NEW YORK (Reuters) - Aetna Inc (>> Aetna Inc) chief executive Mark Bertolini said on Tuesday that the company had begun making regulatory filings with both federal and state authorities related to its acquisition of Humana Inc (>> Humana Inc).

Bertolini said the company had also begun talking to state insurance commissioners and officials in Washington D.C. about the $37 billion (£23.7 billion) deal, which he said will leave "plenty of competitors" in the Medicare markets where the combined company will operate.

(Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)

Stocks treated in this article : Aetna Inc, Humana Inc