Straus Group Acquires A Controlling Interest In MMM Healthcare

HACKENSACK, N.J., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Straus Group today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in MMM Healthcare, a Puerto Rico- based company, in a transaction valued at over $200 million. MMM Healthcare, founded in 2001, is currently the 10th largest Medicare Advantage plan in the United States and has been the fastest growing Medicare Advantage plan in the United States over the past 3 years.

MMM, which operates as Medicare y Mucho Mas, provides coverage to over 77,000 Medicare beneficiaries throughout Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities. MMM’s provider network includes over 3,500 physicians and 45 hospitals. MMM is also one of the largest and fastest growing companies in Puerto Rico with over 440 local employees.

“The Straus Group is excited to be able to extend its operations and activities to Puerto Rico,” according to Daniel Straus, founder, Chairman and CEO of the Straus Group. “The attractive trends and dynamics of this industry, the appealing investment environment in Puerto Rico and the unique aspects of MMM provide us with a compelling opportunity. MMM’s current management and successful Medicare Advantage offerings will be unchanged, though we will add several directors to its Board. Going forward, the Straus Group’s expertise in eldercare and holdings in senior living facilities, specialty hospitals and Medicare Advantage operations will provide MMM with the knowledge-base, resources, experience and flexibility to create, develop and offer even more innovative and higher quality programs.”

MMM was advised by Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin in this transaction. About The Straus Group

The Straus Group is a New Jersey-based investment firm focused on eldercare assets. The Straus Group was founded by Mr. Daniel E. Straus, a co- founder and co-principal shareholder in The Multicare Companies Inc., a publicly held healthcare services company which was sold in 1997 for approximately $1.5 billion. The current operations of the Straus Group encompass: (i) CareOne, LLC with approximately 2,750 employees and 2,200 licensed beds in New Jersey that owns and operates skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs) and a long-term acute care (LTAC) facility; (ii) HealthBridge Management and CareOne Management that provide management services for sub-acute and long-term care, and manage 35 affiliated facilities in 7 states; (iii) CareRealty, LLC that acquired a healthcare facilities portfolio in 2001 for approximately $474 million which originally consisted of 79 leases, mortgages and notes secured by SNFs, ALFs and specialty hospitals, with 10,059 licensed beds in 17; (iv) Aveta Health, Inc. that operates in the managed care, institutional pharmacy, infusion therapy, and hospice businesses, with approximately 1,000 employees in 6 states; and, (v) CareVentures, LLC, and other healthcare-related real estate investments, that developed a portfolio of over $84 million of leases, mortgages and notes related to SNFs and ALFs since 2001 in Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. CareVentures manages CareRealty.

The Straus Group

CONTACT: Joseph Mark, The Straus Group, +1-201-498-0779 ext. 156