Aetna has announced that it is ending its membership in America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) this year. AHIP is the health insurance industry’s largest trade group, made up of over 1,200 different companies.
This latest news comes after a rough 2015 for AHIP. The organization’s highly respected CEO, Karen Ignagni, announced in May that she was leaving to help lead EmblemHealth, and then UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the U.S., announced it was leaving AHIP just one month later. UnitedHealth commented at the time that both its own interests and the interests of its customers were “no longer best represented” by AHIP.
AHIP CEO Marilyn Tavenner, a former CMS administrator who took the position after Ignagni’s departure, commented on the news, pointing to the company’s long track record.
“AHIP's successful advocacy record speaks for itself,” Tavenner said in a statement. “Our members depend on AHIP to advance their key priorities, to strengthen the public-private programs that provide coverage for millions of Americans, and to deliver solutions that improve access to high-quality, affordable care for consumers.”
Aetna is presently close to finalizing a deal to acquire Humana. More detailed information on that transaction, first announced back in July 2015, can be found here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.