UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                         Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                October 30, 2003

                                   AETNA INC.
                                  -----------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



        Pennsylvania                     1-16095                  23-2229683
----------------------------     -----------------------       -------------
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)                                            Identification No.)

151 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut                                               06156
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(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)

                                 (860) 273-0123
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
                                       ---
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

ITEM 12. RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION.

On October 30, 2003, Aetna Inc. issued a press release announcing results for
the quarter ended September 30, 2003. A copy of that press release is furnished
herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and hereby incorporated in this Item 12 by reference.

The information in this Form 8-K shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of
Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") or
otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed
incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the
Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          AETNA INC.



Date:  October 30, 2003                   BY:  /s/ Ronald M. Olejniczak
                                          -----------------------------
                                          Name: Ronald M. Olejniczak
                                          Title: Vice President and
                                          Controller

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.                   Description
-----------                   -----------
                           
Exhibit 99.1                  Press Release of Aetna Inc. dated October 30, 2003