Regulators give OK to UnitedHealth, PacifiCare merger

The Department of Justice gave its approval for the $8.1 billion merger of UnitedHealth Group and PacifiCare after the two companies said they would comply with new requirements mandated by the government. Under the terms of the agreement, the merged company must divest parts of its health plan business in Tucson and Boulder. The Justice Department also gave UnitedHealth one year to terminate an existing network access agreement with California's Blue Shield, saying the arrangement would likely lead to higher prices for consumers.

- read this article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune