**UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares rose 9.4% to $307.73 in the last trading session, driven by higher-than-average trading volume. This follows a 1.3% decline over the past month. The rise coincides with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalizing a 2.48% average increase in Medicare Advantage payment rates for 2027, a significant improvement from the previously proposed 0.09%. UnitedHealth, being a major Medicare Advantage provider, reported a membership of 8.445 million in 2025, underlining the potential impact of these reimbursement changes on future earnings.**
**In its upcoming quarterly earnings report, UnitedHealth is expected to post earnings of $6.46 per share, a 10.3% decline year-over-year, with projected revenues of $109.95 billion, a 0.3% increase from the previous year. The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 4.1% higher in the past 30 days, indicating positive sentiment for the stock moving forward.**
**Cigna (CI), another major player in the industry, closed at $274.25, down 0.5%, with an EPS estimate of $7.57, reflecting a 12.3% increase from last year. Both companies hold a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).**
