The latest move would give United more control over the care-delivery process, especially among DaVita’s 1.7 million members. UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest insurer, announced its second multi-billion dollar acquisition of the year in December. After buying Surgical Care Affiliates for about $2.3 billion in March, United recently entered into a $5 billion agreement to acquire DaVita’s primary and urgent care network. Experts note the deal could also disintermediate major parts of the delivery system, drawing patients out of local emergency rooms and into CVS’s lower-priced retail clinics, especially during times when most doctors’ offices are closed. 3 health insurer Aetna.ĬVS officials claim the buyout will lead to cheaper drug prices for consumers, along with greater operational efficiencies for the business.

This time, vertical (not horizontal) integration took center stage, led by pharmacy giant CVS, which proposed the $69 billion purchase of the nation’s No. However, talks of new mega-deals emerged early this month. Come summertime, merger mania appeared to be yesterday’s news. Aetna and Anthem were on the hook for billions of dollars in financial penalties and additional damages.

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