Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This annual report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements reflect current views about future events and are based on our currently available financial, economic and competitive data and on current business plans. Actual events or results may differ materially depending on risks and uncertainties that may affect our operations, markets, services, prices and other factors.
Statements in this annual report concerning our ability to successfully acquire and integrate new operations, to grow our contract management business, our financial guidance, our future cost saving efforts, our increased business from new equipment or operations, inclusive of their anticipated benefits, and our ability to finance our operations are forward-looking statements. In some cases, youForward-looking statements can identify forward-looking statementsgenerally be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “assumption” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.Forward looking statements in this annual report include statements or inferences we make about:
•anticipated trends in our revenues, operating expenses or capital expenditures, and our financial guidance;
•expected future market acceptance for our products or services, and our competitive strengths in the markets we serve;
•potential timing and impact of changes in regulations impacting our business;
•the ongoing impact on our business, suppliers, payors, customers, referral sources, partners, patients and employees of the COVID-19 pandemic;
•the anticipated effect of the measures we are taking to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic;
•our ability to successfully acquire and integrate new imaging operations; and
•economic and costs savings anticipated to be derived from our investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning products and solutions.
Forward-looking statements involveare neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance.Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may causeare difficult to predict and out of our control.Our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements tomay be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risksImportant factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied in our forward-looking statements include those factors listed in Item 1 — “Business,” Item 1A— “Risk Factors,” Item 3— “Legal Proceedings,” Item 7 — “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this annual report and in other reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Any forward-looking statement in this annual report is based on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date of this report.We do not undertake any responsibility to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this annual report or any unanticipated events which may cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this annual report, except to the extent required by law.
PART I
Business Overview
We are a leading national provider of freestanding, fixed-site outpatient diagnostic imaging services in the United States based on number of locations and annual imaging revenue. Werevenue and have been in business since 1985 and incorporated in Delaware in 2008.1985. At December 31, 2019,2021, we operated directly or indirectly through joint ventures with hospitals, 335347 centers located in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Our centers provide physicians with imaging capabilities to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders and may reduce unnecessary invasive procedures, often reducing the cost and amount of care for patients. Our services include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear medicine, mammography, ultrasound, diagnostic radiology (X-ray), fluoroscopy and other related procedures. The vast majority of our centers offer multi-modality imaging services, a key point of differentiation from our competitors. Our multi-modality strategy diversifies revenue streams, reduces exposure to reimbursement changes and provides patients and referring physicians one location to serve the needs of multiple procedures.
We seek to develop leading positions in regional markets in order to leverage operational efficiencies. We develop our medical imaging business through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Our scale and density within selected geographies provide close, long-term relationships with key payors, radiology groups and referring physicians. Each of our center-level and regional operations teams is responsible for managing relationships with local physicians and payors, meeting our standards of patient service, and maintaining profitability. We provide training programs, standardized policies and procedures, and sharing of best practices among the physicians in our regional networks.
In addition, to our imaging services, we own and operatehave a number of technology businesses that are complementary tosoftware division which complements our imaging business. OurThrough our subsidiary eRAD, Inc., develops and sellswe sell computerized systems for the diagnostic imaging industry, which provide the technology tothat distribute, display, store and retrieve digital images. Our subsidiary Imaging On Call LLC, currently provides teleradiology services for remoteWe have also established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) division, with the contributions from our acquisitions of Nulogix and DeepHealth plus our investment in Whiterabbit.ai, which develop and deploy AI suites to enhance radiologist interpretation of images on behalfinitially in the field of hospitalsmammography.Early in 2022, after the period covered by this annual report, we expanded the division by the acquisition of two companies in the Netherlands, Aidence Holding B.V. and hospital-based radiology groups. In 2019, we increased our efforts in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by acquiring the remaining 75%Quantib B.V. that we did not already own in Nulogix, Inc.are developing AI solutions initially targeted for lung and made an investment in Whiterabbit.ai to use AI and other technologies to create new solutions for breast cancer imaging.prostate cancer.
Available Information
All reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available free of charge via EDGAR through the SEC website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at www.radnet.comwhere we make available, free of charge, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports as soon as is reasonably practicable after the material is electronically filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. References to our website in this report are provided as a convenience and the information contained on, or otherwise accessible through, the website is not incorporated by reference into, nor does it form a part of this annual report on Form 10-K or any other document that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Industry Overview
Diagnostic imaging involves the use of non-invasive procedures to generate representations of internal anatomy and function that can be recorded on film or digitized for display on a video monitor. Diagnostic imaging procedures facilitate the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders and may reduce unnecessary invasive procedures, often minimizing the cost and amount of care for patients. Diagnostic imaging procedures include MRI, CT, PET, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, mammography, X-ray and fluoroscopy.
While X-ray remains the most commonly performed diagnostic imaging procedure, the fastest growing and higher margin procedures are MRI, CT and PET. The rapid growth in PET scans is attributable to the increasing recognition of the efficacy of PET scans in the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. The number of MRI and CT scans performed annually in the United States continues to grow due to their wider acceptance by physicians and payors, an increasing number of applications for their use and a general increase in demand due to the aging population.
Although currently small in scope, Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods are now being employed to aid radiologists in scan interpretation by quickly allowing comparison to large imaging databases to enable pinpoint diagnosis in shorter time frames.
In addition, AI methods can keep track of individuals needing procedures on a regular basis (i.e. mammograms, follow ups, etc.) and alert our staff to contact the patient and schedule appointments.
Diagnostic Imaging Settings
Diagnostic imaging services are typically provided in one of the following settings:
Fixed-site, freestanding outpatient diagnostic facilitiescenters
These facilitiescenters range from single-modality to multi-modality facilitiescenters and are generally not owned by hospitals or clinics. These facilitiescenters depend upon physician referrals for their patients and generally do not maintain dedicated, contractual relationships with hospitals or clinics. In fact, these facilitiescenters may compete with hospitals or clinics that have their own imaging systems to provide services to these patients. These facilitiescenters bill third-party payors, such as managed care organizations, insurance companies, Medicare or Medicaid. All of our wholly owned facilitiescenters are in this category.
Hospitals
Many hospitals provide both inpatient and outpatient diagnostic imaging services, typically on site.site or at a dedicated center located on or nearby the hospital campus. These inpatient and outpatient centers arecan be owned and operated by the hospital and provide imaging services to inpatients as ordered or clinic, or jointly by both, and are primarily used by patients of the hospital or clinic.outpatients through physician referrals. The hospital or clinicnormally bills third-party payors such as managed care organizations, insurance companies, Medicare or Medicaid. We have entered into joint ventures with certain hospitals to both provide and manage their diagnostic imaging services, at those hospitals.allowing them to leverage our industry expertise.
