$Intuitive Surgical(ISRG.US) Came across this medical device company, which is in a seesaw industry with United. If United is Party A and hospitals are Party B, then Intuitive Surgical is Party C. Intuitive Surgical sells surgical medical equipment to hospitals, and hospitals charge insurance companies after performing surgeries. Insurance companies pay the hospitals and surgeons according to the contracted rates.

Insurance companies are starting to tighten medical costs. Besides raising premiums, they can also push hospitals to maintain or reduce existing contract rates. Hospitals still need to make money. So it comes down to whether Intuitive Surgical wants to protect its profits or its revenue.

A year ago, United's first earnings report was a disaster, causing its stock to plummet to a 52-week low, while Intuitive Surgical's stock price remained high. Later this year, United reversed course and rose, while Intuitive Surgical started to fall. Now, after United's earnings report, it hit a 52-week high, while Intuitive Surgical hit a 52-week low. If you understand the logic above, it's not entirely surprising.

We are definitely not at the stock price bottom right now. The day United's medical cost control hits its limit will be its bottom.