Mergers & Acquisitions

The healthcare industry sees a lot of consolidation between both vendors and healthcare providers this channel tracks mergers and acquisitions between large healthcare systems, community hospitals, private practices, vendors and private equity investors. Health systems have been growing in size substantially in the past decade with mergers with smaller healthcare systems and hospitals. This is largely due to the need to be more efficient amid lower reimbursements and rising costs by building an economy of scale in a larger health system. On the vendor side, mergers have become a common way to reduce research and development costs by purchasing intellectual rights for new technologies, or to purchased companies with new technologies that already have regulatory market clearance. 

Vintage neon drug sign at the Walgreens pharmacy on Canal Street in downtown New Orleans.

Walgreens shareholders approve $10B acquisition by private equity firm

Shareholders of the retail pharmacy giant voted in favor of the terms of the sale to Sycamore Partners for $11.45 a share. The deal is expected to close later this year. 

Samsung

Samsung buys Xealth to integrate consumer wearables and clinical data

Xealth’s data sharing platform will be used to make use of health information gathered from everyday devices like the Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch, the companies said.

merger acquisition M&A business

Private equity firm buys health data analytics company Arcadia

With the buyout, global private equity investor Nordic Capital makes a big bet on healthcare AI. Arcadia said the influx of cash will be used to improve its technology and find new sources for data it can use for quality care initiatives. 

Atrium Health and Best Buy Health Partner to Improve Experience When Receiving Care at Home

Best Buy Health sells at-home tech company back to founder

Current Health—purchased by Best Buy for $400 million in 2021—is set to become an independent company again, with co-founder Christopher McGhee taking over. The electronics retailer appears to be backing away from remote patient monitoring services, shifting its healthcare division's focus to consumer products that improve the lives of seniors.

mergers and acquisitions M&A partnerships

Ascension buys ambulatory surgery centers in deal reportedly worth $3.9B

Nonprofit Ascension Health announced its purchase of Amsurg, adding 250 outpatient surgery centers to its expanding portfolio. The Catholic-based hospital group said the move will allow it to focus more on community-based care by keeping more patient referrals in-house.

UnitedHealth shareholders approve CEO’s $60M compensation package

Returning CEO Stephen Hemsley will receive a base salary of $1 million per year, alongside a one-time bonus package in stocks worth $60 million. He is not eligible to receive future bonuses until 2028, the company confirmed in a SEC filing. 

mergers and acquisitions M&A puzzle

Ascension Health in 'advanced talks' to buy Amsurg from private equity for $3.9B

The acquisition would allow Ascension—a nonprofit health system—to expand its outpatient surgery network, as Amsurg operates 250 centers nationwide. Sources said a final deal could be mere weeks away. 

Rite Aid sells over 1,000 pharmacies to competitors, including CVS and Walgreens

The deals account for most of Rite Aid’s remaining stores, as the bankrupt chain nears its final days.

Around the web

Heartflow, known for its AI-based CCTA evaluations, appears to be going public. The news follows years of momentum for the California-based company, including improved Medicare reimbursements for cardiac CT and a new Category I CPT code for its Plaque Analysis software.

Suman Tandon, MD, an American Society of Nuclear Cardiology board member, explains the group's call on Congress to update a number of healthcare policies. 

The 2026 MPFS proposed rule includes higher conversion factors across the board. However, some cardiology groups remain concerned about a series of reimbursement reductions for high-value cardiology services.