Aetna is the third largest insurer and the second mega-health insurance company to leave AHIP; UnitedHealthcare left in June. While UnitedHealthcare said AHIP no longer represented the company’s best interests, Aetna indicated pulling out potentially due to antitrust scrutiny associated with the planned Humana merger and new regulations under the Affordable Care Act, according to a company statement reported in Forbes.
So what is Aetna’s next move?
Here are five key notes on where the company could be headed:
1. In the wake of increased scrutiny on a proposed merger with Humana, Aetna now feels it has the necessary lobbying presence in Washington, D.C., to affect change. The company added lobbyists and attorneys last year to win clearance for the merger.
2. Aetna is still a member of several business coalitions and associations. One affiliation is the Medicaid Health Plans of America, representing many of the same AHIP insurers.
3. Aetna expects a decision on whether they’ll be allowed to move forward with the Humana merger in the second half of the year. The Justice Department is still reviewing the case, and in 2015 brought of 34 merger enforcement actions, according to an IBA mag report.
4. The company is also investing in mindfulness, collaborating with Duke University, eMindful and American Viniyoga Institute to develop mindfulness programs. In 2010, the collaboration released Viniyoga Stress Reduction and Mindfulness at Work to help employees reduce stress. The program was so successful Aetna expanded it to customers as well and could play a part in the company’s philosophy going forward.
5. In November, Aetna reported it wasn’t making money from their plans on the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges but expects profitability to improve next year. At that time, the payer didn’t indicate plans to leave the exchanges despite acknowledging that business was challenging.
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