Hartford health insurer Aetna is laying off 160 people, including 80 in Connecticut, as the company looks to cut costs amid a changing health care landscape.
The layoffs are being felt mainly by managers in Aetna’s Innovation, Technology and Service Operations (ITSO), which provides procurement, real estate, information-technology infrastructure and other services for the company.
Aetna spokeswoman Cynthia Michener said ITSO is going through a redesign “to become more consumer-centric and to more effectively and efficiently serve our customers.”
As part of the that redesign 160 layoffs have already started within that division and will be staggered over the remainder of the year and into early 2013, Michener said.
“Staff reductions are never easy,” Michener said. “These decisions are not made lightly. We are providing support services and salary continuation.”
