Aetna sells wellness kits at Best Buy stores

Aetna is joining forces with Best Buy to sell four of its most popular wellness kits direct to shoppers at the electronic retailer.

The pilot sales program, announced Friday, will sell Aetna's online modules for fitness, weight management, smoking cessation and stress management that are part of its "My Resources for Living Well" product line, the Hartford Business Journal reported. In the past, Aetna only offered its wellness programs to its members through employee assistance and WorkLife plans but now expands the offering to any shopper at the pilot sites in Chicago.

"These online programs take the things you 'should do' and turn them into things you 'will do,'" said Louise Murphy, head of Aetna's behavioral health and employee assistance programs. "If you're in Best Buy purchasing a pedometer or blood pressure cuff, you might also be interested in a program to help you achieve the health goals associated with that equipment."

Best Buy has created a new "health technology'' department in three of its suburban Chicago stores where it will stock cards available for a $20 purchase for limited-time access to Aetna's online programs, according to Insurance & Technology.

If the products sell well, Aetna may consider expanding the Best Buy program, the Hartford Courant reported.

To learn more:
- read the Hartford Business Journal article
- see the Hartford Courant article
- check out the Insurance & Technology article