Core Viewpoint - A lawsuit has been filed against Centene Corporation and its senior executives for potential violations of federal securities laws, following significant discrepancies between the company's financial guidance and actual market conditions [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, titled Lunstrum v. Centene Corporation, et al., No. 25-cv-05659, with investors having until September 8, 2025, to seek lead plaintiff status [2]. - The complaint alleges violations under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors who purchased Centene securities [2]. Group 2: Company Background - Centene Corporation is a healthcare company that provides services to consumers enrolled in government-sponsored healthcare programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, as well as those purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act [3]. Group 3: Financial Guidance and Market Conditions - On December 12, 2024, Centene announced financial guidance for fiscal year 2025, claiming stability in earnings despite challenges [4]. - The company subsequently increased its 2025 guidance on February 4, 2025, citing enrollment overperformance, and again on April 25, 2025, due to strong growth in enrollment and retention [4]. - However, the actual market conditions revealed lower than expected enrollment growth and increased morbidity rates in the majority of the states Centene serves [4]. Group 4: Stock Performance - On July 1, 2025, Centene withdrew its previous guidance after an independent actuarial report indicated that market growth in 22 of the 29 states was lower than expected, leading to a stock price drop of $22.87 per share, or over 40%, from $56.65 to $33.78 [5].

ORANGE, Calif., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alignment Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALHC), will release its second quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, July 30, after market close. Following the release, the company will host a conference call to review its financial results at 5 p.m. EDT. Conference Call DetailsA live audio webcast will be available online at https://ir.alignmenthealth.com/. At the start of the conference call, participants may access the webcast at the following link: https://ed ...

Core Viewpoint - A lawsuit has been filed against Centene Corporation and its senior executives for potential violations of federal securities laws, following significant discrepancies between the company's financial guidance and actual market conditions [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, titled Lunstrum v. Centene Corporation, et al., No. 25-cv-05659, with investors having until September 8, 2025, to seek lead plaintiff status [2]. - The complaint alleges violations under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors who purchased Centene securities [2]. Group 2: Company Background - Centene Corporation is a healthcare company that provides services to consumers enrolled in government-sponsored healthcare programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, as well as those purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act [3]. Group 3: Financial Guidance and Market Conditions - On December 12, 2024, Centene announced financial guidance for fiscal year 2025, claiming stability in earnings despite challenges [4]. - The company subsequently increased its 2025 guidance on February 4, 2025, citing enrollment overperformance, and again on April 25, 2025, due to strong growth in enrollment and retention [4]. - However, the actual market conditions revealed lower than expected enrollment growth and increased morbidity rates in the majority of the states Centene serves [4]. Group 4: Stock Performance - On July 1, 2025, Centene withdrew its previous guidance after an independent actuarial report indicated that market growth in 22 of the 29 states was lower than expected, leading to a significant stock price drop of $22.87 per share, or over 40%, from $56.65 to $33.78 [5].

Core Insights - UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding its Medicare Advantage billing practices, specifically for potentially inflating diagnoses to receive higher payments from Medicare [1][3][8] - The investigation focuses on the HouseCalls program, where nurses visited patients at home and allegedly recorded diagnoses that led to additional payments, raising concerns about healthcare fraud [2][3] - As the largest player in the Medicare Advantage market, a criminal probe could have significant implications for UnitedHealth, including billions in federal payments and its overall business model [3][4] Company Performance - UnitedHealth has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that its practices comply with federal guidelines, but faces challenges amid rising medical costs and has withdrawn its 2025 earnings guidance [4][8] - The stock of UnitedHealth has declined by 40.2% year-to-date, compared to a 31.1% decline in the industry [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UnitedHealth's 2025 earnings is projected at $21.85 per share, indicating a 21% decrease from the previous year [11] Industry Context - Other insurers, such as Molina Healthcare and Centene Corporation, are also struggling with rising medical costs, leading to reduced earnings guidance and financial outlooks [5][6] - Molina Healthcare has adjusted its 2025 earnings per share forecast down to between $21.50 and $22.50, while Centene Corporation has pulled its financial outlook due to higher medical costs [5][6]

As Medicare turns 60 on July 30th and Social Security hits 90 on Aug. 14, 80% of Americans not yet enrolled worry these programs won't be there for themNew survey of over 1,000 Americans shows that 76% underestimate average healthcare costs in retirementAUSTIN, Texas, July 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- eHealth, Inc. (Nasdaq: EHTH), a leading online private health insurance marketplace, and Retirable today released new original research showing most Americans are worried about the long-term health of both Medicar ...

Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC ) offers a variety of healthcare insurance products, including Medicare, Medicaid, and more. A few days ago, shares of this company plunged after the company withdrew guidance for 2025, with much of this being driven byLong-time stock market investor focused on strategic buying opportunities with dividend and value stocks. This investment strategy has resulted in a near 5 star rating on Tipranks.com and over 9,000 followers on Seeking Alpha. Follow me on Twitter for my latest ...