Mobile Imaging
While many hospitals own or lease their own equipment, certain hospitals provide diagnostic imaging services by contracting with providers of mobile imaging services. Using specially designed trailers, mobile imaging service providers transport imaging equipment and provide services to hospitals and clinics on a part-time or full-time basis, thus allowing small to mid-size hospitals and clinics that do not have the patient demand to justify fixed on-site access to advanced diagnostic imaging technology. Diagnostic imaging providers contract directly with the hospital or clinic and are typically reimbursed directly by them. We do not provide mobile imaging services.
Diagnostic Imaging Modalities
The principal diagnostic imaging modalities we use at our facilitiescenters are:
MRI
MRI has become widely accepted as the standard diagnostic tool for a wide and fast-growing variety of clinical applications for soft tissue anatomy, such as those found in the brain, spinal cord, abdomen, heart and interior ligaments of body joints such as the knee. MRI uses a strong magnetic field in conjunction with low energy electromagnetic waves that are processed by a computer to produce high-resolution, three-dimensional, cross-sectional images of body tissue. A typical MRI examination takes from 20 to 45 minutes. MRI systems are designed as either open or closed and have magnetic field strength of 0.2 Tesla to 3.0 Tesla.
CT
CT provides higher resolution images than conventional X-rays, but generally not as well defined as those produced by MRI. CT uses a computer to direct the movement of an X-ray tube to produce multiple cross-sectional images of a particular organ or area of the body. CT is used to detect tumors and other conditions affecting bones and internal organs. It is also used to detect the occurrence of strokes, hemorrhages and infections. A typical CT examination takes from 15 to 45 minutes.
PET
PET scanning involves the administration of a radiopharmaceutical agent with a positron-emitting isotope and the measurement of the distribution of that isotope to create images for diagnostic purposes. PET scans provide the capability to determine how metabolic activity impacts other aspects of physiology in the disease process by correlating the reading for the
PET with other tools such as CT or MRI. PET technology has been found highly effective and appropriate in certain clinical circumstances for the detection and assessment of tumors throughout the body, the evaluation of some cardiac conditions and the assessment of epilepsy seizure sites. The information provided by PET technology often obviates the need to perform further
highly invasive or diagnostic surgical procedures. In addition, we employ combined PET/CT systems that blend the PET and CT imaging modalities into one scanner.
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine uses short-lived radioactive isotopes that release small amounts of radiation that can be recorded by a gamma camera and processed by a computer to produce an image of various anatomical structures or to assess the function of various organs such as the heart, kidneys, thyroid and bones. Nuclear medicine is used primarily to study anatomic and metabolic functions.
X-ray
X-rays use roentgen rays to penetrate the body and record images of organs and structures on film. Digital X-ray systems add computer image processing capability to traditional X-ray images, which provides faster transmission of images with a higher resolution and the capability to store images more cost-effectively.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves and their echoes to visualize and locate internal organs. It is particularly useful in viewing soft tissues that do not X-ray well. Ultrasound is used in pregnancy to avoid X-ray exposure as well as in gynecological, urologic, vascular, cardiac and breast applications.
Mammography
Mammography is a specialized form of radiology using low dosage X-rays to visualize breast tissue and is the primary screening tool for breast cancer. Mammography procedures and related services assist in the diagnosis of and treatment planning for breast cancer.
Fluoroscopy
Fluoroscopy uses ionizing radiation combined with a video viewing system for real time monitoring of organs.
Industry Trends
We believe the diagnostic imaging services industry will continue to grow as a result of a number of factors, including the following:
Escalating Demand for Healthcare Services from an Aging Population
According to the United States Census Bureau estimates released in June 2017,February 2022, the number of US residents age over 65 or over increased from 35.0stands at 55 million, in 2000representing 17% of the population, and according to an estimated 56.1 million in 2020, and the median age for the United StatesPew Research Center, is also expected to continue to increase.reach 81 million, or 19% of the total population by 2050. Because diagnostic imaging use tends to increase as a person ages, we believe the aging population will generate more demand for diagnostic imaging procedures.
Greater Consumer Awareness of and Demand for Preventive Diagnostic Screening
Diagnostic imaging, such as elective full-body scans, is increasingly being used as a screening tool for preventive care procedures. Consumer awareness of diagnostic imaging as a less invasive and preventive screening method has added to the growth in diagnostic imaging procedures. We believe that further technological advancements allowing for early diagnosis of diseases and disorders using less invasive procedures will create additional demand for diagnostic imaging.
New Effective Applications for Diagnostic Imaging Technology
New technological developments are expected to extend the clinical uses of diagnostic imaging technology and increase the number of scans performed. Recent technological advancements include:
•MRI spectroscopy, which can differentiate malignant from benign lesions;
•MRI angiography, which can produce three-dimensional images of body parts and assess the status of blood vessels;
•enhancements in teleradiology systems, which permit the digital transmission of radiological images from one location to another for interpretation by radiologists at remote locations,
•the development of combined PET/CT and PET/MRI scanners, which combine technologies to create a powerful diagnostic imaging system; and
•use of augmented reality technologies make it possible to create three dimensional images that physicians can examine through virtual reality headsets or print using a three dimensional printer.
Additional improvements in imaging technologies, contrast agents and scan capabilities are leading to new non-invasive diagnostic imaging application, including methods of diagnosing blockages in the heart’s vital coronary arteries, liver metastases, pelvic diseases and vascular abnormalities without exploratory surgery. We believe that the use of the diagnostic capabilities of MRI and other imaging services will continue to increase because they are cost-effective, time-efficient and non-invasive, as compared to alternative procedures, including surgery, and that newer technologies and future technological advancements will further increase the use of imaging services. At the same time, the industry has increasingly used upgrades to existing equipment to expand applications, extend the useful life of existing equipment, improve image quality, reduce image acquisition time and increase the volume of scans that can be performed. We believe the use of equipment upgrades rather than equipment replacements will continue, as we do not foresee new imaging technologies on the near-term horizon that will displace MRI, CT or PET as the principal advanced diagnostic imaging modalities.
Utilization of Artificial Intelligence
AI has the potential to significantly change the medical imaging industry. Current AI applications are focused on comparing images against large databases and flagging areas of concern for the radiologist. This is expected to result in improved quality, particularly with diseases, injuries, or conditions that are difficult to detect without supplemental technology. AI can also improve business processes to better effectively serve customers and improve reimbursement and collections accuracy.
Our Competitive Strengths
Our Scale and Position as the Largest Provider of Freestanding, Fixed-site Outpatient Diagnostic Imaging Services in the United States, Based on Number of Centers and Revenue
As of December 31, 2019,2021, we operated 335347 centers in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Our size and scale allow us to achieve operating, sourcing and administrative efficiencies, including equipment and medical supply sourcing savings and favorable maintenance contracts from equipment manufacturers and other suppliers. Our specific knowledge of our geographic markets drives strong relationships with key payors, radiology groups and referring physicians within our markets.
