Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

2.    SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Use of Estimates.  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Principles of Consolidation.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and our wholly owned and majority-owned subsidiaries.  Investments for which we possess the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies, either through majority ownership or other means, are accounted for under the consolidation method.  Material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.  Investments in companies in which we maintain an ownership interest of 20% to 50% or exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for under the equity method.  The cost method is used where we maintain ownership interests of less than 20% and do not exercise significant influence over the investee.

Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) delivery has occurred or services have been performed, (iii) amounts are fixed or determinable and (iv) collectability of amounts is reasonably assured.

Service revenues from providing diagnostic tests are recognized when the testing process is complete and test results are reported to the ordering physician or clinic.  These diagnostic services are billed to various payors, including commercial insurance companies, healthcare institutions, government payors including Medicare and Medicaid, and individuals.  We report revenues from contracted payors based on a contractual rate, or in the case of Medicare and Medicaid, published fee schedules for our tests.  We report revenues from non-contracted payors based on the amount expected to be collected.  The difference between the amount billed and the amount expected to be collected from non-contracted payors is recorded as a contractual allowance to arrive at net recognized revenues.  The expected revenues from non-contracted payors are based on the historical collection experience of each payor or payor group, as appropriate.  In each reporting period, we review our historical collection experience for non-contracted payors and adjust our expected revenues for current and subsequent periods accordingly.  We also recognize additional revenue from actual cash payments that exceed amounts initially recognized, in the period the payments are received.  For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, net positive revenue adjustments were $202,000 and $221,000, respectively.  Because a substantial portion of our revenues is from non-contracted third-party payors, it is likely that we will be required to make adjustments to accounting estimates with respect to contractual allowances in the future, which may positively or adversely affect our results of operations.  In all cases described above, we report revenues net of any applicable statutory taxes collected from customers, as applicable.

Clinical trials support services revenue is recognized when the related support services have been delivered to and accepted by the customer.  Royalty revenue is recognized in the period when earned.

Cash and Cash Equivalents.  We consider all highly liquid, short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.

Fair Value Measurements.  We measure fair value as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants.  As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.  We utilize a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

●        Level 1: Observable market inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;

●        Level 2: Observable market inputs, other than the quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly; and

●        Level 3: Unobservable inputs where there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Concentration of Credit Risks.  Cash equivalents are invested in deposits with certain financial institutions and may, at times, exceed federally insured limits.  We have not experienced any significant losses on our deposits of cash and cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts.  Accounts receivable are stated at principal amounts and are primarily comprised of amounts contractually due from customers for products and services.  An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded for estimated uncollectible amounts due from various payor groups such as commercial insurance companies, healthcare institutions, government payors and individuals.  The process for estimating the allowance for doubtful accounts involves significant assumptions and judgments.  Specifically, the allowance for doubtful accounts is adjusted periodically and is principally based upon specific identification of past due or disputed accounts.  We also review the age of receivables by payor class to assess our allowance at each period end.  The payment realization cycle for certain governmental and commercial insurance payors can be lengthy, involving denial, appeal and adjudication processes, and is subject to periodic adjustments that may be significant.  Accounts receivable are periodically written off when identified as uncollectible and deducted from the allowance for doubtful accounts after appropriate collection efforts have been exhausted. Additions to the allowance for doubtful accounts are charged to bad debt expense as a component of general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.  Collection of governmental, private health insurer, and client receivables are generally a function of providing complete and correct billing information to the insurers and clients within the filing deadlines required by each payor.  Collection of receivables due from patients and clients is generally subject to increased credit risk due to credit-worthiness or inability to pay.

Derivative Financial Instruments.  We evaluate financial instruments for freestanding or embedded derivatives.  Derivative instruments that do not qualify for permanent equity classification are recorded as liabilities at fair value, with changes in value recognized as other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations in the period of change.  Derivative liabilities are categorized as either short-term or long-term based upon management’s estimates as to when the derivative instrument may be realized or based upon the holder’s ability to realize the instrument.

Stock-Based Compensation.  The compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense, on a straight-line basis, over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity award) which is generally three years.  The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option valuation model.  Stock-based compensation expense is recognized only for those awards that are expected to vest using an estimated forfeiture rate.  We estimate pre-vesting option forfeitures at the time of grant and reflect the impact of estimated pre-vesting option forfeitures in compensation expense recognized.  Stock-based compensation expense for all periods presented attributable to our functional expense categories were as follows (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Cost of services	$	1	$	3
Research and development		-		4
Sales and marketing		3		11
General and administrative		68		155
Total non-cash stock compensation	$	72	$	173

Net Loss Per Share. Basic and diluted net loss per share has been computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of common shares issued and outstanding during the periods presented. Options and warrants to purchase common stock as well as preferred stock convertible into shares of common stock are anti-dilutive and therefore are not included in the determination of the diluted net loss per share. The following table reflects the excluded dilutive securities:

	For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Common stock options		299,143		209,173
Common stock warrants		1,526,904		376,663
Series B preferred stock convertible into common stock		378,000		-
Excluded dilutive securities		2,204,047		585,836

Segments.  We have determined that we operate in one segment for financial reporting purposes.

Reclassifications.  Certain prior period amounts, including royalty revenues, have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.