More Benefits ThanOriginal Medicare

Aetna Golden Medicare Plan®

7A-20908 (US) (10/02)

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We Are Here To Serve You

In order to make your health care decisions easier, we have providedsome helpful information to assist you.

Accompanying this brochure are a detailed Summary of Benefits, ProviderDirectory, an Enrollment Form and a postage-paid reply envelope.

Aetna Navigator™ provides you with an easy-to-use website where you can:

■ Order ID cards.

■ Send e-mail inquiries to Member Services.

■ Access interactive “Cool Tools,” including a medical dictionary.

■ Review a preventive care planner that includes recommendations for screenings and immunizations.

Log on to www.aetna.com and click on the Navigator button.

Call us directly with any questions you may have at 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323.

Translation of this material into another language may be available. For assistance, please call a sales representative at 1-800-832-2640/ TDD 1-800-628-3323.

Puede estar disponible la traducción de este material en otro idioma. Por favor, para ayuda llame a un representante del departamento deventas al 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323.

Choosing a health plan is an important decision.

Experience teaches us that the well-informed make the wisest choices. With that in mind, we are committed to providing you with accurate andrelevant information that is easy to understand. It’s part of our businessphilosophy: Empowering people to make sound decisions.

For many years we have been providing our customers with quality health planoptions to meet their needs. With the Aetna Golden Medicare Plan, we continuewith that same proud tradition. Our Aetna Golden Medicare Plan members enjoy:

■ A wide choice of network physicians and hospitals.

■ Virtually no paperwork when using network providers.

■ Worldwide emergency care.

This brochure was designed to help you find the information you need quicklyand easily. We encourage you to take the time to review all of the documentsthat accompany this brochure. If you need further assistance, our dedicated salesprofessionals are always available to help you.

Thank you for considering the Aetna Golden Medicare Plan. We wish you the best of health.

John W. Rowe, M.D.

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Message From theChairman and CEO

John W. Rowe, M.D., is Chairman and CEO of Aetna Inc. He serves as a Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics at The Mount SinaiSchool of Medicine. Before joining Mount Sinai, Dr. Rowe was a Professor of Medicine and the Founding Director of the Divisionon Aging at Harvard Medical School, and Chief of Gerontology at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital.

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Aetna GoldenMedicare Plan®

The Aetna Golden Medicare Plan is a Medicare Advantageplan. That means we can administer health care benefitsfor Medicare beneficiaries through a special contract withthe federal government. When you enroll in the AetnaGolden Medicare Plan, Medicare pays us a set amount ofmoney for your covered care every month. In return, wemanage your Medicare coverage within our network ofhealth care providers. This funding arrangement allows us to provide more health care benefits than OriginalMedicare and many supplements. It’s that simple.

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Questions? Call 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323

or visit our website at www.aetna.com

Understanding the Plan

Specialist and Hospital Care

As the coordinator of your care,your PCP will refer you to anetwork specialist or facility whenneeded. You must have a referralfrom your PCP to receive coveragefor any services the specialist orfacility provides, except foremergency and urgent care. Thosebenefits described as direct accessbenefits do not require a referral.For your convenience, manyprimary care offices canelectronically forward referralsdirectly to specialists.

You do not need referrals for:

■ Routine visits to Your PCP

■ Ob/Gyn care

■ Annual mammograms

■ Immunizations (pneumococcaland influenza)

■ Emergency and urgent care

Using NetworkProviders

Primary Care Physician

As a member of the Aetna GoldenMedicare Plan, you will need to selecta network primary care physician(PCP). A PCP is an internist or generalpractitioner who knows your medicalhistory and coordinates all of yourcovered care. Your PCP will play a veryimportant role in your health care.

Your PCP will:

■ Provide routine and preventive care.

■ Treat you for illness and injuries.

■ Help you make important medical decisions.

Considering the size of our network,your doctor may already beparticipating with us. Just check theProvider Directory that accompaniesthis brochure or ask your salesrepresentative for assistance. If yourdoctor isn’t in our network, we’ll helpyou find one who meets your needs.You may also use DocFind® on ourwebsite (www.aetna.com) to locatea physician close to your home.

If you’re not happy with your doctor for any reason, you mayalways select another PCP.

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How Does It Work?

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Questions? Call 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323

or visit our website at www.aetna.com

Direct Access Care

Because preventive care and overall wellness are so important,you do not need a referral fromyour PCP to be covered for theservices outlined below.

Direct Access Gynecology Program

Our members can visit any network gynecologist without areferral for routine gynecologic care, including a Pap smear (whenappropriate). Our members may also visit a network gynecologistwithout a referral for gynecologicproblems and follow-up care. Your gynecologist may also issuereferrals for specialized care orspecific testing.

If your PCP belongs to a physicianmedical group (PMG), you may only visit a gynecologist within thatgroup for routine gynecologic care,gynecologic problems and follow-upcare without a referral. Also, yourgynecologist may only refer you to certain specialists within the group.

Immunizations

You may receive influenza andadult pneumococcal vaccines fromany network provider without areferral from your network PCP —at no cost to you, although acopayment may apply for thephysician office visit.

