News Release

PHOENIX (October 6, 2023) – Phoenix Children’s and Aetna® announced today the two organizations reached a new multi-year contract agreement. The updated contract terms include an effective date of August 7, 2023, ensuring patient families receive in-network coverage since that date.

 “We recognize contract discussions can be especially stressful on the one group of people we are all aiming to serve – patient families – and we don’t take this responsibility to get it right lightly,” said Robert L. Meyer, President and CEO of Phoenix Children’s. “Phoenix Children’s has a duty to our growing community to ensure payer agreements address the often-complex medical needs of kids and support the exceptional care we provide as Arizona’s only pediatric health system. We are proud to reach such an agreement with Aetna and to remain an in-network health system for Aetna members.”

“We are committed to serving our members with access to high-quality, affordable care through our network of providers,” said John Wagner, Chief Network Officer for Arizona, Aetna. “Our relationship with Phoenix Children’s is long standing and we are pleased to be working with them to care for our members and deliver on our shared goal of improving health outcomes for children in the Phoenix community.”

Phoenix Children’s will continue to offer comprehensive pediatric healthcare services for Aetna members, including inpatient care, outpatient care, physician and ancillary providers, imaging, laboratory tests, surgery, emergency department care, specialty and urgent care centers, as well as other Phoenix Children’s facilities and services.