Voters are more worried about healthcare than about Iraq, according to recent polls, as reported by Fortune Magazine, making it a key political issue and leading many health insurance company CEOs to keep their heads down. Aetna's Ron Williams has been an exception, speaking up on many major issues, though declining to endorse any candidate's healthcare proposal. Formerly Blue Cross of California's president, Williams came to Aetna as COO in 2001 when the company was on the brink of failure. He and CEO Jack Rowe engineered a turnaround that increased the company's value from $3 billion then to $21 billion today. Williams succeeded Rowe as CEO in 2006. Before an audience in the Time & Life Building in Manhattan, Williams sat down with Fortune's Geoff Colvin.

Click here to see the edited excerpts.