Cigna Agrees to Major Concessions to Lower Drug Prices
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 04 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CI?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Industry Transformation Opportunity: The FTC's announcement that Cigna has agreed to major concessions aims to address years of unfair business practices affecting consumers and independent pharmacies, which is expected to significantly lower consumer copays and improve market competition.
- Increased Transparency: The settlement requires Cigna's Express Scripts to eliminate spread pricing and decouple rebates and fees from drug list prices, which is anticipated to enhance pricing transparency and alleviate financial burdens on employers and consumers.
- Reimbursement Model Reform: Cigna will adopt a cost-plus model for independent pharmacy reimbursement (three pharmacies or fewer) starting in 2027 or sooner, aiming to ensure that pharmacies' operational costs are adequately covered, thus promoting their sustainability.
- Encouraging Competition and Accessibility: The NCPA emphasizes that adequate pharmacy reimbursements will help reduce pharmacy deserts, ensuring patients have access to better healthcare services, while urging employers to demand higher standards when selecting drug benefit plans to maintain employee health and drug accessibility.
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Analyst Views on CI
Wall Street analysts forecast CI stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 287.610
Low
300.00
Averages
335.63
High
378.00
Current: 287.610
Low
300.00
Averages
335.63
High
378.00
About CI
The Cigna Group is a global health company. The Company has two growth platforms: Evernorth Health Services and Cigna Healthcare. Evernorth Health Services includes its Pharmacy Benefit Services and Specialty and Care Services operating segments, which provide independent and coordinated health solutions and capabilities to enable the healthcare system to work better and help people live richer, healthier lives. Cigna Healthcare includes the U.S. Healthcare and International Health operating segments, which provide comprehensive medical plan services and coordinated solutions to clients and customers. Its Other Operations include corporate-owned life insurance (COLI), the Company's run-off operations and other non-strategic businesses. Specialty and Care Services provides specialty drugs for the treatment of complex and rare diseases, specialty distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, and clinical programs to help its clients.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Medication Donation Partnership: Evernorth has partnered with Direct Relief to donate over 41,000 lifesaving prescription medications for rapid deployment during natural disasters, significantly enhancing emergency medical response capabilities.
- Innovative Donation Pathway: The first-of-its-kind donation pathway created through Express Scripts Pharmacy allows humanitarian organizations to source medications directly from pharmacies, addressing unmet medical needs in the U.S. and improving supply chain efficiency.
- Emergency Medication Stockpile: The donated medications include those for treating common conditions such as asthma, COPD, and diabetes, with long shelf lives that ensure rapid availability during disasters, thereby strengthening community disaster preparedness.
- Compliance and Scalability: Evernorth's collaboration with Direct Relief ensures adherence to Drug Supply Chain Security Act requirements, with a framework designed for replication across Evernorth pharmacies or adoption by other health service providers, further expanding the reach of medication donations.
See More
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- Policy Impact Analysis: Trump's administration is expected to boost equities in 2026, yet certain sectors like financial services and health insurance face significant pressure, indicating an uneven impact of policies.
- Credit Card Rate Cap: The proposal for a 10% cap on credit card interest rates led to a decline in financial stocks in January, and while large banks have begun to recover in February, pure credit card stocks remain below pre-announcement levels, reflecting market uncertainty regarding the policy.
- Medicare Payment Rates: The administration's plan to limit increases in Medicare payment rates aims to combat alleged fraud by insurers, and while the industry has not reacted aggressively, concerns about the policy's implications linger in the market.
- Future Policy Risks: Investors are anxious about Trump's potential future moves, particularly in housing, healthcare, and energy sectors, with analysts noting that these areas could be adversely affected by policy changes, thereby increasing market uncertainty.
See More
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- Legislative Support: Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban publicly endorses the 'Break Up Big Medicine Act,' introduced by Senators Hawley and Warren, which aims to force the separation of insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and healthcare providers to lower healthcare costs in the U.S.
- Public Demand: Cuban describes the bill as a 'no brainer' on social media, urging President Trump to support the legislation, emphasizing that any Congress member opposing it does not want lower healthcare costs for Americans, reflecting strong public demand for healthcare reform.
- Antitrust Measures: Modeled after the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act, the bill seeks to prohibit common ownership among insurance companies, PBMs, and medical providers, aiming to combat monopolistic practices by 'Big Medicine' and protect the interests of working Americans.
- Enforcement and Impact: The bill empowers the FTC and DOJ to enforce these separations, with penalties including profit disgorgement for non-compliance, and proponents argue that it will eliminate self-dealing that currently inflates medical loss ratios and consumer premiums.
See More
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See More
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- Settlement Agreement Impact: Cigna's settlement with drug management agencies is expected to save American patients up to $7 billion in out-of-pocket insulin costs over the next decade while generating millions in new annual revenue for local pharmacies, significantly enhancing the company's market outlook.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: Cigna reported fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of $72.49 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $69.83 billion and reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase, primarily driven by strong performance from Evernorth Health Services, indicating sustained growth potential in the healthcare sector.
- Customer Relationship Growth: The company reported a 3% increase in total customer relationships to 188.4 million, reflecting ongoing expansion in Pharmacy Benefit Services and Behavioral Care, although total medical customers decreased by 5% to 18.1 million, highlighting increasing market competition.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Cigna expects fiscal 2026 revenues of approximately $280 billion, slightly below the consensus of $283.86 billion, but anticipates adjusted income from operations of at least $7.95 billion, demonstrating confidence in future growth despite market challenges.
See More
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- Dividend Increase: Cigna has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.56 per share, representing a 3.3% increase from the previous $1.51, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to stable cash flow and shareholder returns, which is likely to boost investor confidence.
- Yield Metrics: The forward yield stands at 2.3%, providing relative attractiveness in the current market environment, which may draw in income-seeking investors and enhance the stock's appeal.
- Payment Schedule: The dividend is payable on March 19, with a record date of March 5 and an ex-dividend date also on March 5, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns and strengthening trust between the company and its investors.
- Market Reaction: Despite Cigna's 2026 earnings outlook falling below consensus, the company's performance in improving medical costs has exceeded expectations, indicating that its fundamentals are improving and potentially laying the groundwork for future stock price recovery.
See More