Our Comprehensive "Multi-Modality" Diagnostic Imaging Offering
The vast majority of our centers offer multiple types of imaging procedures, driving strong relationships with referring physicians and payors in our markets and a diversified revenue base. At each of our multi-modality facilities,centers, we offer patients and referring physicians one location to serve their needs for multiple procedures. This prevents multiple patient visits or unnecessary travel between facilities,locations, thereby increasing patient throughput and decreasing costs and time delays. Our revenue is generated by a broad mix of modalities. We believe our multi-modality strategy lessens our exposure to reimbursement changes in any specific modality.
Our Competitive Pricing
Our business focus, scale, resources and access to technology afford us with certain operating efficiencies. As such, we believe our fees are generally lower than hospital fees for the services we provide.
Our Facility Density in Many Highly Populated Areas of the United States
The strategic organization of our diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters into regional networks concentrated in major population centers in sixseven states offers unique benefits to our patients, our referring physicians, our payors and us. We are able to increase the convenience of our services to patients by implementing scheduling systems within geographic regions, where practical. For example, many of our diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters within a particular region can access the patient appointment calendars of other
facilities centers within the same regional network to efficiently allocate time available and to meet a patient's appointment, date, time, or location preferences. The grouping of our facilitiescenters within regional networks enables us to easily move technologists and other personnel, as well as equipment, from over-utilized to under-utilized facilitiescenters on an as-needed basis, and drive referrals. Our organization of referral networks results in increased patient throughput, greater operating efficiencies, better equipment utilization rates and improved response time for our patients. We believe our networks of facilitiescenters and tailored service offerings for geographic areas drivesdrive local physician referrals, makesmake us an attractive candidate for selection as a preferred provider by third-party payors and createscreate economies of scale.
Our Strong Relationships with Payors and Diversified Payor Mix
Our revenue is derived from a diverse mix of payors, including private payors, managed care capitated payors and government payors, which should mitigate our exposure to possible unfavorable reimbursement trends within any one payor class. In addition, our experience with capitation arrangements has provided us with the expertise to manage utilization and pricing effectively, resulting in a predictable and recurring stream of revenue. We believe that third-party payors representing large groups of patients often prefer to enter into managed care contracts with providers that offer a broad array of diagnostic imaging services at convenient locations throughout a geographic area. In 2019,2021, we received approximately 56%57% of our net service revenue from commercial insurance payors, 11% from managed care capitated payors, 21% from Medicare and 2%3% from Medicaid.
Our Strong Relationships with Experienced and Highly Regarded Radiologists
Our contracted radiologists have outstanding credentials, strong relationships with referring physicians, and a broad mix of sub-specialties. The collective experience and expertise of these radiologists translates into more accurate and efficient service to patients. Our close relationship with Howard G. Berger, M.D., our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Beverly Radiology Medical Group (“BRMG”) in California and our long-term arrangements with radiologists outside of California enable us to better ensure that medical service provided at our facilities is consistent with the needs and expectations of our referring physicians, patients and payors.
Our Experienced and Committed Management Team
Our senior management group has more than 100 years of combined healthcare management experience. Our executive management team has created our differentiated approach based on their comprehensive understanding of the diagnostic imaging industry and the dynamics of our regional markets. We have a track record of successful acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses into RadNet, and have managed the business through a variety of economic and reimbursement cycles.
Our Technologically Advanced Operations
OurIn 2019, we created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) division that now hosts the combined efforts of our acquisitions of DeepHealth, Nulogix, and an equity investment in WhiteRabbit.ai.The division is currently focused on developing both improved medical interpretation of scans and patient management within the field of mammography.Early in 2022, after the period covered by this annual report, we expanded the division by the acquisition of two companies in the Netherlands, Aidence Holding B.V. and Quantib B.V. that are developing AI solutions initially targeted for lung and prostate cancer, respectively.Combined with our established eRad subsidiary, which develops and sells computerized imaging systems for the industry, and our Imaging On Call subsidiary provides teleradiology services for interpretation of images for radiology groups, hospitals and other medical groups. Wewe have assembled an industry leading team of software developers to create radiology workflow solutions and have increased our efforts in AI by acquiring Nulogix, Inc. and making an investment in Whiterabbit.ai as noted above.that improve patient care.
Business Strategy
Maximize Performance at Our Existing FacilitiesCenters
We intend to enhance our operations and increase scan volume and revenue at our existing facilitiescenters by expanding physician relationships and increasing the procedure offerings.
Expansion Into Related Businesses
With our acquisition of eRad we entered the business of the development and sale of software systems essential to the imaging industry. Similarly, with our acquisition of Imaging On Call, we entered the teleradiology business. Our investment in WhiteRabbit.ai Inc. is expanding our use of AI in diagnostic imaging services. We intend to regularly evaluate potential acquisitions of other businesses to the extent they complement our imaging business.
Focus on Profitable Contracting
We regularly evaluate our contracts with third-party payors, industry vendors and radiology groups, as well as our equipment and real property leases, to determine how we may improve the terms to increase our revenues and reduce our expenses.
Because many of our contracts with third party payors are short-term in nature, we can regularly renegotiate these contracts, if necessary. We believe our position as a leading provider of diagnostic imaging services and our long-term relationships with physician groups in our markets enable us to obtain more favorable contract terms than would be available to smaller or less experienced imaging services providers.
Optimize Operating Efficiencies
We try to maximize our equipment utilization by adding, upgrading and re-deploying equipment where we experience excess demand. We will continue to trim excess operating and general and administrative costs where it is feasible to do so. We may also continue to use, where appropriate, highly trained radiology physician assistants to perform, under appropriate supervision of radiologists, basic services traditionally performed by radiologists. We will continue to upgrade our advanced information technology system to create cost reductions for our facilitiescenters in areas such as image storage, support personnel and financial management.
Expand Our Networks
We intend to continue to expand the number of our facilitiescenter both organically and through targeted acquisitions, using a disciplined approach for evaluating and entering new areas, including consideration of whether we have adequate financial resources to expand. Our current plans are to strengthen our market presence in geographic areas where we currently have existing operations and to expand into neighboring and other areas where we believe we can compete effectively. We perform extensive due diligence before developing a new facility or acquiring an existing facility or entering into a joint venture with a hospital to manage a facility, including surveying local referral sources and radiologists, as well as examining the demographics, reimbursement environment, competitive landscape and intrinsic demand of the geographic market. We generally will only enter new markets where:
•there is sufficient patient demand for outpatient diagnostic imaging services;
•we believe we can gain significant market share;
•we can build key referral relationships or we have already established such relationships; and
•payors are receptive to our entry into the market.
This was exemplified by our recent expansion into the Phoenix, Arizona marketplace which not only met our qualifications, but also strengthened our relationship with Dignity Health, forming our third outpatient radiology venture to manage the acquired imaging centers.
Expand Our Joint Ventures
As part of our growth strategy we have entered into joint ventures with hospitals, health systems or radiology practices that were formed for the purpose of owning and operating diagnostic imaging centers. We have created a number of joint ventures in key markets with well-established hospital systems to manage additional facilities.centers. We intend to continue to expand in established markets through additional joint ventures, particularly with hospital systems. We believe that such joint ventures strengthen and expand our strength in markets where we are already established.
