Louisville, Ky.-based Humana has terminated its membership with America's Health Insurance Plans, which is the health insurance industry's largest trade group, according to The Hill.
Here are four things to know.
1. Humana officially ended its membership with AHIP Dec. 31. However, a Humana spokesman told The Hill the insurer "has not actively participated in AHIP since early 2017."
2. Humana is the third major health insurer to leave AHIP. UnitedHealth Group left in 2015, and Aetna terminated its membership in early 2016.
3. Although some of the major insurers have left AHIP, the group is growing. AHIP added 12 new members this year and recorded a $1.2 million profit in 2016, compared to a $2.3 million loss the year prior, AHIP spokeswoman Kristine Grow told The Hill.
4. Humana exited AHIP amid speculation the company could be acquired by a noninsurer, according to The Hill. In December, Ana Gupte, PhD, a senior healthcare services analyst at Leerink Partners, told CNBC the threats posed by CVS Health's deal with Aetna might be enough to push Walmart to consider buying Humana.
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