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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Regulatory Matters Laws and regulations governing Medicare and Medicaid programs are complex and subject to review and interpretation. Compliance with such laws and regulations is evaluated regularly, the results of which can be subject to future governmental review and interpretation, and can include significant regulatory action including fines, penalties, and exclusion from certain governmental programs. Included in these laws and regulations is monitoring performed by the Office of Civil Rights which covers the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the terms of which require healthcare providers (among other things) to safeguard the privacy and security of certain patient protected health information.
Cost-Containment Measures Both government and private pay sources have instituted cost-containment measures designed to limit payments made to providers of healthcare services, and there can be no assurance that future measures designed to limit payments made to providers will not adversely affect the Company.
Indemnities From time to time, the Company enters into certain types of contracts that contingently require the Company to indemnify parties against third-party claims. These contracts primarily include (i) certain real estate leases, under which the Company may be required to indemnify property owners or prior facility operators for post-transfer environmental obligations or other liabilities and other claims arising from the Company’s use of the applicable premises, (ii) operations transfer agreements, in which the Company agrees to indemnify past operators of facilities the Company acquires against certain liabilities arising from the transfer of the operation and/or the operation thereof after the transfer to the Company's independent operating subsidiary, (iii) certain lending agreements, under which the Company may be required to indemnify the lender against various claims and liabilities, and (iv) certain agreements with the Company’s officers, directors and others, under which the Company may be required to indemnify such persons for liabilities arising out of the nature of their relationship to the Company. The terms of such obligations vary by contract and, in most instances, do not expressly state or include a specific or maximum dollar amount. Generally, amounts under these contracts cannot be reasonably estimated until a specific claim is asserted. Consequently, because no claims have been asserted, no liabilities have been recorded for these obligations on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets for any of the periods presented.

In connection with the spin-off transaction in 2019, certain landlords required, in exchange for their consent to the transaction, that the Company's lease guarantees remain in place for a certain period of time following the transaction. These guarantees could result in significant additional liabilities and obligations for the Company if Pennant were to default on their obligations under their leases with respect to these properties.

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Investigative DemandOn May 31, 2018, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the U.S. Department of Justice stating that it was investigating whether there had been a violation of the False Claims Act and/or the Anti-Kickback Statute with respect to relationships between certain of the Company’s independently operated skilled nursing facilities and persons who serve or have served as medical directors, advisory board participants or other potential referral sources. The CID covered the period from October 3, 2013 through 2018, and was limited in scope to ten of the Company’s Southern California independent operating entities. In October 2018, the Department of Justice made an additional request for information covering the period of January 1, 2011 through 2018, relating to the same topic. As a general matter, the Company’s independent operating entities have established and maintain policies and procedures to promote compliance with the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, and other applicable regulatory requirements. The Company fully cooperated with the U.S. Department of Justice and promptly responded to its requests for information; in April 2020, the Company was advised that the U.S. Department of Justice declined to intervene in any subsequent action filed by a relator in connection with the subject matter of this investigation.
U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee Request In 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis launched a nation-wide investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the impact of the coronavirus on residents and employees in nursing homes. In June 2020, the Company received a document and information request from the House Select Subcommittee in connection with its investigation. The Company has cooperated in responding to this inquiry. In July 2022 and thereafter, the Company received follow up requests for additional documents and information. The Company has responded to these requests, and continued to cooperate with the House Select Subcommittee in connection with its investigation. On December 9, 2022, the House Select Subcommittee issued its final report summarizing its investigation and related recommendations designed "to strengthen the nation's ability to prevent and respond to public health and economic emergencies." According to the information provided by the House Select Subcommittee, the issuance of this report was the House Select Subcommittee's final official act.
Litigation — The skilled nursing business involves a significant risk of liability given the age and health of the patients and residents served by the Company's independent operating subsidiaries. The Company, its independent operating subsidiaries, and others in the industry are subject to an increasing number of claims and lawsuits, including professional liability claims, alleging that services provided have resulted in personal injury, elder abuse, wrongful death or other related claims. In addition, the Company, its independent operating subsidiaries, and others in the industry are subject to claims and lawsuits in connection with COVID-19 and a facility's preparation for and/or response to COVID-19. The defense of these lawsuits may result in significant legal costs, regardless of the outcome, and can result in large settlement amounts or damage awards.
In addition to the potential lawsuits and claims described above, the Company and its independent operating subsidiaries are also subject to potential lawsuits under the Federal False Claims Act and comparable state laws alleging submission of fraudulent claims for services to any healthcare program (such as Medicare or Medicaid) or other payor. A violation may provide the basis for exclusion from Federally-funded healthcare programs. Such exclusions could have a correlative negative impact on the Company’s financial performance. Under the qui tam or "whistleblower" provisions of the False Claims Act, a private individual with knowledge of fraud or potential fraud may bring a claim on behalf of the Federal Government and receive a percentage of the Federal Government's recovery. Due to these whistleblower incentives, qui tam lawsuits have become more frequent. For example, and despite the decision of the U.S. Department of Justice to decline to participate in litigation based on the subject matter of its previously issued Civil Investigative Demand, the involved qui tam relator has continued on with the lawsuit and is pursuing claims that the Company and certain of its independent operating subsidiaries have allegedly violated the False Claims Act and/or the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS).
