Health insurance is vital to just about everyone, and it’s always a hot topic. With the recent initiation of the Affordable Care Act, it’s even more controversial than ever before. It seems half the population is thrilled to finally have affordable insurance while the rest of us are unhappy about the massive increase in premiums and the lesser coverage we now receive. Either way, the biggest health insurance companies in the world are making a killing on insurance, and their value proves it.
Humana – $18.96 billion
Humana rounds out the top five largest health care companies by market cap, and it also takes the spot as the 73rd largest company in the world. Humana began in the early 60s as one little nursing home. It grew to become more than 100 hospitals before joining the health insurance industry. Since its inception as a health care company, it’s grown significantly.
Cigna – $24.71 billion
Cigna has been providing health care services to people in the United States and several other countries for more than 125 years. According to the Fortune 500 list, it’s the 129th most successful company in the world. The company deals with around 119 million claims on an annual basis.
Aetna – $28.06 billion
Aetna is one of the oldest heath care coverage companies. It was founded in the mid-1800s. The company provides more than 40 million Americans with health care coverage that covers anything from medical health to dental health to life insurance. The company is one of the largest in the world in terms of annual revenue.
WellPoint – $31.16 billion
WellPoint has the most people insured through its plans and subsidiary health care plans, but by market cap it is not the largest health care company. With more than 70 million people insured through some form of WellPoint, it’s certainly the most comprehensive. This is largely due to its 2004 merger with Anthem.
United Health Care – $81.1 billion
On the list of Fortune 500 companies, United Health Care is the 22nd largest in the world when you take revenue into consideration. This company has been around since the 1970s. United Health Care has three main industries that provide comprehensive health care and coverage on many different spectrums.
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