Aetna Foundation Announces 2002 Regional Grants; Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Maintaining Commitment to Communities; Funding Will Support 122 Organizations.

Business Editors

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2002

Foundation Support Exceeds $250 Million Since 1980

Marking its 30th anniversary, the Aetna Foundation today announced the recipients of $2 million in funding for its regional grants program. These 122 grants, made to organizations throughout the country, are focused on women's health, children's health and disparities in health. The Foundation also has announced that regional funding for 2003 will center on racial and ethnic disparities in health care, and support initiatives that address the impact of this divide in our society.

"Aetna has a strong and long-standing commitment to the communities where our customers and employees work and live," said John W. Rowe, M.D., chairman and CEO of Aetna. "For three decades Aetna has been investing in the future, and has taken a leadership role in addressing critical health care and social issues. We believe that these 122 grant recipients will make good use of this seed money in order to address targeted health concerns in communities across the United States."

Regional grants have been awarded in the following areas:

-- Children's health - $702,000, or 36 percent of total grants;

-- Disparities in health - $691,153, or 36 percent of total grants;

-- Women's health - $281,000, or 15 percent of total grants; and

-- Other community needs - $262,500, or 14 percent of total grants.

Programs being funded vary from a $50,000 grant to "Chicago Communities in Schools" for a program to bring health services to Chicago public school children, to a grant of $43,000 to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry for a program to reduce disparities in access to needed medication, and a $25,000 grant for the California Medical Association's Women's Health Initiative. "Aetna is committed to teaching people - students included - about preventing diseases before they start," said John McClure, a longtime Board member of Chicago Communities In Schools. "By partnering with Chicago Communities In Schools, Aetna will be helping thousands of children in Chicago's public schools." "The Aetna Foundation's grant will allow us to apply the best national models for improving management of chronic disease to some of our most needy patients: those of diverse backgrounds," said Robert Panzer, M.D., Chief Quality Officer for the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. "Your funding will enable us to develop a communication tool kit for both state and local audiences to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of osteoporosis and its prevention," said Carol A. Lee, president and CEO of the California Medical Association.

The Aetna Foundation is the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Aetna Inc. Founded in 1972, the Foundation seeks to help build healthy communities by funding initiatives that improve the quality of life in communities across the country. Since 1980, the Aetna Foundation has contributed more than $250 million in grants, scholarships and social investments. In 2001, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation contributed a total of $16.5 million, with nearly $3 million directed at entities in Connecticut, Aetna's home state for 150 years. Giving focuses broadly on health, diversity and volunteerism. Information about the Aetna Foundation, including a listing of grant recipients, is available at http://www.aetna.com/foundation/.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health care and related group benefits, serving 13.9 million medical members, 11.9 million dental members and 11.7 million group insurance customers, as of September 30, 2002. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 539,000 health care services providers, including over 327,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,300 hospitals. For more information about Aetna, please visit the company's Web site at www.aetna.com.