WASHINGTON, Nov 04, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that it and Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) will be co-hosting a free "Magic@50" Community Health EXPO at the Shiloh Baptist Church-Family Life Center (1500 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001) on Saturday, November 7. The EXPO is free and open to the public, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST.

A variety of free screenings from local health care professionals such as the George Washington Cancer Institute and Howard University Division of Nursing will be available to attendees at the EXPO. This includes screenings for HIV, asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure.

At noon, there will be a panel discussion among local health care leaders focusing on key health and wellness issues, with emphasis on citizens 45 years old and above. This discussion will be moderated by Rovenia M. Brock -- otherwise known as "Dr. Ro." She is an award-winning health journalist and television personality known for her easy-to-apply diet, fitness, and health tips for women and families. A leading nutrition coach for more than two decades, Dr. Ro holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Howard University and is the author of "Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy."

In addition to the free screenings and panel discussions, there will be a number of informational exhibitor booths from local health care organizations.

Attendees at the event will also have the chance to enter raffles for autographed memorabilia from Magic Johnson, including a basketball and jersey as well as copies of his recent book, "32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business."

This EXPO is the continuation of the "Magic@50" campaign that Aetna and MJE started last November with a similar, highly successful free "Magic@50" Community Health EXPO in Chicago. This campaign is part of the work that Aetna and Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) have done since 2008 to help improve health literacy, particularly in diverse urban and suburban communities.

Additional "Magic@50" Activities

Just last month, Johnson delivered a presentation on the importance of improving health literacy and maintaining health and wellness for people over 50 to more than 4,000 individuals as a featured speaker at AARP's National Event & EXPO, Vegas@50+. Mr. Johnson turned 50 in August of 2009.

Another Community Health EXPO is scheduled for November 21st in Los Angeles, with Johnson scheduled to speak at the Nate Holden Center.

To promote the 'Magic@50' Community Health EXPO in Washington, DC, Aetna is distributing approximately 40,000 free community newspapers throughout local communities. Entitled "Urban Call," this publication features informative health-related articles on behalf of Aetna, AARP and Magic Johnson Enterprises. In addition, Aetna is reaching out to residents with a wide range of activities, including direct mail pieces and newspaper advertising, as well as through church bulletin inserts and direct outreach to local ministers.

In addition, as part of this broader program, Aetna and MJE have developed a unique website (www.aetnamagicat50.com) that highlights various elements of the "Magic@50" campaign. The site includes event listings and a number of exclusive videos with Mr. Johnson describing how he has faced personal challenges with his health and in business, as well as ways that the Aetna/Magic Johnson Enterprises alliance can help improve health literacy. The site also contains articles from Urban Call on Aetna's commitment to diversity and addressing racial and ethnic inequalities in health care, as well as a glossary of common health insurance terms.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

About Magic Johnson Enterprises

Magic Johnson Enterprises, formed in 1987, serves as a catalyst for community and economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization's focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com SOURCE: Aetna

CONTACT: Aetna Media Contact: Walt Chernaik, 410-691-1405 CherniakJrW@aetna.com or Ethan Slavin, 860-273-6095 SlavinE@aetna.com