Our Services
We offer a comprehensive set of imaging services including MRI, CT, PET, nuclear medicine, X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, fluoroscopy and other related procedures. We focus on providing standardized high quality imaging services, regardless of location, to ensure patients, physicians and payors consistency in service and quality. To ensure the high quality of our services, we monitor patient satisfaction, timeliness of services to patients and reports to physicians.
The key features of our services include:
•patient-friendly, non-clinical environments;
•a 24-hour turnaround on routine examinations;
•interpretations within one to two hours, if needed;
•flexible patient scheduling, including same-day appointments;
•extended operating hours, including weekends;
•reports delivered by courier, facsimile or email;
•availability of second opinions and consultations;
•availability of sub-specialty interpretations at no additional charge; and
•standardized fee schedules by region.
Radiology Professionals
In the states in which we provide services (except Florida)Florida and Arizona), a lay person or any entity other than a professional corporation or similar professional organization is not allowed to practice medicine, including by employing professional persons or by having any ownership interest or profit participation in or control over any medical professional practice. This doctrine is commonly referred to as the prohibition on the “corporate practice” of medicine. In order to comply with this prohibition, we contract with radiologistsmedical groups to provide professional medical services in our facilities,centers, including the supervision and interpretation of diagnostic imaging procedures. The radiology practicemedical group maintains full control over the physicians it employs. Pursuant to eachThrough our management contract,agreements, we make available the imaging facility and all of the furniture and medical equipment at the facility for use by the radiology practice, and the practice is responsible for staffing the facility with qualified professional medical personnel. In addition, we provide managementThe medical groups are compensated for their services and administration of the non-medical functions relating to the professional medical practice at the facility, including among other functions, provision of clerical and administrative personnel, bookkeeping and accounting services, billing and collection, provision of medical and office supplies, secretarial, reception and transcription services, maintenance of medical records, and advertising, marketing and promotional activities. As compensation for the services furnished under contracts with radiologists, we generally receive an agreed percentage of the medical practice billings for, or collections from services provided at the facility, typically 79% of global net service fee revenue or collections after deduction of the professional component of the medical practice billings.global net service fee revenue.
Many states have also enacted laws prohibiting a licensed professional from splitting fees derived from the practice of medicine with an unlicensed person or business entity. We do not believe that the management, administrative, technical and other non-medical services we provide to each of our contracted radiology groups violate the corporate practice of medicine prohibition or that the fees we charge for such services violate the fee splitting prohibition. However, the enforcement and interpretation of these laws by regulatory authorities and state courts vary from state to state. If our arrangements with our independent contractor radiology groups are found to violate state laws prohibiting the practice of medicine by general business corporations or fee splitting, our business, financial condition and ability to operate in those states could be adversely affected.
The Consolidated Medical Group
The consolidated medical group ("the Group") consistconsists of professional corporations owned or controlled by individuals within our senior management namely Howard G. Berger, M.D., our President and Chief Executive Officer, and John V. Crues, III, M.D., RadNet's Medical Director, both of whom are members of our Board of Directors. The Group providesthat provide professional medical services in Arizona, California, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York, and includes the Beverly Radiology Medical Group (BRMG). BRMG is responsible for the professional medical services at nearly all of our facilities located in California.York.
We believe that physicians are drawn to the Group, and the other external radiologist groups with whom we contract by the opportunity to work with the state-of-the-art equipment we make available to them, as well as the opportunity to receive specialized training through our fellowship programs, and engage in clinical research programs, which generally are available only in university settings and major hospitals.
Under our management agreement with BRMG,agreements, we are paid a percentage of the amounts collected for the professional services BRMG physicians render as compensation for our technical services and for the use of our facilitiescenters and equipment. For the year ended December 31, 2019, this percentage was 79%. The percentage may be adjusted, if necessary, to ensure that the parties receive the fair value for the services they render. The following are the other principal terms of our management agreement with BRMG:
The agreement expires on January 1, 2024. The agreement automatically renews for consecutive 10-year periods, unless either party delivers a notice of non-renewal to the other party no later than six months prior to the scheduled expiration date. Either party may terminate the agreement if the other party defaults under its obligations, after notice and an opportunity to cure. We may terminate the agreement if Dr. Berger no longer owns at least 60% of the equity of BRMG; as of December 31, 2019, he owned indirectly 99% of the equity interests of BRMG.
At its expense, BRMG employs or contracts with an adequate number of physicians necessary to provide all professional medical services at almost all of our California facilities.
At our expense, we provide all furniture, furnishings and medical equipment located at the facilities and we manage and administer all non-medical functions at, and provide all nurses and other non-physician personnel required for the operation of, the facilities.
If BRMG wants to open a new facility, we have the right of first refusal to provide the space and services for the facility under the same terms and conditions set forth in the management agreement.
If we want to open a new facility in California, BRMG must use its best efforts to provide medical personnel under the same terms and conditions set forth in the management agreement. If BRMG cannot provide such personnel, we have the right to contract with other physicians to provide services at the facility.
BRMG must maintain medical malpractice insurance for each of its physicians with coverage limits not less than $1 million per incident and $3 million in the aggregate per year. BRMG also has agreed to indemnify us for any losses we suffer that arise out of the acts or omissions of BRMG and its employees, contractors and agents.
The management contracts with the remaining professional medical corporations within the Group are on a basis similar to our contract with BRMG.
Other Professional Radiology Groups
At locations where the Group does not provide professional medical services, we have entered into long-term contracts with prominent third-party radiology groups in the area to provide physician services at those facilities.centers.
These third-party radiology practice groups provide professional services, including supervision and interpretation of diagnostic imaging procedures, in our diagnostic imaging centers. The radiology practices maintain full control over the provision of professional services. The contracted radiology practices have outstanding physician and practice credentials and reputations; strong competitive market positions; a broad sub-specialty mix of physicians; a history of growth and potential for continued growth. In these facilities we have entered into long-term agreements (typically 10-40 years in length) under which, in addition to obtaining technical fees for the use of our diagnostic imaging equipment and the provision of technical services, we provide management services and receive a fee based on the practice group’s professional revenue. We typically receive 100% of the technical reimbursements associated with imaging procedures plus certain fees paid to us for providing additional management services. The radiology practicemedical groups retain the professional reimbursements associated with imaging procedures after deducting management service fees paid to us.
Management Services
We provide the use of our diagnostic imaging equipment, technical and management services, and administration of the non-medical functions of the professional medical practices at our centers, including the provision of non-medical staff, accounting services, billing and collection, medical and office supplies, transcription services, maintenance of medical records, and marketing. As compensation for the services furnished under management contracts with our medical groups, we receive technical fees for the use of our diagnostic imaging equipment and technical services and an agreed percentage of the medical practice billings for, or collections from, services provided at our centers.
Additionally, we perform certain management services for a portion of the professional groups with whom we contract who provide professional radiology services at local hospitals. For performing these management services, which include billing, collecting, transcription and medical coding, we receive management fees.fees, that depending on the agreement are calculated at a fixed or variable rate.
Payors
The fees charged for diagnostic imaging services performed at our facilitiescenters are paid by a diverse mix of payors, as illustrated for the following periods presented in the table below:
| | | % of Net Service Fee Revenue | | % of Net Service Fee Revenue |
| Year Ended December 31, 2019 | | Year Ended December 31, 2018 | | Year Ended December 31, 2017 | | Year Ended December 31, 2021 | | Year Ended December 31, 2020 | | Year Ended December 31, 2019 |
Commercial Insurance (1) | 56 | % | | 56 | % | | 58 | % | Commercial Insurance (1) | 57 | % | | 54 | % | | 56 | % |
Managed Care Capitated Payors | 11 | % | | 11 | % | | 12 | % | Managed Care Capitated Payors | 11 | % | | 13 | % | | 11 | % |
Medicare | 21 | % | | 20 | % | | 19 | % | Medicare | 21 | % | | 20 | % | | 21 | % |
Medicaid | 2 | % | | 3 | % | | 3 | % | Medicaid | 3 | % | | 2 | % | | 2 | % |
(1) Includes co-payments, direct patient payments and payments through contracts with physician groups and other non-insurance company payors.
We have described below the types of reimbursement arrangements we have with third-party payors.
Commercial Insurance
Generally, insurance companies reimburse us, directly or indirectly, including through the consolidated medical group or through the contracted radiology groups elsewhere, on the basis of agreed upon rates. These rates are negotiated and may differ materially with rates set forth in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for the particular service. The patients may be responsible for certain co-payments or deductibles.
Managed Care Capitation Agreements
Under these agreements whichthat are generally between BRMG in California and outside of California between the contracted radiology group (typically an independent physician group or other medical group)groups and the payor (which in most cases are large medical groups or Independent Practice Associations), the payor pays a pre-determined amount per-member per-month in exchange for the radiology group providing all necessary covered services to the managed care members included in the agreement. These contracts pass much of the financial risk of providing outpatient diagnostic imaging services, including the risk of over-use, from the payor to the radiology group and, as a result of our management agreement with the radiology group, to us.
We believe that through our comprehensive utilization management, or UM, program we have become highly skilled at assessing and moderating the risks associated with the capitation agreements, so that these agreements are profitable for us. Our UM program is managed by our UM department, which consists of administrative and nursing staff as well as BRMG medical staff who are actively involved with the referring physicians and payor management in both prospective and retrospective review programs. Our UM program includes features such as physician education combined with peer review procedures which are designed to manage our costs while ensuring that patients receive appropriate care.
Medicare/Medicaid
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older and people under age 65 with certain disabilities. Medicaid, funded by both the federal government and states, is a state-administered health insurance program for qualifying low-income and medically needy persons. For services for which we bill Medicare directly or indirectly, including through contracted radiologists, we are paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, Congress introduced a new quality incentive program that, effective January 1, 2016, reduces Medicare payments for certain CT services reimbursed through the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that are furnished using equipment that does not meet certain dose optimization and management standards. Medicare patients usually pay a 20% co-payment unless they have secondary insurance. Medicaid rates are set by the individual states for each state program and Medicaid patients may be responsible for a modest co-payment.
Contracts with Physician Groups and Other Non-Insurance Company Payors
For some of our contracts with physician groups and other providers, we do not bill payors, but instead accept agreed upon rates for our radiology services. These rates are typically at or below the rates set forth in the current Medicare Fee Schedule for the particular service. However, we often agree to a specified rate for MRI and CT procedures that is not tied to the Medicare Fee Schedule.
FacilitiesImaging Centers
Our facilitiescenters are primarily located in geographic networks that we refer to as regions. The majority of our facilitiescenters are multi-modality sites, offering various combinations of MRI, CT, PET, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, X-ray, fluoroscopy services and other related procedures. A portion of our facilitiescenters are single-modality sites, offering either X-ray or MRI services. Consistent with our regional network strategy, we locate our single-modality facilitiescenters near multi-modality facilities,centers, to help accommodate overflow in targeted demographic areas.
The following table sets forth the number of our facilitiescenters operated directly or managed through joint ventures for each year during the five-year period ended December 31, 2019:2021:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Years Ended December 31, |
| 2017 | | 2018 | | 2019 | | 2020 | | 2021 |
Total centers owned or managed (at beginning of the year) | 305 | | | 297 | | | 344 | | | 335 | | | 331 | |
Centers added by: | | | | | | | | | |
Acquisition | 8 | | | 55 | | | 9 | | | 13 | | | 27 | |
Internal development | 4 | | | 5 | | | 4 | | | 4 | | | 1 | |
Centers closed or sold | (20) | | | (13) | | | (22) | | | (21) | | | (12) | |
Total centers owned or managed (at year end) | 297 | | | 344 | | | 335 | | | 331 | | | 347 | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Years Ended December 31, |
| 2015 | | 2016 | | 2017 | | 2018 | | 2019 |
Total facilities owned or managed (at beginning of the year) | 259 |
| | 300 |
| | 305 |
| | 297 |
| | 344 |
|
Facilities added by: | | | | | | | | | |
Acquisition | 43 |
| | 10 |
| | 8 |
| | 55 |
| | 9 |
|
Internal development | 1 |
| | 8 |
| | 4 |
| | 5 |
| | 4 |
|
Facilities closed or sold | (3 | ) | | (13 | ) | | (20 | ) | | (13 | ) | | (22 | ) |
Total facilities owned or managed (at year end) | 300 |
| | 305 |
| | 297 |
| | 344 |
| | 335 |
|
Diagnostic Imaging Equipment
The following table indicates, as of December 31, 2019,2021, the quantity of principal diagnostic equipment available at our facilitiescenters operated directly or through joint venture investments:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Equipment Count | Years Ended December 31, |
| 2021 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
MRI | 323 | | | 293 | | | 288 | |
CT | 192 | | | 175 | | | 168 | |
PET/CT | 68 | | | 67 | | | 62 | |
Mammography | 358 | | | 315 | | | 303 | |
Ultrasound | 760 | | | 689 | | | 662 | |
X-ray | 415 | | | 376 | | | 343 | |
Nuclear Medicine | 55 | | | 57 | | | 50 | |
Fluoroscopy | 105 | | | 117 | | | 120 | |
Total equipment | 2,276 | | | 2,089 | | | 1,996 | |
|
| | | | | | | | |
Equipment Count | Years Ended December 31, |
| 2017 | | 2018 | | 2019 |
MRI | 257 |
| | 273 |
| | 288 |
|
CT | 152 |
| | 162 |
| | 168 |
|
PET/CT | 49 |
| | 59 |
| | 62 |
|
Mammography | 261 |
| | 289 |
| | 303 |
|
Ultrasound | 614 |
| | 632 |
| | 662 |
|
X-ray | 285 |
| | 308 |
| | 343 |
|
Nuclear Medicine | 52 |
| | 53 |
| | 50 |
|
Fluoroscopy | 102 |
| | 117 |
| | 120 |
|
Total equipment | 1,772 |
| | 1,893 |
| | 1,996 |
|
The average age of our MRI and CT units is less than five years, and the average age of our PET units is less than four years. The useful life of our MRI, CT and PET units is typically ten years.
Facility Acquisitions
Information regarding our facility acquisitions can be found within Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, as well as Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 10-K.
Information Technology
Our corporate headquarters and many of our facilitiescenters are interconnected through a state-of-the-art information technology system. This system, which is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is comprised of a number of integrated applications and provides a single operating platform for billing and collections, electronic medical records, practice management and image management.
This technology has created cost reductions for our facilitiescenters in areas such as image storage, support personnel and financial management and has further allowed us to optimize the productivity of all aspects of our business by enabling us to:
•capture patient demographic, history and billing information at point-of-service;
•automatically generate bills and electronically file claims with third-party payors;
•record and store diagnostic report images in digital format;
•digitally transmit in real-time diagnostic images from one location to another, thus enabling networked radiologists to cover larger geographic markets by using the specialized training of other networked radiologists;
•perform claims, rejection and collection analysis; and
•perform sophisticated financial analysis, such as analyzing cost and profitability, volume, charges, current activity and patient case mix, with respect to each of our managed care contracts.
We have developed our own Radiology Information System through our team of software development engineers, which is used as our front desk patient tracing system, and began running this internally developed system in the first quarter of 2015.
PersonnelHuman Capital
At December 31, 2019,We believe the strength of our workforce is critical to the success of our mission to provide comprehensive radiology solutions and change the future of healthcare. We are focused on attracting, retaining, and developing the talent we had a total of 6,165 full-time, 616 part-time and 1,717 per diem employees, including those employed by the consolidated medical group. These numbers include 144 full-time and 40 part-time physicians and 2,033 full-time, 412 part-time and 1,129 per-diem technologists. In additionneed to deliver on our commitment to our company personnel, we contract 96 full-time physicians throughpatients and partners. We invest in our employees to ensure their confidence and competence in their roles, as well as to provide a relationship with Envision Healthcare.path for professional career development. We are keenly aware of the value of a diverse workforce and are proud of our track record. We further our objectives of inclusion by providing training and growth opportunities, market-competitive compensation and a responsive benefits plan to support the needs of our human capital.
We employ siteimaging center managers who are responsible for overseeing day-to-day and routine operations at each of our facilities,centers, including staffing, modality and schedule coordination, referring physician and patient relations and purchasing of materials.materials to effectively manage their location(s). These siteimaging center managers report to regional managers andand/or directors, who are responsible for oversight of the operations of all facilitiescenters within their region, including sales, marketing and contracting. The regional managers and directors, along with our directors of contracting, marketing, facilities, management/purchasing and senior human resources leadership all report to our chief operating officers. These officers, our chief financial officer, our director of information services and our medical director report to our chief executive officer.
NoneAt December 31, 2021, we had a total of 6,756 full-time, 527 part-time and 1,690 per diem employees, including those employed by the Group. These numbers include 220 full-time and 70 part-time physicians and 2,232 full-time, 363 part-time and 1,092 per-diem technologists.
Diversity and Inclusion. Our culture of diversity and inclusion continues to enable us to exceed the expectations of our employees is subjectpatients and meet our growth strategy. Our success in inclusion and diversity objectives are the result of strong leadership, transparency and accountability. While our workforce demographics clearly indicate our success in achieving a highly diverse team, in order to a collective bargaining agreement norfoster even stronger understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion, we have we experienced any work stoppages. We believedeveloped an internal education program to ensure all of our team are aware of our closely held values. Our initiatives include:
•RadRecruit – training on best in class recruiting practices to ensure equity in the interview/hiring process and education regarding unconscious bias for our management team;
•Corporate support and sponsorship of community outreach/enrichmentprograms for underserved population such as our ongoing and flourishing relationship with JVS SoCal; and
•High School, Vocational School and Collegiate outreach.
Approximately 77% of the Company’s workforce at December 31, 2021 was female and 48% were from under-represented groups. During the year ended December 31, 2021, our total attrition rate was less than 2%.
Employee Development. We provide a range of internal education and development programs and opportunities to support the advancement of our employees. RadNet offers Leadership Development and Operations Rotation Program, Management Training, Technical Scholarship, and various modality education and training support programs We offer both formal and informal programs to identify, foster and retain top talent. Aside from our Tuition Reimbursement program which encourages professional development for our incumbent team, we also sponsor undergraduate and graduate education and advanced technical training (RPA) for various incumbent team members.
Pay. Our primary compensation strategy is to promote a pay-for-performance culture. Our guiding principles are anchored on the goals of being able to attract, incentivize, and retain talented employees. We provide compensation that is competitive and consistent with employee positions, skill levels, and experience. We align our executives’ and eligible non-executive employees long-term equity compensation with our stockholders’ interests. Our employees are eligible for benefits that are industry-leading, including PPO and HDHP medical plans with a company sponsored HSA, wellness plans that include financial incentives, free radiology procedures for team and family, paid life insurance and AD&D, dental, vision. Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with enhanced mental health benefits, group paid long and short term disability plans, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, access to instant earned wages through DailyPay, paid and unpaid leave, flexible working schedule,and a variety of voluntary benefits including Colonial, Supplemental Life, Dependent Life and Commuter benefits and free flu vaccinations.
Health and Wellness. Beyond the fundamental needs of health, welfare and retirement programs, we are focused on the specific needs of our individual employees. Since March 2020, our employees is good.have adapted to an unprecedented amount of change and uncertainty driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, including rescheduled work priorities, and closure of schools and daycare facilities for families. We have continued to provide resources and ongoing support to employees facing these challenges throughout the year, such as a wellness incentives, home office setup allowance, expanded health coverage, and
flexible work schedules. Additionally and as a result of many of our hospital and managed care partners we were able to provide access to COVID vaccinations for our patient facing healthcare workers first, then our lower risk but essential infrastructure team.
Sales and Marketing
Our sales and marketing team employs a multi-pronged approach to marketing, including physician, payor and sports marketing programs, each of which are described below:
Physician Marketing
Each customer service representative on our physician marketing team is responsible for marketing activity on behalf of one or more facilities.centers. The representatives act as a liaison between the facility and referring physicians, holding meetings periodically and on an as-needed basis with them and their staff to present educational programs on new applications and uses of our systems and to address particular patient service issues that have arisen. In our experience, consistent hands-on contact with a referring physician and his or her staff generates goodwill and increases referrals to our facilities.centers. The representatives also continually seek to establish referral relationships with new physicians and physician groups. In addition to a base salary, each representative receives a bonus based upon success.
Payor Marketing
Our marketing team regularly meets with managed care organizations and insurance companies to solicit contracts and meet with existing contracting payors to solidify those relationships. The comprehensiveness of our services, the geographic location of our facilitiescenters and the reputation of the physicians with whom we contract all serve as tools for obtaining new or repeat business from payors.
