Why UnitedHealth Stock Is Sliding Wednesday

UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH saw its shares decline significantly Wednesday afternoon following remarks made by CEO Andrew Witty at the Bernstein 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference.

What Happened: At the conference on Wednesday, Witty warned of potential disruptions in the Medicaid market as states begin to reduce enrollments in their health programs post-pandemic.

The shift away from Medicaid places pressure on insurers to ensure that state reimbursements adequately cover medical expenses, the United Health CEO said, adding that it could take multiple quarters for states to adjust premium rates to meet the healthcare needs of Medicaid members effectively, according to Bloomberg.

"We've come through this very sort of prolonged redetermination cycle in Medicaid," Witty reportedly said. Ensuring that "the utilization and the rates and everything else stay in perfect synchrony through a multi-quarter cycle, there's probably going to be some disturbance around that.”

Why It Matters: The announcement sent shockwaves through the health insurance sector, with stocks of Medicaid-focused companies like Centene Corp. CNC, Molina Healthcare Inc. MOH, Humana Inc. HUM and Elevance Health Inc. ELV all experiencing significant drops.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, states were prevented from terminating Medicaid plans, leading to increased enrollments and higher payouts for insurers. However, with terminations resuming last year, insurers are now negotiating with states for higher rates to cover escalating medical costs. Witty’s comments underscored the challenges ahead as the industry navigates this transition period.

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UNH Price Action: UnitedHealth Group shares are down by 4.54% at $480.66 at the time of writing, according to Benzinga Pro.

Photo: Courtesy of UnitedHealth Group Inc.