Bertha Coombs

Retired CNBC Sr Healthcare Reporter
Advisory Board Member, National Hispanic Health Research Institute

#healthcarenerd #RedSoxNation #Cubana #Spanglish

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Flying on over to check out 🦋
https://t.co/DoFMzGrHed

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

One of my favorite Ella Fitzgerald tunes:
🎶 “heading for Blue Skies…” 🎶 🦋🦋🦋

https://t.co/FUyLnu9oov via @YouTube

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Spoke with @CMSGov officials at @aspenideas about their priorities, including Medicaid work requirements and the GLP-1 bridge program, and the agency reorganization. HHS Chief Counselor Chris Klomp says we’ll hear about a new FDA nominee soon.
https://t.co/Jy5uIL7lC3

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

On preparing for the next pandemic, @ashishkjha says “politics and policy do go together whether we like it or not.”
He and @jessicamalaty say CDC needs to focus on communicating policy better. @aspenideas: Health #healthpolicy

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Great discussion this morning on GLP-1 impact on the economy, with new @PwC data.
The best question was from the @aspenideas: Health audience:
Given the rapid consumer-driven transformation in how the drugs are accessed, how do we make that happen in the overall health system?

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Nearly 20% of U.S. households have someone on GLP-1s, according to @PwC. And it’s changing spending, starting with how a lot of us buy the meds through DTC channels.
We'll dig into all of it at @aspenideas Ideas: Health next week!
#GLP1 #healtheconomics #AspenIdeasHealth2026

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Looking forward to speaking with @CMSGov leaders next week at @aspenideas health conference. More here: https://t.co/x9pNgef4A6

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

@MTA There are no physical signs in the station about skipped stops and your conductors have not done a good job of announcing the change.

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

I was on the wrong end of the train to thank him in person, but have to give a shoutout to the conductor on this Brooklyn-bound 2 train who was just so pleasant and clear with his announcements. Helped make my day. The @MTATips should clone him!

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

@CourtReagan @CNBC @blackstone Congratulations Courtney! Will be sad not seeing you on air at CNBC. Black stone is lucky to have you!!

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Earlier this week at ⁦@PhRMA⁩ Forum, I pressed ⁦@DrMakaryFDA⁩ about the agency’s rejection of Moderna’s vaccine application. ⁦@politico⁩ reports the WH did, too, citing unnamed sources. https://t.co/87FqVWMfJR

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Interesting developments this morning on that $MRNA RTF, following our convo at #PhRMAForum yesterday.

https://t.co/x3k55lPQlB

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

Great to be invited to ⁦@PhRMA⁩ Forum to moderate a session with ⁦@DrMakaryFDA⁩. It got a little spicy when I pressed him about last week’s Moderna RTF but he was game to answer the questions… https://t.co/1MvWn6KdjV

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

So great to see my former @cnbc colleague @annikakimc sitting down with @PhRMA chief Steve Ubl ahead of PrHMA Forum today.
(Yes, I’m retired. #recoveringjournalist )

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

I'm retiring from @cnbc. This week I've round myself thinking of this line from a Robert McCloskey children's book:
"You're a little bit sad about the place you are leaving, a little bit glad about the place you are going. It is a time of quiet wonder." https://t.co/EyMyraT3Nf

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

@AnthonyGriz @CNBC Thanks so much Grizzly!

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

$XLV on pace for a new record clothes, and has , and now outpacing the overall market.

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

The S&P Healthcare Sector hits a historic high today, led by nearly a dozen stocks at new highs, with $LLY's market cap now $1.04 Trillion

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

The S&P Healthcare Sector hits a historic high today, led by nearly a dozen stocks at new highs, with $LLY's market cap now $1.04 Trillion

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

I started at @CNBC 23 years ago today. An early big story I covered was Katrina in 2005, when I grossed out the control room reporting on a company that decontaminated water. We took some from a yucky puddle, treated it and then I drank it.
Nothing like hearing "Eww" in your ear!

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

5 months into a complete leadership overhaul, $UNH Chair & CEO Stephen Hemsley says in release: "We remain focused on strengthening performance and positioning for durable and accelerating growth in 2026 and beyond."

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

$UNH shares on pace to open at a 5-month high after a Q3 beat:
$2.92 eps vs $2.79 est.
Revs. $113.2 B vs $113 B est.
-Raises 2026 guide to at least $16.25 eps vs $16.20 est.
Today's results break a 2-quarter losing streak and point to start of turnaround...

[Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs]

$UNH Results driven by better than expected $87.1 B UnitedHealthcare insurance revenues, Medical cost ratio 89.9% 80 bps better than expected.
But on the services, the Optum Health physician practice still facing headwinds, while revs beat, oper. margin was 1% vs 8.3% a year ago.