Zachary Tracer

Shares of health insurers from Cigna to Aetna surged on speculation that the industry is heading for a round of mergers to boost profits.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. agreed to buy Catamaran Corp. for about $12.8 billion, bulking up its drug-benefits business to get better negotiating power in talks with pharmaceutical companies over prices.

Aetna has agreed to reduce out-of-pocket payments for most HIV and AIDS medicines after pressure from an advocacy group, revising coverage that had some patients paying $1,000 a month for the drugs.

MetLife was deemed systemically important by a panel of regulators, a decision that would subject the biggest U.S. life insurer to stricter Federal Reserve oversight.

Robert Benmosche, the chief executive officer of insurer American International Group Inc., has some tough love for college students graduating in the aftermath of the financial crisis.