Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.20.2
Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is generally diversified due to the large number of patients comprising the client base. Generally, the Company does not require collateral or other security to support customer receivables. However, the Company continually monitors its accounts receivable and establishes an allowance for uncollectible accounts and as a consequence, believes that its accounts receivable credit risk exposure beyond such allowance is not material to the financial statements.

 

A number of proposals for legislation continue to be under discussion which could substantially reduce Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) reimbursements to hospitals. Depending upon the nature of regulatory action, and the content of legislation, the Company could experience a significant decrease in revenues from Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company is unable to predict, however, the extent to which such actions will be taken.

 

The Company maintains its cash balances in high credit quality financial institutions. The Company’s cash balances may, at times, exceed the deposit insurance limits provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

 

Legal Matters

 

From time-to-time, the Company may be involved in a variety of claims, lawsuits, investigations and proceedings related to contractual disputes, employment matters, regulatory and compliance matters, intellectual property rights and other litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company operates in a highly regulated industry which may inherently lend itself to legal matters. Management is aware that litigation has associated costs and that results of adverse litigation verdicts could have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. The Company’s policy is to expense legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with the legal proceedings in the period in which the expense is incurred. Management, in consultation with legal counsel, has addressed known assertions and predicted unasserted claims below.

 

Biohealth Medical Laboratory, Inc. and PB Laboratories, LLC (the “Companies”) filed suit against CIGNA Health in 2015 alleging that CIGNA failed to pay claims for laboratory services the Companies provided to patients pursuant to CIGNA - issued and CIGNA - administered plans. In 2016, the U.S. District Court dismissed part of the Companies’ claims for lack of standing. The Companies appealed that decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which in late 2017 reversed the District Court’s decision and found that the Companies have standing to raise claims arising out of traditional insurance plans as well as self-funded plans. In July 2019, the Companies and EPIC Reference Labs, Inc. filed suit against CIGNA Health for failure to pay claims for laboratory services provided. Cigna Health, in turn, sued for improper billing practices. CIGNA’s case was dismissed on June 22, 2020; the Company’s case remains in the early stages.

 

The Company’s Epinex Diagnostics Laboratories, Inc. subsidiary was sued in a California state court by two former employees who alleged that they were wrongfully terminated, as well as for a variety of unpaid wage claims. The parties entered into a settlement agreement of this matter on July 29, 2016 for approximately $0.2 million, and the settlement was consummated on August 25, 2016. In October of 2016, the plaintiffs in this matter filed a motion with the court seeking payment for attorneys’ fees in the approximate amount of $0.7 million. On March 24, 2017, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for payment of attorneys’ fees in the amount of $0.3 million, and the Company accrued this amount in its consolidated financial statements.

 

In February 2016, the Company received notice that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) placed a lien against Medytox Solutions, Inc. and its subsidiaries relating to unpaid 2014 taxes due, plus penalties and interest, in the amount of $5.0 million. The Company paid $0.1 million toward its 2014 tax liability in March 2016. The Company filed its 2015 Federal tax return on March 15, 2016 and the accompanying election to carryback the reported net operating losses was filed in April 2016. On August 24, 2016, the lien was released, and in September of 2016 the Company received a refund from the IRS in the amount of $1.9 million. In November of 2016, the IRS commenced an audit of the Company’s 2015 Federal tax return. Based upon the audit results, the Company made provisions of approximately $1.0 million as a liability and $0.6 million as a receivable in its financial statements. The Company received the $0.6 million refund receivable during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020. The $1.0 million liability is still outstanding. The Company is also due a refund as a result of the five-year carryback privilege for federal net operating tax losses per the CARES Act, which is more fully discussed in Note 4.

 

On September 27, 2016, a tax warrant was issued against the Company by the Florida Department of Revenue (the “DOR”) for unpaid 2014 state income taxes in the approximate amount of $0.9 million, including penalties and interest. The Company entered into a Stipulation Agreement with the DOR allowing the Company to make monthly installments until July 2019. The Company has made payments to reduce the amount owed. The Company intends to renegotiate another Stipulation agreement. However, there can be no assurance the Company will be successful. The balance accrued of approximately $0.4 million remained outstanding to the DOR at September 30, 2020.

 

In December of 2016, TCS-Florida, L.P. (“Tetra”), filed suit against the Company for failure to make the required payment under an equipment leasing contract that the Company had with Tetra and received a judgment against the Company. In May 2018, Tetra and the Company agreed to dispose of certain equipment and the proceeds from the sale were applied to the outstanding balance. In July 2020, the Company entered into a settlement with Tetra and paid $100,000 as full and final settlement of all liability to Tetra. As a result of the settlement, the Company recorded a gain on settlement of approximately $0.9 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

 

In December of 2016, DeLage Landen Financial Services, Inc. (“DeLage”), filed suit against the Company for failure to make the required payments under an equipment leasing contract that the Company had with DeLage (see Note 10). On January 24, 2017, DeLage received a default judgment against the Company in the approximate amount of $1.0 million, representing the balance owed on the lease, as well as additional interest, penalties and fees. The Company recognized this amount in its consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2016. On February 8, 2017, a Stay of Execution was filed and under its terms the balance due was to be paid in variable monthly installments through January of 2019, with an implicit interest rate of 4.97%. The Company and DeLage have now disposed of certain equipment and reduced the balance owed to DeLage. A balance of approximately $0.2 million remained outstanding at September 30, 2020.

