Aetna profit falls on costs and legal settlement

(Reuters) – Aetna Inc said on Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings fell sharply, as costs rose in parts of its employer-based insurance business and it took charges for settling litigation over payment practices for out-of-network care. The health insurer also said Chief Financial Officer Joseph Zubretsky would lead a new business internally. Shawn Guertin, who has been with Aetna since 2011 and was previously CFO of Coventry Health Care Inc , which Aetna is buying, will replace Zubretsky on February 25. The Hartford, Connecticut company announced plans in August for the $5. …