DAILY UPDATE: UnitedHealth Group and PBMs as Technology Stocks Soar

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

The Cboe Volatility Index® (VIX) fell sharply to 14.91.

The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 59.41 points (1.1%) to 5,564.41; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) climbed 127.91 points (0.3%) to 40,415.44; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP)jumped 280.63 points (1.6%) to 18,007.57. 

The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) added two basis points to 4.26%.

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What’s up

What’s down

  • Crowdstrike withered another 13.46% as the fallout from what’s being hailed as the largest IT outage in history continues to punish the stock.
  • Trump Media & Technology Group dipped 0.83% during the trading session after President Biden’s announcement that he’s dropping out of the presidential race.
  • Verizon sank 6.04% after whiffing on its earnings report, missing on revenue thanks to customers holding on to their old phones for longer.
  • Ryanair crumbled 15.41% following an earnings report that revealed the company’s earnings after taxes sank an eye-watering 46% last quarter.
  • Starbucks dropped 3.43% on a report by the Wall Street Journal late last week that activist investor Elliott Investment Management has taken a stake in the coffee chain.

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The US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability is holding a hearing tomorrow, bringing in PBMs from around the US to testify on “their role in rising healthcare costs.” The hearing comes soon after an FTC report found PBMs to have an “outsized influence” on drug pricing.

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The February cyberattack on a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary may have exposed the health data of one in three Americans, but the nation’s largest health insurance company by market cap and revenue returned to profitability in the second quarter, beating Wall Street expectations and reporting net income of $4.2 billion.

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DAILY UPDATE: Public Companies and the Stock Market Software Snafu Wraps Up Worst Week Since April

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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42,500. That’s how many people died in car accidents in 2022, which experts believe was exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, as reckless driving worsened and traffic enforcement decreased. (KFF)

“These attacks and breaches of data can literally mean the difference between life and death for patients, significantly impact hospital operations, and—with the average hack costing millions to address—increase healthcare prices across the board.”—Sen. Angus King about a bill he co-sponsored to improve cybersecurity in healthcare (Healthcare Dive)

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) dropped 39.59 points (–0.7%) to 5,505.00 and ended down 1.97% for the week, its worst weekly performance in three months; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) slipped 377.49 points (–0.9%) to 40,287.53 on Friday and finished up less than 1% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP)fell 144.28 points (–0.81%) on Friday to 17,726.94 and lost 3.65% for the week.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose four basis points to nearly 4.24% and finished up for the week, partly on worries about possible U.S. tariffs and their potential impact on inflation.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index closed at 16.47 after climbing above 17 intraday for the first time since late April.
  • Markets sagged under the weight of a massive IT outage, accentuating a selloff that was already in motion. All three indexes spent the day in the red, with the S&P 500 capping off its worst week since April and the NASDAQ snapping its six-week win streak.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index, a gauge of investor fear, rose to its highest level since April. The VIX is up over 25% in the last five days alone, as the small-cap rotation rally sputtered to a halt.
  • Oil took a big blow today as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is nearly complete.
  • Gold sold off as well as investors not only took profits after the commodity hit a new all-time high this week, but also began to rotate into riskier assets in light of a likely Fed rate cut.

What’s up

What’s down

  • SunPower transformed into a stock submarine, sinking 55.01% after the company made it clear it’s about to go out of business.
  • American Express fell faster than a greased pig on skates, sliding 2.68% after beating bottom line expectations but missing on revenue.
  • Plug Power turned into a lead balloon, descending 13.87% after management declared a $200 million stock offering.
  • Halliburton crumbled like a cookie, dropping 5.63% following a mixed earnings report that saw the fracking giant fall short of revenue expectations.
  • Travelers journeyed to the center of the Earth, burrowing 7.73% after beating earnings expectations, missing on revenue, and revealing that catastrophe losses came in higher than hoped.
  • Comerica sank like a stone, plummeting 10.50% due to lower net interest income last quarter and forecasts of lower interest income in the quarters ahead.

