Bertha Coombs
@berthacoombs.cnbc.com
CNBC Senior Health Care Reporter
#RedSoxFan #Chocoholic #HealthcareNerd
https://www.cnbc.com/bertha-coombs/
#RedSoxFan #Chocoholic #HealthcareNerd
https://www.cnbc.com/bertha-coombs/
There’s one guy named Carl I wouldn’t begrudge winning the jackpot…
😉 @carlquintanilla.bsky.social
😉 @carlquintanilla.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 PM
There’s one guy named Carl I wouldn’t begrudge winning the jackpot…
😉 @carlquintanilla.bsky.social
😉 @carlquintanilla.bsky.social
IVF can be so fraught for couples it's understandable that they'd want to boost the odds of success.
NYC start-up Nucleus Genomics is among new firms promising to help pick the embryo with the best chance of survival and lifelong health.
Its new ad campaign: have your best baby.
Does it work? (1/2)
NYC start-up Nucleus Genomics is among new firms promising to help pick the embryo with the best chance of survival and lifelong health.
Its new ad campaign: have your best baby.
Does it work? (1/2)
November 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
IVF can be so fraught for couples it's understandable that they'd want to boost the odds of success.
NYC start-up Nucleus Genomics is among new firms promising to help pick the embryo with the best chance of survival and lifelong health.
Its new ad campaign: have your best baby.
Does it work? (1/2)
NYC start-up Nucleus Genomics is among new firms promising to help pick the embryo with the best chance of survival and lifelong health.
Its new ad campaign: have your best baby.
Does it work? (1/2)
Seems Novo Nordisk is doing a Black Friday sale ahead of Thanksgiving, with an introductory GLP-1 price of $199 for new customers; after two months it's back to $349.
November 17, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Seems Novo Nordisk is doing a Black Friday sale ahead of Thanksgiving, with an introductory GLP-1 price of $199 for new customers; after two months it's back to $349.
Alexa+ is a little too Hal3000 when it comes to turning off ads and annoying suggestions. It keeps saying it will do it but it never stops.
I give it a D-
I give it a D-
November 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Alexa+ is a little too Hal3000 when it comes to turning off ads and annoying suggestions. It keeps saying it will do it but it never stops.
I give it a D-
I give it a D-
...And the XLV closes down just over half a percent.
November 14, 2025 at 9:02 PM
...And the XLV closes down just over half a percent.
If the XLV Health Care ETF finishes higher today, it would match a record 10-day gain for the sector. The biggest driver: Eli Lilly, which hit a new all-time high today, and is up for the 11th session out of the last 12.
Cigna is the 5th best performer this month.
Cigna is the 5th best performer this month.
November 14, 2025 at 8:33 PM
If the XLV Health Care ETF finishes higher today, it would match a record 10-day gain for the sector. The biggest driver: Eli Lilly, which hit a new all-time high today, and is up for the 11th session out of the last 12.
Cigna is the 5th best performer this month.
Cigna is the 5th best performer this month.
I started at CNBC 23 years ago today. One early big story I covered was Katrina 20 years ago, when I grossed out the control room reporting on a company that decontaminated water. We took some from a yucky puddle, treated it with solution and then I drank it.
Nothing like hearing "Eww" in your ear!
Nothing like hearing "Eww" in your ear!
November 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I started at CNBC 23 years ago today. One early big story I covered was Katrina 20 years ago, when I grossed out the control room reporting on a company that decontaminated water. We took some from a yucky puddle, treated it with solution and then I drank it.
Nothing like hearing "Eww" in your ear!
Nothing like hearing "Eww" in your ear!
HHS HRT announcement: "After more than two decades of fear and misinformation surrounding hormone replacement therapy... the U.S. Food and Drug Administration... is initiating the removal of broad 'black box' warnings from HRT products for menopause."
www.hhs.gov/press-room/f...
www.hhs.gov/press-room/f...
November 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
HHS HRT announcement: "After more than two decades of fear and misinformation surrounding hormone replacement therapy... the U.S. Food and Drug Administration... is initiating the removal of broad 'black box' warnings from HRT products for menopause."
www.hhs.gov/press-room/f...
www.hhs.gov/press-room/f...
President Trump proposes taking funds sent to "money sucking Insurance Companies" and giving it to Americans to buy their own coverage -- effectively a national Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement plan. Ironically, health insurers have been pushing ICHRA for small employers.
November 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
President Trump proposes taking funds sent to "money sucking Insurance Companies" and giving it to Americans to buy their own coverage -- effectively a national Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement plan. Ironically, health insurers have been pushing ICHRA for small employers.
Insurers are down because a one-year tax credit extension won't stabilize the ACA market.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. Next year passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. Next year passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
November 10, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Insurers are down because a one-year tax credit extension won't stabilize the ACA market.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. Next year passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. Next year passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
Insurers are down because a one-year tax credit extension credits won't stabilize ACA market.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. And passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. And passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Insurers are down because a one-year tax credit extension credits won't stabilize ACA market.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. And passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
Folks on the federal exchange have until December 15th to sign up. And passing credits at year-end does nothing to resolve uncertainty for setting 2027 rates.
A "Doc Fix' cadence won't work for insurance.
I was this many days old before I ever got to report from the White House, with a great CNBC crew!
November 6, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I was this many days old before I ever got to report from the White House, with a great CNBC crew!
Cash pay will be available on TrumpRx starting in 2026, when that launches.
November 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Cash pay will be available on TrumpRx starting in 2026, when that launches.
President Trump announcing MFN Deal. Calls LLY’s David Ricks a friend who helped start the process.
