Aetna Extends Waivers and Greater Flexibility for Patients, Employers, Physicians and Hospitals Following the September 11 Tragedy.

Business Editors

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2001

Offers special crisis counseling

Group Insurance simplifies claims processing and strengthens

customer service business operations

Aetna Foundation announces 5 to 1 match of employee contributions

for relief efforts

Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it continues to take a series of steps, many announced last week, to assist its customers in the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11. In making these changes, Aetna is supplementing actions already taken to enhance its support for customers by extending flexibility, enhancing crisis counseling on site and via telephone, simplifying and accelerating its ability to handle claims processing, and establishing a series of toll-free numbers to answer customer questions and concerns.

The company has announced that it has taken the following steps relating to health and dental benefits since the September 11 tragedy:

--Extended its waiver of precertification and notification

requirements for covered services from designated hospitals in the

New York metropolitan area for the week following the disaster;

--Suspended primary care physician referral requirements for all

in-network covered specialty health services in the New York 

metropolitan area through October 2, 2001;

--Established special points of contact for all New York and

Washington, D.C., hospitals;

--Acted to assist dental members unable to access dental care due

to the events in New York City. Aetna will expedite claims for

customers receiving care from alternative dentists;

--Provided additional resources to respond to requests for member

dental information; and

--Contacted network hospitals and assured them of flexibility in

utilization management guidelines in order to assure expedited

access to services and payments of claims for all services.

For Group Life, Disability and Long-Term care customers, the company has:

--Simplified the claim submission process for Life, Accidental

Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), and disability insurance, as well

as strengthened business operations in its life and disability

customer service centers to more easily process benefit payments.

To meet the behavioral health needs of its customers, Aetna has:

--Made special arrangements to meet the counseling needs of

customers without Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) by

establishing 1-800 lines for telephonic counseling, and scheduling

for on-site Crisis Intervention Management Services, as well as

group counseling, at Aetna's New York offices.

To address the concerns of members with special pharmacy needs, the company has:

--Made special accommodations for customers who may have

difficulty obtaining medications by putting in place a series of

procedures to avoid delay and disruption of prescription service.

Provisions have been made to provide for injectable medications,

mail-order delivery, lost or damaged medications, as well as

prescriptions for customers stranded away from home.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by these disasters," said Aetna Chairman, President and CEO John W. Rowe, M.D. "We are continuing to make every effort to meet the needs of our customers, while extending flexibility to physicians and hospitals, in order to allow them to focus on the care of their patients. Aetna also recognizes the need for enhancing crisis counseling, and for taking the steps necessary to simplify policies and procedures for our Group Insurance customers."

With regard to the anticipated need for counseling, the ideal resource for customers wanting to speak to counselors may be their Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). EAP counselors have completed specialized training to help people deal with traumatic incidents. Aetna has expanded capabilities through its behavioral health provider, Magellan Behavioral Health, for telephonic counseling and on-site crisis counseling to address the needs of customers without access to EAPs. For HMO/QPOS members the toll free number is 800-424-5633. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday for the next 30 days. For our Traditional members, the toll free number is 1-877-326-7011. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday for the next 30 days. These numbers are being communicated to brokers and consultants to provide to clients upon request. To date, on-site counseling has been provided to more than 100 employer customers of Aetna with EAPs.

Aetna also has assembled special teams and added resources within our service centers to answer members' questions and expedite benefit payments. Aetna U.S. Healthcare members should call the Member Services telephone number listed on their member identification cards for assistance with medical benefits. If their ID cards have been misplaced, they may call 1-800-USAETNA (1-800-872-3862) for assistance.

Aetna Life or Disability members or customers can reach customer service representatives by calling the following toll-free numbers: Life - 1-800-523-5065; Disability - 1-888-656-3338.

Aetna life insurance policies do not contain any act-of-war exclusions. Aetna Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and Long-Term Disability insurance policies do contain act-of-war exclusions. However, these provisions do not apply and Aetna will be paying these claims related to the September 11 tragedy.

Customers should continue to use Aetna's standard claim filing process. Claim forms or proof of loss can include a death certificate, coroner's report, airline manifest or other official documentation such as a physician's certification. In addition, Aetna has designed a Employer Certification form and an Affidavit of Loss for next of kin that can be used as proof of loss when a death certificate is not immediately available. These forms can be obtained from the Life Customer Service Center at 1-800-523-5065. The service center will have extended hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The company also stands ready to make further changes in the event that the New York Department of Insurance decides to adopt an industry wide standard for all life insurance companies.

Most Life and AD&D insurance claims will be processed within 48 hours following Aetna's receipt of required information.

Additionally, The Aetna Foundation announced today that it would broaden its employee matching gift program to provide a 5 to 1 matching contribution in response to the events of September 11 in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania. To date, Aetna employees have contributed $130,000. This Foundation match, which is capped at $1 million, will support a variety of charitable organizations involved in the relief efforts.

Aetna is the nation's leading provider of health care and related group benefits, serving 18.1 million health care members, 13.9 million dental members and 11.7 million group insurance customers. Information about Aetna is available at www.aetna.com.