The chief executive of health insurer Aetna Inc on Tuesday said that the company had not yet decided which hepatitis C drugs to cover now that there are two breakthrough treatments on the market, but said that the company was actively working on a decision. Investors are watching closely to see how insurers decide to cover these drugs, which cost tens of thousands of dollars per treatment, after AbbVie Inc started a competitor to Gilead Sciences' breakthrough hepatitis C treatment.Express Scripts, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States, dropped Gilead Sciences hepatitis C drugs from its main commercial formulary to favor the new, cheaper competitor while CVS Health said it would offer Gilead as a preferred drug."We have not made a decision on one drug or another," Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini said during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.Bertolini also said that the company's public exchange business has been better than expected so far in 2015, as the Feb. 15 deadline for enrollment draws near.
AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie) is a global research-based pharmaceuticals company. Shares of ABBV fell by 2.88% or $-1.88/share to $63.39. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $45.50 and as high as $70.76. On average, 11349200 shares of ABBV exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 13909141.
Aetna Inc. (Aetna), is a diversified healthcare benefits company. Shares of AET traded higher by 1.19% or $1.06/share to $90.33. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $64.68 and as high as $92.53. On average, 2432520 shares of AET exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 3306412.
CVS Health Corporation, formerly CVS Caremark Corporation, is a pharmacy healthcare provider in the United States. Shares of CVS traded higher by 0.04% or $0.04/share to $97.24. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $64.95 and as high as $98.62. On average, 4658000 shares of CVS exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 4069571.
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