UnitedHealth’s $4.3 billion acquisition of DaVita Medical Group can move forward after the Federal Trade Commission gave the green light Wednesday, June 19, Healthcare Dive reports.
The deal, which was announced in December 2017, is part of UnitedHealth and Optum’s vertical integration efforts.
Kellogg Director of Healthcare Craig Garthwaite said during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights that vertical mergers are highly variable.
“While vertical integration can set the stage for potential cost savings, there are still a number of stumbling blocks,” Garthwaite said. “Furthermore, the history of these integrations should temper our expectations about success.”
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