Aetna
Aetna health insurance is accepted by medical practices throughout the United States, and the company is one of the largest health insurance providers in the U.S. with earnings of over $30 billion in annual revenue since 2006. It's also one of the oldest, with a nearly 200 year history. A health insurance plan through Aetna can be a dependable purchase, and the company has some unique insurance offerings that have led to positive ratings, including "good" ratings in several areas from the California Health Care Quality Report Card 2010.
The history of Aetna is particularly colorful as compared to other major insurance companies in the U.S., mainly due to the company's long lifespan. Aetna began as a fire insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut in 1819. It gradually grew and expanded into other types of insurance, including life insurance for slaves in the 1850s–an obviously controversial product which the company has since apologized for. The company offered its first Aetna health insurance policy in 1899 and was among the first health insurers in the United States. However, it did not have a significant presence in the field until further development occurred from the 1960s through the early 2000s. Aetna's health insurance offerings grew significantly when it acquired Prudential Health Care and NYLCare Health Plans as part of an expansion effort in the late 1990s. These acquisitions greatly added to Aetna's size and allowed them to offer a typical health insurance plan that resembles their current offerings. Since the late 1990s, the company has continued to grow, with profits that substantially increased from 2005 forward.
There has been controversy surrounding Aetna, particularly during congressional health care debates. The company made large contributions to the campaigns of several congress members, including Senator Joe Lieberman, whose threats of filibusters prevented several provisions that would have added a public option to the bill that ultimately passed. Nevertheless, Aetna is an extremely popular and successful health insurance company, with over 17 million health care members. In addition to its standard health insurance plans, Aetna offers group life insurance, automobile insurance, dental care plans, disability insurance and many other common insurance products.
As with all health insurance providers, Aetna health insurance rates are based on a number of actuarial statistics, economic factors and many other criteria. The best way to find a low cost Aetna health insurance plan is to compare rates and to look into discount programs. As the company offers many different types of insurance, combined policies are particularly effective for lowering rates and finding better coverage. Aetna provides free health insurance quotes online and through its physical offices across the United States.
