HARTFORD, Conn., December 11, 2003 — Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) announced today that it will begin to cover the nasal-spray flu vaccine FluMist during the 2003-2004 flu season. Aetna will cover the nasal spray under FDA-approved guidelines for healthy individuals ages five to 49. These actions are being undertaken to enable more members to be vaccinated against influenza. In addition, this also will allow the medical community, and state and local public health officials, to redirect limited supplies of the injectable influenza vaccine to those individuals in high-risk categories.
“With public health officials warning of limited supplies of the injectable vaccine, particularly in areas hardest hit by the flu, we believe it’s important for our members to have peace of mind by being able to obtain and be covered for FluMist if their physician recommends it,” said William C. Popik, M.D., Aetna’s Chief Medical Officer. “We encourage our members to learn more about this issue, as well as information on nasal-spray flu vaccines, by talking to their physician, visiting the Centers for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov) and clicking on Influenza/Flu, or visiting Aetna InteliHealth (www.intelihealth.com) for news and information on influenza, as well as commentary and tips from Harvard physicians.”
Coverage of nasal-spray flu vaccines is an exception to Aetna’s coverage policy for members with preventive benefits. Once the 2003-2004 flu season is over, the company expects to reinstate its current policy of covering only the injectable flu vaccine.
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, serving approximately 13.0 million medical members, 11.0 million dental members, 7.4 million pharmacy members and 12.1 million group insurance customers, as of September 30, 2003. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 590,000 health care services providers, including more than 355,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,577 hospitals. For more information about Aetna, please visit the company’s web site at www.aetna.com.
