Healthcare Transactions Today: Selling a Medical Practice to Private Equity Buyers

private equityBy: Jeff Cohen

Private money (e.g. private equity) is in full swing purchasing medical practices with large profit margins (e.g. dermatology). This is NOT the same thing as when physician practice management companies (PPMCs) bought practices the 90s.  Back then, the stimulus for the seller was (a) uncertainty re practice profits in the future, and (b) the stock price.  Selling practices got some or all of the purchase price in stock, with the hopes the purchasing company stock would far exceed the multiplier applied to practice “earnings” (the “multiple”).  Buyers promised to stabilize and even enhance revenues with better management and better payer contracting.  If the optimism of the acquiring company and selling doctors was on target, everyone won because the large stock price made money for both the buyer and seller. The private equity “play” today is a little different.

Today’s sellers are approaching the private equity opportunity the same way they did with PPMCs, except for the stock focus since most private equity purchases don’t involve selling doctors obtaining stock.  Sellers hope their current practice earnings will equate to a large “purchase price.”  And they hope the buyer have better front and back office management that will result in more stable and even enhanced earnings.  And for this, the private equity buyer takes a “management fee,” which they typically promise (though not in writing) to offset with enhanced practice earnings.    Continue reading

Value Based Payments Gaining Traction – CMMI Oncology Care Model

443 Providers sign up for the CMMI Oncology Care Model including numerous providers in Florida.  The Oncology Care Model is a new payment model for physician practices administering chemotherapy.  Practices receive reimbursement via an episode based payment model that incentivizes high quality coordinated care.  Letters of Intent from payers (several of which are Florida payers) wishing to participate in the new model were submitted and Letters of Intent from providers wishing to participate were also submitted.  A list of those payers and providers who submitted LOIs can be found at http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Oncology-Care/ .

If you would like to learn more about value based payments for your practice, Attorney Valerie Shahriari is offering a free webinar on June 24, 2015.  Registration is now open: “Preparing Your Practice for an Incentive Based Payment Structure”