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US: DOJ expected to review Aetna acquisition

By  |  December 10, 2017

On Thursday, December 7, a CVS spokesperson said the company expects the US DOJ to do the antitrust review of its planned acquisition of health insurer Aetna, reported Reuters.

On December 3 CVS and Aetna announced the US$69 billion deal. According to Reuters the parties claim such a merger would enable the companies to tackle soaring healthcare spending by offering lower-cost medical services in pharmacies.

The deal, will combine one of the nation’s biggest pharmacy benefits managers and pharmacy operators with one of its oldest health insurers. The Justice Department and US Federal Trade Commission share the job of reviewing mergers to make sure they do not hurt consumers.

Asked which antitrust agency would review the deal, CVS spokesman David Palombi late on Thursday said, “Our expectation is that it will be the Justice Department.”

Full Content: Reuters

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