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It’s common for patients to delay or skip medical care due to high costs in the US—but data shows that fewer adults have done so in recent years.

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DAILY UPDATE: Apple, Macy’s, Goldman, Banks, Companies and the Roaring DJIA

Posted on July 17, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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  • The Dow jumped 700 points at one point today, its biggest single-day surge this year. The S&P 500 spent the entire trading session in positive territory, ending the afternoon at another record close, while the NASDAQ was flat most of the day as tech stocks sat out the rally.
  • Bitcoin continued to surge, rising as high as $65,191 as predictions of a second Trump presidency helped erase the cryptocurrency’s recent losses.
  • Gold hit a new record as hopes of a rate hike continue to rise, while oil sank on the news of slower economic growth in China translating to lower demand for crude.
  • The Russell 2000 enjoyed its 5th straight gain of 1% or more for the first time since 1979 as small caps make their comeback (more on that below).

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Apple released public beta versions of the newest software for iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch. Macy’s ended talks of a buyout with investment firms Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management after months of wrangling. Goldman Sachs was the latest big bank to benefit from rebounding investment banking fees as deals start making a comeback.

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Despite such challenges as high interest rates, a sluggish M&A market, and increased regulatory scrutiny, bank executives are feeling optimistic about the road ahead. That’s according to KPMG’s 2024 US Banking Industry Outlook Survey, published last month, which polled 200 senior executives at US banks of varying sizes in March 2024.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 35.98 points (0.64%) to 5,667.20; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) climbed 742.76 points (1.85%) to 40,954.48; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) added 36.77 points (0.2%) to 18,509.34.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell slightly to just under 4.17%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) ticked up to 13.19, still near three-week highs.

What’s up

  • Match Group climbed 7.46% after activist investor Starboard Value revealed it has taken a 6.6% stake in the matchmaking company.
  • Bank of America rose 5.35% on strong earnings, and management’s expectation that the bank’s net interest income will rise this year.
  • UnitedHealth Group popped 6.49% after beating analyst earnings estimates, missing revenue expectations, and most importantly, avoided higher costs after a recent cyberattack.
  • Shopify surged 8.57% thanks to an analyst upgrade from “neutral” to “buy” on the company’s turnaround efforts. Shares of Etsy rose 6.33% in sympathy.
  • GRAIL boomed 24.76% on the news that it is kicking off the clinical trials of its new cancer detection test.
  • Home builders’ hot streak continues: Hopes of a rate cut are fueling a rally for home builder stocks, with D.R. Horton up 6.64%, Lennar rising 6.55%, KB Home gaining 7.17%, and Builders FirstSource popping 8.11%.

What’s down

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DAILY UPDATE: PBMs Scrutinized as Companies Report and Stock Markets Rotate

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Though the accountant shortage is still a concern, a shortage of AI and tech skills might be a more pressing issue right now. That’s according to a pulse survey by consulting firm RGP and YouGov, which polled 213 US financial professionals at the director level and above this June.

Read: What do you do when you hit your insurance deductible? Some people throw parties. (the New York Times)

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 15.87 points (0.28%) to 5,631.22; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) climbed 210.82 points (0.53%) to 40,211.72, a new record-high close; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) added 74.12 points (0.4%) to 18,472.57. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) gained four basis points to just below 4.23%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) increased to 13.14, its highest close since June 24.

What’s up

  • Bitcoin-related stocks rose alongside the crypto rally today, with Coinbase up 11.39% and Microstrategy climbing 15.36%.
  • Gun manufacturers always rise after a major shooting incident, and the assassination attempt on Donald Trump certainly meets that criteria. Sturm, Ruger & Company jumped 5.44%, and Smith & Wesson rose 11.38%.
  • Stelco Holdings rocketed 73.98% higher on the news that the Canadian steelmaker will be acquired by Cleveland Cliffs for $2.8 billion.
  • AutoNation popped 2.01% on the news that it’s cutting $1.50 off of its EPS for the latest quarter due to the CDK cyberattack. Apparently getting ahead of the bad news is actually good news?

