Apria’s excellent deal
By HME News Staff
Updated Tue November 30, 2004
RAYMOND, N.H. - Two former HME Excellence Award winners joined forces Sept. 30 when Apria acquired Lifeplus, arguably New England's premier independent provider.
In 2002, Lifeplus won the HME Excellence Award for “Best Home Medical Equipment Company.” The nine-location company was a second runner-up in 2003 for “Best Home Respiratory Provider.” Apria won the award for “Best Home Respiratory Provider, 2002” and was first runner-up in that category last year.
“Lifeplus has probably never been stronger than it is right now, but the time to think about the future is when you have a position of leverage,” said Lifeplus President and COO April Mason. “With Lifeplus's branding in this marketplace, it worked to our advantage to make a move like this now.”
As part of the deal, Lifeplus will continue to operate as Lifeplus, and the company's management team and staff will stay in place. Mason's title will change to general manager, but her duties will remain the same. While Apria generally gives its name to companies it acquires, the national sometimes makes an exception for high profile providers like Lifeplus, said Bob Leonard, an associate with the Braff Group who brokered the deal.
Lifeplus's new marketing material states that the company is: “Here to stay. Stronger than ever. Same staff... same service... same reliability you've come to depend on... for today & tomorrow.”
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