UnitedHealth posted a better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, but a nagging rise in medical costs and care utilization surprised Wall Street. Shares of the health care giant slid early Thursday after it released its first financial report since the brazen shooting of one of its executives outside a New York City hotel touched a national nerve and brought to the surface American frustration over health care access. More than 87% of the premiums UnitedHealth collected in the fourth quarter went back out the door to cover medical costs, TD Cowen analyst Ryan Langston says that was well above what analysts expected.