What’s down

  • Macy’s sank 11.76% after the department store’s board voted to end acquisition negotiations with activist investors Arkhouse and Brigade.
  • Burberry fell 16.08% after a poor quarterly report, a profit warning, and the ousting of its CEO.
  • AES plummeted 10.01% thanks to a storm cutting power to thousands of the utility company’s customers throughout Ohio.
  • SolarEdge Technologies dropped 15.36% after the company announced it will lay off 400 employees to improve profitability. Shares of solar competitors slumped in sympathy: First Solar fell 8.50%, Sunrun sank 8.95%, and Sunnova Energy fell 9.96%.

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) frequently sets its sights on healthcare, which has previously included efforts to crack down on data privacy and ban noncompetes in contracts. Lately, the agency has turned its attention to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—the groups that negotiate drug prices between insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers—to shed light on how they impact the healthcare industry.

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Stat: 23.5%. That’s how much Covid-related emergency room visits increased in a week at the beginning of this month. (CDC)

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DAILY UPDATE: Corporate Earnings, Oxendine Guilty as Stock Markets Rotate

Posted on July 13, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Here’s where the major stock market benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 30.81 points (0.5%) to 5,615.35, up 0.9% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) rose 247.15 points (0.6%) to 40,000.90, up 1.6% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) added 115.04 points (0.6%) to 18,398.44, up 0.3% for the week. Both the SPX and $DJI set intraday record highs today.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield closed basically unchanged just below 4.19%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) fell slightly to 12.49.

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What’s up

  • Trump Media & Technology Group climbed 3.40% as President Biden’s recent stumbles seem to be breathing new life into the stock.
  • Tesla rose 2.99%, nearly recovering from yesterday’s drop over robotaxi delays, despite a UBS analyst downgrading the company to “sell.”
  • Deckers Outdoor recovered 1.14% when the board announced a 6-for-1 stock split just a few days after M Science analysts warned investors away from the company.
  • Array Technologies popped 8.69% thanks to an upgrade from Citi analysts from “neutral” to “buy” citing the company’s strong long-term prospects. Competitor Enphase Energy jumped 6.85% in sympathy.
  • Carvana soared 4.80% after BTIG analysts initiated coverage of the company with a “buy” rating and a price target 7% higher than where shares trade today.
  • Home builder stocks continued their climb today on higher hopes of rate cuts. D.R. Horton rose 2.68%, Builders FirstSource jumped 3.99%, and even Home Depot got in on the action and rose 1.70%.

What’s down

  • AT&T slid 0.21% after Ma Bell announced that hackers had stolen information about virtually every single one of the cell carrier’s customers. Shares of cybersecurity company Snowflake sank 1.74% on the news as well.
  • Delta Air Lines fell another 3.06% as turbulence throughout the airline industry continued to weigh the stock down.
  • Arbor Realty Trust plummeted 17.03% after the Justice Department announced a probe of the company due to improper lending practices.
  • Vita Coco dropped 9.07% thanks to a downgrade to “neutral” from Piper Sandler analysts. Are you telling me that a company that just sells coconut water isn’t actually worth $1.58 billion? Now that’s just vita loco!

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Here’s a list of some corporate earnings announcements next week:

  • Monday: Goldman Sachs, BlackRock.
  • Tuesday: Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, PNC Financial Services, and Charles Schwab. We’ll also hear from UnitedHealth Group, Progressive, and J.B. Hunt.
  • Wednesday: ASML, Citizens Bank, Ally Financial, Synchrony Financial, and U.S. Bancorp will wrap up the big financial names. Plus Johnson & Johnson, Kinder Morgan, United Airlines, and Alcoa.
  • Thursday: The busiest day of the week includesNetflix, Domino’s Pizza, Abbott Laboratories, Nokia, D.R. Horton, Intuitive Surgical, and much more.
  • Friday: The week wraps up with American Express, Schlumberger, and Halliburton.

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A federal judge on Friday sentenced former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine to serve three and a half years in prison after Oxendine pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, at a hearing in Atlanta, also ordered Oxendine to pay a $25,000 fine and to share in $760,000 in restitution with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups.

