Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
After Home Health Companies Abandon Merger Deal, FTC Drops Investigation Into Consolidation
Modern Healthcare: Home Health Companies Drop Merger Amid FTC Probe
The Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation into the proposed merger of home health companies Aveanna Healthcare and Maxim Healthcare Services after the organizations abandoned the deal, the FTC announced late Thursday. Atlanta-based Aveanna aimed to acquire the home health division of Columbia, Maryland-based Maxim for a reported $1.25 billion. Regulators said they had concerns about the deal's anticompetitive effects regarding nursing services in multiple markets across the country. (Kacik, 1/31)
In other home health care news —
Kaiser Health News: Why Home Health Care Is Suddenly Harder To Come By For Medicare Patients
The decision came out of the blue. “Your husband isn’t going to get any better, so we can’t continue services,” an occupational therapist told Deloise “Del” Holloway in early November. “Medicare isn’t going to pay for it.” The therapist handed Del a notice explaining why the home health agency she represented was terminating care within 48 hours. “All teaching complete,” it concluded. “No further hands on skilled care. Wife states she knows how to perform exercises.” (Graham, 2/3)
