Duke Health announced Aetna will remain an in-network provider for all locations and providers under a new multi-year agreement reached Friday. The contract comes after months of negotiations where Duke Health threatened to drop Aetna from its list of in-network providers if they refused to agree to higher reimbursement rates. The previous contract between Duke Health and Aetna was set to expire Oct. 20. The announcement provided no specific details about the agreement. Aetna provides health insurance for 1.5 million North Carolina residents, including nearly 750,000 teachers, state employees, state retirees and their family members covered by the North Carolina State Health Plan. Aetna took over the State Health Plan at the beginning of 2025, after it had been administered for more than 40 years by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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