Sports Marketing Program
Our west coast operations provide diagnostic digital X-ray services for the following organizations at their respective stadiums: Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Kings and Sparks at the Staples Center and at the Coliseum for the University of Southern California Trojans football team.Lakers. In exchange for these services the teams provide us with season tickets and parking. Contract lengths vary from yearly up to five years. We also provide radiology services at many of ourselect imaging centers for the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Ducks, and theLos Angeles Rams, Oakland Athletics and San Francisco 49ers organizations.
Through our east coast operations, we have entered into sponsorship agreements with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League and the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball which permitspermit us to state we are the imaging partner to each organization. The sponsorship agreement with the Ravens lastsBoth agreements last through 2022 and the Orioles through 2020.2022.
Suppliers
We acquire our major diagnostic imaging equipment directly from original equipment manufacturers or through third party financing companies and purchase medical supplies from various national vendors. We have excellent working relationships with our providers who are of comparable stature in the event one becomes unavailable.
Our diagnostic imaging equipment represents a cornerstone investment of the company as it provides our customers the latest in imaging technology. We employ direct purchase or finance arrangements to accomplish our needs with such firms as GE, Hologic, Key Equipment, Philips, Siemens and Spectrum. At December 31, 2019,2021, our liabilities for financingoperating arrangements forof radiology equipment inclusive of operating and finance leases, amounted to approximately $60.6$43.8 million. If we open or acquire additional imaging facilities,centers, we may incur material equipment lease obligations. See Note 9, Leases, to our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report from on Form 10-K for further information.
Timely and effective maintenance is essential for achieving high utilization rates of our imaging equipment. In order to ensure operational efficiency, we have maintenance arrangements with the various service arms of the original equipment manufacturers.
Competition
Our competitors include independent imaging operators and smaller regional operators, as well as hospitals and hospital groups that operate their own imaging services. In addition, some physician practices have established their own diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters within their group practices. We experience additional competition as a result of those activities.
We compete principally on the basis of our reputation, our ability to provide multiple modalities at many of our facilities,centers, the location of our facilities,centers, the quality of our diagnostic imaging services and technologists and our ability to establish and maintain relationships with healthcare providers and referring physicians. See “Competitive Strengths” above. Some of our competitors may now or in the future have access to greater financial resources than we do, which could allow them to establish more facilitiescenters and provide access to newer, more advanced equipment.
Each of the third party contracted radiology practices has entered into agreements with its physician shareholders and full-time employed radiologists that generally prohibit those shareholders and radiologists from competing for a period of two to five years within defined geographic regions after they cease to be owners or employees, as applicable. In certain states, like California, a covenant not to compete is enforced in limited circumstances involving the sale of a business. In other states, a covenant not to compete will be enforced only:
•to the extent it is necessary to protect a legitimate business interest of the party seeking enforcement;
•if it does not unreasonably restrain the party against whom enforcement is sought; and
•if it is not contrary to public interest.
Enforceability of a non-compete covenant is determined by a court based on all of the facts and circumstances of the specific case at the time enforcement is sought. For this reason, it is not possible to predict whether or to what extent a court will enforce the contracted radiology practices’ covenants. The inability of the contracted radiology practices or us to enforce a radiologist’s non-compete covenants could result in increased competition from individuals who are knowledgeable about our business strategies and operations.
Liability Insurance
We maintain insurance policies with coverage we believe is appropriate in light of the risks attendant to our business and consistent with industry practice. We maintain general liability insurance and professional liability insurance in commercially reasonable amounts. Additionally, we maintain workers’ compensation insurance on all of our employees. Coverage is placed on a statutory basis and corresponds to individual state’s requirements. However, adequate liability insurance may not be available to us in the future at acceptable costs or at all. In addition, insurers from which we purchase such insurance may experience financial hardship which would impact their ability to pay covered policyholder claims.
Pursuant to our agreements with physician groups with whom we contract, including the consolidated medical group,Group, each must maintain medical malpractice insurance for each physician in the group, having coverage limits of not less than $1.0 million per incident and $3.0 million in the aggregate per year.
California’s medical malpractice cap further reduces our exposure. California places a $250,000 limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases. Non-economic damages are defined as compensation for pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement and other non-pecuniary injury. The cap applies whether the case is for injury or death, and it allows only one $250,000 recovery in a wrongful death case. No cap applies to economic damages. Other states in which we now operate do not have similar limitations and in those states we believe our insurance coverage to be sufficient.
Regulation
General
The healthcare industry is highly regulated, and changes in the regulatory environment could significantly affect our operations in the future. Our ability to operate profitably will depend in part upon us, and the contracted radiology practices and their affiliated physicians, obtaining and maintaining all necessary licenses and other approvals, and operating in compliance with applicable healthcare regulations. We believe that healthcare regulations will continue to change. Therefore, we monitor developments in healthcare law and modify our operations from time to time as the business and regulatory environment changes.
Licensing and Certification Laws
Ownership, construction, operation, expansion and acquisition of diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters are subject to various federal and state laws, regulations and approvals concerning licensing of facilitiescenters and personnel. In addition, free-standing diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters that provide services not performed as part of a physicianphysician's office must meet Medicare requirements to be certified as an independent diagnostic testing facility before it can be authorized to bill the Medicare program.
Corporate Practice of Medicine
In the states in which we operate, other than Florida and Arizona, a lay person or any entity other than a professional corporation or other similar professional organization is not allowed to practice medicine, including by employing professional persons or by having any ownership interest or profit participation in or control over any medical professional practice. The laws of such states also prohibit a lay person or a non-professional entity from exercising control over the medical judgments or decisions of physicians and from engaging in certain financial arrangements, such as splitting professional fees with physicians. We structure our relationships with the radiology practices, including the purchase of diagnostic imaging facilities,centers, in a manner that we believe keeps us from engaging in the practice of medicine, exercising control over the medical judgments or decisions of the radiology practices or their physicians, or violating the prohibitions against fee-splitting.
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud and Abuse – Federal Anti-kickback Statute
During the year ended December 31, 2019,2021, approximately 21% of our net service revenue generated at our diagnostic imaging centers was derived from federal government sponsored healthcare programs (Medicare) and 2%3% from state sponsored programs (Medicaid).
Federal law known as the Anti-kickback Statute prohibits the knowing and willful offer, payment, solicitation or receipt of any form of remuneration in return for, or to induce, (i) the referral of a person, (ii) the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of items or services reimbursable under the Medicare, Medicaid or other governmental programs or (iii) the purchase, lease or order or arranging or recommending purchasing, leasing or ordering of any item or service reimbursable under the Medicare, Medicaid or other governmental programs. Noncompliance with the federal Anti-kickback Statute can result in exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid or other governmental programs and civil and criminal penalties.
