Department of Justice files suit to block UnitedHealth, Amedisys merger

In a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the DOJ states: “UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) and Amedisys, Inc. (AMED) are two of the largest home health and hospice service providers in the country. Today, competition between UnitedHealth and Amedisys benefits millions of Americans who need home health or hospice services. But the proposed merger between UnitedHealth and Amedisys would forever eliminate that competition. Under the law, the proposed merger is presumptively anticompetitive and illegal. The United States and the state Attorneys General of Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York bring this action to preserve competition in markets that impact many of the most vulnerable patients in America during their most vulnerable moments… UnitedHealth’s proposed acquisition of Amedisys threatens to substantially lessen competition in local home health, hospice, and nurse labor markets throughout the country. As a result, the United States and the Attorneys General of Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York respectfully request that the Court enjoin the merger pursuant to Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 18. The United States also respectfully requests that the Court impose civil penalties on Amedisys for its failure to comply with the HSR Act.”