The healthcare industry is largely seen as recession proof, but that is painting the sector with too broad a brush. Compared to other financial sectors, it is doing well, but it is still down more than 4% over the past year.

There are certainly stocks in the industry, though, that are thriving, including drug and medical supply giant McKesson (NYSE: MCK) and healthcare insurer UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). McKesson is up more than 37% so far this year while UnitedHealth is up just a little over 1%. The financial health of both companies is a strong attraction for investors looking to survive the market's current doldrums.

Over the past 10 years, McKesson has seen annual revenue rise by 106% and earnings per share (EPS) by 29%. What makes McKesson so steady is its size and diversity allows it to provide an array of products to hospitals and healthcare companies -- and by doing so, makes life easier for them. That means more long-term contracts for McKesson. For example, it just extended its partnership with CVS Health through 2027 to distribute pharmaceuticals to CVS's mail order program, distribution centers, and retail pharmacies.

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Source Fool.com