Aetna Announces Expansion of Medicare Advantage into Kern County; $0 Plan Premium, Prescription Drug Coverage, Optional Supplemental Benefits Available in Most of Kern County.

SAN RAMON, Calif. -- Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it will offer Individual Medicare Advantage plan options in most of Kern County effective June 1, 2005. Medicare beneficiaries will have access to a network of local health care providers as well as the ability to choose several different optional supplemental benefits alongside the standard Aetna Golden Medicare Plan(R), providing them with greater choice in benefits and cost options.

This approval will mark Aetna's return to California's Medicare Advantage HMO market in Kern County. Aetna continues to offer its Aetna Golden Medicare Plan in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino (which are partial counties), and also offers Medicare Advantage plans to California employer groups of all sizes in several California counties.

"Aetna is continuing to expand its participation in the Medicare Advantage program in 2005," said Frank G. McCauley, head of Aetna's Retiree Markets. "We are committed to offering a broad portfolio of health benefits solutions for retirees, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to expand our coverage into Kern County, as well as additional counties later this year."

Highlights of the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan offering in Kern County include:

--No additional plan premium.

--Prescription drug coverage. Unlimited coverage of generic formulary drugs with a $15/30-day supply retail, or $30/90-day supply mail order. Preferred (formulary) brand-name drugs are covered at a cost of 100 percent of Aetna's negotiated charge.

--No copayments for preventive services. Members can obtain routine physicals and other preventive care services including cancer screenings without copayments.

--Optional supplemental prescription drug coverage. Beneficiaries have the option to increase their coverage for preferred (formulary) brand-name drugs for an additional monthly premium.

--Optional supplemental dental benefits. For an additional monthly premium, beneficiaries have a choice of two dental plans, one that covers preventive services and one that provides more comprehensive coverage.

Aetna expects to more than double the number of states in which it plans to offer its Medicare Advantage plans, from 5 today to 13 by 2006, pending federal approval.

Earlier this year Aetna announced that it had filed applications with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to offer the Medicare Part D prescription drug plans on a national basis. Plan bids must be filed by June 6, 2005, and CMS expects to award contracts by early September. In addition, Aetna filed an application with CMS to offer the regional Medicare Advantage PPO program that will be available in 2006. Plans must submit bids and receive CMS approval for the regional PPOs.

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 14.4 million medical members, 12.8 million dental members, 9.0 million pharmacy members and 14.0 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 672,000 health care professionals, including approximately 400,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 4,084 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of March 31, 2005)

Aetna's Individual Medicare Advantage Plans - by County

Aetna Golden Medicare(R) Plan (HMO) by County:

--California: 5 counties - Kern(a), Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside(a) and San Bernardino(a)

--New Jersey: 11 counties, including four new counties - Bergen, Camden, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer and Morris (Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer and Morris pending approval)

--New York: 7 counties - Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland and Westchester

--Pennsylvania: 5 counties - Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia

(a) Kern, San Bernardino and Riverside are partial Counties.

Aetna Golden Choice(TM) Plan (Demonstration Project - POS) by County:

--New York: 2 counties - Rockland and Westchester

--Maryland: 7 counties, including 1 new county - Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Charles, Harford and Howard (Howard pending approval)

--New Jersey: 11 counties, including 2 new counties - Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Union, Camden and Sussex (Camden and Sussex pending approval)

--Pennsylvania: 8 counties, including 2 new counties - Bucks, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, Chester and Delaware (Chester and Delaware pending approval)