Health News Roundup: Arizona House lawmakers vote to repeal 1864 abortion ban; Universal Health Services quarterly results beat on higher hospital admissions and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Molina Healthcare beats profit estimates aided by higher premiums Molina Healthcare beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter earnings on Wednesday, aided by higher premiums in its government-backed Medicaid insurance plans for people with low income.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Molina Healthcare beats profit estimates aided by higher premiums

Molina Healthcare beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter earnings on Wednesday, aided by higher premiums in its government-backed Medicaid insurance plans for people with low income. The company also reaffirmed its 2024 outlook, with premium revenue of about $38 billion and adjusted earnings of at least $23.50 per diluted share. Wall Street analysts expect full-year earnings of $23.56 per share.

Arizona House lawmakers vote to repeal 1864 abortion ban

Lawmakers in Arizona's House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to repeal an 1864 ban on abortion that could still go into effect within weeks if not also knocked down by the Senate. House lawmakers voted 32-28 to repeal the law, which provides no exceptions for abortions even in cases of rape or incest. Three Republicans crossed party lines to join all 29 Democrats in voting for the repeal.

Universal Health Services quarterly results beat on higher hospital admissions

Universal Health Services on Wednesday beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter profit aided by higher patient admissions, amid a resurgence in demand for some non-urgent surgeries and easing staff shortages. Shares of the company rose 2.5% to $170 in extended trading.

McKinsey faces US criminal probe over opioids work, sources say

McKinsey & Co is under criminal investigation in the United States over allegations that the consulting firm played a key role in fueling the opioid epidemic, with federal prosecutors homing in on its work advising OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and other drugmakers, three people familiar with the matter said. The consulting firm and the U.S. Justice Department declined to comment.

US Senate committee investigates pricing of Novo's Ozempic and Wegovy

A U.S. Senate committee said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into the prices of Novo Nordisk's diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy in the United States. Senator Bernie Sanders, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, sent a letter to Novo's CEO seeking more information on U.S. prices for the two drugs, which are higher than the prices in other countries.

About 3.6 million Medicare beneficiaries could be eligible for Wegovy coverage, study shows

About 3.6 million overweight or obese patients with heart conditions insured under the U.S. Medicare program could be eligible for coverage of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy, a study published by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) showed on Wednesday. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

US births retreat after pandemic-era growth

The number of births in the United States fell by 2% in 2023 from the previous year, driven in part by a marked birth rate decline among older teenagers and women aged 20-24, according to a report from the CDC released on Thursday. The number of births in the U.S. fell to 3,591,328 in 2023 from 3,667,758 the year prior, according to provisional National Centers for Health Statistics (NCHS) data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Biogen cost cuts drive profit beat, as Alzheimer's drug off to slow start

Biogen reported a quarterly profit that topped Wall Street estimates, helped by cost-cutting, as the launch of its new Alzheimer's disease drug remained sluggish. Sales of Alzheimer's drug Leqembi, recorded by Japanese partner Eisai, were just $19 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' tempered expectations of between $13 million and $30 million.

Clinical lab operator Labcorp to buy bankrupt genetic test maker Invitae for $239 million

Laboratory service provider Labcorp said on Wednesday it will acquire Softbank-backed Invitae Corp's assets auctioned through a voluntary bankruptcy protection process, a few months after the genetic test maker filed for bankruptcy. Labcorp will acquire all of the bankrupt firm's assets on a going concern basis for $239 million in cash consideration and other non-cash consideration, the companies said in separate statements.

US requires bird flu tests for dairy cattle moving between states

The U.S. government will require dairy cattle moving between states to be tested for bird flu starting on Monday as federal officials ramp up their response to an outbreak that has bled over into the U.S. milk supply. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday said all laboratories and state veterinarians in the country must report positive tests, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would pay for increased testing.

(With inputs from agencies.)