HARTFORD, Conn., September 15, 2008 — Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today it will enhance its Aetna Dental Care Reward Plan^SM, which already rewards members with more coinsurance coverage each year they visit a dentist for preventive care, so it now includes increased annual maximum levels.  The plan is available to self funded and fully insured plan sponsors and can be customized to offer one or both rewards.

"In offering both coinsurance and annual maximum rewards, we're sending a message to members that they should seek preventive and other necessary care each year, instead of carrying over unused benefits and potentially neglecting a much-needed procedure," said Alan Hirschberg, Head of Aetna Dental.  "By seeking regular dental care, members may be able to avoid potential costs and risks that could negatively impact their overall well-being."

Unlike maximum rollover plans, Aetna Dental Care Reward plans are easily administered with no thresholds or requirements to obtain care from a participating dentist to receive the reward. The member simply seeks preventive care and Aetna automatically handles the reward. The coinsurance and annual maximum reward can have up to three annual increases with a variety of plan options available. 

 "The foundation of the Aetna Dental Care Reward plan is similar to that of our successful Aetna Dental/Medical Integration^SM (DMI) program," said Hirschberg. "Aetna focuses on engaging members in sustained healthy behavior."

The Aetna Dental Care Reward plan design is available as either a PPO or indemnity plan and at a variety of benefit levels. In the PPO plan, members have access to over 107,000 available dental PPO practice locations and typically save between 20 and 30 percent off dentists' average charges. 

The effective date for employers who elect the reward plan is January 1, 2009.

About Aetna Dental® 
Aetna Dental is one of the nation's leading providers of integrated and standalone dental products, serving 14.2 million total dental members.  Aetna also offers some of the largest dental networks available in the industry today.  

About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.2 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 and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates.
www.aetna.com