The Federal Trade Commission has compelled Fresenius Medical Care to sell 60 outpatient dialysis clinics in 43 markets as a condition of buying Liberty Dialysis Holdings for $2.1 billion.
Fresenius, based in Bad Homburg, Germany, and operating 1,800 outpatient dialysis clinics in the U.S., in August announced the deal to buy Liberty, which is based in Mercer Island, Wash., and operates about 260 dialysis clinics.
Arguing that the deal as it stands would be anti-competitive, the FTC consent agreement on the matter calls for Fresenius to sell 54 clinics to Dialysis Newco, Dallas, Texas, five clinics to Dallas (Texas) Renal Group and one clinic to Alaska Investment Partners, Anchorage, Alaska, according to an FTC news release. Fresenius also must ensure that physicians in the sold clinics remain after the sale.
The FTC expects the approved complaint and proposed consent order to be published shortly in the Federal Register and will be subject to public comment until March 29, 2012, according to the FTC.
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