Bright Health Group Inc. said Monday a deal to sell its California Medicare Advantage plans originally valued for $600 million is now only worth $500 million.
Bright Health's California Medicare business devalued by $100M ahead of sale
The deal with Molina Healthcare is set to close in about two weeks.
December 18, 2023 at 5:16PM
The deal with Molina Healthcare is set to close "on or about" Jan. 1, according to a Monday regulatory filing from Bright.
California-based Molina issued a news release stating the purchase agreement had been amended on Wednesday but did not detail what drove the price reduction.
When the sale closes, Bright Health will exit from the health insurance business. It will continue to operate a group of clinics.
Ari Gottlieb, principal with Chicago-based A2 Strategy Corp., a health care consulting firm, said the deal is more complicated than it might appear.
The amendment to the agreement also calls for $110 million to be held in escrow, Gottlieb said. That means that Bright will receive $390 million when the deal closes.
"I do think this more tangibly calls Bright's future survival into question," Gottlieb said.
Releasing the escrow funds is contingent upon either completing the consolidation of Bright Health's Brand New Day and Central Health Plan Medicare businesses or securing an acceptable rating from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for contract year 2025.
Bloomington-based Bright Health went public in June 2021 and raised $924 million, making it the largest-ever IPO in Minnesota.
But the company has yet to turn a profit.
Bright Health generated net losses of $805.2 million for the first three quarters of this year. The company posted a net loss of $547.1 million in the third quarter.
The company owes the federal government $380 million in delayed payments. In September Bright Health said it would repay the money over 18 months.
Molina estimated that the revised deal will cost it approximately $425 million after accounting for tax benefits.
Bright Health went public at $18 per share. It was trading under $1 per share when the New York Stock Exchange issued the company a delisting warning in December 2022.
To retain its listing, Bright Health executed a 1-for-80 reverse stock split that was completed in May. But the stock price has continued to decline. On Monday it closed at $5.29 per share, down 14.5% for the day.
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