Insurer UnitedHealth's quarterly profit beats estimates

[HAB911]

UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurer, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, driven by growth across its businesses and raised its full-year earnings forecast.

The insurer's results comes after a second attempt to pass a health-care legislation in the Senate collapsed late on Monday, with U.S. President Donald Trump calling for an outright repeal of Obamacare and others seeking a change in direction toward bipartisanship.

UnitedHealth, which sells employer-based insurance as well as Medicare and Medicaid, said net earnings attributable to shareholders rose to $2.28 billion, or $2.32 per share, in the second quarter ended June 30, from $1.75 billion or $1.81 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, UnitedHealth earned $2.46 per share, beating average estimate of $2.38, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/18/insurer-unitedhealths-quarterly-profit-rises-30-percent.html

[Gabi Hayes]

1. Humana shares went fro $177/share to $238

and they PULL OUT of the exchanges

The only solution is single payer

Monsters in charge