UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and Amedisys (Nasdaq: AMED) have prolonged the deadline to finish their merger settlement to 2025, as acknowledged in a December 27 submitting. The merger is at the moment being intently watched by the US Division of Justice (DOJ), which filed a lawsuit on November 12 to dam the acquisition, labeling it as “presumed anticompetitive and unlawful.”

As well as, the states of Maryland, New Jersey and New York have joined efforts to hinder the merger.

In June 2023, it was introduced that Optum, the diversified healthcare arm of UnitedHealth Group, would purchase Amedisys in an all-cash deal valued at roughly $3.3 billion.

The businesses have signed a brand new waiver settlement that extends the deadline for his or her merger till 10 days after the ultimate courtroom determination within the ongoing DOJ lawsuit or till December 31, 2025, whichever comes first, the submitting stated. The unique deal was anticipated to shut on December 27.

The brand new waiver features a statutory break charge of $275 million, which may improve to $325 million if particular situations will not be met by Might 1, as acknowledged within the submitting.

Based mostly in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Amedisys offers house well being, hospice and acute care companies in 522 areas in 37 states and the District of Columbia.

Earlier than inking a cope with UnitedHealth Group, Amedisys deliberate to merge with Choice Care Well being (Nasdaq: OPCH). That merger fell aside after Optum made a aggressive bid, successfully outbidding Choice Care Well being.

Optum already owns the LHC Group, one of many nation's largest house care suppliers. If the Amedisys acquisition goes by means of, Optum might be by far the biggest house care supplier within the nation.