Aetna Buys Humana in $37 Billion Deal In Latest Health Care Merger

Aetna, the health insurance company based in Hartford, Connecticut, agreed to buy Humana Inc., a major provider of private Medicare insurance, for $37 billion in cash and stock on Friday morning. The acquisition, which could make the combined companies the second largest health insurer in the nation, occurs amidst a trend of mergers and acquisitions by health care providers vying for government business from the Affordable Care Act.