Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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 *
ROWE JOHN W
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AETNA INC /PA/ [AET]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman & Chief Exec. Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/25/2005
(Street)

HARTFORD, CT 06156
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 04/25/2005   M   37,000 A $ 13.1622 0 I By GRAT
Common Stock 04/25/2005   M   8,000 A $ 17.5058 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   500 D $ 69.9 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,300 D $ 69.91 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,700 D $ 69.92 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,900 D $ 69.97 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 69.98 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   900 D $ 69.99 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,100 D $ 70 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,700 D $ 70.01 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 70.02 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,200 D $ 70.03 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   500 D $ 70.04 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   400 D $ 70.05 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   300 D $ 70.06 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 70.07 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   100 D $ 70.08 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 70.1 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   300 D $ 70.11 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   600 D $ 70.12 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,100 D $ 70.13 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,100 D $ 70.14 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   300 D $ 70.15 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   800 D $ 70.16 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 70.17 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   100 D $ 70.18 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   1,400 D $ 70.19 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   700 D $ 70.2 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   300 D $ 70.21 0 I By GRATS
Common Stock 04/25/2005   S(1)(2)   200 D $ 70.22 0 I By GRATS

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option $ 13.1622 04/25/2005   M     37,000 09/15/2001 09/15/2010 Common Stock 37,000 $ 0 550,458 I By GRAT
Employee Stock Option $ 17.5058 04/25/2005   M     8,000 09/15/2001 09/15/2010 Common Stock 8,000 $ 0 798,976 I By GRATS

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
ROWE JOHN W
151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
HARTFORD, CT 06156
  X     Chairman & Chief Exec. Officer  

Signatures

 John W. Rowe by Judith H. Jones, Attorney-in-Fact   04/26/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) The sale reported was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the John W. Rowe 2004 GRAT on March 4, 2005 and a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the John W. Rowe 2003 GRAT on March 4, 2005.
(2) THIS IS FORM 1 OF 2. The number of individual Table I line entries making up the sale reported exceeds the EDGAR system's limitations and, therefore, this filing is being made in two parts.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

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