Judge denies DOJ attempt to block $13B UnitedHealth, Change Healthcare merger

A federal judge on Monday denied efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to block UnitedHealth Group’s $13 billion deal to acquire data broker Change Healthcare.

Judge Carl Nichols handed the ruling down in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, after listening to two weeks of oral arguments from the healthcare companies and the Justice Department.

Nichols also ordered UnitedHealth Group to divest Change Healthcare’s ClaimsXten…