By John Hilton UnitedHealth Group executives took the unusual step Tuesday of downgrading earnings guidance issued less than four weeks ago. The health insurer announced that CEO Andrew Witty is stepping aside in favor of former CEO Stephen Hemsley, who led UHG for more than a decade before assuming a board role in August 2017. Hemsley and Chief Financial Officer John Rex held an unscheduled 20-minute call with investors and Wall Street analysts to explain the alarming financial trends. “I'm...

By John Hilton Social Security has been considered untouchable politically for four decades. But the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term are revealing that nothing is off limits. Plans to slash the Social Security Administration workforce from 57,000 to 50,000 might not directly involve benefits, but many stakeholders are nervous nonetheless. The AARP, for one, is urging its members to call on Congress to protect the program that provides crucial financial support to 68 million...