Centene-WellCare Health Plans merger
Centene Corporation completed its $17 billion acquisition of WellCare Health Plans after the Department of Justice (DOJ) closed its nine-month investigation of the proposed acquisition. Bates White supported Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in its representation of the merging parties during the DOJ investigation by providing economic analysis on issues related to the markets for managed Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans that arose during the investigation. The analyses demonstrated that the proposed transaction would not harm competition in either market.
At the same time, on behalf of Centene, George Rozanski was also retained to analyze the effects of the merger on competition in the Managed Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and Comprehensive Individual lines of business in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina and to submit expert affidavits summarizing his findings to the Georgia and South Carolina Departments of Insurance and Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. Dr. Rozanski also testified in public hearings in Georgia and South Carolina. All three states approved the merger.