title: Big deal. Can United HealthCare make a silk purse out of a sow's ear?
abstract: On the surface, United HealthCare Corp.'s purchase of The MetraHealth Cos. two months ago looks like a great deal. But United's grand strategy is fraught with obstacles, and the move seems sure to heat up the competition and consolidation taking place in health care coverage.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerne
mesh_terms: D016363:Antitrust Laws; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States