BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2006--Aetna (NYSE: AET) and HealthOne Care System, Inc., the largest independent physician group network in Massachusetts, announced jointly today a contract that will include all of HealthOne's providers in Aetna's network of health care providers effective January 1, 2007. This contract extends participation from the three HealthOne medical groups which currently contract with Aetna - Granite Medical, Southboro Medical Group and South Shore Medical Center - to add Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Dedham Medical Associates. This agreement marks the first time that all five of the HealthOne physician groups, serving approximately 600,000 patients in Massachusetts, are participating in the network of a national health insurer.

"The medical groups in HealthOne have a long and successful track record of working closely with employers in their local Massachusetts communities to provide medical care for their employees. As our patients are increasingly employed by businesses headquartered outside of Massachusetts, we sought to additionally align ourselves with a national health benefits company. Aetna shares our values and philosophy of using state-of-the-art wellness and disease management programs to coordinate treatment and ensure a high quality health care experience for our patients," said Debra Geihsler, HealthOne Chief Executive Officer.

"The HealthOne groups are recognized leaders in providing cost-effective and high quality care, so we particularly appreciate Aetna's leadership in sharing price and quality information with their members. We also appreciate their willingness to collaborate with physicians to measure outcomes based on empirical data, and then recognize and reward physicians for delivering top clinical performance," she said.

"The fit between HealthOne and Aetna couldn't be better," said Troyen A. Brennan, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Aetna. "HealthOne and Aetna are committed to the use of information technology to alert physicians to the need for an intervention. HealthOne already has one of the more robust information systems among physician groups across the country. By integrating medical claims data with pharmaceutical claims, physician reports, lab tests, and patient demographics, Aetna can assist in highlighting gaps in care, potentially dangerous drug interactions, and members' lack of adherence to prescribed treatment plans."

"Aetna's medical management strategy takes a holistic view of each Aetna member rather than focusing on the 20 percent of members in poor health who represent the majority of medical costs. Our Aetna Health Connections program provides more than 2,000 Aetna-employed clinical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, wellness counselors, nutritionists and weight loss therapists, to work with members and their physicians to help coordinate care, ensure that members understand and follow their doctor's prescribed treatment plans, and embrace healthier lifestyles. We are excited about this opportunity to integrate our programs with those of these outstanding HealthOne physician groups to the benefit of patients in Massachusetts," Brennan added.

About HealthOne

HealthOne Care System, Inc. is the largest independent physician network in Massachusetts with approximately 700 physicians and 1,000 health professionals who care for more than 600,000 patients at 28 practice locations in Massachusetts. HealthOne Care System is a non-profit organization comprised of five multi-specialty physician groups - Dedham Medical Associates, Granite Medical, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Southboro Medical Group and South Shore Medical Center. The vision of HealthOne Care System is to move health care from a model of diagnosis and treatment to one of prevention and partnering with patients in the delivery of their care. While each affiliate serves its respective patients, the HealthOne groups collaborate on clinical innovation with an emphasis on caring for patients in their local communities.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 29.9 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

CONTACT: Aetna Wendy Sue Morphew, 212-457-0320 morphewWS@aetna.com or Solomon McCown Lindsay Yuvan, 617-933-5022 lyuvan@solomonmccown.com SOURCE: Aetna