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DAILY UPDATE: Tesla, PBMs, Medicare Part C and the Hot Stock Markets

Posted on July 11, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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A day before the June CPI report, major indexes extended their rally amid growing demand for semiconductors and rate cut hopes.

  • The S&P 500 rose above 5,600 for the first time ever, only a few short days after breaking above 5,500, with the index hitting a new record for the last seven straight trading sessions. The NASDAQ also enjoyed a solid day as well thanks to strong performances by tech stocks, while even the Dow got in on the action and ended the session in the green.
  • Bond yields stayed almost right where they’ve been all week as investors hold their breath ahead of tomorrow’s key CPI reading.
  • Gold rose as investors hope for a strong CPI report to point the Fed toward more rate cuts, while oil rose as well thanks to a stronger-than-expected outlook on global demand from OPEC.

***

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in June it would recalculate 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) star ratings for all plans after two court rulings called into question the agency’s method for determining this year’s ratings. The decision is estimated to cost the federal agency roughly $1 billion in additional bonus payments for insurers, according to healthcare analytics firm Cotiviti. The move comes after several large insurers laid off employees in late 2023 after their star ratings decreased.

HIPAA: Some groups are disputing a proposed federal rule that would require hospitals to report cybersecurity incidents, saying they want it to also include insurers and third-party vendors. (Healthcare Dive)

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What’s up

  • Taiwan Semiconductor rose 3.54% after it reported that its June revenue fell 10% month over month, but its sales rose roughly 33% year over year.
  • Advanced Micro Devices popped 3.87% on the news it is acquiring Silo AI, the largest private artificial intelligence lab in Europe, for $665 million.
  • Carvana drove 4.21% higher after Needham analysts upgraded the stock from “hold” to “buy” due in part to new features at checkout highlighting EVs. Competitor CarMax jumped 6.42% in sympathy.
  • Aehr Test Systems rocketed 24.01% after the semiconductor testing equipment maker raised earnings guidance thanks to strong AI demand.
  • Smart Global Holdings rose 26.27% thanks to earnings that beat Wall Street expectations in the third quarter and a strong outlook for the rest of the year.

What’s down

  • LegalZoom plummeted 25.35% to a new all-time low after the company cut its outlook and its CEO stepped down.
  • HubSpot sank 12.24% on a report that Alphabet is no longer interested in acquiring the company.
  • Intuit dropped 2.57% on the news that the tax prep company is cutting 10% of its workforce.
  • Deckers Outdoor fell 4.86% after M Science analysts published a note cautioning that sales for key brands UGG and HOKA fell in June.
  • Ziff Davis fell 10.32% after the digital media company tried to get ahead of the bad news and pre-announced that second-quarter earnings will fall below analyst expectations.
  • Fast-casual restaurant stocks continued to sink today as investors grow more concerned about lower consumer spending and higher valuations. CAVA Group fell 5.47%, Sweetgreen dropped 1.72%, and Dutch Bros fell 4.34%.

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Tesla’s US electric car market share fell below 50% in Q2 for the first time, according to estimates by the research firm Cox Automotive.

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In a scathing report, the Federal Trade Commission accused [PBMs] pharmacy benefit managers—the companies that act as go-betweens for drug makers and consumers—of jacking up drug prices

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DAILY UPDATE: Mike Bloomberg, Arianna Huffington and Andreessen Horowitz as Stock Markets Tread Lightly

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Most medical students at Johns Hopkins University won’t have to pay tuition anymore thanks to a $1 billion gift from Michael Bloomberg.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index®(SPX) rose 4.13 points (0.1%) to 5,576.98; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) fell 52.82 points (0.1%) to 39,291.97; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) climbed 25.55 points (0.1%) to 18,429.9.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield increased two basis points to 4.29%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) inched up to 12.49, still near recent lows.

