Statement of Aetna Chairman and CEO Ronald A. Williams on the Signing of Health Care Reform Legislation

Aetna Chairman and CEO Ronald A. Williams today issued the following statement following the signing of health care reform legislation by President Barack Obama:

"With the signing of health reform legislation today, millions of Americans can look forward to gaining access to health insurance, a significant milestone for this country. The challenge unmet by this bill, however, is how to effectively deal with the critical issue of affordability, which has become a burden for so many people, particularly individuals and small business owners.

"For more than a year, the nation has engaged in a dialogue on health care reform. Aetna has been part of that discussion, sharing our experience and expertise. As early as 2005, we were the first national insurer to call for an individual insurance requirement to bring more people into the health care system. What we have heard during the debate is that the American people are most concerned about health care costs. Aetna plays a significant role in helping our members – both employers and individuals – meet the cost challenge. Our role won’t change with this legislation. But, as a nation, we need to come together to bring greater focus on addressing the many underlying factors that are driving soaring health care costs. When the nation inevitably turns to finding ways of reducing this alarming trend, we stand ready to help.”

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.1 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.