Aetna Introduces New Health Insurance Options for Individuals and Thei

    Business Editors/Health Editors/Insurance Writers

    DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2005--Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it has begun marketing six new preferred provider organization (PPO) plans for individuals and their families in Texas. The two new Aetna high-deductible health plans, which are compatible with health savings accounts (HSAs), and four new Aetna Advantage PPO plans are designed to provide affordable, comprehensive health coverage options for individuals and their families.
    "We are pleased to offer, for the first time in Texas, cost-effective health plans for individuals and their families that provide a wide range of choices and benefits levels," said Regina Hunter, Aetna's general manager for small business in the Southwest Region. "We are committed to addressing the health insurance needs of the growing uninsured population - almost five million Texans, most of whom are working without health insurance coverage. We strongly believe that our plans will appeal to these individuals and their families in this market."
    Aetna is offering individuals and their families six new PPO plan designs. Four of the plans, which are called Aetna Advantage PPO plans, offer members the freedom to go directly to any doctor, hospital or health care professional - including specialists - for covered expenses, with no referrals required. If a member chooses a health care professional from Aetna's extensive network of participating physicians and hospitals, out-of-pocket costs will be lower. The plans include "first Dollar coverage" and no deductibles for in-network doctor office visits.
    All Aetna Advantage PPO plans feature coverage for routine checkups and preventive care, specialty care, chiropractic care, hospitalization and surgery, diagnostic testing, emergency care and urgent care, subject to applicable copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. The plans also include prescription drug coverage, subject to a deductible, copayments and calendar-year maximum, with no deductibles for generic prescriptions.
    The additional two plans, Aetna high-deductible health plans, which are compatible with HSAs, offer members similar benefits to the Aetna Advantage PPO plans. However, members can take advantage of a flexible health benefits plan tied to an HSA. HSAs are tax-advantaged accounts used to pay for qualified medical expenses. HSA contributions are tax deductible and earn interest tax free. HSAs are portable, and unused balances can be carried forward from year to year, making them a strong value for consumers. Aetna can offer members a convenient referral option for establishing their HSA accounts, or members have the freedom to choose their own HSA provider.
    To help members make informed decisions, Aetna offers online tools such as Aetna Navigator(TM), a member self-service website that provides a record of personal health information, and DocFind(R), a directory members can use to search for health care professionals and facilities by type, specialty, name, gender, language, hospital affiliation and other criteria. Members also have access to Aetna InteliHealth(R), an online consumer health information website.
    "Aetna's new plans for individuals and their families are a welcome addition to the marketplace," said Albert Bacak, an agent for BK Insurance Group, a Dallas small group and individual benefits brokerage firm. "Aetna has identified a critical health insurance need that exists for individuals and their families in Texas, and developed plan options that are affordable and offer choice and flexibility. Aetna has a very strong, national reputation, and my clients value well-known brands."
    Aetna plans for individuals and their families are currently being sold directly to consumers or through independent insurance agents and brokers in Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Aetna intends to offer similar plans in additional states this year.
    Aetna plans for individuals and their families are available in 189 counties in Texas. Aetna members in Texas have access to a network of 265 hospitals, 7,459 primary care physicians and 18,164 specialists.
    As one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, Aetna puts information and helpful resources to work for its approximately 13.6 million medical members, 11.6 million dental members, 8.3 million pharmacy members and 13.3 million group insurance members to help them make better informed decisions about their health care and protect their finances against health-related risks. Aetna provides easy access to cost-effective health care through a nationwide network of more than 646,000 health care professionals, including over 385,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 3,908 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of September 30, 2004)

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CONTACT: Aetna Rachelle Cunningham, 925-543-8686 CunninghamR@aetna.com or Lauren DeVitis, 215-775-4130 DeVitisL@aetna.com

KEYWORD: TEXAS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL INSURANCE PRODUCT SOURCE: Aetna

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