What’s up

  • Tesla rose 3.71%, putting the company squarely in the green year to date as investors continue to celebrate the automaker’s strong delivery numbers.
  • Corning rose yet another 3.76%, extending the glassmaker’s gains as it quickly becomes the new hot AI stock du jour.
  • Kymera Therapeutics shot 23.40% higher after its partner Sanofi gave the go-ahead for further studies of its experimental skin disease treatment.
  • Jumia Technologies soared 29.79% after Benchmark analysts initiated coverage of the African e-commerce company with a “buy” rating.
  • Sony rose 4.46% on the news that it has nothing to do with the merger of Paramount and Skydance as shareholders celebrate dodging a Paramount-shaped bullet.

What’s down

  • Albemarle dropped 8.76% after Baird analysts warned that lower lithium demand will translate to lower profits for the miner in its upcoming second quarter.
  • BP sank 4.80% after management warned of lower-than-expected profits and a writedown of its German refining facility to the tune of up to $2 billion.
  • Helios Technologies fell 10.94% on the news that the CEO of the industrial manufacturer had been placed on paid leave for potentially violating the company’s code of ethics.
  • Helen of Troy plummeted 27.73% after the Hydro Flask maker announced terrible earnings and lowered its fiscal year outlook.
  • UiPath fell 6.90% on the announcement that the software company will cut 10% of its workforce.

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OpenAI’s venture fund and Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global are jointly funding a new startup that aims to build an AI health coach to promote healthier lifestyles.

Function Health, a health tech company focused on preventive medicine, recently closed a series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Bio + Health along with a slew of celebrity investors.

And … made possible by the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration is putting $27.5 million toward women’s behavioral health.

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DAILY UPDATE: Health Insurers & Hospital Mergers with Light Stock Market Trading

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) climbed slightly to 12.37.

The S&P 500 index®(SPX) rose 5.66points (0.1%) to 5,572.85; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) dropped 31.08 points (0.1%) to 39,344.79; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) gained 50.98 points (0.3%) to 18,403.74.

The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was roughly flat at 4.27%.

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What’s up

  • Intel popped 6.15% after an analyst at Melius Research declared the company could be one of the big AI winners in the second half of this year.
  • Morphic Holding skyrocketed 75.06% on the news that Eli Lilly will acquire the drugmaker for $3.2 billion in cash.
  • SolarEdge climbed 9.26% thanks to an upgrade from “underperform” to “neutral” by Bank of America analysts, who see big upside and few downside risks ahead.
  • Corning rose 11.98% after management raised earnings guidance for the coming quarter thanks to higher demand due to the AI boom.
  • Lucid rose 7.85% on the news that its deliveries rose 70% in the second quarter.

What’s down

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Stat: 27. That’s a tally of some of the hospital mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, affiliations, and partnerships that have been canceled since January 2022. (Becker’s Hospital Review)

Read: Health insurers received $50 billion from Medicare for diseases that doctors did not treat over three years, according to a recent analysis. (Wall Street Journal)

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DAILY UPDATE: Walmart, HHS and Geriatrics as Companies and Stock Market Still Rise

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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HAPPY JULY FOURTH

The S&P 500 broke above 5,500 yesterday and stayed there for the first time in market history, notching yet another all-time high for the index—its 32nd this year alone. With so much bullishness it’s understandable that investors may be wondering if we’re at the top yet, but chartists suggests gains tend to beget gains. The bulls have too much momentum to stop now—and if/when the FOMC cuts rates later this year, it seems likely that we’ll see more all-time highs in 2024? Any thoughts.

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The Biden administration has awarded $206.3 million of funding to clinician training programs across 42 universities and provider organizations to bolster the nation’s geriatrics care workforce. Programs will be able to integrate geriatrics training into primary care and will work to educate older adults’ families on their care needs. Health and Human Services, in its announcement, noted that primary care providers are a crucial source of care for much of the aging population.

As Walmart shutters its primary care clinics, the retail giant inked a deal to sell its MeMD telehealth business to health tech startup Fabric. Fabric provides a telemedicine platform for a range of customers, including provider groups, with the goal of improving the clinician and patient experience, as well as operational efficiency. The acquisition will expand its provider network, add virtual behavioral health to the company’s services and build on Fabric’s employer and payer solutions.