Core Insights - The Big Beautiful Bill Act (BBBA) is projected to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid, which constitutes 62% of Centene's 2024 revenue [2][4] - Centene's stock experienced a 40% decline following the withdrawal of its 2025 revenue guidance due to an independent actuary's report indicating overly optimistic revenue assumptions [2][3] - S&P Global Ratings is contemplating downgrading Centene's credit rating to junk status, which could increase the company's cost of capital [4][14] Financial Performance - Centene's revenue from Medicaid was $101.4 billion, representing 62% of total revenue for 2024, while Medicare contributed 14% and the Commercial Marketplace business unit accounted for 21% [7] - In Q1 2025, Centene reported a 15.4% increase in revenue to $46.6 billion, exceeding analyst expectations [16] - The company’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q1 2025 was $2.90, which was 22.9% higher than consensus estimates [16] Market Impact - The BBBA's Medicaid cuts could reduce Centene's revenue growth rate by one percentage point annually over the next five years, from 5% to 4% [13] - Analysts have expressed concerns about the potential for Centene's EPS forecast to be significantly lowered, with estimates suggesting a possible reduction of $2.75 [11][12] - Despite the negative outlook, some analysts believe Centene is significantly undervalued, with a 12-month price target averaging $63.08, indicating a potential upside of nearly 91% [20] Strategic Concerns - The withdrawal of revenue guidance has raised questions about Centene's future profitability and capital adequacy, leading to increased scrutiny from credit rating agencies [15] - The company faces challenges in offsetting potential revenue losses from Medicaid cuts with other business lines [8] - The healthcare sector, particularly managed care, is viewed as increasingly risky by some analysts, with concerns that conditions may worsen before improving [19]

Core Viewpoint - The Department of Justice is investigating UnitedHealth for allegedly encouraging staff to make specific diagnoses that would lead to higher Medicare payments, particularly under the Medicare Advantage program [1][6]. Investigation Details - The investigation involves inquiries from the Justice Department, FBI, and Health and Human Services regarding patient testing, diagnostic procedures, and the process of sending nurses to patients' homes [2]. - Former employees reported that investigators asked about training related to making diagnoses and the methods used to contact patients for testing [4][8]. Company Response - UnitedHealth maintains that it supports the integrity of its Medicare Advantage business and welcomes regular reviews of its practices [3]. - The company criticized the Wall Street Journal for what it perceives as a biased narrative against Medicare Advantage, claiming reliance on incomplete data [3][4]. Diagnostic Practices - Former doctors indicated that the focus was on coding practices, specifically how diagnosis codes are submitted to Medicare for payments [5]. - Investigators inquired about bonuses for doctors reviewing potential diagnoses suggested by UnitedHealth [7]. Software and Tools - The investigation also looked into the "diagnosis cart" feature of UnitedHealth's software, which suggests potential medical conditions to nurses [11]. - UnitedHealth argues that its diagnostic practices are aimed at early disease detection and plans to implement independent third-party oversight for these practices [8]. Previous Investigations - A separate decade-long effort by the Justice Department to recover alleged Medicare overpayments from UnitedHealth was unsuccessful [10].

Core Viewpoint - UnitedHealth Group, Inc. is facing increased legal challenges as shareholders file multiple lawsuits related to a federal investigation into the company's Medicare billing practices, which were highlighted in a Wall Street Journal report [1][3]. Summary by Sections Legal Actions - Steve Silverman, a long-time shareholder, has filed a derivative lawsuit in federal court, claiming that UnitedHealth's leadership has harmed the company through questionable billing practices [2]. - The lawsuit accuses CEO Stephen Hemsley, former CEO Andrew Witty, and board members of engaging in practices that led to inflated reimbursements, significantly impacting the company's financial results and stock price [3][4]. - Other shareholders have also filed lawsuits, with one alleging that Hemsley and Witty profited from stock sales before the DOJ investigation became public [5][6]. Financial Impact - The lawsuits focus on the profitability of UnitedHealth's Medicare business, which has drawn negative attention and affected its stock price [6]. - Allegations include that the company repurchased $7.3 billion in stock at inflated prices while executives profited from share sales during the undisclosed DOJ investigation [9]. Company Challenges - UnitedHealth is currently navigating a series of challenges, including ongoing lawsuits, a DOJ investigation, regulatory changes, and leadership changes following the resignation of CEO Andrew Witty [7][10]. - The company's stock has seen a significant decline, falling over 40% year-to-date, with shares trading at $302.10 at the time of the report [11].

Investors might want to bet on Alignment Healthcare (ALHC) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.The ...