Amedisys Buy Would Bring More Might to Optum’s Home Care Portfolio

On June 5, Amedisys, Inc. revealed that UnitedHealth Group's Optum subsidiary made a $3.26 billion unsolicited offer to purchase the home health provider, which had recently entered a merger agreement with home infusion provider Option Care Health, Inc. Experts say that the deal shows Optum's growing interest in adding home health care to its value-based care offerings, adding that it could generate notable operating efficiencies given Optum's existing home care assets. 

In contrast with the debt- and stock-based Option Care deal, which valued Amedisys at $97.38 per share, the UnitedHealth offer valued Amedisys at $100 per share and would compensate shareholders with cash. Amedisys’ ‘board said in a press release that negotiations with UnitedHealth are ongoing, but that “the unsolicited proposal received from Optum could reasonably be expected to result in an ‘Amedisys Superior Proposal’ as defined in Amedisys’ merger agreement with Option Care Health.”