Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Melanie Fernando on Expanding Women’s Health Access at Aetna Better Health of Illinois
Feb 17, 2026
Melanie Fernando, President and CEO of Aetna Better Health of Illinois, brings long experience in Medicaid and government-sponsored programs. She discusses launching a virtual menopause partnership to close care gaps. Conversation covers vendor selection and rollout, early digital engagement and outreach challenges, using coaching insights to close gaps, and extending women’s health services across life stages.
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Hidden Gap In Midlife Women's Care
- Aetna Better Health of Illinois found a major gap in women's midlife care after analyzing member data.
- Only about 8% of menopausal-age women sought treatment, revealing widespread unaddressed need.
Plan Realistic Timelines For Partnerships
- Allow 3–4 months for contracting and 60–90 days for technical implementation when vetting vendors.
- Do rigorous due diligence on control populations, outcomes guarantees, and coverage before launch.
Set Realistic Engagement Benchmarks
- Early engagement metrics focus on digital click-throughs, email opens and text responses.
- A 30% engagement rate is a practical benchmark for Medicaid populations due to contact instability.