Here’s what you should know.
1. Merck produces two type 2 diabetes drugs, Januvia and Janumet. If Aetna members don’t meet certain goals related to the disease, the drugmaker will pay Aetna a certain amount of money under the new agreement.
2. However, if an unspecified percentage of patients hits the goal, Merck will not have to make any “extra” payments to Aetna.
3. Aetna developed AetnaCare which identified approximately 500 at-risk patients with hypertension or diabetes. Aetna representatives are targeting these patients and offering support through phone-calls and social visits with Aetna nurses.
4. Merck and Aetna are the latest of several healthcare-facing companies taking on risk-sharing contracts. Merck was an early adopter of the proposal through its 2009 agreement with Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna.
5. Merck has approximately 12 other risk-sharing contracts.
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