And…The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Chevron deference, stripping power from federal agencies to interpret and enforce regulations. Courts no longer have to defer to reasonable agency interpretations. One healthcare attorney told Fierce Healthcare he predicts the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be under a microscope from the courts going forward, and there will be more scrutiny towards provider reimbursement cuts, drug pricing regulation and the Inflation Reduction Act.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index®(SPX)rose 28.01 points (0.51%) to 5,537.02; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) fell 23.85 points (-0.1%) to 39,308.00; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) gained 159.54 points (0.9%) to 18,188.30.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped seven basis points to 4.36%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) held steady at 12.09.

What’s up

What’s down

  • First Foundation plummeted 23.81% after the bank announced it will raise $225 million to shore up a balance sheet burdened by commercial real estate loans.
  • Constellation Brands fell 3.76% after the alcoholic beverage maker reported stronger than expected earnings but missed Wall Street’s expectations on revenue.
  • Simulations Plus slid 14.87% after it reported strong third-quarter earnings but announced it’s cutting its dividend.
  • CureVac popped then dropped 6.59% after GSK bought the rights to the smaller pharma company’s Covid-19 and flu vaccines for $1.6 billion.

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DAILY UPDATE: Pitch-Book Health Companies, SCOTUS and the Peaking Stock Markets

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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SCOTUS: Two technology company cases involving Texas and Florida laws challenging social-media companies’ content moderation were sent to lower courts. SCOTUS thus effectively granted the companies a victory. The Supreme Court isn’t willing to blow up the internet just yet.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

PitchBook released its analysis of digital health venture capital deals done in the first quarter. The first quarter saw downturns in telehealth and digital therapeutics, but opportunities exist in mental health chatbots and care search platforms.

Amedisys, a large home health provider, plans to divest a number of care centers to an affiliate of VitalCaring Group in advance of its planned merger with UnitedHealth Group later this year.

And … ACOs may soon be able to take a breath of fresh air, as CMS shared that it has no intention of punishing them for a $2 billion urinary catheter fraud scandal that rocked the industry.  

What’s up

  • Tesla rose another 10.06% today, continuing its push higher thanks to quarterly car deliveries that beat Wall Street’s expectations. Rivian Automotive rose 6.82% today after beating projections for their own deliveries as well.
  • Paramount Global rose 5.97% on a report from the New York Times that Barry Diller’s IAC may be exploring an acquisition of the embattled entertainment company. IAC fell just 0.26%.
  • Archer Aviation popped 8.92% after the air taxi manufacturer received a $55 million investment from Stellantis.
  • Oliveda International is up 19.81% today after the olive oil company announced massive quarterly revenue growth at a key subsidiary.

What’s down

  • Chewy fell yet another 2.24% as fallout from Roaring Kitty’s stake in the company continues to rattle investors.
  • Pure Storage plunged 4.15% after UBS analysts downgraded the stock to “sell,” citing its high valuation and overhyped AI potential.
  • Home builders took a beating after Citi analysts downgraded Lennar and D.R. Horton from “neutral” to “sell,” noting the housing market will remain soft in the second half of the year. Lennar dropped 1.61%, and D.R. Horton fell 1.35%.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose 33.92 points (0.62%) to 5,509.01; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) climbed 162.33 points (0.41%) to 39,331.85; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) rallied 149.46 points (0.84%) to 18,028.76.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dipped four basis points to 4.43%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) dropped to 12.03 after earlier trading at its lowest intraday level since late May.

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SCOTUS: Health policy leaders say patients, providers, and health systems should brace for more uncertainty and less stability in the healthcare system. Even routine government functions such as deciding the rate to pay doctors for treating Medicare beneficiaries could become embroiled in long legal battles that disrupt patient care or strain providers to adapt.

