Long-term care was the only healthcare sector to experience an increase in mergers and acquisitions last year, according to a new analysis from business intelligence firm Irving Levin Associates Inc.
“Without the strong performance of the long-term care sector, which had a 20% increase in transaction volume in 2013, healthcare services would have had a less robust year,” said Lisa Phillips, editor of the 20th edition of the Health Care Services Acquisition Report.
Overall, the number of publicly announced healthcare services mergers and acquisitions declined by roughly 6% last year, to a total of about 600, the report states.
Managed care saw the biggest decrease in deal volume, which was down 46%, according to the analysis. This might be explained by the troubled launch of federal online health insurance marketplace and the hangover from a “robust year” in 2012, Phillips surmised.
The hospital sector experienced about a 22% contraction in deal volume.
Irving Levin released its annual Senior Care Acquisition Report last month. That described 2013 as a “record year” for long-term care M&A activity, with 225 deals.
