UnitedHealth Group Posts $4.9 Billion Profit in Q4:22 Earnings

UnitedHealth Group Posts $4.9 Billion Profit in Q4:22 Earnings

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) announced its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2022. The company offers products through two business platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides healthcare coverage and benefits services; and Optum, a pharmacy benefit manager and health care provider. UnitedHealth Group recorded double-digit percentage growth in revenue year over year across UnitedHealthcare and Optum, driven primarily by both lines of businesses expanding to provide more comprehensive care to a larger base of people across the U.S. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company reported: A 12.3% increase in net revenue from $73.7 billion in Q4:21 to $82.8 billion in... Read More »
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 »
Optum Acquires Change Healthcare

Optum Acquires Change Healthcare

It’s not often we see a prolific buyer such as Change Healthcare (NASDAQ: CHNG) as the target company in an acquisition, but it’s a new year with new possibilities. The digital health and analytics giant will be acquired by Optum, a member of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) that operates OptumHealth, a population health management company; OptumInsight, a healthcare information analytics company; and OptumRx, a pharmacy benefits management company. The deal is valued at $13.17 billion, consisting of $8 billion in cash ($25.75 per share) and approximately $5.17 billion in assumed debt. The price is a 41% premium to Change Healthcare’s closing price on January 5, 2021.  Change Healthcare is a... Read More »
NaviHealth Changes Owners – Again

NaviHealth Changes Owners – Again

The merry-go-round of owners may finally be slowing for naviHealth, a digital healthcare company that helps health systems and insurers manage post-acute care bundled payments. In its third change of command, naviHealth is now part of OptumHealth, which is part of the Optum division of UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH). It now manages post-acute services for 4.5 million Medicare Advantage members and nine of the top 10 health systems. NaviHealth was founded in 2012 by Tom Scully, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), who joined Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in 2004. In August 2015, WCAS sold a 71% stake in the company to Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) for... Read More »
Diplomat Pharmacy, under Pressure, Merges with OptumRx

Diplomat Pharmacy, under Pressure, Merges with OptumRx

In early November, Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) revealed some troubling news. The company reported a net loss of $177.3 million in its third-quarter earnings report, its third in a row, and issued a “going concern” warning. Shares dropped 50% (from $6.20 to $3.10) that morning. Brian Griffin, chairman and CEO of Diplomat, cited industry headwinds pressuring its prescription benefits management (PBM) business, and its failure to renew network participation in their specialty pharmacy network. Diplomat’s PBM segment generated $82 million in Q3:19, compared to $170 million in the same quarter last year. Diplomat Pharmacy’s efforts to expand in the PBM sector... Read More »