CNBC Business News Update Market Open: Stocks Mixed, India & EU Announce Trade Deal That Excludes The USA, UnitedHealth Shares Plunge 1/27/26
Jan 27, 2026
John Ransom, a Raymond James financial commentator, weighs in on Medicare Advantage payment changes and insurer coding practices. He argues insurers should not bill for diagnoses they do not treat. The conversation also touches on market reactions and related insurer share declines.
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Mixed Market Opening Masks Divergence
- Markets opened mixed with the Dow falling sharply while the S&P and Nasdaq rose, signaling sector-specific moves.
- Early trading can mask underlying divergence driven by large-cap movers like UnitedHealth and NVIDIA.
Medicare Shift Hits Insurer Stocks
- A major drop in UnitedHealth shares dragged the Dow lower while broader indices held gains.
- Healthcare insurers fell after CMS signaled changes to Medicare Advantage payments and chart-based billing practices.
Watch Reimbursement Changes Closely
- Expect insurers to adapt as CMS phases out payments based on unlinked chart diagnoses.
- Monitor Medicare Advantage coding practices and reimbursement policy changes when evaluating health insurers.