudden and unexpected medical condition which has such severe life-threatening symptoms that the absence of immediate emergency medical attention could result in serious or permanent medical consequences. It also covers emergency accident care and related diagnostic services when initiated within 72 hours of the accidental injury.

• For the PP0 Medical Plan, all emergency health services are covered at 80% after deductible for 2027.
• * If enrolled in the HDHP Medical plan, emergency health services are covered at 80% after deductible.

Prescription Drug Coverage – CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark administers prescription drug benefits for employees enrolled in Â鶹´«Ã½'s Aetna medical plans. Prescriptions can be filled at more than 60,000 participating retail pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart. Mail-order and specialty prescriptions are managed through CVS Caremark. Members receive a separate CVS Caremark prescription ID card for their regular prescription benefits.

Managing Your Prescription Benefits

Register or log in at or download the CVS Caremark mobile app to:

• Find participating pharmacies and check medication costs.
• Review covered medications and prescription exclusions.
• Access a digital ID card or request replacement cards.
• Manage family member access, mail-order prescriptions, shipping, and payments.

Need a prescription ID card? Visit or call 888-202-1654. If you do not have your card, your pharmacy may use the following information to locate your regular prescription coverage:

Rx BIN: 004336 | Group: RX0804

Specialty Medications: Visit or call 800-237-2767.

Important Information for HDHP Participants

Employees enrolled in Â鶹´«Ã½'s High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) have a combined medical and prescription drug deductible. Certain preventive generic medications may be covered before the deductible is met.

Review the for additional information.

Contraceptive Coverage – Religious Employer Exemption

Loyola University Chicago is a Catholic institution and maintains a religious employer exemption for contraceptive coverage. As a result, contraceptive prescriptions and medical services are excluded from Â鶹´«Ã½'s regular medical and prescription drug plans. However, eligible contraceptive prescriptions and medical services are available at no cost through separate programs administered by CVS Caremark and Aetna, consistent with the Affordable Care Act.

Important: These programs require separate enrollment or ID cards. Your regular Aetna medical and CVS Caremark prescription ID cards are not sufficient to access these benefits.

1. Contraceptive Prescriptions – CVS Caremark

To obtain eligible contraceptive prescriptions, employees must enroll in the separate CVS Caremark contraceptive coverage program and obtain a dedicated prescription ID card.

• Enrollment and Assistance: 888-924-8738
• Contraceptive Rx BIN: 004336
• Contraceptive Group: RX3923
• Covered Medications:

2. Contraceptive Medical Services – Aetna

Eligible contraceptive medical services are available through Aetna's separate Contraceptive Services Payment Program. Services may include contraceptive counseling and office visits, device insertion and removal, voluntary sterilization, and contraceptive devices such as IUDs and implants.

To access these services, employees must request a separate Aetna Contraceptive Services Payment Program ID card.

• Aetna Member Services: 855-586-6958
• Online Access:

Employees may request the card by calling Aetna Member Services or access a printable copy through the Aetna member portal.

Garner Health – Provider Search & Reimbursement Program

Beginning January 1, 2027, Loyola employees enrolled in an Aetna medical plan will have access to Garner Health. Garner Health is not a health insurance plan but a FREE program designed to help members find high-quality, in-network healthcare providers based on independent evaluations of provider performance and patient outcomes, and participation is optional.  By using Garner to identify eligible providers, members may also qualify for reimbursement of certain out-of-pocket medical expenses, up to $1,000 for individual coverage or $2,000 for family coverage, subject to program requirements. 

Garner Health is not part of the Open Enrollment election process in Employee Self-Service. The full program will become available beginning January 1, 2027. However, faculty and staff will be able to create their accounts, search for their current providers, or select a new one and build their care team prior to the 1.1.2027 start of the Garner program. 

Garner works with your medical insurance, which generally does not cover dental or vision services or providers. Also note emergency room visits will not be reimbursed by Garner.

Accessing Garner

1. Visit the Garner
2. Enter your email address
3. Select Loyola University Chicago as your employer
4. Enter your demographic data
5. Search for your providers by their last name or search for a new provider by speciality. (if your provider is listed but you see "request to add") to add the provider to your care team. And answer the qualifying questions. You can also message the concierge to find out more details about why a provider isn't covered.

What Services Does Garner Reimburse For:

• Qualified prescriptions by your care team providers, covered by and paid by your insurance without any discount programs.
• Urgent or non-emergency care from a covered provider. Your Garner benefit does not cover emergency room or emergency. department visits.
• Invasive Test
  • Colonoscopies
  • Biopsies
  • Endoscopies
• Non-invasive Test
  • X-Rays,
  • MRI
  • Ultrasounds
  • EKGs
• LabWork
  • Blood Test
  • Urine Test
  • Pap Smears

We will provide additional details, including instructions for accessing Garner, program resources, information guides, and reimbursement requirements, closer to the January 1 launch date. Please note: you may create an account and search for providers. You will not have access to the full Garner benefit or resources before January 1, 2026.

