VITAS on Path to Normalization Amid Pandemic Disruption

Restricted access to patients during COVID-19 made for choppy waves last year for VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary company of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE), but the company anticipates normalization on the horizon in a post-pandemic landscape. The pandemic’s turbulent tides have continued to disrupt the overall health care system, but signs of recovery are starting to […]

Rising Volume Buoys Encompass Hospice Growth

Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is benefiting from rising hospice utilization as its health care services segment grows. The company has not yet reached a decision regarding the future of its hospice and home health business, which may be poised for a spin off, merger or sale. While Encompass saw more hospice patients come under its […]

HCA Capitalizing on Growing Demand for Hospice, Home Care

Hospital system HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA) has recognized the growing demand for home-based health care services and associated growth opportunities. This formed the impetus for the company’s purchase of an 80% stake in Brookdale Senior Living’s (NYSE: BKD) home health and hospice business for $400 million earlier this year.  Bringing care to the home is […]

LHC Group Leaning Hard on Hospice Growth

LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG) is determined to expand the scale of its hospice services with heavy emphasis on acquisitions. The company has earmarked $421.5 million for acquisitions during 2021 with 84% of those dollars designated for hospice transactions. LHC Group’s acquisition strategy is focused on co-locating new hospice operations with their existing home health locations, […]

Addus Primed for More Hospice Acquisitions Following Queen City Deal

Addus HomeCare Corporation (NASDAQ: ADUS) is actively pursuing additional hospice acquisitions in early 2021 even as it works to integrate its recent Queen City Hospice purchase in Ohio. In December 2020, the company bought Queen City and its affiliate Miracle City Hospice the private equity firm Stonehenge Partners for a cash purchase price of $192.0 […]

Kusserow: Amedisys Turned COVID-19 ‘Headwinds to Tailwinds’

Like many health care providers, Baton Rouge, La.-based Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) did not come out of 2020 unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, the company’s hospice segment grew during the outbreak and is anticipated to continue expanding, largely through acquisitions. Amedisys is benefitting from demographic tailwinds of the aging population and rising utilization that […]

Pennant Bullish on Hospice, Home Health Acquisitions

The Pennant Group (NASDAQ: PNTG) plans to be an active acquirer during 2021 with an emphasis on hospice and home health targets. The hospice, home health and senior living provider increased its revolving line of credit by $75 million to a total $150 million this week, pledging to apply those resources to buying new operations. […]

VITAS Struck by Disruption in Senior Housing, Expects 2021 Rebound

Disruption in the larger health care and aging services space adversely impacted VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE), during 2020. This is particularly due to difficulty accessing patients in nursing homes, assisted living and senior housing operations, as occupancy drops due to the pandemic. The company expects some of that disruption to […]