Aetna Announces Southeast Region Small Business of the Year.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- --Aetna to donate $10,000 to Florida charity --

4 Star Plumbing, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based plumbing contractor, has been chosen as Aetna's Southeast Region Small Business of the Year for 2004. In recognition of its business achievements and commitment to the South Florida community, Aetna (NYSE: AET) will donate $10,000 to the Pompano Rotary Club, a charity selected by 4 Star Plumbing.

"The story of 4 Star Plumbing is inspirational, both in terms of the organization's business success and its deep commitment to its employees and the Ft. Lauderdale-area community. The company embodies the qualities that Aetna seeks to honor with its Small Business of the Year program," said Steve Wohlwend, Aetna's general manager for small group in the Southeast Region.

The impressive story of 4 Star Plumbing began when the group's four original owners left another plumbing contractor to strike out on their own. They agreed to work without pay for the first six months as the business got off the ground in 1998 with three trucks and one paid employee. Today, 4 Star Plumbing has 21 trucks and 27 employees, and has grown revenues by more than 500 percent.

The firm works actively with the Pompano Rotary Club, with involvement in its scholarship program for high school seniors. In 2003, the firm helped a member of the local community rebuild her home after it was destroyed in a fire. Employees contributed time, money and plumbing fixtures, rebuilding the entire plumbing system for free.

Created to highlight the extraordinary strengths, achievements and community involvement of local small businesses, Aetna's Small Business of the Year contest is open to organizations that currently offer an Aetna Small Group (ASG) health benefits plan. A panel of judges considers criteria including evidence of community involvement, a unique start-up story, skill in overcoming small business challenges, and remarkable growth and profitability. Companies are nominated by Aetna customers, non-profit organizations and licensed brokers and agents selling Aetna products. After Aetna named its 2004 regional honorees, each business then selected a charity to receive a donation from Aetna directly on their behalf.

Aetna Small Group provides health and related benefits plans to meet the needs of companies with two* to 50 employees. Designed to provide choice, simplicity and affordability to small businesses, Aetna Small Group's products include HMO, PPO, and HSA-compatible high deductible health plans, as well as dental, life and short-term disability products, prescription drug coverage and a broad network of participating providers. (* one employee in some states)

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)