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DAILY UPDATE: Walgreens, Healthcare Fraud and Opioids as Stock Markets Hurt

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, CEO Tim Wentworth said the pharmacy chain Walgreens will shutter a significant share of its 8,600 locations in the US. The closures are part of a broader attempt to boost the ailing company, which also includes reducing its stake in the primary care business VillageMD. Wentworth said the company can reassign most employees instead of conducting layoffs. Shares cratered yesterday after Walgreens whiffed on Wall Street’s earnings projections due to weak consumer spending.

And, read how some counties reduced opioid overdose deaths during the pandemic. (Politico)

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

What’s up

  • Oliveda International, which makes beauty products from olive oil, rose 38.33% for no apparent reason. Maybe people just really like the feel of extra virgin olive oil on their skin?
  • Infinera popped 16.38% after Nokia announced it would acquire the telecommunications hardware manufacturer for $2.3 billion.
  • Synchrony Financial rose 6.17% after a Baird analyst initiated coverage of the financial services company with an outperform rating.
  • Regional banking stocks rose on the hopes that a good PCE reading means a better chance of the Fed cutting rates soon. Regions Financial rose 3.83%, while Citizens Financial Group rose 3.16%.

What’s down

A late round of selling in the Treasury market sent yields to fresh highs as the day ended so here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) dipped 22.39 points (0.41%) to 5,460.48; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) fell 45.20 points (0.12%) to 39,118.86; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) lost 126.08 points (0.71%) to 17,732.6.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield climbed nine basis points to 4.38%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) moved up slightly to 12.43.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Nearly 200 people have been charged for their roles in various health care fraud schemes across the U.S. that federal authorities say amounted to over $2.7 billion in intended losses, the Justice Department announced. Attorney General Merrick Garland said charges against 193 people, including 76 doctors, nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical professionals in 32 different federal districts. The defendants were charged over a two-week sweep involving numerous law enforcement agencies nationwide, resulting in the seizure of more than “$231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets,” according to Garland.

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DRUGS: Use and Abuse Epidemiology Information

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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“The staggering increase in methamphetamine-related deaths in the United States is largely now driven by the co-involvement of street opioids.”—Rachel Hoopsick, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lead researcher on a 20-year study (US News and World Report)

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How 3 companies came to dominate the PBM market

MORE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/09/21/podcast-pbm-money-flow-explained/

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More docs than ever use health IT for opioid prescribing

RELATED: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/05/09/prescription-drug-rx-abuse/

LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

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Drug Econometrics

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CVS, Walgreens and Walmart: Opioid Settlement

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart agree to pay $13 billion over opioids

The pharmacy chains have reached a tentative deal to settle thousands of lawsuits brought by state and local governments that accuse them of contributing to the opioid epidemic.

If the deal goes through, CVS and Walgreens will each cough up around $5 billion, and Walmart will reportedly be on the hook for $3 billion.

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Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Study

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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DEFINITION: Physical and psychological reliance on opioids, a substance found in certain prescription pain medications and illegal drugs like heroin.

Opioids are prescribed to treat pain. With prolonged use, pain-relieving effects may lessen and pain can become worse. In addition, the body can develop dependence. Opioid dependence causes withdrawal symptoms, which makes it difficult to stop taking them. Addiction occurs when dependence interferes with daily life. Taking more than the prescribed amount or using illegal opioids like heroin may result in death.

Symptoms of addiction include uncontrollable cravings and inability to control opioid use even though it’s having negative effects on personal relationships or finances.

Treatment varies but may include discontinuing the drug. Medications such as methadone can help alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal and cravings. Pairing medication with inpatient or support programs generally has the most success.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

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Bicycle Health Study – 4 Findings

A recent survey of nearly 1,000 patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) about recovery, telehealth, and stigma found in regards to recovery:

 •  95% Describe their overall outlook on recovery as positive; just 1% describe as negative.
 •  76% Report having a strong support system to help navigate treatment.
 •  43% Returned to treatment immediately after relapse, 34% took over 3 months to start over.
 •  30% Blame individuals for the opioid crisis (over drug companies, doctors, and the government.)

Source: Bicycle Health, “Cost, Access are Biggest Barriers to OUD Recovery, But Telemedicine Can Help, According to New Report from Bicycle Health,” March 23, 2022

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