M&A

UnitedHealth Group and home health company Amedisys have agreed to extend the deadline for a planned $3.3 billion merger due to a legal challenge by the Department of Justice.

Centene could turn its attention to acquiring health plans or other assets in 2025, its executives told investors at a Dec. 12 conference. 

Payers expanded their reach into the provider space through acquisitions in 2024. 

Priority Health has closed on its purchase Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana, a Fort Wayne-based payer with more than 50,000 members in Indiana and Ohio.

CareSource has closed on its acquisition of Radiant Alliance, a nonprofit senior care organization composed of Metta Healthcare (parent company of Ohio's Hospice and Pure Healthcare), United Church Homes and Genacross Lutheran Services.

Massachusetts' insurance commissioner has approved the sale of Springfield-based Baystate Health's insurance subsidiary, Health New England, to Point32Health for $165 million.

UnitedHealth Group's Optum has launched a website to defend its proposed $3.3 billion acquisition of home health company Amedisys that the Justice Department is seeking to block. 

The U.S. Justice Department is suing UnitedHealth Group and home health company Amedisys over the companies' planned $3.3 billion merger.

Cigna directly confirmed that it is not pursuing a merger with Humana. 

Though he did not mention the deal directly, Cigna CEO David Cordani appeared to dismiss rumors of reignited merger talks with Humana and said the company was focused on share buybacks.