Insurers stake a claim in exchanges Aetna spent $400 million last year to acquire privately held bswift, which brought the health insurance giant a retail shopping technology platform for exchanges and employers. "Aetna intends to use the bswift capabilities to build the next generation of our private exchange offerings, " Aetna spokeswoman Cynthia Michener said. Meanwhile, the nation's Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance companies, which include Anthem as well as nonprofits and mutual insurers, are launching an online portal for retirees to shop for different plans through the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.