MA Growth Drives Earnings Outlook Amid COVID Uncertainty

May 7

Insurers’ responses to the COVID-19 outbreak dominated recent first-quarter 2020 earnings calls, as did expected declines in utilization this quarter followed by a likely ramp-up of services later in the year, and waning commercial enrollment offset by increases in Medicaid and exchange membership. This anticipated volatility led some insurers to revise their full year earnings guidance, while some — including the two leading Medicare Advantage insurers — maintained their 2020 forecasts.

For the quarter ending March 31, Humana Inc. reported better-than-expected adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $5.40 and an improved medical loss ratio (MLR) of 85.1%. This was largely due to the reinstatement of the Affordable Care Act health insurer fee in 2020 and the continued shift in Medicare member mix as its standalone Part D membership (which carries higher MLRs in the first quarter) dropped while MA membership rose, summed up securities analyst A.J. Rice in an April 29 note from Credit Suisse.

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Radar on Medicare Advantage

Lauren Flynn Kelly Managing Editor, Radar on Medicare Advantage

Lauren has been covering health business issues since the early 2000s and specializes in in-depth reporting on Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid and Medicare Part D. She also possesses a deep understanding of the complex world of pharmacy benefit management, having written AIS Health’s Radar on Drug Benefits from 2004 to 2005 and again from 2011 to 2016. In addition to her role as managing editor of Radar on Medicare Advantage, she oversees AIS Health’s publications and manages the health editorial staff. She graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in English.

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