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Note 16 - Contingencies, Commitments and Other Matters
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 16 Contingencies, Commitments and Other Matters

 

National Health Investors, Inc. Lease

 

As discussed in Note 7 - Long-Term Leases, our wholly-owned subsidiary, NHC/OP, L.P. ("the tenant"), is the tenant under a Master Agreement to Lease with NHI dated October 17, 1991, as amended (the "Master Lease"), for 32 skilled nursing facilities and three independent living centers (collectively, the "Leased Property"). On July 29, 2025, the Tenant received a letter from NHI notifying the Tenant of allegations it was not in compliance with four non-monetary provisions of the Master Lease and requesting compliance by August 29, 2025.

 

The Tenant's legal counsel sent NHI's legal counsel a letter dated August 15, 2025 stating the Tenant's belief that the Tenant was in compliance with the Master Lease and requesting clarifying information so that it could expeditiously and adequately address any alleged potential non-compliance with the Master Lease.

 

NHI’s counsel’s first substantive response to the August 15, 2025 letter was a letter dated September 8, 2025 formally alleging the Tenant is in default under the Master Lease as a result of the Tenant’s non-compliance with the same four non-monetary provisions of the Master Lease, stating that the cure period under the Master Lease (discussed below) was commencing, and stating that failure to cure the alleged defaults within thirty (30) days would result in an “Event of Default” under the Master Lease, entitling the Landlord to pursue any and all remedies under the Master Lease. The September 8, 2025 letter also included limited clarification on the allegations made in the July 29, 2025 letter.

 

Under the Master Lease, an “Event of Default” occurs with respect to the areas of alleged non-monetary non-compliance, if such non-compliance continues for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice is given to the Tenant by NHI; or, if by reason of the nature of such non-compliance, it cannot be remedied within thirty (30) days, the Tenant fails to proceed with reasonable diligence (satisfactory to NHI) after receipt of the notice to cure the alleged non-compliance.

 

The Tenant continues to dispute that the alleged areas of non-monetary non-compliance represent a default under the Master Lease and believes that any areas that do represent non-compliance are subject only to the obligation to proceed with reasonable diligence to cure the alleged non-compliance, and that the Tenant has so proceeded. The Tenant continues to review the allegations and has been and intends to continue to remain in communication with NHI and NHI’s counsel concerning NHI’s allegations.

 

Prior to the Landlord’s initial July 29, 2025 letter, the Tenant began negotiations with the Landlord concerning the Master Lease and intends to continue these negotiations while addressing the non-monetary matters alleged in the September 8, 2025 letter. Any termination of the Master Lease that deprives the Tenant of the benefit of the continuing right to occupy the Leased Property through the renewal terms of the Master Lease could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position.  Based on our present knowledge of the facts, we do not believe a material loss is probable. 

 

Accrued Risk Reserves

 

We have wholly–owned limited purpose insurance companies that insure risks related to workers’ compensation and general and professional liability insurance claims both for our owned and leased entities and certain of the entities to which we provide management or accounting services. The liability we have recognized for reported claims and estimates for incurred but unreported claims totals $114,032,000 and $103,616,000 at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The liability is included in accrued risk reserves in the interim condensed consolidated balance sheets and is subject to adjustment for actual claims incurred. It is possible that these claims plus unasserted claims could exceed our insurance coverages and our reserves, which could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

 

As a result of the terms of our insurance policies and our use of wholly owned limited purpose insurance companies, we have retained significant insurance risk with respect to workers’ compensation and general and professional liability. We consider the professional services of independent actuaries to assist us in estimating our exposures for claims obligations (for both asserted and unasserted claims) related to deductibles and exposures in excess of coverage limits, and we maintain reserves for these obligations. Such estimates are based on many variables including historical and statistical information and other factors.

 

Workers Compensation

 

For workers’ compensation, we utilize a wholly–owned Tennessee domiciled property/casualty insurance company to write coverage for NHC affiliates and for third–party customers. Policies are written for a duration of twelve months and cover only risks related to workers’ compensation losses. All customers are companies which operate in the senior care industry. Business is written on a direct basis. 

 

General and Professional Liability Insurance and Lawsuits

 

The senior care industry has experienced significant increases in both the number of personal injury/wrongful death claims and in the severity of awards based upon alleged negligence by skilled nursing facilities and their employees in providing care to residents. The Company has been, and continues to be, subject to claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business, including potential claims related to patient care and treatment. 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. Additional insurance is purchased through third party providers that serve to supplement the coverage provided through our wholly owned captive insurance company.

 

There is certain additional litigation incidental to our business, none of which, based upon information available to date, would be material to our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In addition, the long–term care industry is continuously subject to scrutiny by governmental regulators, which could result in litigation or claims related to regulatory compliance matters.

 

Civil Investigative Demand / Qui Tam Complaint

 

On or about May 21, 2024, Caris Healthcare, L.P. (“Caris”) received a Civil Investigative Demand (“CID”) from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The CID requested the production of certain medical records for patients at Caris’ Nashville office and other documents related to the billing for hospice services for the period of January 1, 2019, through the date of the CID. The Company cooperated with respect to the requests.

 

On June 23, 2025, a Notice of Election to Decline Intervention (the “Notice of Declination”) was filed by the United States of America, the State of Tennessee, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the State of Georgia, in a case styled U.S. ex rel. Marshall v. Caris HealthCare, L.P., Case No. 3:23-CV-00330, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee (the “Qui Tam Case”).  Subsequent to the Notice of Declination filing, an underlying qui tam complaint, originally filed on September 12, 2023, was unsealed.  Following the Notice of Declination, the relators filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal on September 25, 2025, which concluded the matter.    

 

 

Governmental Regulations

 

Laws and regulations governing Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs are complex and subject to interpretation. Management believes that it is following all applicable laws and regulations in all material respects. However, compliance with such laws and regulations can be subject to future government review and interpretation as well as significant regulatory action including fines, penalties, and exclusions from the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.

 

Indemnities

 

From time to time, the Company enters into certain types of contracts that contingently require it 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 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 against certain liabilities arising from the transfer of the operation and/or the operation thereof after the transfer to the Company or its subsidiary, (iii) certain lending agreements, under which the Company may be required to indemnify the lender against various claims and liabilities, (iv) certain agreements by and between the Company and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates, and (v) certain agreements with the Company 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 and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates. 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.