Aetna Introduces Migraine Management Program; Integrates Medical and Pharmacy Data to Improve Treatment.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Aetna (NYSE:AET) today announced a new Migraine Management Program designed to help improve the quality of life for Aetna members who suffer from migraine, and to reduce costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

"Twenty eight million Americans suffer from migraines," said Eric Elliott, head of Aetna Pharmacy Management (APM), the company's full-service pharmacy benefit manager. "Every year our nation spends $1 billion treating migraine headaches and it costs an estimated $13 billion in lost productivity. This program is a win for both members and employers because it helps people suffering from migraines, while improving productivity in the workplace."

Studies show that as much as $500,000 per year can be saved in work performance related expenses for every 10,000 employees by proactively treating migraines.(1) The Aetna program uses clinical guidelines developed by the National Headache Foundation and the U.S. Headache Consortium.

Program candidates are identified through a review of Aetna's member claims data, which integrates medical and pharmacy data. Predictive modeling and risk stratification processes identify members most at risk for incurring migraine-related events by reviewing inpatient hospital admission or emergency room visits. Members who have been identified as most likely to suffer from migraines will be contacted by APM to participate and provided with easy-to-understand materials outlining strategies to manage the headaches. Those who do not want to participate can opt out.

The migraine management program calls for increased communication between physicians and members to create an action plan for heading off future headaches. The action plan recommends steps members can take to avoid a full-blown migraine attack and what medicines may be useful to prevent these attacks. Members also receive a diary to keep records of their migraine history over a three-month period, where they record and review the symptoms and common triggers that precede a migraine.

Aetna anticipates that medical cost savings from the program will come from reduced hospital and emergency room visits and the elimination of expensive diagnosis treatment. In addition, drug cost savings will result from the reduction in the use of medicines to treat acute migraine attacks. All materials for the Migraine Management Program are available in Spanish upon request.

APM is part of Aetna's Specialty Products business, which includes Aetna Dental, Aetna Behavioral Health, Aetna Group Insurance and other businesses.

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 13.4 million medical members, 11.4 million dental members, 8.1 million pharmacy members and 12.6 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 633,000 health care professionals, including over 377,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 3,866 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of June 30, 2004)

(1) Headache. 2001 Jul-Aug; 41(7): 646-57. Estimates provided are based on statistics cited in this study.