Plan Benefits

The plan covers you for visits to your primary carephysician, specialist care andauthorized hospitalization — allwith low or no Aetna GoldenMedicare Plan premiums.

Through the U.S. TravelAdvantage® program, you have access to the samebenefits you receive at home when you travel to another plan-approved service area. The U.S. Travel Advantage program is available in a limited number of service areas.

You’re also covered for anyemergency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere inthe world.

Special Health and Wellness Programs

Preventive care is the key to good health. Take charge of your health by taking advantageof our special health and wellness programs.

Wellness Programs

To assist members in staying “hearthealthy,” we created Numbers ToKnow® to promote blood pressureand cholesterol monitoring. In addition,Aetna mails annual adult preventivereminders for vaccination programsagainst illnesses such as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia.

Healthy Outlook Program®

Learn more about how to manageasthma, diabetes, heart problems andlow back pain. Our Healthy OutlookProgram provides you and your PCPwith educational materials andinformation resources to help youlearn how to develop healthier habitsand improve your quality of life.

Cancer Screenings

It’s a fact ... early detectiondramatically improves the chancesof successfully treating cancer.That’s why we send our memberstimely reminders to have regularscreenings for breast, colorectaland cervical cancers.

National MedicalExcellence Program®

Through this unique program, weprovide you access to nationallyrespected physicians and facilities if the appropriate treatment foryour complex illness or injury is not available locally. Whenprecertified, your care will becovered (less any applicablecopayments), as well as yourrelated transportation expenses.There is also an allowance for acompanion. These programservices must be precertified under the National MedicalExcellence Program.

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What’s Covered

For a full explanationof benefits andlimitations, pleaserefer to the Summaryof Benefits located inthe back pocket ofthis brochure.

Questions? Call 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323

or visit our website at www.aetna.com

Informed Health® Line

Staying informed is one step youcan take toward meeting thechallenge to stay healthy. Our 24-hour, toll-free Informed HealthLine is your direct link to a team of experienced registered nurseswho can provide health informationand support on a variety of healthissues — anytime, day or night.They can provide health informationon more than 5,000 health topics,prevention and self-careinformation, how to prepare for an office visit and informationregarding treatment options. Youmay also access an audio healthlibrary, which includes 2,000 topicsin English and 1,580 topics inSpanish. Informed Health Linenurses cannot diagnose, prescribe or give medical advice. Contact your doctor first with any questionsor concerns regarding your healthcare needs.

Aetna InteliHealth®

Our award-winning healthinformation site, located atwww.intelihealth.com, is a premierprovider of online consumer-basedhealth, wellness and disease-specificinformation. In addition, memberscan search a drug database andregister for condition-specific e-mails.

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Joining Our Plan Is as Easy as 1-2-3

Eligibility

Just like Original Medicare, you must meet certain federalrequirements in order to qualify for the Aetna GoldenMedicare Plan.

1. You must be entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Medicare Part B.

2. You must reside in the AetnaGolden Medicare Plan service area.

3. If you have end-stage kidneydisease, you are not eligible unlessyou are currently a member of anAetna commercial HMO plan orhave had a kidney transplantwithin the past 36 months.

Enrolling

Once you know that you qualifyfor the plan, follow the threesimple steps on the right toenroll.

When we receive your EnrollmentForm, we will send you a writtenconfirmation and inform you of theeffective date of your coverage.

Your Aetna Golden Medicare Plan ID card will be sent to your home. In addition, you will receive aMember Handbook and Evidence of Coverage that help explain yourhealth care coverage in detail. Reviewthese documents carefully, as theygovern the terms and conditions of your coverage.

We are here to serve you. If you have any questions, please call thenumber at the top right corner of the next page and a representativewill be happy to help you.

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How Do I Join?

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STEP 1

Select your primary carephysician and dentist (ifapplicable) from the enclosedProvider Directory.

STEP 2

Complete the entireEnrollment Form. Be sure toread the Release Authorizationstatements where indicated.Sign and date the form. Keepthe copy marked “applicant” for your records.

STEP 3

Mail the Enrollment Form using the enclosed postage-paid reply envelope.

To help you complete yourenrollment, we’ve included:

■ Summary of Benefits

■ Provider Directory

■ Enrollment Form*

■ Postage-Paid ReplyEnvelope

*Please be sure to completethis form in its entiretybefore mailing.

Questions? Call 1-800-832-2640/TDD 1-800-628-3323

or visit our website at www.aetna.com

You must be entitled to Medicare Part A and continue to pay your Part B premiumand Part A, if applicable. You must use network providers except for emergent careor out of area urgent care/renal dialysis. Coverage is provided through a MedicareAdvantage organization with a Medicare contract and benefits, limitations, serviceareas and premiums are subject to change on January 1 of each year.

“Aetna” is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or moreof the Aetna group of subsidiary companies. Benefits are provided or administered byAetna Health Inc. or Aetna Health of California Inc.

18.02.300.1-NYNJPACA (9/04) ©2004 Aetna Inc.