November 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
President Trump announcing MFN Deal. Calls LLY’s David Ricks a friend who helped start the process.
When you're anticipating news on GLP-1s, after multiple reports... and then this ad pops up.
November 6, 2025 at 1:31 AM
When you're anticipating news on GLP-1s, after multiple reports... and then this ad pops up.
Novo Nordisk shares under pressure on reports the Trump administration close to an MFN deal with Novo and Eli Lilly to bring price of GLP-1s for obesity to $149.
Novo also faces lower Medicare pricing in 2027 under IRA negotiations which ended Oct. 31st.
Novo also faces lower Medicare pricing in 2027 under IRA negotiations which ended Oct. 31st.
November 4, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Novo Nordisk shares under pressure on reports the Trump administration close to an MFN deal with Novo and Eli Lilly to bring price of GLP-1s for obesity to $149.
Novo also faces lower Medicare pricing in 2027 under IRA negotiations which ended Oct. 31st.
Novo also faces lower Medicare pricing in 2027 under IRA negotiations which ended Oct. 31st.
Health insurers bucking the trend today, led by Centene. Barclays raising its target on CNC to $44 from $35.
I'll be speaking with Centene CEO Sarah London tomorrow at the @milkeninstitute.org Future of Health Summit.
I'll be speaking with Centene CEO Sarah London tomorrow at the @milkeninstitute.org Future of Health Summit.
November 4, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Health insurers bucking the trend today, led by Centene. Barclays raising its target on CNC to $44 from $35.
I'll be speaking with Centene CEO Sarah London tomorrow at the @milkeninstitute.org Future of Health Summit.
I'll be speaking with Centene CEO Sarah London tomorrow at the @milkeninstitute.org Future of Health Summit.
So much health care at stake this Halloween:
- it's now one month with no funding for telehealth in Medicare amid the shutdown
- on the eve on ACA Open Enrollment, premiums are up overall, but with no deal on Enhanced tax credits middle class enrollees face effective price increases of up to 300%
- it's now one month with no funding for telehealth in Medicare amid the shutdown
- on the eve on ACA Open Enrollment, premiums are up overall, but with no deal on Enhanced tax credits middle class enrollees face effective price increases of up to 300%
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 PM
So much health care at stake this Halloween:
- it's now one month with no funding for telehealth in Medicare amid the shutdown
- on the eve on ACA Open Enrollment, premiums are up overall, but with no deal on Enhanced tax credits middle class enrollees face effective price increases of up to 300%
- it's now one month with no funding for telehealth in Medicare amid the shutdown
- on the eve on ACA Open Enrollment, premiums are up overall, but with no deal on Enhanced tax credits middle class enrollees face effective price increases of up to 300%
RBC Analyst BEn hendrix calls CI selloff overdone: "We believe the PBM model changes are proactive and will support positioning in the longer term.. our valuation thesis is underpinned by strong growth in Specialty, which remains on track for earnings growth near the high end of.. range next year."
October 30, 2025 at 4:14 PM
RBC Analyst BEn hendrix calls CI selloff overdone: "We believe the PBM model changes are proactive and will support positioning in the longer term.. our valuation thesis is underpinned by strong growth in Specialty, which remains on track for earnings growth near the high end of.. range next year."
The Cigna news weighing on rival PBM Players. CVS' Caremark is also transitioning to more transparent model, as is UnitedHealth's Optum.
October 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The Cigna news weighing on rival PBM Players. CVS' Caremark is also transitioning to more transparent model, as is UnitedHealth's Optum.
About that new transparent PBM business model... CVS Q3 beat but stock getting bruised after CFO Brian Evanko said on the earnings call "the transitional and investment spend associated with our new rebate-free model -- this will result in margin pressure across 2026 and 2027."
October 30, 2025 at 3:34 PM
About that new transparent PBM business model... CVS Q3 beat but stock getting bruised after CFO Brian Evanko said on the earnings call "the transitional and investment spend associated with our new rebate-free model -- this will result in margin pressure across 2026 and 2027."
Centene surging on Q3 beat and raised 2025 outlook, as insurers under pressure.
CNC CEO Sarah London is confident on the outlook for the company's ability to navigate ACA next year with or without enhanced tax credits.
We'll hear from Obamacare rivals Cigna tomorrow, and Oscar Health next week.
CNC CEO Sarah London is confident on the outlook for the company's ability to navigate ACA next year with or without enhanced tax credits.
We'll hear from Obamacare rivals Cigna tomorrow, and Oscar Health next week.
October 29, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Centene surging on Q3 beat and raised 2025 outlook, as insurers under pressure.
CNC CEO Sarah London is confident on the outlook for the company's ability to navigate ACA next year with or without enhanced tax credits.
We'll hear from Obamacare rivals Cigna tomorrow, and Oscar Health next week.
CNC CEO Sarah London is confident on the outlook for the company's ability to navigate ACA next year with or without enhanced tax credits.
We'll hear from Obamacare rivals Cigna tomorrow, and Oscar Health next week.
CNC CEO says they took all of the uncertainty and potential shifts by competitors into account with their bids...
October 29, 2025 at 1:38 PM
CNC CEO says they took all of the uncertainty and potential shifts by competitors into account with their bids...
Centene CEO Sarah London on earnings call says went after Medicaid cost pressures, in FL shared real-time cost data and the state boosted reimbursment; in NY identified a mental health provider with fraudulent claims and along with state terminated that contract.
October 29, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Centene CEO Sarah London on earnings call says went after Medicaid cost pressures, in FL shared real-time cost data and the state boosted reimbursment; in NY identified a mental health provider with fraudulent claims and along with state terminated that contract.