Duke Health's Negotiations with Aetna
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Duke Health, North Carolina’s top-ranked health system, is actively engaged in good faith negotiations with Aetna to protect uninterrupted access to our trusted physicians and specialists for patients covered under Aetna’s commercial and Medicare Advantage plans.
These negotiations are not with the State Treasurer. While Aetna administers the State Health Plan, Duke Health serves fewer than 10% of its participants. This is a direct negotiation with Aetna.
Our goal is to secure fair and sustainable reimbursement rates that reflect the true cost of delivering high-quality care. Despite escalating costs in pharmaceuticals, supplies, and labor, Duke Health has not received a rate adjustment from Aetna in four years. According to Aetna’s own data.
As a nonprofit academic health system, Duke Health is driven not by margin but by mission. Every decision we make is rooted in our commitment to hope, health, and healing for every patient we serve.
Last year alone, Duke Health invested $1.021 billion in community benefit, including $175 million in financial assistance. Our physicians routinely provide donated care, and we absorb cost gaps when government programs fall short.
We also:
- Discount care for eligible patients
- Waive charges for those facing financial hardship
- Donate emergency, primary, and specialty care, and
- Support patients in navigating government-sponsored assistance.
These negotiations are not about profit but instead about ensuring that Aetna patients continue to receive the exceptional care they deserve, without disruption.