Health insurers, hospitals rise on lower policy-risk outlook

Tenet Healthcare

Wed 17:40

Updates
** Shares of health insurers Molina Healthcare MOH.N jump 7.5% to $223.36 and Centene CNC.N rise 8.9% to $73.52 
** TD Cowen says hospitals and Medicaid-focused insurers face less policy risk than most healthcare companies following the Democratic sweep of Congress
** "A larger-than-expected Democratic majority improves the odds of policy that could bring back some of those who lost coverage, which is positive for CNC & MOH" - brokerage Cantor Fitzgerald
** Shares of hospital operators HCA Healthcare HCA.N climb 10.4% to $510.79, Universal Health Services UHS.N gain 9.9% to $194.85 and Tenet Healthcare THC.N rise 8.8% to $290.35 
** Brokerage expects affordability and industry accountability to dominate the healthcare agenda, creating high "headline risk" across much of the sector
** Says sweeping reforms remain unlikely with President Donald Trump in the White House, but Democrats could use debt-ceiling negotiations to push for restoring Obamacare subsidies and reversing Medicaid payment cuts
** Citi expects greater scrutiny of drug pricing and federal health agencies, but sees limited near-term impact on drugmakers and expects existing pricing agreements with the Trump administration to remain intact
     

(Reporting by Kunal Das in Bengaluru)
((Kunal.Das2@thomsonreuters.com;))