What U.S. Hospitals Are Acquiring in 2016

Hospital acquisitions have surged since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010. That year, 76 deals were announced, with a U.S. hospital or health system as a target. By 2012, 107 transactions were recorded for hospital targets, and that still stands as the highest number of deals per year. Only 2015 came close, with 102 hospital transactions. Through mid-November, there have been 79 deals announced with U.S. hospitals or health systems as the target. But what are U.S. hospitals acquiring for their own financial health? Other hospitals or health systems make up the majority of targets every year, of course.  So far this year, through mid November, 66 transactions... Read More »

October M and A Settles into Second Place

What’s a synonym for “slowdown?” We’re as tired of writing about monthly deal volume dropping off as you probably are of reading about it. But M&A activity in October 2016 can only be summed up as slackening, declining, decelerating. Preliminary deal volume is now at the second-lowest level of the year, just 112 transactions. Only January’s deal volume was lower, at 104 transactions. We may have a few additions to October’s total as the fourth quarter grinds on, but it’s not typical to find another 15 deals. Deal value also dropped off. At $12.8 billion, it ranks as the second-lowest level of spending for the year. July 2016 still holds the honor of being the slowest month for... Read More »

HCA Exits, SSM Health Enters OU Medical System

One for-profit company relinquishes ownership, and one not-for-profit takes over. That’s what happened on October 16, when HCA (NYSE: HCA) announced it was selling its ownership in the hospital operations of Oklahoma University Medical Center (688 beds) in Oklahoma City, and OU Medical Center Edmond. The University Hospitals Authority and Trust (UHAT), a private entity that was formed by the state, HCA and the University of Oklahoma, will pay HCA $750 million when the transaction closes in the first half of 2017. The company also agreed to terminate its lease of The Children’s Hospital at Oklahoma University Medical Center, as well as an associated joint operating agreement.... Read More »

Almost Family Inc. Becomes Third Largest Home Health Operator

The Home Health Care & Hospice sector just announced its 47th acquisition of 2016, and with about two months to go, it is likely that this sector will surpass last year’s total of 51 acquisitions. On October 17, 2016, Almost Family, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFAM), a provider of home health nursing, rehabilitation and personal care services in more than 250 locations, announced its acquisition of Community Health Systems’ (NYSE: CYH) home health division. CHS’s home health business serves just about half of its hospitals, allowing the opportunity for growth into several more hospital markets. This purchase makes Almost Family the third largest operator in the industry. CHS is selling the... Read More »

Quorum Health Pares Its Rural Hospital Portfolio

Just as the Department of Health and Human Services reported that rural hospitals are better at reducing hospital-acquired infections and score better in value-based purchasing plans, Quorum Health Corporation (NYSE: QHC) announced the sale of two of its 38 rural hospitals in October. One analyst says at least six more deals are pending. Quorum Health was spun out of the ailing Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH) in April 2016. Community Health took on more than it could handle in 2013, when it announced its $7.6 billion acquisition of Health Management Associates, then a for-profit, 71-hospital chain in 15 states. With approximately 11,000 licensed beds, the price worked... Read More »

Q3:16 Health Care M&A Results: Context Is Everything

Brace yourself. The third quarter results for health care mergers and acquisitions  signal a hard tap on the brakes, both in deal volume and value. That’s compared with the robust second quarter, and the same quarter a year ago. Before we go any further, though, we must note that, compared with all previous third quarters stretching back to 2000, the third quarter of 2016 doesn’t look that bad. Some 369 transactions are now on the books for Q3:16, which ranks this quarter as the second-highest in deal volume for any previous third quarter. The top-ranked third quarter, coincidently, came a year ago, when Q3:15 racked up 411 transactions. So Q3:16’s deal volume slid 10% compared with the... Read More »