Amedisys announces acquisition of Alabama hospice agency from Bluewater Healthcare

Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED), one of America's leading home health and hospice companies, today announced that it has acquired a hospice agency located in Killen, Alabama, a Certificate of Need state, from Bluewater Healthcare Inc. The agency covers seven counties in northwest Alabama, six which are new to Amedisys. Bluewater had annualized revenue of $900,000 in 2009. The acquisition is not expected to add materially to Amedisys earnings in 2010.

“We believe that this acquisition provides a good platform for the continued expansion of our hospice services as we strive to become the largest hospice provider in the U.S.”

"We welcome the new employees from Bluewater into the Amedisys family and look forward to serving the hospice needs of the patients and families in northwest Alabama," stated William F. Borne, Chief Executive Officer of Amedisys, Inc. "We believe that this acquisition provides a good platform for the continued expansion of our hospice services as we strive to become the largest hospice provider in the U.S."