Geisinger to be acquired by California non-profit

NEW YORK, NY – The New York Times is reporting Wednesday that Danville-based Geisinger will be acquired by Kaiser Permanente, a California-based health care group.

The Times story said Kaiser Permanente, with 39 hospitals and 24,000 doctors, expects to acquire Geisinger Health, what was termed “a smaller East Coast group,” as part of a new company that would operate nonprofit community health systems.

The story said Kaiser will not absorb Geisinger, which will keep its name. Instead, Geisinger is to be folded into Risant Health, a new nonprofit group that will operate independently. Geisinger’s chief executive, Dr. Jaewon Ryu, will serve as Risant’s chief executive when the deal is closed, according to the story.

Both federal and state agencies must give their approval to the plan.

There was no immediate release from Geisinger on the announcement.