Aetna Launches Simplified, Digital-first, Benefits Onboarding Experience for Members in 2026
- Delivering a simplified consumer health experience for four million members
- Integration of first-to-market, enhanced text for select groups with new RCS capabilities to come
HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aetna®, a CVS Health® company (NYSE:CVS) today announces the introduction of an industry leading, fully-digital benefits onboarding experience for four million members during the 2026 welcome season. This technology-enabled offering provides easier navigation and self-service for members by leveraging digital and Rich Communication Services ["RCS"] enabled text messaging channels to access the information, resources and support they need at the start of the plan year.
"Annual benefits onboarding is an important and personal time for our members and their families. It's often the first experience with Aetna and we want to support them with the information they need at the right time and in the right channel," said Nathan Frank, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Aetna. "Aetna's industry-leading, digital onboarding is one of many innovations that we are implementing this year. I'm excited to see our technology enabled solutions make health care easier to navigate."
In addition to the digital onboarding, Aetna has also started to roll-out a first-to-market, enhanced messaging capability for select members with plans to scale this RCS technology throughout the year. By transforming from basic, SMS text messaging to a simplified, RCS interactive experience, the member can access what they need within the text chain, reducing click-throughs and avoiding mandatory downloads. These benefits have led to more than an 80% increase in overall member engagement and 26% reduction in opt-out rates for all RCS supported member engagement.
Looking ahead in 2026, Aetna will continue to extend its enhanced messaging capabilities across the member health care journey. Some other areas for expansion are included below.
- Member discharge and recovery: Helping members make a healthy transition from the hospital and return home from the hospital or make the transition into a skilled nursing facility is a priority. In 2025, Aetna expanded its Aetna Clinical Collaboration care model which provides personalized, in-person connection. Later this year, an RCS driven, enhanced messaging option for member discharge and recovery will be rolled out to provide a simpler, digital alternative based on the patient's channel preferences.
- Chronic condition management: Building on Aetna Care Paths, the first-to-market, digital care option available in the Aetna Health app, Aetna will also integrate RCS's enhanced messaging throughout the digital experience with a focus on helping to manage chronic conditions and achieve better health outcomes.
About Aetna
Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 37 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care professionals, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit Aetna.com (e.g., clinical diagnoses, eligibility criteria, participation in a disease state management program).
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company building a world of health around every consumer, wherever they are. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including highly rated Medicare Advantage offerings and a leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.
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SOURCE CVS Health