Do not give up on the $3.3 billion acquisition! UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH.US) and AMED (AMED.US) extend the deadline for completing the merger.

A regulatory document shows that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH.US) and Amedisys (AMED.US) have agreed to extend the completion deadline of their $3.3 billion merger agreement to next year. The document states that the two companies have reached a new waiver agreement, extending the merger deadline to 10 days after the final court ruling in the litigation or December 31, 2025, whichever comes earlier. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Amedisys had previously expected to complete the merger on December 27, 2024. In June 2023, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated agreed to acquire home healthcare provider Amedisys for $101 per share in cash. However, the $3.3 billion deal, which was originally expected to be completed this month, is facing regulatory hurdles, including a recent lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice in the United States. Over a month ago, the Department of Justice and three states filed a lawsuit against the acquisition, seeking to block it due to concerns that the deal would reduce competition in the home healthcare services market. As per the agreement, the waiver will be valid within 10 business days after the final court order in the Department of Justice lawsuit or before December 31, 2025. It also includes a $275 million regulatory break-up fee, which can increase to $375 million if certain milestones related to divesting assets before the merger are not met.