CVS Health reported surprisingly strong second-quarter earnings as people postponed elective medical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it raised its profit expectations for the year.

The postponed procedures led to lower benefit costs for the company’s Aetna insurance arm, a main reason net income jumped 55 percent to $2.97 billion in the quarter, the company said Wednesday.

The virus outbreak shut down most of the economy in the second quarter, which meant fewer surgery bills or other big claims. At least some of those postponed procedures are expected to ramp up again this year.

The care delays also hurt CVS Health’s drugstore business because fewer patients filled new prescriptions after making a trip to the doctor’s office.

CVS Health operates one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains with about 9,900 retail locations. It also runs prescription drug plans for big clients like insurers and employers through a large pharmacy benefit management business in addition to selling insurance.

By Associated Press