According to the Financial Times, health insurer WellPoint
Call me a long-term thinker, a diversifier, or some other Foolish name, but I think that's a horrible idea.
Sure, I can see the short-term benefit: The company can likely sell off the division that manages drug benefits for more than shareholders think it's worth -- investors have trouble valuing multiple moving parts, and sometimes the parts are worth more than the sum.
But the long-term growth story for pharmacy benefit managers looks promising -- Express Scripts
While President Obama's plan to lower health care costs will likely hurt health insurers, it's likely to benefit pharmacy benefit managers. The companies make more money doling out generic drugs than they do more expensive branded drugs. A further push into generics by the government and penny-pinching consumers should drive earnings in the coming years.
WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group
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