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 *
  McCauley Frank G.
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/05/2012
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)
Exec VP, Commercial Businesses
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 3,090
D
 
Common Stock 1,632.6259
I
By 401(k) Plan (1)

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
Market Stock Unit   (3)   (3) Common Stock 12,768 $ (2) D  
Market Stock Unit   (4)   (4) Common Stock 13,238 $ (2) D  
Market Stock Unit   (5)   (5) Common Stock 13,099 $ (2) D  
Stock Appreciation Right (6) 02/10/2007 02/10/2016 Common Stock 16,952 $ 50.205 D  
Stock Appreciation Right (6) 02/08/2009 02/08/2018 Common Stock 29,915 $ 50.7 D  
Stock Appreciation Right (6) 02/13/2010 02/13/2019 Common Stock 12,989 $ 32.11 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
McCauley Frank G.
AETNA INC.
151 FARMINGTON AVENUE
HARTFORD, CT 06156
      Exec VP, Commercial Businesses  

Signatures

Frank G. McCauley (by Judith H. Jones, Attorney in Fact) 03/07/2012
**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) Represents the pro rata portion of the stock portion of Aetna Common Stock Fund held by reporting person on February 29, 2012. The information is based on information provided by the Plan Trustee as of that date.
(2) Each Market Stock Unit represents a right to receive up to 1.5 shares of Aetna Inc. Common Stock net of taxes. Vesting amount will be determined based on the weighted average closing stock price for the thirty trading days prior to the vest date.
(3) Market Stock Unit granted under the Aetna Inc. 2010 Stock Incentive Plan, units will vest on December 7, 2012.
(4) Market Stock Unit granted under the Aetna Inc. 2010 Stock Incentive Plan, units will vest on February 2, 2014.
(5) Market Stock Unit granted under the Aetna Inc. 2010 Stock Incentive Plan, units will vest on February 2, 2015.
(6) Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Aetna Inc. 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.

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