Aetna to Provide Employee Assistance Services to Small Group Health Plans.

New Program To Help Increase Employee Productivity and Better Manage Health Care Costs for Employers

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Aetna (NYSE:AET) today announced that employee assistance services will be a standard part of the servicing of fully insured health plans for all small group employers. Employee assistance services help employees and their families balance the demands of work, life and personal issues. Customers who employ 2-50 employees will have access to a variety of services to help manage everyday life and business issues.

"The addition of employee assistance services to our servicing of small group plans is one more way we are demonstrating our ability to integrate programs to have a positive impact on our members and customers," said Mary Claire Bonner, head of Aetna Small & Middle Market Business. "We are bringing our experience with our larger customers in offering behavioral health programs alongside Aetna's medical and other specialty products to our smaller plan sponsors. Our ultimate goal is to help our customers better manage their total health care costs while helping members, in concert with their physicians, to achieve their optimal health."

Through the new program, employers will have access to management consultation services via telephone and a variety of online resources to assist in addressing employees' work/life issues. The Aetna Small Group Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers employees and their families a confidential, personalized resource to help with many different issues such as relationship problems, workplace stress or general mental health issues.

"In the past, EAPs helped employees deal with issues such as alcoholism and substance abuse," said Louise Murphy, head of Aetna Behavioral Health. "As an innovator of health-related programs and services, Aetna has expanded our EAP options, and we now offer programs that can help individuals at all different stages of their lives."

Benefits for Employers

Employers have access to a variety of resources including unlimited telephonic management consultation services with trained clinicians for small business owners and their managers, access to online EAP resources any time of the day, and educational materials to promote employee awareness and use of the Aetna EAP.

Benefits for Employees

The addition of some EAP services to the administration of small group plans helps employees and their families access information and referrals for issues such as stress management, depression, addictions, relationship concerns and family life. Employees can access this information by calling a toll-free phone number and speaking to specially trained professionals or by visiting the Aetna EAP website.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 35.9 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and disability plans, and medical management capabilities. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans. www.aetna.com