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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0202 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2006-04-28 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0001122304 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> AETNA INC /PA/ </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> AET </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001338682 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Coye Molly Joel </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CENTER </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2> 524 SECOND STREET </rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> SAN FRANCISCO </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> CA </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 94107 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 1 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 0 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> PHANTOM STOCK UNITS </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2006-04-28 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 51.948 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> COMMON SHARES </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 51.948 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 548.605 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> PHANTOM STOCK UNITS </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2006-04-28 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 1309 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> COMMON STOCK </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 1309 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 7309 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F4"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> UNITS GRANTED UNDER THE AETNA INC. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION PLAN (THE "PLAN"). SUBJECT TO TERMS OF PLAN, UNITS MAY BE SETTLED IN AETNA COMMON STOCK, IN CASH OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH UPON REPORTING PERSON'S RETIREMENT. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> UNITS CONVERT TO COMMON STOCK ON A ONE FOR ONE BASIS. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F3"> UNITS GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN. SUBJECT TO TERMS OF PLAN, UNITS MAY BE SETTLED IN AETNA COMMON STOCK, IN CASH OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH UPON REPORTING PERSON'S RETIREMENT. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F4"> THE UNITS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE COMPANY'S STOCK SPLIT ON FEBRUARY 17, 2006. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> MOLLY J. COYE, M.D. by Paige L. Falasco, Attorney in Fact </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2006-05-01 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |