Mergers & Acquisitions

While many healthcare stocks had a banner year in 2015, political pressure on drug prices is keeping some major pharmaceutical and biotech companies from hitting their full market potential, according to a recent analysis by Morningstar.

Prime Healthcare Services has donated its Glendora Community Hospital to its nonprofit Prime Healthcare Foundation, the company announced Monday. The 128-bed acute care hospital, that was acquired by Prime in 2014, was given to the public charity free of any existing debt.

Navigant Consulting has acquired revenue cycle-focused McKinnis Consulting Services for $49 million in cash and $3 million in common stock, the companies announced on Monday.

Duke LifePoint Healthcare on Monday took over Central Carolina Hospital and the Frye Regional Medical Center, two North Carolina hospitals previously owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp.

Tennessee-based LifePoint Health on Monday completed its acquisition of St. Francis Hospital, a Georgia-based hospital that has struggled financially.

With the addition of La Porte and Starke hospitals, Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tennessee will operate 11 hospitals in Indiana.

Four hospitals in northern New Hampshire are affiliating administrative, finance, purchasing and other services in a new health system called North Country Healthcare. New Board Chairman Mark Kelley said the affiliation may represent a first for the nation.

UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum will buy the administrative support services for ProHealth Physicians, one of Connecticut's largest independent physician groups.

The Federal Trade Commission has moved to block a proposed merger of Advocate Health Care Network and NorthShore University HealthSystem, a decision the Chicago providers said they would fight.

The prices hospitals negotiate with private insurers vary considerably across geographies, according to a new study by the Health Care Pricing Project, driving huge variations in health care spending for the privately insured.