The year started with two failed major acquisitions in the insurance industry and ended with hope for a new one. Deals between Aetna and Humana and Cigna and Anthem were both vetoed by judges early in the year, but that wasn't the last we saw of any of them in the headlines.
Health care reform is definitely shaking up the way major corporations do business. With industry-wide revenue for 2016 totaling $849 billion–a 55 percent increase since 2011–the major players had plenty of capital to throw their weight around. Here's a look at some of the key moves…
After two megadeals blocked, health insurers plot next moves
Down, but not out. Failed merger attempts left both Anthem and Aetna were left with large piles of cash. Would they try anew at fresh takeovers under a Trump administration, or opt for a more conservative path?
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Cigna sued to put an end to its dance with Anthem once and for all, seeking a $1.85 billion breakup fee, plus $13 billion in additional damages it says were owed after "the path for regulatory approval of the transaction was fatally compromised" by Anthem…
Trump points to Humana exit from ACA as sign of failure
Health insurer Humana Inc. announced plans to exit all Obamacare marketplaces for 2018, another blow to the government health law…
Insurance industry looks for deals in 2017
The insurance industry remains undaunted, according to a report from KPMG International in association with Mergermarket, which predicts that in the course of the year, 84 percent of insurance companies planning to make between one and three acquisitions in 2017, while 94 percent plan at least one divestiture…
Anthem ends battle for Cigna
Alliances fell apart, and friends quickly became enemies. A judge awarded Cigna $48 billion in damages as a result of the failed merger. Anthem, which has countersued, said that it will seek damages, too, and that its former merger partner isn't entitled to a termination fee… fee…
Cigna bets on seniors, employers for future without Anthem
Free from its battle with Anthem and flush with settlment cash, Cigna CEO David Cordani laid out a new plan to reach ambitious earnings goals: increasing sales to seniors and to mid-sized employers…
Amazon will be in the prescription-drug market by 2019
Though no official courtships have been announced, rumors fly about Amazon's imminent foray into the pharmaceutical business, and some experts suggest that Amazon "is in active discussions" with mid-size pharmacy benefit managers…
While its name didn't grace the headlines of any major merger deals, UnitedHealth spent the year quietly tightening its grip and influence on the healthcare market, including the acquisition of DaVita Inc.'s physician network for $4.9 billion…
Not wanting to be left out, Express Scripts' CEO lets it be known the company would be open to acquisition talks. Anyone? Please?
CVS capped off weeks of rumors about a deal for Aetna Inc. by officially announcing plans to acquire Aetna for $69 billion in cash and stock. The announcement sparked speculation about a coming "health care revolution"…
Hospitals are merging to face off with insurers
It wasn't just the major insurance players shaking things up. Major hospital networks like Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health, a pair of nonprofits that together have 191 hospitals and nearly $45 billion in annual revenue, were amog those in deal talks to find new ways to protect their own interests…
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
