The moves by Aetna and UnitedHealth address a complaint by the drug industry that the discounts pharmaceutical companies offer on their treatments don't reach consumers. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Aetna Inc. will pass on the discounts it negotiates on prescription drugs to about 3 million of its members, the latest move by a health insurer to address Americans' complaints about the cost of medicine.
The discounts, which can amount to more than half a drug's list price, will be passed on at the pharmacy counter for many people starting next year, Aetna Chief Executive Officer Mark Bertolini said in a telephone interview. The move by the No. 3 U.S. health insurer follows a similar decision earlier this month by its larger peer, UnitedHealth Group Inc.
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