Aetna taps Karen Rohan as new president

Karen Rohan, executive vice president of local and regional businesses for Aetna, has been promoted to president./ Aetna

Health insurer Aetna Inc. has promoted Karen Rohan to president, giving CEO Mark Bertolini a true second-in-command.

Ms. Rohan, 51, will start her role Jan. 1. She serves as Aetna's executive vice president of local and regional businesses and will retain that role. Ms. Rohan will also oversee Aetna's national, government and specialty segments. She made more than $3.4 million in 2013.

Ms. Rohan has been with Aetna since 2012, previously holding executive roles with Cigna Corp. and Magellan Health. Some on Wall Street view her promotion as potential succession planning for Mr. Bertolini, who has held the president title since 2007. He will remain chairman and CEO.

"I am pleased that Karen will take this enhanced role in helping direct our operations as we continue to grow and meet the evolving needs of our customers," Mr. Bertolini said in a news release.

Joseph Zubretsky, who is Aetna's senior executive vice president of the national business, will now head Healthagen, Aetna's population health division.

Aetna competitor UnitedHealth Group Inc. made a similar executive move in November when it named CFO David Wichmann as president.

Bob Herman writes for Modern Healthcare, a sister publication of Business Insurance.