Key Trends That Will Shape the Hospice Industry in 2023

Most hospices are sliding into 2023 between a rock and a hard place, beset by headwinds, labor shortages and questions with no easy answers. Through the cracks, providers can see glimmers of improvement. A number of hospice leaders anticipate that the industry will settle into a “new normal,” having absorbed the shock of the pandemic […]

5 Game-Changing Hospice Deals from 2022

Though hospice deal volume dipped in 2022 compared to previous years, five particular transactions could paint a larger picture of where investors see value in the space. These interesting, unusual or groundbreaking deals could signal what’s to come in 2023 and help shape the hospice market’s long-term future. Optum to pick up LHC Group Though […]

Optum’s LHC Group Acquisition Expected to Close in Q1 2023

The anticipated acquisition of LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG) by the UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) subsidiary Optum is now expected to close during the first quarter of 2023. Optum in April announced its agreement to purchase the Lafayette, Louisiana-based home health and hospice provider for $5.5 billion. Initially expected to close this year, LHC Group today […]

C-Suite Shake Ups at Pennant Group; Financial, Legal Leadership Moves at Choice Health at Home, Hosparus

Pennant Group reorganizes its executive team The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG) recently began the hunt to fill CFO and chief investment officer roles. This follows the recent announcement that Derek Bunker has resigned as Pennant’s chief investment officer, executive vice president and corporate secretary, effective Dec. 31, 2022. “On behalf of the Pennant team, […]

HCA Healthcare Launches Hospice, Palliative Care Fellowship Program in Florida

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare Inc. (NYSE: HCA) and the University of Central Florida (UCF) recently added a new graduate fellowship in hospice and palliative care medicine to their existing repertoire of training programs. The program will accept two fellows annually. The fellowship will launch in July 2023 at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, the Orlando VA Medical […]

How the 2023 Home Health Rule Could Change the Game in Hospice M&A

The pendulum of investor interest has swung hard into the hospice market in recent years, but shifts in reimbursement could steer buyers towards home health. Uncertainty earlier this year around Medicare’s proposed 2023 home health payment rates led some stakeholders to expect a swerve towards hospice. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) […]

AccentCare, LHC Group, VITAS Execs: Care Continuum Sprawl Central to Hospice’s Growth

Expansion across the care continuum is a key to sustainable growth for hospices, according to executives from some of the industry’s largest companies. The hospice industry has been ripe for growth in recent years, plucking the interest of investors from all walks. Hospices have dug deep into the roots of their growth strategies as competition […]

UnitedHealth Group Adapts to Changing Health Care System Via Optum Investments

The U.S. health care system is in a state of flux, as the home gains prominence as a care setting and value-based payment builds momentum. Recent deals by UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) Optum subsidiary demonstrate a willingness to change with the times. UnitedHealth Group is positioning Optum as a cornerstone of its growing home-based care […]

Court Decision on UnitedHealth Group, Change Healthcare Deal Smooths Path for LHC Group Transaction

A recent federal court decision that cleared the way for UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) forthcoming purchase of Change Healthcare (NASDAQ: CHNG) is a positive sign for the insurance company’s pending acquisition of LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG). The U.S. Department of Justice sought to block the $13 billion Change Healthcare transaction on anti-trust grounds, alleging that […]

Hospice M&A Going Strong, But Non-Medical Home Care a Rising Star

While hospice and home health M&A continue to burgeon, non-medical home care is starting to slip out from under their shadows. Deal volume for non-medical home care companies outstripped that for hospice or home health during the first half of the year. As of the end of Q2, this included 23 deals compared to 17 […]