PROFITS DIVE AT UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UnitedHealth Group said fourth-quarter net income dropped by 40 percent thanks to litigation charges and premium rates that didn't keep up with medical costs. The nation's second-largest insurer still met analysts'
targets and UnitedHealth also maintained its 2009 profit forecast. Revenue grew by 9.6 percent to $20.5 billion. The company's medical loss ratio worsened from 79.9 percent to 80.8 percent as premium increases failed to match rising medical costs. Overall enrollment finished the year with 32.9 million members, gaining 95,000 in the fourth quarter alone.
(Source: Reuters, January 22)