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Speculation about a potential CVS Health acquisition of health insurer Aetna has been mounting over the past month, and now it may have reached a crescendo.
Published reports say the companies are in advanced negotiations and that a CVS-Aetna deal could be announced as soon as next week, according to an anonymous source cited in an article Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.
As in earlier reports, the acquisition would be in the range of $200 per share and have a total deal value of roughly $66 billion. Reuters said Thursday that news buzz of an impending proposal announcement hoisted shares of both companies.
Such an agreement — combining the nation’s largest pharmacy services company with one of its biggest health benefits providers — would be even more transformational than the merger of CVS and Caremark in 2007, which paired a drug store chain with a PBM.
Since then, CVS Health has refined its integrated model — which also includes medical clinic, specialty pharmacy and long-term care pharmacy units, among other services — and continues to demonstrate the possibilities for cost-effective care and improved health outcomes with its unique mix of capabilities.
