Health insurer earnings are suffering from swine flu and coming reforms

The onset of H1N1 flu season and the coming health-care reforms are putting health insurers -- and their latest quarterly reports -- in the spotlight. With the exception of Aetna (AET), most insurers' shares have dropped as investors worry about potential fallout of reform and from rising swine flue costs and insurance for people who've lost their jobs. Laid-off workers who become insured under COBRA plans generally cost companies more than employees in regular group plans.