In addition to the Federal False Claims Act, some states, including California, Arizona and Texas, have enacted similar whistleblower and false claims laws and regulations. Further, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 created incentives for states to enact anti-fraud legislation modeled on the Federal False Claims Act. As such, the Company and its independent operating subsidiaries could face increased scrutiny, potential liability and legal expenses and costs based on claims under state false claims acts in markets in which its independent operating subsidiaries do business.
In May 2009, Congress passed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA) which made significant changes to the Federal False Claims Act and expanded the types of activities subject to prosecution and whistleblower liability. Following changes by FERA, health care providers face significant penalties for the knowing retention of government overpayments, even if no false claim was involved. Health care providers can now be liable for knowingly and improperly avoiding or decreasing an obligation to pay money or property to the government. This includes the retention of any government overpayment. The government can argue, therefore, that a Federal False Claims Act violation can occur without any affirmative fraudulent action or statement, as long as the action or statement is knowingly improper. In addition, FERA extended protections against retaliation for whistleblowers, including protections not only for employees, but also contractors and agents. Thus, an employment relationship is generally not required in order to qualify for protection against retaliation for whistleblowing.
Healthcare litigation (including class action litigation) is common and is filed based upon a wide variety of claims and theories, and the Company's independent operating subsidiaries are routinely subjected to varying types of claims, including class action "staffing" suits where the allegation is understaffing at the facility level. These class-action “staffing” suits have the potential to result in large jury verdicts and settlements, and may result in significant legal costs. The Company expects the plaintiffs' bar to continue to be aggressive in their pursuit of these staffing and similar claims. While the Company has been able to settle these claims without an ongoing material adverse effect on its business, future claims could be brought that may materially affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.
Other claims and suits, including class actions, continue to be filed against the Company and other companies in its industry. The Company and its independent operating subsidiaries have been subjected to, and are currently involved in, class action litigation alleging violations (alone or in combination) of state and federal wage and hour laws as related to the alleged failure to pay wages, to timely provide and authorize meal and rest breaks, and related causes of action. The Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these actions will have an ongoing material adverse effect on the Company’s business, cash flows, financial condition or results of operations.
The Company and its independent operating subsidiaries have been, and continue to be, subject to claims, findings and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of the various businesses, including healthcare and non-healthcare services. These claims include, but are not limited to, potential claims filed by residents, customers, patients and responsible parties related to patient care and treatment (professional negligence claims); to non-care based activities of certain of the subsidiaries; and to employment related claims filed by current or former employees. A significant increase in the number of these claims, or an increase in the amounts owing should plaintiffs be successful in their prosecution of these claims, could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, these claims could impact the Company's ability to procure insurance to cover its exposure related to the various services provided by its independent operating subsidiaries to their residents, customers and patients.
The Company and its independent subsidiaries are also subject to requests for information and investigations by other State and Federal governmental entities (e.g., offices of the attorney general and offices of the inspector general). The Company cannot predict or provide any assurance as to the possible outcome of any inquiry, investigation or litigation. If any such inquiry, investigation or litigation were to proceed, and the Company and its independent operating subsidiaries are subjected to, alleged to be liable for, or agree to a settlement of, claims or obligations under Federal Medicare statutes, the Federal False Claims Act, or similar state and federal statutes and related regulations, or if the Company or its independent operating subsidiaries are alleged or found to be liable on theories of general or professional negligence or wage and hour violations, the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected and its stock price could be adversely impacted. Among other things, any settlement or litigation could involve the payment of substantial sums to settle any alleged violations, and may also include the assumption of specific procedural and financial obligations by the Company or its independent operating subsidiaries under a corporate integrity agreement and/or other such arrangement.
Medicare Revenue Recoupments The Company's independent operating entities are subject to regulatory reviews relating to the provision of Medicare services, billings and potential overpayments as a result of Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC), Program Safeguard Contractors, and Medicaid Integrity Contractors programs (collectively referred to as Reviews). For several months during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suspended its Targeted Probe and Educate Program. Beginning in August 2020, CMS resumed Targeted Probe and Educate Program activity. If an operation fails a Review and/or subsequent Reviews, the operation could then be subject to extended review or an extrapolation of the identified error rate to billings in the same time period. The Company anticipates that these Reviews could increase in frequency in the future. As of December 31, 2022 and since, 34 of the Company's independent operating subsidiaries had Reviews scheduled, on appeal, or in a dispute resolution process.
Concentrations
Credit Risk — The Company has significant accounts receivable balances, the collectability of which is dependent on the availability of funds from certain governmental programs, primarily Medicare and Medicaid. These receivables represent the only significant concentration of credit risk for the Company. The Company does not believe there are significant credit risks associated with these governmental programs. The Company believes that an appropriate allowance has been recorded for the possibility of these receivables proving uncollectible, and continually monitors and adjusts these allowances as necessary. The Company’s receivables from Medicare and Medicaid payor programs accounted for 56.3% and 54.0% of its total accounts receivable as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Revenue from reimbursement under the Medicare and Medicaid programs accounted for 73.7%, 73.6% and 74.5% of the Company's revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Cash in Excess of FDIC Limits — The Company currently has bank deposits with financial institutions in the U.S. that exceed FDIC insurance limits. FDIC insurance provides protection for bank deposits up to $250. In addition, the Company has uninsured bank deposits with a financial institution outside the U.S. As of January 30, 2023, the Company's uninsured cash deposits are not material. All uninsured bank deposits are held at high quality credit institutions.