UnitedHealth Group Expands in Home State

UnitedHealth Group Expands in Home State

One of the largest health insurers in the country is making a play in its home state of Minnesota. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. has recently struck a deal to acquire PreferredOne, according to Fairview Health Services, a not-for-profit organization that took full ownership of PreferredOne back in 2016.  PreferredOne is a health insurance provider comprised of three companies: PreferredOne Administrative Services, Inc., PreferredOne Insurance Company, and PreferredOne Community Health Plan. The health insurer has 367,000 members and is contracted with 99% of clinics and hospitals in Minnesota.  This deal aligns with UnitedHealth Group’s push into the Minnesota health insurance market, which it... 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 »

Fairview Health Buys Second Health Plan

Fairview Health Services is building out its managed care platform. In January, the Minneapolis-based nonprofit, integrated health system announced the acquisition of PreferredOne, which serves more than 1,500 employers and 285,000 members in Minnesota. The company saw dramatic growth in the first year of MNsure, the state’s health insurance exchange, but was forced to drop out after $139 million in financial losses. In April. Fairview signed a letter of intent to acquire UCare., an independent, not-for-profit health paln providing health care and administrative services to members throughout Minnesota. UCare will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fairview, and will join... Read More »
Managed Care Consolidation in Minnesota

Managed Care Consolidation in Minnesota

Even as Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) reported larger-than-expected losses in its health-exchange segment in the fourth quarter, a smaller Minnesota managed care company found relief from its own health exchange losses. PreferredOne, based in Golden Valley, was acquired by Fairview Health Services in Minneapolis for an undisclosed price. Fairview is a not-for-profit, integrated health system that has partnered with the University of Minnesota. PreferredOne serves more than 1,500 employers and 285,000 members. The company enjoyed dramatic growth in the first year that the state’s healthcare exchange, MNsure, opened, but it was forced to drop out in 2015... Read More »