News Releases

HARTFORD, Conn., June 09, 2009 — Aetna (NYSE: AET) is sponsoring a free Wellness Breakfast for members of 16 area Chambers of Commerce representing 26 Connecticut communities on Thursday June 11 from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. at the West Farms Mall, first floor center court.

Aetna is coordinating with the Hartford-area Chambers’ Benefit Center  to develop an interactive wellness breakfast program and networking event. The breakfast will focus on the concept of wellness from a broad perspective including physical, mental, emotional and financial wellness. Attendees will learn practical tips for developing healthier lifestyles by visiting various interactive and educational kiosks that will include information on making healthy meals, exercise demonstrations, chair massages and financial planning tips.

The program will complement the Aetna Chamber One individual benefit offering which is primarily purchased by sole proprietors and small businesses, and has been endorsed by the Chamber Insurance Trust and sold through the Chambers of Commerce since April 2008.

“It is widely acknowledged that even small lifestyle changes such as modest weight loss, an increase in exercise, and stress management, can improve long-term health and productivity and reduce medical costs associated with serious but often avoidable illnesses,” said Scott Wolf, D.O., Aetna Northeast Region medical director. “It is our hope that by focusing on various aspects of wellness at this breakfast event, we can raise awareness among the attending chamber members of the steps they can take to attain their best health, and encourage them to take those steps.”

“It is important for our business owners and leaders to take ownership of their own personal health and wellness, and encourage and support their employees in doing the same – not only for the obvious reason that they will feel better, but because in the long run, improved wellness benefits everyone,” said Charity P. Folk, executive director, Simsbury Chamber of Commerce. “So in addition to providing an important opportunity to network and cultivate new business opportunities with other members, this event is a terrific opportunity to gather some good information about personal and workforce wellness, at a terrific regional venue like the West Farms Mall.”

Chambers’ Benefit Center
The Chambers' Benefit Center, under the administration of the MetroHartford Alliance, was created in 1993 to provide chamber members with insurance products affordable to small and mid-sized business owners. For more information, visit:  http://www.metrohartford.com/alliancemembership.aspx?id=342.

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.  For more information, see www.aetna.com and Aetna's Annual Report at www.aetna.com/2008annualreport.