Closing Glance: Health Care Stocks Down

Late Tuesday, trustees for Social Security and Medicare warned that Medicare will pay out more money than it collects from taxes in 2008. They said reserves for the Medicare trust fund that covers hospital benefits will be depleted by 2019.

Shares of hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp. fell 15 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $5.26.

Insurer Unitedhealth Group Inc. gave up $1.18, or 3.3 percent, to $34.10.

Shares of dental and veterinary supply company Patterson Companies Inc. declined 94 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $35.89.

MedcoHealth Solutions Inc., a pharmacy benefit manager, slid $1.09, or 2.5 percent, to $42.90.

Prescription drug distributor McKesson Corp. ticked up 71 cents to $52.55 after a Baird analyst said the state of California voted to delay implementation of a new drug program. He said the "major reprieve" will cause the program to start in Jan. 1, 2011, instead of the beginning of 2009.