A PYMNTS Company

UnitedHealth to Divest 164 Facilities Under DOJ Merger Settlement

By  |  August 7, 2025

UnitedHealth Group’s $3.3 billion bid to acquire Amedisys Inc. will proceed under stringent conditions outlined in a proposed settlement announced today by the U.S. Department of Justice. The deal, reached in coordination with several state attorneys general, includes major divestiture requirements and a civil penalty related to misrepresentations made during the regulatory review process.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    Per a statement released by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, the agreement mandates that UnitedHealth and Amedisys divest at least 164 home health and hospice facilities spanning 19 states. These divestitures—among the most extensive ever required in an outpatient healthcare merger—represent approximately $528 million in annual revenue. One affiliated palliative care location is also included in the divestiture package.

    According to the Justice Department, the proposed settlement is designed to safeguard competition in vital segments of the healthcare market, particularly those serving elderly and terminally ill patients. “This settlement protects quality and price competition for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable patients and wage competition for thousands of nurses,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater in the agency’s announcement.

    In addition to the required divestitures, the settlement stipulates that UnitedHealth must sell an additional eight facilities if regulatory approvals cannot be obtained for associated divestitures without them. A third-party monitor will be appointed to oversee compliance with the terms of the decree, according to the Justice Department’s statement.

    Related: UnitedHealth Says It’s Cooperating With DOJ Over Medicare Practices

    The agreement also includes provisions ensuring that the buyers of the divested facilities receive not only the physical assets but also the necessary staff and contractual relationships to operate independently and competitively in markets where UnitedHealth and Amedisys previously overlapped.

    Separate from the divestiture conditions, Amedisys will pay a $1.1 million civil penalty to the federal government for submitting false certifications during the pre-merger notification process governed by the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. Per a statement from the Justice Department, Amedisys inaccurately certified that it had provided complete and truthful information in response to federal inquiries. The company will also be required to implement antitrust compliance training for both corporate and field leadership as part of the settlement terms.

    The Justice Department characterized the settlement as a strong enforcement action meant to deter future violations and preserve competition in a critical sector. “I commend the Antitrust Division’s Staff for doggedly investigating and prosecuting this case on behalf of seniors, hospice patients, nurses, and their families,” Slater added in the statement.

    The proposed settlement remains subject to court approval.

    Source: Justice Gov