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Aetna's latest quarterly provider survey shows trust between insurers and providers is slowly improving, with a Q3 score of 6 out of 10 — up from 5.4 in Q1. The insurer is tackling key pain points like prior authorization and transparency, while also pushing for greater interoperability and fraud reduction. Progress is real, but the work is far from done.
Trust between insurers and providers has long been strained, but Aetna is trying to change that. The insurer's latest quarterly provider survey — conducted by Morning Consult with 727 respondents including physicians, nurses, hospital executives, and health tech leaders — shows a Q3 trust score of 6 out of 10, a meaningful jump from 5.4 in Q1. Aetna President Steve Nelson acknowledged that "trust is at an all-time low" industry-wide, but says targeted efforts around prior authorization reform and transparency are starting to move the needle.
Beyond trust scores, the survey highlights shared priorities between payers and providers. Fraud emerged as a top concern, with 94% of providers calling it a critical challenge and nearly 60% believing that tackling it could significantly cut healthcare costs. AI-driven fraud detection is gaining traction, with 30% of providers recommending payers use it to flag suspicious claims.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Payer-provider friction drives up costs and slows care delivery. Aetna's incremental gains suggest that structured dialogue and targeted reforms — not top-down mandates — may be the most effective path to a more functional, affordable healthcare system.
