Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Net Revenue

The calculation of appropriate payments from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as terms governing agreements with other third-party payors, is complex and subject to interpretation. Final determination of amounts earned under the Medicare and Medicaid programs often occurs subsequent to the year in which services are rendered because of audits by the programs, rights of appeal and the application of numerous technical provisions. In the opinion of management, adequate provision has been made for adjustments that may result from such routine audits and appeals.

Professional, General and Workers’ Compensation Liability Risks

The Company is subject to claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of business, including but not limited to claims relating to patient treatment and personal injuries. To cover these types of claims, the Company maintains professional and general liability insurance in excess of self-insured retentions through a commercial insurance carrier in amounts that the Company believes to be sufficient for its operations, although, potentially, some claims may exceed the scope of coverage in effect. Plaintiffs in these matters may request punitive or other damages that may not be covered by insurance. The Company is currently not a party to any such proceedings that, in the Company’s opinion, would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations. The Company expenses an estimate of the costs it expects to incur under the self-insured retention exposure for professional and general liability claims using historical claims data, demographic factors, severity factors, current incident logs and other actuarial analysis. At March 31, 2012 and September 30, 2011, the Company’s professional and general liability accrual for asserted and unasserted claims totaled $72.6 million and $60.1 million, respectively.

The Company is subject to claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of business relative to workers’ compensation matters. To cover these types of claims, the Company maintains workers’ compensation insurance coverage with a self-insured retention. The Company accrues the costs of workers’ compensation claims based upon estimates derived from its claims experience.

Health Choice

Health Choice has entered into capitated contracts whereby the Plan provides managed healthcare services in exchange for fixed periodic and supplemental payments from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”) and CMS. These services are provided regardless of the actual costs incurred to provide these services. The Company receives reinsurance and other supplemental payments from AHCCCS to cover certain costs of healthcare services that exceed certain thresholds. The Company believes that current capitated payments received, together with reinsurance and other supplemental payments, are sufficient to pay for the services Health Choice is obligated to deliver. As of March 31, 2012, the Company has provided a performance guaranty in the form of letters of credit totaling $48.3 million for the benefit of AHCCCS to support Health Choice’s obligations under its contract to provide and pay for the healthcare services. The amount of the performance guaranty is generally based, in part, upon the membership in the Plan and the related capitation revenue paid to Health Choice.

Acquisitions

The Company has acquired and in the future may choose to acquire businesses with prior operating histories. Such businesses may have unknown or contingent liabilities, including liabilities for failure to comply with healthcare laws and regulations, such as billing and reimbursement, fraud and abuse and similar anti-referral laws. Although the Company has procedures designed to conform business practices to its policies following the completion of any acquisition, there can be no assurance that the Company will not become liable for previous activities of prior owners that may later be asserted to be improper by private plaintiffs or government agencies. Although the Company generally seeks to obtain indemnification from prospective sellers covering such matters, there can be no assurance that any such matter will be covered by indemnification, or if covered, that such indemnification will be adequate to cover potential losses and fines.

Other

In November 2010, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) sent a letter to IAS, the parent company of IASIS, requesting a 12-month tolling agreement in connection with an investigation into Medicare claims submitted by the Company’s hospitals in connection with the implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (“ICDs”) during the period 2003 to the present. At that time, neither the precise number of procedures, number of claims, nor the hospitals involved were identified by the DOJ. The Company understands that the government is conducting a national initiative with respect to ICD procedures involving a number of healthcare providers and is seeking information in order to determine if ICD implantation procedures were performed in accordance with Medicare coverage requirements. On January 11, 2011, IAS entered into the tolling agreement with the DOJ and, subsequently, the DOJ has provided IAS with a list of 194 procedures involving ICDs at 14 hospitals which are the subject of further medical necessity review by the DOJ. IAS is cooperating fully with the government and, to date, the DOJ has not asserted any claim against the Company’s hospitals. In October 2011, the government proposed, and IAS agreed, to extend the tolling agreement for one year.