OptiMed – Aetna Site-of-Care Program

Beginning January 1, 2027, Loyola employees enrolled in an Aetna medical plan will have access to OptiMed, a program designed to help members find appropriate, cost-effective locations for certain medical treatments and services. Depending on the type of care needed, employees may have options beyond a hospital setting, such as an outpatient treatment center or physician's office, that could help reduce healthcare costs. This will be separate from other resources availbe to you in 2027.

No enrollment or action is required before January 1, 2027. Employees can access OptiMed services beginning January 1 by calling the Aetna Concierge phone number listed on the back of their medical ID card. An Aetna representative can explain available options and help employees navigate their care. Please note you will not be able to access the OptiMed resources until the plan begins on January 1, 2027. More information will be forthcoming.

Preventive Care

Aetna covers eligible preventive care services, such as annual wellness exams, routine screenings, and recommended vaccinations, at 100% when received from an in-network provider, helping you stay healthy and identify potential health concerns early. To avoid unexpected charges, schedule your appointment specifically as a preventive or wellness visit and confirm it is billed that way; if a medical concern is evaluated, a diagnosis is made, or additional services are provided, those services may be billed separately and subject to your plan's deductible, copay, or coinsurance

Below are common preventive care services that Loyola medical plans cover at 100% when you receive these services from a participating provider.

Common Preventive Care Services Covered by Aetna*

Changes for Weight Loss GLP-1 Participants

Starting in 2027, Loyola is introducing the CVS Weight Management Program, which provides personalized support at no cost. Members taking a covered anti-obesity medication (AOM) for weight loss must enroll in and actively participate in the program for the medication to be covered. This program is for members who are currently taking or have an approved prior authorization for an oral or injectable weight loss medication. Members on a weight loss medication are required to enroll and remain engaged in the CVS Weight Management program for 24 months to maintain plan cost share. Participants currently enrolled in another weight loss program must still enroll in and participate in the CVS program.  Enrollment and access to the program will not begin until January 1, 2027.

Weight loss is a journey. The CVS Weight Management™ program is here to help you every step of the way. The program provides the customized support you need for lasting results. The program will help you reach your health goals through:

• One-on-One Support
• Personalized Nutrition Plans
• Connected body weight scale
• Health Optimizer App

Program Requirements

1. Eligibility Survey
2. Pre-Visit Intake
3. Virtual Registered Dietitian Appointment
4. Engagement Criteria
   1. Member must meet engagement criteria every 30 days for a total of 24 months.
   2. Attend at least one virtual appointment or bidirectional chat with their RD via
      the Health Optimizer app.
   3. Members identified for Enhanced WM support do not remain enrolled in the
      program. They may be responsible for 100% cost share of their medication.
5. Device
   1. RD orders devices for members at no cost
   2. Connected scale for all members.
   3. Additional devices such as Ketone meter, glucometer, and BP meter to support comorbid conditions
6. Labwork
   1. If requested, clinicians work with members to order labs or help them upload recent lab data.
   2. Clinicians review labs and determine appropriate care plan.
7. Members identified for Enhanced WM support do not remain enrolled in the program. They may be responsible for 100% cost-share of their medication.

Program Enrollment and Communication Timeline

1. Webinar late November (more information to come)
2. Participant communications will begin in December
   1. Benefit change letters to participants currently taking a GLP-1 for weight loss in December.
   2. IVR
   3. SMS
   4. Emails
   5. Direct Mail
3. Program launch 1.1.2027
   1. Direct Calls to participants
4. Benefit Enrollment Required by 2.1.2027

10.21.2026

When You Need Health Care Outside the U.S.

Always carry your Aetna identification card. You should also download the Aetna Health app to your smartphone for easy digital access to your ID card at any time. Check with Aetna before leaving the U.S. because your health care benefits may be different outside the U.S.

If you need emergency medical care, go to the nearest hospital. If you need help, call (855) 888-9046 or (959) 230-8220. Ask for the Aetna Special Case Precertification Unit when you call.

• Aetna will check if a hospital can treat you, or help you transfer to the closest facility that can provide care.
• You must need emergency care that cannot wait until you return to the U.S., and you will have to pay for services at the time of care. Aetna will need an itemized bill and receipt for all services provided.

Call Aetna for pre-certification or prior authorization, if necessary. Refer to the phone number on the back of your ID card.

Health Care Reform

These resources explain your rights and coverage options under federal health care laws, including the Health Insurance Marketplace and how it relates to Â鶹´«Ã½'s employer-sponsored health benefits.

• LUC Market Exchange Cover Letter (PDF)
• Market Exchange Letter (PDF)
• The Health Care Law-Top Things to Know (PDF)
• Exchange FAQ's (PDF)

Summary Annual Report

The Summary Annual Report (SAR) provides employees with an annual overview of the financial status of Â鶹´«Ã½'s employee benefit plans, including plan expenses, funding, and other information required by federal law.

Summary Annual Reports (SARs)