Gentiva Health Services Inc. (NASD: GTIV), an Atlanta-based home healthcare and hospice services provider, announced Monday it would acquire Odyssey Healthcare Inc. for $27 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.0 billion.

The companies reported the deal will create the largest U.S. healthcare provider focused on home healthcare and hospice services.

Odyssey, based in Dallas, provides hospice services.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.

Gentiva had revenue of $1.15 billion in 2009. It had become a public company in 1999 after spinning off from Olsten Corp.