Does big profit bode ill for UnitedHealth?

[dflprincess]

http://www.startribune.com/business/91666114.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

Investors worry strong quarter could attract regulators' attention.

By CHEN MAY YEE, Star Tribune

Last update: April 20, 2010 - 9:02 PM

UnitedHealth Group Inc. is living in two worlds. In one, profit is good. In the other, it's bad.

Those worlds collided Tuesday during a conference call with Wall Street analysts in which the nation's largest health insurer by revenue reported first-quarter earnings that surpassed market expectations.

Net income was up 21 percent to $1.19 billion, or $1.03 per share, for the three months ended March 31. Revenue was up 5 percent to $23.19 billion.

UnitedHealth also raised its guidance and now expects 2010 profit of $3.15 to $3.35 per share, up from the $2.90 to $3.10 per share earlier projected.

Among the reasons for the robust performance: UnitedHealth Group gained new members in its Medicare and Medicaid businesses, and overall medical costs turned out lower than expected (no doubt from all those claims they denied)....

..With unemployment still high, UnitedHealth's commercial enrollment fell 4 percent to 24.5 million members. But its public businesses did well, with Medicare and Medicaid enrollment up 11 percent to 7.8 million.

I wonder how much of that profit they'll have to spend getting the regulators to look the other way. I find it really hard to feel sorry for them.

[Zoeisright]

1. Regulate the fucking hell out of those murderers.

I hate their fucking guts.

[dflprincess]

2. Hopefully, the government will do a better job enforcing these regulations

than they've done with worker safety.

I'm not holding my breath.

[X_Digger]

3. Having been subject to their "business" practices, I certainly hope so.

The _least_ offensive thing they did (and I assume still do) is hold on to bills for six months before paying them, making sure your credit rating _sucks_ if you can't pay those whopping bills and get reimbursed later.