Aetna extends Novant coverage for 30 days

As Novant Health and Aetna health insurance company continue negotiations for a new contract, Aetna announced Wednesday it will extend existing benefits to Novant patients for 30 days. "I remain hopeful" that a contract will be signed by July 1, when the current contract expires, said Mark Schmidt, Aetna's chief negotiator in the Carolinas. But just in case, he said Aetna opted for a 30-day "continuation of services" that will allow Aetna patients with existing coverage to continue getting in-network prices for Novant services through July 31. Aetna has about 125,000 members in the Charlotte-area market.