ORLANDO, Fla. _ Humana has acquired a large independent family practice in Orlando, even though there are speculations that the insurance giant itself may be in talks to be acquired by Walmart.
The for-profit insurance company announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Family Physicians Group, one of the largest providers to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in Central Florida, with 22 clinics in in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.
"We are pleased with our achievements and are committed to continuing the quality care we provide to our patients across all our payer partners," said Betty Assapimonwait, FPG's CEO in a news release.
Humana isn't alone in acquiring physician practices. Last year, UnitedHealth bought the physician arm of DaVita. Hospitals have also been acquiring physician practices at a rapid rate, research shows.
Advocates for independent physicians oppose such acquisitions, raising concern about the potential conflict when the provider of the care is also the one collecting the payments.
Humana officials said the acquisition helps with their strategy to move away from a fee-for-service model to one that rewards quality of care.
"We are actively expanding our primary care model and are committed to creating a national footprint of high-performing, senior-focused primary care physicians," said Renee Buckingham, Humana's segment president of care delivery, in a news release. "(FPG) will remain focused on delivering clinical excellence through its strong, highly qualified and engaged team to all Central Florida patients, regardless of their health plan affiliation."
Family Physicians Group was established in 1987 in Orlando. Today, it has nearly 60 physicians and serves more than 40,000 patients with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance across Central Florida.
As of 2017, Humana had more than 14 million customers nationwide, Its largest membership is based in Florida, followed by Texas and Kentucky, where the company has its headquarters.
Humana was to be acquired by Aetna, another insurance giant, but the deal was blocked by a federal judge in last year.
