The deliberate acquisition of Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq:AMED) by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) is gaining consideration.

Late Wednesday evening, a report emerged suggesting that the Justice Division is contemplating a lawsuit to dam Optum's acquisition of Amedisys. The deal was first permitted in June final yr.

The information comes only a few weeks after the DOJ opened an antitrust investigation into UnitedHealth Group. Nevertheless, that is the primary time the Amedisys deal has been particularly talked about as a possible goal of the DOJ's efforts.

Beforehand, in August 2023, the DOJ carried out an investigation for added details about the Optum-Amedisys deal. In October 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and U.S. Consultant Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) urged the DOJ to take a better take a look at the deal.

Amedisys, based mostly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is among the nation's largest residence well being and hospice corporations. It has 521 well being care facilities and roughly 19,000 workers in 37 states and the District of Columbia.

UnitedHealth Group's Optum already acquired one of many nation's largest residence care corporations – LHC Group – for $5.4 billion in February final yr. The take care of Amedisys is alleged to be price about $3.3 billion.

With LHC Group and Amedisys beneath the identical roof, Optum would personal about 10% of the house care market. That may make it by far the biggest residence care group within the nation.

“I don't suppose you’ll be able to say this received't impact the deal,” Tyler Giesting, director of healthcare and life sciences at West Monroe, advised Dwelling Well being Care Information after the DOJ UnitedHealth Group investigation first surfaced. “As a result of, based mostly on the knowledge publicly reported, Amedisys may very well be extremely interpreted as concerned in some points of this investigation. And the DOJ was already concerned within the Amedisys overview. …It's completely doable that this investigation could have penalties in a roundabout way, whether or not it's a delay or not. However I don't suppose will probably be checked out in a vacuum.”

Amedisys reported 2023 earnings in late February, with out an accompanying earnings name. Total, the corporate generated roughly $2.24 billion in internet companies income in 2023, up lower than 1% yr over yr. Fourth quarter income got here in at roughly $571 million, which was additionally solely a slight enhance.