Litigation |
3 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Mar. 31, 2026 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Litigation | 7. Litigation The Company has been and is currently involved in litigation and claims incidental to the conduct of its business, which it believes are generally comparable to other companies in the senior living and healthcare industries. In addition, the Company has been and currently is involved in putative class action litigation regarding staffing at the Company's communities and compliance with consumer protection laws and the Americans with Disabilities Act (and similar state laws). Certain claims and lawsuits allege large damage amounts, seek injunctive relief, and may require (and have required) significant costs to defend and resolve. The Company took a charge for this litigation of $7.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, representing its estimate of the Company’s ultimate cost to resolve such litigation, net of estimated probable insurance recoveries. The final outcome of the pending class action litigation is dependent on many factors that are difficult to predict. Accordingly the Company’s ultimate cost related to these matters may be materially different than the amount of the Company’s current estimate and accruals. The Company continues to vigorously defend against the pending putative class action litigation. The Company maintains general liability, professional liability, excess liability, and other insurance policies in amounts and with coverage and deductibles the Company believes are appropriate, based on the nature and risks of its business, historical experience, availability, and industry standards. The Company's current policies provide for deductibles for each claim and contain various exclusions from coverage. The Company uses its wholly-owned captive insurance company for the purpose of insuring certain portions of its risk retention under its general and professional liability insurance programs. Accordingly, the Company is, in effect, self-insured for claims that are less than the deductible amounts, for claims that exceed the funding level of the Company's wholly-owned captive insurance company, and for claims or portions of claims that are not covered by such policies and/or exceed the policy limits. The senior living and healthcare industries are continuously subject to scrutiny by governmental regulators, which could result in reviews, audits, investigations, enforcement actions, or litigation related to regulatory compliance matters. In addition, the Company is subject to various government reviews, audits, and investigations to verify compliance with Medicare and Medicaid programs and other applicable laws and regulations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") has engaged third-party firms to review claims data to evaluate appropriateness of billings. In addition to identifying overpayments, audit contractors can refer suspected violations to government authorities. In addition, states' Attorneys General vigorously enforce consumer protection laws as those laws relate to the senior living industry. An adverse outcome of government scrutiny may result in citations, sanctions, other criminal or civil fines and penalties, the refund of overpayments, payment suspensions, termination of participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs, and damage to the Company's business reputation. The Company's costs to respond to and defend any such audits, reviews, and investigations may be significant.
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