Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Bertolini Mark T
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/01/2006
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AETNA INC /PA/ [AET]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
AETNA INC., 151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

HARTFORD, CT 06156
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 26,666
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option 02/24/2004 02/24/2013 Common Stock 50,000 (1) $ 20.825 D  
Employee Stock Option 02/27/2004 02/27/2013 Common Stock 50,000 (2) $ 20.94 D  
Employee Stock Option 12/31/2004 02/13/2014 Common Stock 56,000 $ 38.75 D  
Employee Stock Option 06/30/2005 02/11/2015 Common Stock 65,136 (3) $ 66.75 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Bertolini Mark T
AETNA INC.
151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
HARTFORD, CT 06156
      Executive Vice President  

Signatures

Mark T. Bertolini 02/06/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Granted under the Aetna Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan. Options vest in three installments beginning 02/24/2005.
(2) Granted under the Aetna Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan. Options vest in three installments beginning 02/27/2004.
(3) Granted under the Atena Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan. Options vest in three installments on June 30, 2005; February 11, 2007; February 11, 2008.

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