Aetna Announces Appearance at CIBC World Markets Healthcare Conference.

Business Editors

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 2003

Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that John W. Rowe, M.D., chairman and CEO of Aetna Inc., is scheduled to make a presentation at CIBC World Markets' 14th Annual Healthcare Conference on November 11, 2003, in New

Aetna's presentation is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time. Investors, analysts and the general public are invited to listen to this presentation over the Internet and to access the presentation slides via Aetna's Investor Information link at www.aetna.com. To listen to this presentation live on the Internet, visit Aetna's web site prior to the presentation to download and install any necessary audio software. A webcast replay will be available via Aetna's Investor Information link at www.aetna.com, beginning approximately two hours after the event, for 14 days.

Anyone listening to the Aetna Inc. presentation is encouraged to read Aetna's 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Aetna's 2003 Third Quarter Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of Aetna's historical results of operations and financial condition. Information reconciling certain financial and other measures that may be disclosed in the presentation to relevant GAAP measures is available in the Aetna third quarter 2003 Financial Supplement, press release and Guidance Summary available via the Aetna Investor Information link.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health care, dental, pharmacy, group life, disability and long-term care benefits, serving approximately 13.0 million medical members, 11.0 million dental members, 7.4 million pharmacy members and 12.1 million group insurance customers, as of September 30, 2003. The company has expansive nationwide networks of more than 590,000 health care services providers, including over 355,000 primary care and specialist physicians and 3,577 hospitals.

For more information about Aetna Inc., please visit the company's web site at www.aetna.com.