NEW YORK, June 12 (Reuters) - Elevance Health ( ELV )

executive Peter Haytaian said on Wednesday that a decrease in

the number of people eligible for its Medicaid plans this year,

as well as changes the company made in where it operates those

plans, shifted its balance of healthy and sick members.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference,

Haytaian said the company is seeing improved profitability for

its Medicare business. Insurers have seen unanticipated use of

healthcare plans by enrollees after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medicaid is the state and U.S. government health plan for

low-income people, while Medicare is the U.S. plan for those age

65 and older or with disabilities.