Insurance Industry Reeling, Bracing For Total Upheaval After Election Surprise
Every part of the insurance industry could be affected by the policies Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have promised to enact.
Modern Healthcare:
Trump, GOP Sweep May Disrupt Every Corner Of Health Insurance Market
Republican Donald Trump's presidency is primed to upend every corner of the health insurance industry that has spent the past six years acclimating to the rules of the Affordable Care Act. That shift will spill over to Americans with practically any type of health coverage—Medicare, Medicaid, employer-based or individual—which is creating anxiety for many in the industry and consumers alike. Among the most immediately affected were Medicaid-centric insurers, such as Centene Corp., Molina Healthcare and WellCare Health Plans, which took a beating in the stock markets Wednesday presuming the flood of Medicaid enrollees will come to a screeching halt. (Herman, 11/9)
The Washington Post:
Winners And Losers In The Health-Care Industry Under President Trump
With much about President-elect Donald Trump's health-care agenda still unclear, the health-care industry's initial response to his election has been scattered. Hospital stocks were down. Health insurers' stock prices were mixed. Pharmaceutical and biotech stocks, on the other hand, got a big bump. Trump's clearest policy position in health care has been his commitment to repealing the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with another policy. But the responses to his election varied in large part because the details of exactly what would replace the Affordable Care Act and how that transition would occur have been vague. (Johnson, 11/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump's Win Leaves Health Insurers With Questions
Hospital and insurance companies that have benefited from the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid coverage saw a sharp fall in their stock prices on fears a Trump administration could roll back that expansion. (Evans, Wilde Mathews and Beck, 11/9)
St. Louis Post Dispatch:
Centene Shares Plummet After Trump Victory
The future of health care policies that have benefited Centene Corp. is now uncertain with the election of Donald Trump — and investors reacted strongly on Wednesday. Shares of the Clayton-based company fell 19 percent to close at $54.05 on Wednesday. Other health insurers and hospital companies also closed lower. Trump has said repealing the President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act will be one of his top priorities. The ACA, signed in 2010, paved the way for millions of Americans to gain access to health insurance regardless of preexisting health conditions. (Liss, 11/9)
Hospitals are also reacting to the unexpected win —
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Trump's Win May Hurt Hospitals And Help Pharma
Hospital stocks fell sharply Wednesday on expectations that Donald Trump will follow through on campaign promises to revoke the Affordable Care Act, which has helped hospitals by increasing the insured population. But two local health system chief executives said it will be hard do away with the landmark 2010 law, especially because Democrats retain the power of the filibuster in the Senate. (Brubaker, 11/9)
Reuters:
U.S. Hospitals, Hit By Trump Win, Vow To Work With Republicans
The U.S. hospital industry on Wednesday said it remained focused on ensuring that Americans have access to health care, and pledged to work the Trump administration and U.S. lawmakers to address the nation's healthcare challenges. (Heavey, 11/9)