WellCare Health Adds Universal American for $800 Million

WellCare Health Plan (NYSE: WCG) breathed a little life into the lethargic Managed Care sector, which has experienced a lull in M&A this year. WellCare provides government-sponsored managed care services, and its target, Universal American Corp. (NYSE: UAM), provides health insurance and managed care products and services to Medicare and Medicaid customers in the United States. The purchase price is $800 million, or $10.00 per share, representing a 34% premium to Universal American’s 60-day volume-weighted average closing stock price as of November 16, 2016, and includes the retirement of Universal American’s preferred shares and its convertible debt. WellCare expects the... Read More »

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 »

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 »

WellCare Branches into Arizona with Care1st Buy

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) is moving into the Arizona Medicare and Medicaid markets. Care1st Health Plan, an affiliate of Blue Shield of California, agreed to sell its subsidiaries Care1st Health Plan Arizona, Inc. and ONECare by Care1st Health Plan of Arizona, Inc. (together, Care1st Arizona), managed care companies that provide Medicaid and Medicare benefits to approximately 114,ooo beneficiaries in Maricopa and Pima counties, Arizona’s largest geographic service areas. The $157.5 million purchase price is inclusive of statutory capital and subject to certain adjustments, and will be funded with available cash on hand. WellCare provides government-sponsored managed... Read More »

Third Quarter 2016 Shows Signs of Slowing

Eight months into the year is a good time to take stock of the state of the healthcare M&A market. On the whole, volume and value look to be stronger than last year. The first eight months of 2016 show a combined total of 1,019 transactions, compared with 1,005 in the same period in 2015, a 1% difference. Five of the first eight months in 2016 have posted higher transaction totals than the same months in 2015. Deal values have to be examined more closely, owing to the mega-deals that can create huge month-to-month fluctuations. Total dollars spent in the first eight months of 2016 are approximately $196 billion. In the same period in 2015, spending reached nearly $338 billion, thanks... Read More »