Risk adjuster suspension positive for Centene and Molina, says Piper

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services suspending risk adjusters for the health exchange will likely cost the government and consumers more, but it could be positive for Centene (CNC) and Molina Healthcare (MOH), Piper Jaffray analyst Sarah James tells investors in a research note. Both companies are in a net payable position for 2017 and not having to pay these funds would allow the plans to retain cash, the analyst adds. James also sees a positive read-through for UnitedHealth (UNH), Aetna (AET) and Cigna (CI). The analyst finds it most likely that CMS will seek to adjust the risk adjusters in the end rather than cancel the program, but she adds the agency only has a few weeks for them to sort this out, which she feels is not enough time.

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