[UPDATED] Optum Swoops in to Buy Amedisys in $3.3 Billion Transaction

The UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) subsidiary Optum has penned a deal to acquire Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED) in an all-cash transaction of $101 per share, or about $3.3 billion. The pending transaction followings a previous offer to aquire Amedisys by the home infusion company Option Care Health (NASDAQ: OPCH) for $3.6 billion. “We are excited about […]

What New Allegations that HCA Healthcare Pressured Patients Mean for Hospices

Recent allegations that staff at HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA) put pressure on patients to enter hospice dovetail with longstanding questions over how and when patients should be referred. A recent report from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) alleges that HCA has pressured clinicians to inappropriately “push” patients and families to accept hospice referrals. The […]

Minority Investor Pushing for Enhabit Sale

A minority investor in Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) is urging the hospice and home health provider to consider a “full and fair sale process.” The investor – New York-based hedge fund AREX Capital Management, which holds about 4.5% of the shares of Enhabit – brought up the sale idea in a letter sent to the […]

[Updated] With Option Care Deal Pending, Optum Makes Bid for Amedisys

Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) has received an unsolicited proposal from the UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) subsidiary Optum to acquire all outstanding shares of the home health and hospice provider’s stock. Amedisys indicated in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that Optum has proposed an all-cash transaction at $100 per share. This, […]

4 For-Profit Hospice Providers to Watch in 2023

The hospice space — and the health care system at large — is in a state of flux, driven by value-based reimbursement models, an expanding home-based care continuum and industry-changing transactions. Halfway through the year, Hospice News’ “Four Providers to Watch,” exemplifies the ways that hospice operators are trying to not only to keep up […]

Option Care, Amedisys Deal Reveals a ‘Whole Different Landscape’ for Hospice Providers

The implications of Option Care Health’s (NASDAQ: OPCH) pending $3.6 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) reflect rapidly changing market forces that could affect the industry at large. The rationale behind the transaction rests on four pillars, Option Care executives recently indicated — value-based reimbursement, the importance of scale in payer negotiations, a desire […]

4 Pillars Underlying the Amedisys, Option Care Health Transaction

The rationale behind Option Care Health’s (NASDAQ: OPCH) $3.6 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) is built on four pillars — vastly expanded scale, value-based payment, data collection capabilities and a desire to outpace a rapidly evolving health care environment. As Amedisys Chairman Paul Kusserow said in a February earnings call, “Change creates opportunities.” […]

[UPDATED] Amedisys to Merge with Infusion Services Provider Option Care Health in $3.6 Billion Deal

In a $3.6 billion all-stock transaction, the home- and alternate-site infusion services company Option Care Health (NASDAQ: OPCH) will acquire Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED).  Based on 2022 financial results, the combined companies earned roughly $6.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA approaching $622 billion. Together, they would have a combined workforce of 16,500. Option Care CEO John […]

3 Palliative Care Providers to Watch

As the demand for palliative care continues to grow, so too has the way businesses have bolstered their programs to better serve patients. Providers are consistently looking for new methods to deliver responsive, value-based services that can generate savings and reduce high-acuity utilization. Hospice News spoke with three palliative care providers that have risen to […]

Palliative Care the Next Generation: How the Service May Grow and Evolve

Based on current trends, risk-based payment systems will likely shape the future of palliative care. The palliative care market is projected to swell during the next decade. However, no standardized definition exists for “palliative care.” Providers use a range of approaches to providing the service, from consults with advance care planning to short-term transitional care […]