UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) wasted no time dwelling on its recent acquisition of DaVita Medical Group (NYSE: DVA) for $4.9 billion.
On December 22, the healthcare giant announced its acquisition of Chilean healthcare company Banmedica SA (SSE: SGO) for $2.8 billion.
Banmeica sells health insurance, operates hospitals and provides other services. It generated approximately $2.1 billion in revenue last year and has operations in Chile, Columbia and Peru.
UnitedHealth is looking to grow in emerging and established global healthcare markets where it can leverage its expertise as both an insurer and a provider of medical care.
The transaction enables Banmedica to leverage United Health’s clinical expertise, advanced technology, and data and health information capabilities to better meet the health needs of people in Chile, Columbia and Peru. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018.
Back in the United States, look for UnitedHealth to focus on its Optum division, which now includes DaVita Medical’s more than 1,000 physicians.
