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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Regulatory Matters
Laws and regulations governing the Medicare program and healthcare generally are complex and subject to interpretation. The Company believes that it is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and is not aware of any pending or threatened investigations involving allegations of potential wrongdoing. While no regulatory inquiries have been made, 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 exclusion from the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs.
As risk-bearing organizations, APC, Alpha Care and Accountable Health Care are required to comply with California DMHC regulations, including maintenance of minimum working capital, tangible net equity (“TNE”), cash-to-claims ratio and claims payment requirements prescribed by the California DMHC. TNE is defined as net equity less intangibles, less non-allowable assets (which include unsecured amounts due from affiliates), plus subordinated obligations.
Many of the Company’s payor and provider contracts are complex in nature and may be subject to differing interpretations regarding amounts due for the provision of medical services. Such differing interpretations may not come to light until a substantial period of time has passed following contract implementation. Liabilities for claims disputes are recorded when the loss is probable and can be estimated. Any adjustments to reserves are reflected in current operations.
Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) has made significant changes to the United States health care system. The legislation impacted multiple aspects of the health care system, including many provisions that change payments from Medicare, Medicaid and insurance companies. Under this legislation, 33 states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover previously uninsured childless adults, and four additional states voted in 2018 to expand Medicaid or to elect a governor that pledged to expand Medicaid.  In addition, many uninsured individuals have had the opportunity to purchase health insurance via state-based marketplaces, state-based marketplaces using a federal platform, state-partnership marketplaces or the federally-facilitated marketplace. PPACA also implemented a number of health insurance market reforms, such as allowing children to remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26 or prohibiting certain plans from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Nationally, these reforms have reduced the number of uninsured individuals.
It is unclear what changes may be made to PPACA with the divided Congress, current presidential administration, and pending litigation over the validity of PPACA. The Administration has promulgated rules to broaden the availability of coverage options that do not comply with the full range of PPACA requirements for individual market coverage, namely Association Health Plans and Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance.  The Administration has also provided additional guidance on state PPACA waivers.  These executive actions have been or may be challenged in court.  In addition, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”), passed in December 2017, eliminates the individual mandate penalty under PPACA, effective January 1, 2019.  The individual mandate penalty was included in PPACA to address concerns that other market reforms expanding access to coverage might produce adverse selection and higher premiums. The extent to which the repeal of the individual mandate penalty will impact the uninsured rate and 2019 premiums is unclear at this juncture. On December 14, 2018, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the individual mandate without the penalty is unconstitutional and that PPACA is therefore invalid in its entirety.  Litigation on this issue is ongoing, with the administration indicating it will continue implementing PPACA pending any appeals, the court ordering expedited briefing on a potential stay and certification of an interlocutory appeal, and pending litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland to ensure continued implementation of PPACA.  This litigation along with any future legislative changes to PPACA or other federal and state legislation could have a material impact on the operations of the Company. The Company is continuing to monitor the legislative environment and developments in pending litigation for risks and uncertainties.
Standby Letters of Credit
As part of the APAACO participation with CMS, the Company must provide a financial guarantee to CMS, the guarantee generally must be in an amount equal to 2% of the Company's benchmark Medicare Part A and Part B expenditures. The Company has established an irrevocable standby letter of credit with Preferred Bank of $14.8 million for the 2018 and 2019 performance years (see Note 9).
APC established irrevocable standby letters of credit with a financial institution for a total of $0.3 million for the benefit of certain health plans. The standby letters of credit are automatically extended without amendment for additional one-year periods from the present or any future expiration date, unless notified by the institution in advance of the expiration date that the letter will be terminated (see Note 9).
Alpha Care established irrevocable standby letters of credit with a financial institution for a total of $3.8 million for the benefit of certain health plans. The standby letters of credit are automatically extended without amendment for additional one-year periods from the present or any future expiration date, unless notified by the institution in advance of the expiration date that the letter will be terminated. (see Note 9).
Litigation
From time to time, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings and other matters arising in the normal course of its business. The resolution of any claim or litigation is subject to inherent uncertainty and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, cash flows or results of operations.
Prospect Medical Systems
On or about March 23, 2018 and April 3, 2018, a Demand for Arbitration and an Amended Demand for Arbitration were filed by Prospect Medical Group, Inc. and Prospect Medical Systems, Inc. (collectively, “Prospect”) against MMG, ApolloMed and AMM with Judicial Arbitration Mediation Services in California, arising out of MMG’s purported business plans, seeking damages in excess of $5.0 million, and alleging breach of contract, violation of unfair competition laws, and tortious interference with Prospect’s current and future economic relationships with its health plans and their members. MMG, ApolloMed and AMM dispute the allegations and intend to vigorously defend against this matter. The resolution of this matter and any potential range of loss in excess of any current accrual cannot be reasonably determined or estimated at this time primarily because the matter has not been fully arbitrated and presents unique regulatory and contractual interpretation issues.
Liability Insurance
The Company believes that its insurance coverage is appropriate based upon the Company’s claims experience and the nature and risks of the Company’s business. In addition to the known incidents that have resulted in the assertion of claims, the Company cannot be certain that its insurance coverage will be adequate to cover liabilities arising out of claims asserted against the Company, the Company’s affiliated professional organizations or the Company’s affiliated hospitalists in the future where the outcomes of such claims are unfavorable. The Company believes that the ultimate resolution of all pending claims, including liabilities in excess of the Company’s insurance coverage, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows; however, there can be no assurance that future claims will not have such a material adverse effect on the Company’s business. Contracted physicians are required to obtain their own insurance coverage.
Although the Company currently maintains liability insurance policies on a claims-made basis, which are intended to cover malpractice liability and certain other claims, the coverage must be renewed annually, and may not continue to be available to the Company in future years at acceptable costs, and on favorable terms.