Tuesday's Health Winners & Losers

On the falling end, Amgen(AMGN Quote) found itself trading lower, as analysts and investors reacted to new rules by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that deem treatment for patients with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) unnecessary for patients with hemoglobin levels 10 grams per deciliter and higher. Analysts expect that it will affect the reimbursement and use of anemia drugs Epogen and Aranesp.

Amgen lost $2.45, or 4.4%, to $53.74. It's a component of the Amex pharmaceutical index, which was down 0.21, or 0.1%, to 334.72.

Also down Tuesday was CV Therapeutics(CVTX Quote), which gave up ground after postclose earnings Monday and a downgrade on Tuesday.

Excluding nonrecurring charges, CV Therapeutics reported a net loss for the quarter of $39 million, or 66 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected a loss of 91 cents a share. Sales of Ranexa, the company's angina drug, grew to $15.3 million. But an analyst at Needham & Co was expecting more. Needham downgraded the stock to hold from buy. CV Therapeutics fell 95 cents, or 8.8%, to $9.91.

Not a biotech but a health stock, Health Management Associates(HMA Quote) took a hit after shareholders were disillusioned with a second-quarter update. The stock sank $2.59, or 24.32%, to $8.06.