Aetna Signs Agreement with New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

- HHC`s 11 hospitals, six Diagnostic and Treatment Centers and four nursing
homes join Aetna`s Provider Network -
HARTFORD, Conn.--(Business Wire)--
Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it has reached an agreement with the New
York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) to offer Aetna members in New
York City in-network access to in-patient and out-patient services from HHC`s 11
acute care hospitals, six Diagnostic and Treatment Centers and four nursing
homes.

The new three-year agreement expands Aetna`s current relationship with HHC`s
Elmhurst Hospital Center and Queens Hospital Center. All Aetna plans are covered
under the new contract.

"Aetna is happy to announce that all of the HHC facilities will now be included
in our New York City network," said Michael Costa, Aetna`s head of network
operations for the New York City market. "This agreement will enhance our
ability to offer our members access to a wide range of hospitals and physicians
in and around New York City."

Aetna provides health benefits to approximately 1.8 million members in the New
York Metropolitan area. Those members have access to a network that includes 172
contracted hospitals and more than 56,000 health care providers, including
primary-care and specialist physicians, in the New York Metropolitan area.

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation`s hospitals - which are
affiliated with all of the city`s major medical schools and comprise the largest
municipal hospital system in the country - include six level 1 trauma centers,
nine designated stroke centers and two regional perinatal centers. In addition,
HHC facilities include the only hospital in New York City to receive a
"Baby-Friendly" breast-feeding achievement designation by the World Health
Organization.

"We are delighted that our contract with Aetna will offer more New Yorkers
access to care at all of HHC hospitals. Our entry into this vast network of
commercial health insurance underscores our competitive, quality services and
our recent significant achievements at the leading edge of patient safety,
health information technology and chronic disease management," said HHC
President Alan D. Aviles. "This new partnership also supports our work to
further diversify our patient base and attract more referrals from the thousands
of community physicians with whom we have forged relationships."

About the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), is a $6.3 billion
integrated healthcare delivery system and the largest municipal healthcare
organization in the country. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers every year and
nearly 450,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance
abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing
facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 80
community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides health services
at home for New Yorkers. To learn more about HHC, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation`s leading diversified health care benefits companies,
serving approximately 36.3 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 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.

Aetna
Ethan Slavin
860-273-6095
SlavinE@aetna.com
or
NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation
Ana Marengo
212-788-3368
Ana.marengo@nychhc.org

Copyright Business Wire 2009