One of Aetna’s top priorities is protecting the privacy and security of our customers’ sensitive information. As part of that effort, we will mask Social Security Numbers on Producer World® (our secure website for brokers and consultants) and give producers the option to use their National Producer Number (NPN) whenever possible.
These changes are effective the week of August 25, 2008.
How this affects what you see on Producer World
Licensed producers registering for Producer World for the first time will now be asked for either their Social Security Number (SSN) or their NPN. That information is then validated against Aetna’s License and Appointment database, which pulls the NPNs from the National Producer Number database.
Registered users will now see their SSN masked (only the last four numbers appear) on their compensation statements and when they use any of the site’s tools.
Note: You still must provide Aetna with your SSN when you submit your W-9 form (as required by the IRS), but it is maintained securely behind the scenes. SSNs are also needed for identification verification, due diligence completion and commission payment (where the commissions are going directly to a producer).
Protecting the privacy and security of our customers’ sensitive information
These changes are not required, but are part of Aetna’s overall commitment to further strengthening our protection of broker, plan sponsor and member information. While Producer World is a secure, password-protected website, using an NPN and moving SSNs behind the scenes adds an additional element of security for your private information.
Aetna’s other privacy protection efforts include removing SSNs from member ID cards and encrypting all Internet e-mails that contain member-specific health and/or financial information.
Additional information
Producer World is Aetna’s secure website for registered brokers who are appointed and licensed to sell Aetna products. The site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing the information and self-service tools needed for producers to sell Aetna products.
Producer World can be accessed through Aetna’s public website at http://www.aetna.com/producer/producer_world/index.html.
