Business/Financial Desk | May 6, 2003, Tuesday
THE MARKETS: Market Place;

By Milt Freudenheim (NYT) 780 words
Late Edition - Final , Section C , Page 12 , Column 1

ABSTRACT - Oxford Health Plans reports improved first-quarter earnings and raises its profits forecast for year, becoming latest health insurer to benefit from nationwide trend of moderating hospital and drug costs; says net income rose 2.1 percent, to $72.9 million from $71.4 million year earlier; industry executives and analysts say they are not sure whether easing of medical costs for insurance companies will be powerful enough to translate into price breaks in premiums that health plan customers pay (Market Place column) (M) OXFORD HEALTH PLANS reported improved first-quarter earnings yesterday and raised its profits forecast for the year, becoming the latest health insurer to benefit from a nationwide trend of moderating hospital and drug costs.

A combination of slowing sales of expensive drugs and softening demand for hospital services has reduced medical costs for most managed care companies. Oxford, for its part, said net income rose 2.1 percent, to $72.9 million, or 86 cents a share, from $71.4 million, or 78 cents a share, a year earlier, as costs rose 8.4 percent, compared with 10 to 11 percent in 2002.