The Justice Department’s failed attempt to block UnitedHealth’s $13 billion acquisition of health tech Change Healthcare could bode well for other mega-deals as the nation pushes past the pandemic and health industry players firm up their growth plans, Axios reports.
The ruling came not long after a Federal Trade Commission administrative judge denied efforts to block the life-sciences company Illumina from buying cancer-detection company Grail. It highlights how, while President Biden’s antitrust team has significantly stepped up reviews and litigation, its bark can be worse than its bite.
Meanwhile, large health care systems are repositioning to a world with more digital care that’s focused on the consumer experience. Pressured by staffing and supply costs, systems are evaluating where they can boost profits, in some cases investing in satellite clinics and taking care outside hospital walls. Read more.
