UPDATE 1-Oregon's health authority reviewing UnitedHealth's acquisition of Amedisys

In this article:

(Adds detail and background throughout)

March 19 (Reuters) - Amedisys said on Tuesday Oregon's health authority has started a review of UnitedHealth Group's $3.3 billion acquisition of the home health and hospice caregiver.

UnitedHealth had announced the acquisition in June, after competing with Option Care Health.

The acquisition was meant to help expand UnitedHealth's presence in home healthcare, a business it bolstered through a $5.4 billion deal to buy Amedisys' rival, LHC Group, last year.

Oregon's notice said it expects to complete the review within 180 days within receipt of a transaction form, which the agency had confirmed in December, according to Amedisys.

(Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)

Advertisement