Aetna has changed its reimbursement procedures to make billing and payment  simpler for doctors. The insurer is expanding the ability of physicians to submit claims electronically, and more significantly, is setting up a program that allows plan members to pay out-of-pocket expenses automatically through their debit or credit card. (While this would apply to small co-pays, the real point is to make sure doctors don't end up with huge unpaid bills under high-deductible plans.) Aetna also plans to begin offering doctors patient-volume guarantees and prepayments of projected physician claims.

To get more information on the changes:
- read this United Press International article [1]
- read the Aetna press release [2]

Related Articles:
Aetna to disclose its physician prices online. Report [3]
Aetna posts pricing, quality data. Report [4]