Can UnitedHealth Really Fight Cost Headaches With $3.3B Amedisys Pill?

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated UNH recently reached a settlement with the DOJ to advance its $3.3 billion acquisition of home-health provider Amedisys, per reports. To resolve antitrust concerns, they will likely divest 164 locations from their existing home-health operations, including a palliative care center. While the divestitures aim to preserve competition, they may ultimately be acquired by other large players, notes Joe Widmar,director of M&A at West Monroe.

Amedisys was slapped with a $1.1 million civil penalty for inaccurately certifying compliance with the HSR Act. The DOJ initially challenged the merger, warning that it could limit patient choice and raise local healthcare costs by consolidating market power. Given the current administration’s business-friendly posture, regulators now appear likely to allow the deal to proceed, possibly closing next year.

This is important because it clears a major regulatory hurdle, allowing UNH to expand deeper into the fast-growing home-healthcare sector, which is becoming more critical as the U.S. population ages and demand for in-home services rises. Home care reduces hospital costs & utilization, improves patient outcomes, and positions UNH to capture more of the healthcare value chain.

UNH is pursuing this deal while facing industry headwinds, such as rising medical costs, scrutiny over Medicare Advantage payment rates, and broader pressure on healthcare stocks, because home health is a strategic long-term growth area. Owning Amedisys can strengthen UNH’s Optum arm, which is boosting its diversification efforts. In tough times, expanding in a high-demand, cost-efficient sector can help offset other operational pressures and deepen customer relationships, giving UNH a stronger competitive position.

M&A in Healthcare is Rising

Elevance Health, Inc. ELV is expanding its portfolio by acquiring Granular Insurance Company, a stop-loss insurer founded by Alphabet’s Verily. The move strengthens Elevance’s offerings for self-funded employers seeking better cost control and risk management solutions. Meanwhile, in the medical liability space, The Doctors Company agreed to acquire ProAssurance Corporation PRA in a deal valued at about $1.3 billion. ProAssurance, a major provider of medical professional liability insurance, will be taken private, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2026. Both Elevance and ProAssurance deals highlight the continued momentum of strategic consolidations in healthcare.

UnitedHealth’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of UNH have lost 50.1% in the year-to-date period compared with the industry’s decline of 41.7%.

From a valuation standpoint, UnitedHealth trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 14.13, up from the industry average of 12.30. UNH has a Value Score of B at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UnitedHealth’s 2025 earnings is pegged at $17.32 per share, implying a 37.4% decline from the year-ago period.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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