Mergers & Acquisitions

However, the 2016 presidential election and potential legislative changes could shift the regulatory landscape and affect certain sectors of healthcare, a trend that could throw off M&A.

Actavis said the newly combined company, which will take on the Allergan name, is expected to net $23 billion in sales in 2015.

The acquisition gives Constellation a foothold in New York, New Jersey and Florida.

The nine-hospital Massachusetts-based health system owned by Cerberus Capital Management, lost $52 million in 2013 on $2.1 billion of revenue, according to data disclosed to the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis.

You can expect more credit downgrades than upgrades in 2015 among the country's nonprofit hospitals, Standard & Poor's announced this week, as expensive upgrades and pressures to convert to value-based payment systems continue to gnaw away at bottom lines.

Overall, healthcare leaders are optimistic about the future and are relying on a combination of mergers and acquisitions and organic growth to expand.

Healthcare services giant Kindred Healthcare has wrapped up its $195 million purchase of Centerre Healthcare Corp., a manager of 11 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.

When Healthcare Finance last year asked experts to name the top industry trends, they selected insurance exchanges, mergers and acquisitions, new payment models, and technology. Things don't look much different in 2015.

The Consult Inc. this week said it will buy Physician Management Information Services for an undisclosed price.