Health Care Up as Merck, UnitedHealth Try Drug-Price Compromise -- Health Care Roundup

Shares of health-care companies rose as traders bet the sector would continue to grow, despite ongoing pressure to contain drug prices.

A unit of the largest U.S. health insurer by enrollees, UnitedHealth, struck a collaboration agreement with drug maker Merck to develop reimbursement contracts in which payments for drugs are more closely aligned with the drugs' effects on patients' health.

Cigna plans to give every employee five shares of stock, an unusual move aimed at bolstering employee commitment after the potentially dispiriting collapse of a merger deal with Anthem.

-Rob Curran, rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 25, 2017 16:30 ET (20:30 GMT)