Cigna vs Elevance Health: Founders, CEOs and History
Cigna was founded in 1982 by Ebenezer Hazard, Samuel Blodget and is led by Brian Evanko. Elevance Health was founded in 1944 by Indiana Hospital Leaders (Mutual Hospital Insurance) and is led by Gail K. Boudreaux.
Company facts
Cigna
- Founded
- 1982
- Headquarters
- Bloomfield, Connecticut
- Current CEO
- Brian Evanko
- Employees
- 67,700
Elevance Health
- Founded
- 1944
- Headquarters
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Current CEO
- Gail K. Boudreaux
- Employees
- 97,100
Founders
Cigna
Ebenezer Hazard
Ebenezer Hazard, a former U.S. Postmaster General and historian, was among the Philadelphia organizers of the Insurance Company of North America in 1792 and served as its first secretary. INA is the oldest predecessor of The Cigna Group.
Samuel Blodget
Samuel Blodget Jr., a merchant and early economist, was one of the backers involved in organizing the Insurance Company of North America in Philadelphia in 1792.
Elevance Health
Indiana Hospital Leaders (Mutual Hospital Insurance)
The company's lineage runs through Blue Cross of Indiana (1944) and Blue Shield of Indiana (1946), which later combined as Anthem.
CEOs and their tenures
Cigna
- David M. Cordani2009–2026
Executive Chair; former Chairman and CEO
Cordani joined Cigna in 1991 after working at Coopers & Lybrand, became president of Cigna HealthCare in 2005 and CEO in December 2009.
Source - Brian Evanko2026–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Evanko joined Cigna in 1998 through its actuarial development program, served as CFO, led Cigna Healthcare and was named president and COO in March 2025 before becoming CEO on July 1, 2026.
Source
Elevance Health
- Joseph Swedish2013–2017
Former President and CEO
His tenure ended after the failed Cigna deal, with the company pivoting to organic growth and services under his successor.
Source - Gail Boudreaux2017–present
President and CEO
Under Boudreaux, revenue grew to $199.1B in FY2025. In July 2026 she bought about $1M of Elevance stock after the company raised its 2026 guidance.
Source - Peter D. Haytaian2022–present
Executive Vice President and President, Carelon
Leads the segment that is Elevance's main growth engine.
Source - Mark Kaye2024–present
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Leads investor communication on the 2026 margin-repair plan.
Source
Timeline: Cigna and Elevance Health side by side
1792Cigna
Insurance Company of North America founded
Philadelphia merchants organize INA to write marine and fire insurance; John M. Nesbitt is its first president.
1865Cigna
Connecticut General Life chartered
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company is chartered in Hartford, the second pillar of the future Cigna.
1944Elevance Health
Indiana Health-Plan Roots
The organization traces its roots to Indiana health-plan predecessors.
1982Cigna
INA and Connecticut General merge to form CIGNA
The merger creates CIGNA Corporation, named for the initials of its two predecessors.
1999Cigna
Property and casualty business sold to ACE
Cigna sells its P&C operations to ACE Limited for about $3.45 billion and concentrates on health and employee benefits.
2001Elevance Health
Anthem IPO
Anthem converts from a mutual insurer and lists on the NYSE.
2004Elevance Health
WellPoint and Anthem Combination
The Anthem and WellPoint combination creates a larger national health benefits company.
2008Cigna
Great-West Healthcare acquired
Cigna buys Great-West Healthcare for about $1.5 billion, expanding in the mid-size employer market.
2012Cigna
HealthSpring acquired
Cigna completes the roughly $3.8 billion purchase of Medicare Advantage insurer HealthSpring.
2012Elevance Health
Amerigroup Acquisition
WellPoint acquires Medicaid specialist Amerigroup for about $4.9B.
2015Elevance Health
Acquired Simply Healthcare Holdings
Elevance Health acquired Simply Healthcare Holdings in February 2015.
2017Cigna
Anthem merger collapses
A federal court blocks Anthem's proposed $54 billion acquisition of Cigna on antitrust grounds, and both sides terminate the deal amid litigation.
2017Elevance Health
Gail Boudreaux Becomes CEO
Boudreaux becomes CEO and later leads the company's broader health strategy.
2018Cigna
Express Scripts acquisition closes
Cigna completes its acquisition of Express Scripts, valued at about $67 billion including debt, becoming one of the three largest U.S. PBMs.
2020Cigna
Evernorth brand launched
Cigna groups Express Scripts, Accredo, eviCore and other health services under the Evernorth name.
2021Cigna
MDLive acquired
Evernorth acquires virtual care provider MDLive.
2022Elevance Health
Elevance Health Rebrand
Anthem changes its name to Elevance Health and expands the Carelon services identity.
2023Cigna
Renamed The Cigna Group
The parent company adopts The Cigna Group name, organized around Evernorth Health Services and Cigna Healthcare.
2025Cigna
Medicare business sold; rebate-free model announced
Cigna completes the sale of its Medicare Advantage and Part D businesses to HCSC and, in October, announces a rebate-free Express Scripts pharmacy benefit model. 2025 revenue reaches $274.9 billion.
2025Elevance Health
FY2025 Scale Update
Elevance reports $199.125B revenue, $5.662B net income, and 45.2M medical members.
2026Cigna
FTC settlement and CEO transition
Express Scripts settles the FTC insulin pricing case in February; Brian Evanko becomes CEO on July 1 and David Cordani becomes executive chair.
2026Elevance Health
Margin Repair Year
Q2 2026 operating revenue reaches $49.8B and adjusted EPS guidance is raised to at least $27.00 as membership falls to 44.9M.
Acquisitions
Cigna
- MDLive Inc.2021Undisclosed
- Express Scripts Holding Company2018$67B
- HealthSpring Inc.2012$3.8B
Elevance Health
- CareBridge2025$2.7B
- BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy2023Undisclosed
- WellCare Health Plans, Inc.2020Undisclosed
- Amerigroup Corporation2012$4.9B
Questions about Cigna vs Elevance Health
Who is the CEO of The Cigna Group and Elevance Health, Inc.?
The Cigna Group is led by Brian Evanko and Elevance Health, Inc. is led by Gail K. Boudreaux. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Cigna Group founded vs Elevance Health, Inc.?
Elevance Health, Inc. was founded in 1944 — 38 years before The Cigna Group, which was founded in 1982. Elevance Health, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger The Cigna Group.
How many employees does The Cigna Group have compared to Elevance Health, Inc.?
The Cigna Group employs approximately 67,700 people, while Elevance Health, Inc. employs approximately 97,100. Elevance Health, Inc. has the larger workforce at 97,100 employees, compared to The Cigna Group's 67,700. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Cigna Group and Elevance Health, Inc. headquartered?
Both The Cigna Group and Elevance Health, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded The Cigna Group and Elevance Health, Inc.?
The Cigna Group was founded by Ebenezer Hazard, Samuel Blodget. Elevance Health, Inc. was founded by Indiana Hospital Leaders (Mutual Hospital Insurance).
Which company has a longer operating history — The Cigna Group or Elevance Health, Inc.?
Elevance Health, Inc. has been operating for approximately 82 years, making it the more established of the two companies. The Cigna Group has been in operation for around 44 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Cigna vs Elevance Health overview