 

On December 7, 2016, the holders of the Tegal Notes (see Note 7) filed suit against the Company seeking payment for the amounts due under the notes in the aggregate of the principal of $341,612, and accrued interest of $43,000. A request for entry of default judgment was filed on January 24, 2017. On April 23, 2018, the holders of the Tegal Notes received a judgment against the Company. As of September 30, 2020, the Company has repaid $44,544 of these notes.

 

Two former employees of the Company’s CollabRx, Inc. subsidiary filed suits in a California state court in connection with amounts claimed to be owed under their respective employment agreements with the subsidiary. One former employee received a judgment in October 2018 for approximately $253,000. The other former employee received a judgment in December 2018 for approximately $173,000. While the Company has accrued these amounts claimed, it is considering its options to refute these matters and believes the claims against the Company to be frivolous and outside of entitlement and contractual agreements.

 

The Company, as well as many of our subsidiaries, are defendants in a case filed in Broward County Circuit Court by TCA Global Credit Master Fund, L.P. The plaintiff alleges a breach by Medytox Solutions, Inc. of its obligations under a debenture and claims damages of approximately $2,030,000 plus interest, costs and fees. The Company and the other subsidiaries are sued as alleged guarantors of the debenture. The complaint was filed on August 1, 2018. The Company has recorded the principal balance and interest owed under the debenture agreement for the period ended September 30, 2020 (see Note 7). The Company and all defendants have filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, but have not recorded any potential liability related to any further damages. In May 2020, the SEC appointed a Receiver to close down the TCA Global Credit Master Fund, LP over allegations of accounting fraud. The amount recorded by the Company as being owed to TCA was based on TCA’s application of prior payments made by the Company. The Company believes that prior payments of principal and interest may have been applied to unenforceable investment banking and other fees and charges. It is the Company’s position that the amount owed to TCA is less than what is set forth in Note 7 above.

 

On September 13, 2018, Laboratory Corporation of America sued EPIC Reference Labs, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, in Palm Beach County Circuit Court for amounts claimed to be owed. The court awarded a judgment against EPIC Reference Labs, Inc. in May 2019 for approximately $155,000. The Company has recorded the amount owed as a liability as of September 30, 2020.

 

In July 2019, Roche Diagnostics Corporation sued EPIC Reference Labs, Inc. in the Circuit Court for Palm Beach County claiming approximately $240,000 under an agreement to lease equipment and purchase supplies. The amount of the settlement in this case of $110,000 was accrued in 2019 and paid in full during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

 

In August 2019, EPIC Reference Labs, Inc., Medytox Diagnostics, Inc. and Medytox Solutions, Inc. were sued by Beckman Coulter, Inc. in the same court under an agreement to purchase laboratory supplies. The plaintiff claims damages of approximately $124,000. The Company has disputed the amount owed, and has entered settlement discussions to settle the matter, but has recorded this liability as of September 30, 2020.

 

In July 2019, the landlord of Medytox Solutions, Inc. received a judgment in the amount of approximately $413,000 in connection with failure to pay under an office lease in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Company reached a settlement in May 2020 to resolve the judgment in the amount of $300,000, which is being paid under a payment plan.

 

In February 2020, Anthony O. Killough sued the Company and Mr. Diamantis, as guarantor, in New York State Court for the County of New York, for approximately $2.0 million relating to the promissory note issued by the Company in September 2019. In May 2020, the parties entered into a Stipulation providing for a payment of a total of $2,158,168 (which includes accrued interest) in installments through November 1, 2020. (See Note 7).

 

Following the Company’s decision to suspend operations at Jamestown Regional Medical Center in June 2019 a number of vendors remain unpaid. A number have initiated or threatened legal actions. The Company believes it will come to satisfactory arrangements with these parties as it works toward reopening the hospital. The Company has taken steps to re-enter the Medicare program and is currently planning the reopening of the hospital. Plans and timing have been disrupted by the current pandemic.

 

Two employees of Jamestown Regional Medical Center have filed suit alleging violations of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (“WARN”). This case is in the early stages.

 

In June 2019, CHSPSC, the former owners of Jamestown Regional Medical Center, obtained a judgment against the Company in the amount of $592,650. The Company believes that a number of insurance payments were made to CHSPCS after the change of ownership and will likely offset the majority of the claim made by CHSPCS.

 

In August 2019, Morrison Management Specialists, Inc. obtained a judgment against Jamestown Regional Medical Center and the Company in Fentress County, Tennessee in the amount of $194,455 in connection with housekeeping and dietary services. The Company has recorded this liability as of September 30, 2020.

 

In November 2019, Newstat, PLLC obtained a judgment against Big South Fork Medical Center in Knox County, Tennessee in the amount of $190,600 in connection with the provision of medical services. The Company has recorded this liability as of September 30, 2020.