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Aetna Launches Medicare Advertising and Marketing Campaign That Provides Answers for Today's Beneficiaries

Posted on: Monday, 17 October 2005, 12:00 CDT

Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it is launching a multi-faceted advertising and marketing campaign that will help Medicare beneficiaries sort through their options, answer common questions, and make decisions about choosing and using the plan that is best for their situation. The "Aetna Answer" campaign kicks off this week with national cable and spot market television, print and direct mail advertising throughout the United States.

With the "Aetna Answer," Aetna is taking a common sense approach to communicating details about Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage medical plans. The advertisements feature everyday people asking the kinds of questions that many Medicare beneficiaries or their family members are asking themselves, followed by a voiceover from Brian Dennehy, the well-respected American actor of stage and screen. Answers to these questions are available to consumers at 1-800-2-ANSWER, where callers will speak with a trained Aetna Medicare plan specialist, or online at www.AetnaMedicare.com. Information is available in both English and Spanish, and written materials are available upon request.

"Having more options than ever before presents a great opportunity for today's Medicare beneficiaries, but it also raises a number of questions. By posing some of these same questions in our advertising, we expect to create a starting point for families to have conversations about the variety of new plan options available from Aetna," said Frank McCauley, head of Aetna Retiree Markets. "Ultimately, Aetna is interested in creating a dialogue with Medicare beneficiaries that will help them choose the plan that is right for them, and get the most out of the plan that they select. Our goal is to help consumers feel good about the choices they make."

The "Aetna Answer" campaign will reach beneficiaries in a variety of ways beyond advertising. Information provided by Aetna will be available in the form consumers are most comfortable using - whether through one-on-one discussions with their local insurance agent, printed materials in the mail, a toll-free phone number, the internet or other familiar resources. Aetna also has engaged in a number of new alliances that will help the company reach beneficiaries in their local communities. These relationships include:

-- CVS Corporation and Rite Aid Corporation, to provide materials in more than 8,500 retail pharmacies and sales representatives in select locations.

-- Standard Plus, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company, to market co-branded Medicare Part D products through Standard Plus' 14,000 independent insurance agents located in 46 states.

-- Senior Centers across the country, to provide materials and signage in 2400 centers nationwide, and educational workshops in 160 centers nationwide.

-- Financial Planning Association, to sponsor educational seminars on the Medicare program for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) professionals, many of whom are counseling retirees about the new benefits.

Aetna offers three Part D prescription drug plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Aetna Medicare Rx Essentials(SM) plan is equivalent to standard Part D benefits, and the Aetna Medicare Rx Plus(SM) and Aetna Medicare Rx Premier(SM) plans are enhanced options. Individual plan premiums for the Aetna Medicare Part D plans range from $27.50 per month to $66.75 per month. Aetna also will be offering Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans in 13 states and the District of Columbia; and regional Medicare PPO plans in three states and the District of Columbia. In addition, $0 premium plan options will be available that combine a Medicare Advantage plan with Medicare Part D coverage.

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 14.435 million medical members, 12.976 million dental members, 9.117 million pharmacy members and 13.662 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 684,000 health care professionals, including over 405,000 primary care and specialist doctors and 4,135 hospitals. For more information, please visit www.aetna.com. (Figures as of June 30, 2005)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please visit http://www.aetna.com/presscenter/media/wmp_medicarepdp.html to view the television advertisements.

Source: Business Wire

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