The Provider NewsWire

Apr 1, 2001 12:00 PM

Matria, Horizon BCBS Enter Into Diabetes Management Agreement: Matria Healthcare of Marietta, Ga., has entered into an agreement with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to provide diabetes disease management services. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Matria officials said the agreement, which includes BCBSNJ's health maintenance organization subsidiary, Horizon Healthcare of New Jersey, will generate approximately $4 million in annual revenue when fully implemented.

Gentiva, PacifiCare Reach Several Agreements: Gentiva Health Services of Melville, N.Y., has announced two new contracts and a contract renewal with PacifiCare Health Systems and its subsidiaries. With a contract renewal between Gentiva and PacifiCare of California, Gentiva will continue to be a preferred provider of home health care and infusion services for PacifiCare of California's 1.8 million commercial members. In a new contract between Gentiva and PacifiCare of Washington and PacifiCare of Oregon, Gentiva will be the exclusive provider of injectable therapies to PacifiCare's 207,000 members in these two states. And in a new exclusive contract between PacifiCare of Nevada and CareCentrix, Gentiva's customized managed care home services, Gentiva will arrange home health care services under a capitated rate agreement to PacifiCare of Nevada's 64,000 Medicare and commercial members.

Option Care Expands Into L.A. Area: In its third acquisition this year, Option Care of Bannockburn, Ill., purchased the home health and infusion therapy business of Professional Home Health Service, an independent pharmacy in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but PHHS has annual revenue of nearly $8 million. The purchase marks Option Care's entrance into the Los Angeles-area market.

Apria Healthcare: Apria Healthcare, Costa Mesa, Calif., posted net income of $57 million, or $1.06 a share, for fiscal year 2000 ended Dec. 31, a 34 percent increase over net income of $42.4 million, or 79 cents share, the previous year. For the fourth quarter, the company recorded net income of $15.3 million, or 28 cents a share, compared with $11.9 million, or 22 cents a share, for the same quarter in 1999.