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Kelly Gooch

Here are 125 things to know about Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna and Humana — five leading health insurers in the U.S.

Aetna's roots go back to the 1850s, when Aetna Insurance Company organized an annuity fund to sell life insurance. Since then, Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna has become one of the nation's largest insurance companies, providing insurance to roughly 46 million people.

Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna was formed through the combination of INA Corporation and Connecticut General Corporation in 1982. The company has since evolved into one of the "big five" health insurers in the U.S.

Humana was incorporated in the 1960s as a healthcare company, and the business has grown to offer several insurance products and health and wellness services. Louisville, Ky.-based Humana is now among the major national commercial payers.

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Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare Health Plans — a private Medicare and Medicaid managed care company — posted better-than-expected profit in the first quarter of 2015 as its Medicaid membership grew, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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