Aetna departure a major blow for AHIP

Aetna, one of the nation's largest health insurers, announced Tuesday that it is leaving the insurer trade group America's Health Insurance Plans, dealing a blow to a powerful Washington lobbying group. "Aetna has decided not to renew our AHIP membership for 2016," said Aetna spokeswoman Cynthia Michener. "We will continue to partner with groups that are working, as we are, toward expanding access to high-quality, affordable healthcare." Aetna is the third-largest health insurance company in the United States and is attempting to merge with Humana, another one of the top five for-profit insurers.