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Aetna Named A ''Best Employer For Healthy Lifestyles'' for Second Year; National Business Group on Health Honors Aetna With ''Platinum Award''

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

Aetna (NYSE: AET) was recognized by the National Business Group on Health with the "Platinum Award," the highest honor, in the second annual Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles program. According to the group, the awards were given to 33 employers nationwide who demonstrated innovative efforts in battling obesity and promoting a healthy work environment. Aetna also earned an award in 2005, the inaugural year of the program.

"At Aetna, we know a healthy business requires a healthy workforce," said Elease Wright, head of Human Resources for Aetna. "As a leading provider of health insurance and health care information, we promote wellness both inside and outside the company. We're honored that our efforts continue to be recognized, and we're committed to remaining a positive example."

Aetna was honored for its Healthy Lifestyles program, which offers incentives and rewards employees for making positive choices for better health. Healthy Lifestyles, the umbrella program for many of Aetna's health and fitness initiatives, offers financial incentives for participation in educational courses, use of web-based health resources, preventive-care visits and workout activities. Employees can earn financial rewards, which can be deposited in a health savings account, employer-established fund or paycheck in order to help employees manage their health care expenses. The program also offers other incentives to make physical fitness a priority, such as free pedometers.

"We're extremely pleased to honor Aetna with the highest level of honors this year for its exceptional efforts and dedication to providing healthy lifestyle programs designed to reduce obesity and encourage healthier living for its employees," said Helen Darling, President of the Business Group. "Aetna, which has long been a leader in promoting healthy lifestyles for its employees and members, clearly understands and embraces how critical it is to encourage healthy choices."

Now in its second year, the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards acknowledge and reward those employers that recognize the urgent need to improve their workers' health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action.

Winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyle awards were honored at the Business Group's Obesity Leadership Summit. Awards were in one of three categories: Platinum, for established programs with measurable outcomes; Gold, for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who have made a commitment to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for those employers who have launched significant programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 28.3 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

About the National Business Group on Health

The National Business Group on Health, representing 245 mostly large employers, is the nation's only non-profit organization devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to large employers' most important health care and benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org

Source: Business Wire

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