Although the parties were mum on the specific financial terms of the multiyear agreement, it essentially means that all members of Aetna health insurance plans will now have access to Tenet's 60 subsidiary-owned or operated hospitals in 12 states.

The pact also provides that all Tenet facilities and employed physicians have agreed to participate in all Aetna health plans, including HMOs, PPOs, Medicare, Medicaid and workers' compensation access.

The nine new hospitals are:

-- Doctors Medical Center of Modesto in Modesto, Calif.

-- USC University Hospital in Los Angeles.

-- Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala.

-- Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, N.C.

-- Hilton Head Regional Medical Center in Hilton Head, S.C.

-- East Cooper Regional Medical Center in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

-- Nacogdoches Medical Center in Nacogdoches, Texas.

-- Shelby Hospital in Center, Texas.

-- Sylvan Grove Hospital in Jackson, Ga.

"This agreement is part of our overall strategy to ensure that all of our hospitals participate in the networks of our most preferred health plan partners, and Aetna and Tenet have demonstrated that they have that type of relationship with this agreement," said Stephen Newman, Tenet's chief operating officer.