Yesterday’s passing of the healthcare bill will sell off healthcare providers and major drug mfg's according to the Reuters piece. Here it is.....
WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of
Representatives voted 220-215 on Saturday to pass legislation
overhauling the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.
The Senate must also vote on its version of a bill, which
is not expected until December at the earliest, and both
chambers would then meet to work out a final measure.
Following are some of the winners and losers in the U.S.
healthcare industry based on language in the House bill.
LOSERS ...
HEALTH INSURERS
Health insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N),
Cigna Corp (CI.N) and others could see greater competition,
more scrutiny and fewer protections under the bill.
The sector has said it would take a big hit from a
government-run insurance plan that Democrats say would force
insurers to streamline. Cooperative exchanges and the sale of
insurance plans across state lines also aim to give consumers
more information and choices that could redefine the market.
Profit margins could also shrink with the bill, forcing
insurers to give customer rebates if less than 85 percent of an
enrollee's premiums are spent on actual care. The public plan itself could also undercut insurers by
paying doctors, hospitals and others rates as low as those
offered by the Medicare plan for the elderly and disabled. Rate
hikes by private insurers would also be scrutinized.
The bill also eliminates the exemption health insurers had
from antitrust laws, explicitly barring them from price fixing,
bid-rigging or dividing up markets.