Aetna (Meritain Health)
Corprate Bias Ratings
Risk Level:
Summary:
Aetna operates largely under the leadership of its parent company, CVS Health. CVS Health advocates for ideological policies like the Equality Act, funds the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care" for its employees and their children. Aetna itself has pledged to cover abortion-related travel costs for employees and is a founding corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. However, the company has not publicly terminated business relationships due to ideological beliefs and does provide its employees with viewpoint protections. For these reasons, Aetna receives a Medium Risk rating.
Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
Aetna has not terminated any business relationships due to viewpoints or beliefs. However, its parent company, CVS Health, received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies.
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Aetna does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving (1).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Aetna protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Aetna’s parent company, CVS, also advocates for the Equality Act and transgender participation in girls’ sports (3)(4). Furthermore, CVS has committed to multiple acts of engagement for the LGBTQ community (5). Whistleblowers allege that CVS has mandatory “antiracism” training programs that feature core tenets of critical race theory (6)(7)(8). The company signed an open letter opposing a Florida bill that would prevent teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (9).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Aetna’s parent company has a perfect score on the HRC’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index. This score indicates the company covers the cost of “medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children (1)(2). Aetna covers abortion-related travel expenses for employees (3). Its parent company, CVS Health, is a corporate sponsor of the HRC (4). Aetna also sells mifepristone, which is used to terminate early pregnancies (5). The company is a founding corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (6).
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
CVS, the parent company, is responsible for all of Aetna’s corporate PAC giving. CVS Health has donated to the Equality PAC (1).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
September 29, 2023
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