Anthem Inc. CEO Joe Swedish said in a statement Wednesday that “our commitment to the pending Cigna acquisition remains as strong as ever,” the latest sign that the Indianapolis-based health insurer is going to battle to close the $48 billion acquisition.
Swedish ‘s statement was part of Anthem’s press release reporting second quarter results, which were in line with expectations. Revenue rose 7.2 percent, to $21.5 billion, while adjusted earnings, which exclude certain one-time gains and losses, rose 5.0 percent, to $893.4 million.
Analysts have speculated that Anthem and Cigna would part ways in the wake of a lawsuit the Department of Justice’s Department’s antitrust division filed last week seeking to block the deal on the grounds that it likely would lead to higher prices and reduced benefits.
In a statement hours later, Anthem shot back that “the DOJ’s action is based on a flawed analysis and misunderstanding of the dynamic, competitive and highly regulated healthcare landscape and is inconsistent with the way that the DOJ has reviewed past healthcare transactions. ”
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