News

Vestar Capital Partners acquired Quest Analytics, a provider of software development and consulting services to health plan providers. David Hill and John Weis, founders of Appleton, Wisconsin-based Quest Analytics, will retain substantial minority stakes in the company and remain active in the business.

Press Release

Vestar Capital Partners today announced that it has acquired Quest Analytics, L.L.C. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Quest Analytics, based in Appleton, WI and co-founded in 2003 by David H. Hill and John P. Weis, is a leader in health plan provider network management software and services. Mr. Hill and Mr. Weis will remain active in the business and will retain a substantial minority ownership stake in the company.

Health plan provider network access, adequacy, and accuracy standards vary by state and type of beneficiary. As health plan networks evolve to keep healthcare affordable, Quest Analytics provides critically important software and cloud-based solutions for both health plans and the regulators who monitor their performance.

“Quest’s products and services are critical competitive tools for health plan networks in the current volatile and uncertain healthcare environment,” said Roger C. Holstein, Managing Director at Vestar Capital Partners. “As healthcare costs continue to rise, health plans are narrowing the size of provider networks in order to keep premiums affordable. Now more than ever, health plans look to Quest to help them design, contract, and monitor the access, adequacy, and accuracy of their networks.”

“Partnering with Vestar, Quest will not only have additional capital to invest and grow our business but also access to Vestar’s data analytics and sector expertise that will enable us to take full advantage of the significant opportunities available to expand our fast-growing business,” said Mr. Weis, CEO of Quest Analytics.

Richard Barasch, former CEO of Universal American (a leading Medicare Advantage plan recently acquired by WellCare Health Plans, Inc.) and a senior advisor to Vestar, was actively involved in the investment and will join the Quest board.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Vestar. Brown Gibbons Lang & Company acted as financial advisor to Quest Analytics and Foley & Lardner LLP provided transaction counsel.

About Quest Analytics, L.L.C.
Quest Analytics is an independent solutions company, built without ownership ties to any health plan, providing commercial software development and consulting services for hundreds of health plans, consultants, and government agencies in the healthcare industry. The company has brought many innovative solutions to the market ranging from pioneering access analysis and disruption analysis tools to evolving network adequacy solutions and right-sized network design services. For more information, please visit www.questanalytics.com.

About Vestar Capital Partners
Vestar Capital Partners is a leading U.S. middle-market private equity firm specializing in management buyouts and growth capital investments. Vestar invests and collaborates with incumbent management teams and private owners to build long- term enterprise value, with a focus on Consumer, Healthcare, and Business Services & Industrial Products. Since its founding in 1988, Vestar funds have completed more than 80 investments in companies – as well as more than 200 add-on acquisitions – with a total value of approximately $50 billion. For more information, please visit www.vestarcapital.com.