Kindred Acquires RehabCare Group

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kindred Healthcare announced today that it is buying post-acute care services provider RehabCare Group in a consolidation trend sweeping across the healthcare industry.
 
The deal is valued at $877 million in cash and stock and will make Kindred the largest provider of rehabilitation services in the country.
 
Kindred opened a new hospital in Springfield, Ill. Last December.
 
Government healthcare plans are looking to bundle payments for coverage in an effort to cut healthcare costs, spurring consolidation among providers and garnering the interest of private equity firms.
 
Combined, Kindred will now operate 118 long-term acute care hospitals, 226 nursing and rehabilitation centers, 121 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and 1,808 hospital, nursing center and assisted living rehabilitation therapy services contracts.
 
Future Kindred deals will likely involve home-health services instead of long-term acute care hospitals. Kindred and Select Medical Holdings Corp. now command half the long-term acute care hospital market.
 
According to analysts, future takeovers may include Emergency Medical Services Corp., an ambulance company, and HealthSouthCorp., an operator of rehabilitation centers.