DOJ Blocks UnitedHealth Merger with Fines and Branch Sales
Published Date: 8/14/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. government says UnitedHealth’s plan to buy Amedisys could hurt competition in home health and hospice care. To fix this, both companies must sell some branches to other health providers and Amedisys will pay a $1.1 million fine and train employees on antitrust rules. Public comments on this plan are open for 60 days starting August 14, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Required Divestitures to Preserve Local Competition
The proposed Final Judgment requires UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys to divest certain home health, hospice, and palliative care branches and agencies to BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. and The Pennant Group, Inc., and/or to another acquirer acceptable to the United States. The divestitures are intended to preserve competition in hundreds of local home health and hospice markets that serve Medicare patients.
Merger Found Presumptively Anticompetitive Locally
The government alleges the UnitedHealth–Amedisys merger would be presumptively anticompetitive in hundreds of local home health markets and dozens of hospice markets, including markets where post-merger shares would exceed 75% (e.g., Maryland's Eastern Shore) or 90% (e.g., Parkersburg, West Virginia). The complaint states these markets account for at least $1.6 billion (home health) and $300 million (hospice) in commerce in presumptively unlawful markets.
Amedisys Civil Penalty and Employee Training
Amedisys must pay a $1.1 million civil penalty for violating the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act and must conduct antitrust compliance training for certain Amedisys employees. These obligations are part of the proposed Final Judgment filed with the court.
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