Cigna, Humana Plan To Merge, Expand Medicare Advantage Market
Oh sure, that's just what we need in the healthcare system-- another megacorp behemoth that's looking to expand the corrupt Medicare Advantage plan. Calling Lina Khan.... Via Reuters:
Nov 29 (Reuters) - U.S. health insurer Cigna (CI.N) is in talks to merge with peer Humana (HUM.N), a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, a deal that could exceed $60 billion in value and would be certain to attract fierce antitrust scrutiny.
The discussions come six years after regulators blocked mega-deals that would have consolidated the U.S. health insurance sector.
And hopefully, they'll do it again.
After U.S. courts upheld antitrust challenges in 2017, Cigna gave up on a $48 billion deal to acquire Anthem -- now known as Elevance Health. Losing the legal battle also caused Aetna -- now owned by pharmacy chain operator CVS Health (CVS.N) -- to abandon a $37 billion deal to acquire Humana.
Cigna and Humana are discussing a stock-and-cash deal that could be finalized by the end of the year, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the potential deal earlier on Wednesday. Humana declined to comment, while Cigna did not respond to requests for comment.
If this merger is not blocked, I'll be very, very surprised. And disturbed.