Aetna Statement Regarding Unanimous Decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Davila v. Aetna.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Aetna (NYSE: AET) today issued the following statement regarding the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Davila v. Aetna:

"Aetna is pleased by the Supreme Court's unanimous decision announced today, and reaffirmation of the law applicable to employer-sponsored health plans. For thirty years the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has helped employers provide consistent, affordable health benefits to their employees. It also affords those employees a prompt, fair and efficient means for quickly resolving coverage disputes. By affirming the role of ERISA in employee benefits the Court has helped to assure that millions of working Americans will continue to have access to quality health coverage provided by their employers."

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 13.3 million medical members, 11.2 million dental members, 8.1 million pharmacy members and 12.4 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 618,000 health care professionals, including over 370,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 3,783 hospitals. (Figures as of March 31, 2004) For more information, please visit www.aetna.com.