Former Aetna executive named CEO of combined Harvard Pilgrim/Tufts health plans

Photo | Contributed Cain Hayes.

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By Liese Klein

A former Aetna executive has been named CEO of the new company formed by the merger of Harvard Pilgrim Health and Tufts Health Plan, the insurer announced Thursday.

Cain Hayes, currently CEO of Pennsylvania HMO Gateway Health, will take the top job at the nonprofit insurer on July 5. He replaces interim CEO Tom Croswell, who announced his retirement in late January,

“Cain brings a wealth of experience to this role both as a proven leader and seasoned health care veteran with a distinguished track record of success,” said Joyce Murphy, board chair of the merged insurers, who have yet to announce a new name. “His experience, values and mission-oriented leadership make him well-suited to lead the organization into the future.”

Hayes was president of national accounts, president of the Mid-America region and president of the government-sector and labor division for Aetna in his stint at the company from 2015-17. He subsequently worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota before joining Pittsburgh-based Gateway Health in 2018.

Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts, both based in the Boston area, announced their merger in 2019 and officially combined on Jan. 1 of this year, creating one of the nation’s largest nonprofit insurers. Harvard Pilgrim’s Connecticut operations are based in downtown Hartford.