The Anti-kickback Statute is broad, and it prohibits many arrangements and practices that are lawful in businesses outside of the healthcare industry. To create better clarity, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) has issued regulations as "safe harbor" guidelines which if met in form and substance, will assure healthcare providers that they will not be prosecuted for violation of the Anti–kickback Statute. The OIG issued a final rule on November 20, 2020, as part of the Regulatory Sprint to Coordinated Care initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that, among other things, established new "safe harbors" under the Anti-kickback Statute for certain value-based compensation arrangements. Although full compliance with these provisions ensures against prosecution under the federal Anti-kickback Statute, the failure of a transaction or arrangement to fit within a specific safe harbor does not necessarily mean that the transaction or arrangement is illegal or that prosecution under the federal Anti-kickback Statute will be pursued.
Although some of our arrangements may not fall within a safe harbor, we believe that such business arrangements do not violate the Anti-kickback Statute because we are careful to structure them to reflect fair value and ensure that the reasons underlying our decision to enter into a business arrangement comport with reasonable interpretations of the Anti-kickback Statute. However, even though we continuously strive to comply with the requirements of the Anti-kickback Statute, liability under the Anti-kickback Statute may still arise because of the intentions or actions of the parties with whom we do business. While we are not aware of any such intentions or actions, we have only limited knowledge regarding the intentions or actions underlying those arrangements. Conduct and business arrangements that do not fully satisfy one of these safe harbor provisions may result in increased scrutiny by government enforcement authorities such as the Office of the Inspector General.
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud and Abuse – Stark Law
The Ethics in Patient Referral Act of 1989, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits a physician from referring Medicare patients to an entity providing designated health services in which the physician (or immediate family member) has an ownership or investment interest or with which the physician (or immediate family member) has entered into a compensation arrangement. The Stark Law also prohibits the entity from billing for any such prohibited referral. The penalties for violating the Stark Law include a prohibition on payment by these governmental programs and civil penalties of as much as $15,000 for each violation referral and $100,000 for participation in a circumvention scheme. The regulations governing the Stark Law were also recently amended as part of the Regulatory Sprint to Coordinated Care initiative. These new regulations, which among
other things establish new exceptions for value-based arrangements, were published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 20, 2020. We believe that, although we receive fees under our service agreements for management and administrative services, we are not in a position to make or influence referrals of patients.
Under the Stark Law, radiology and certain other imaging services and radiation therapy services and supplies are services included in the designated health services subject to the self-referral prohibition. Such services include the professional and technical components of any diagnostic test or procedure using X-rays, ultrasound or other imaging services, CT, MRI, radiation therapy and diagnostic mammography services (but not screening mammography services). PET and nuclear medicine procedures are also included as designated health services under the Stark Law. The Stark Law, however, excludes from designated health services: (i) X-ray, fluoroscopy or ultrasound procedures that require the insertion of a needle, catheter, tube or probe through the skin or into a body orifice; (ii) radiology procedures that are integral to the performance of, and performed during, non-radiological medical procedures; and (iii) invasive or interventional radiology, because the radiology services in these procedures are merely incidental or secondary to another procedure that the physician has ordered.
The Stark Law provides that a request by a radiologist for diagnostic radiology services or a request by a radiation oncologist for radiation therapy, if such services are furnished by or under the supervision of such radiologist or radiation oncologist pursuant to a consultation requested by another physician, does not constitute a referral by a referring physician. If such requirements are met, the Stark Law self-referral prohibition would not apply to such services. The effect of the Stark Law on the radiology practices, therefore, will depend on the precise scope of services furnished by each such practice’s radiologists and whether such services derive from consultations or are self-generated.
We believe that, other than self-referred patients, all of the services covered by the Stark Law provided by the contracted radiology practices derive from requests for consultation by non-affiliated physicians. Therefore, we believe that the Stark Law is not implicated by the financial relationships between our operations and the contracted radiology practices. In addition, we believe that we have structured our acquisitions of the assets of existing practices, and we intend to structure any future acquisitions, so as not to violate the Anti-kickback Statute, and Stark Law and regulations.the regulations related to these laws. Specifically, we believe the consideration paid by us to physicians to acquire the tangible and intangible assets associated with their practices is consistent with fair value in arms’ length transactions and is not intended to induce the referral of patients or other business generated by such physicians. Should any such practice be deemed to constitute an arrangement designed to induce the referral of Medicare or Medicaid patients, then our acquisitions could be viewed as possibly violating anti-kickback and anti-referral laws and regulations. A determination of liability under any such laws could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud and Abuse – General
The federal government embarked on an initiative to audit all Medicare carriers, which are the companies that adjudicate and pay Medicare claims. These audits are expected to intensify governmental scrutiny of individual providers. An unsatisfactory audit of any of our diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters or contracted radiology practices could result in any or all of the following: significant repayment obligations, exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid or other governmental programs, and civil and criminal penalties.
Federal regulatory and law enforcement authorities have increased enforcement activities with respect to Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse regulations and other reimbursement laws and rules, including laws and regulations that govern our activities and the activities of the radiology practices. The federal government also has increased funding to fight healthcare fraud
and is coordinating its enforcement efforts among various agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and state Medicaid fraud control units. The government may investigate our or the radiology practices’ activities, claims may be made against us or the radiology practices and these increased enforcement activities may directly or indirectly have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
State Anti-kickback and Physician Self-referral Laws
Many states have adopted laws similar to the federal Anti-kickback Statute.Statute and the Stark Law. Some of these state prohibitions apply to services and the referral of patients for healthcare services reimbursed by any source, not only the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Although we believe that we comply with both federal and state Anti-kickbackanti-kickback laws and self-referral laws, any finding of a violation of these laws could subject us to criminal and civil penalties or possible exclusion from federal or state healthcare programs. Such penalties would adversely affect our financial performance and our ability to operate our business.
Federal False Claims Act
The federal False Claims Act provides, in part, that the federal government may bring a lawsuit against any person who it believes has knowingly presented, or caused to be presented, a false or fraudulent request for payment from the federal government, or who has made a false statement or used a false record to get a claim approved. The federal False Claims Act further provides that a lawsuit thereunder may be initiated in the name of the United States by an individual, a “whistleblower,” who is an original source of the allegations. The government has taken the position that claims presented in violation of the federal anti-kickback lawAnti-kickback Statute or Stark Law may be considered a violation of the federal False Claims Act. Penalties include civil penalties of not less than $5,500 and not more than $11,000 for each false claim, plus three times the amount of damages that the federal government sustained because of the act of that person.
Further, states are being encouraged to adopt false claims acts similar to the federal False Claims Act, which establish liability for submission of fraudulent claims to the State Medicaid program and contain whistleblower provisions. Even in instances when a whistleblower action is dismissed with no judgment or settlement, we may incur substantial legal fees and other costs relating to an investigation. Future actions under the False Claims Act may result in significant fines and legal fees, which would adversely affect our financial performance and our ability to operate our business.
We believe that we are in compliance with the rules and regulations that apply to the federal False Claims Act as well as its state counterparts.
Healthcare Reform Legislation
Healthcare reform legislation enacted in the first quarter of 2010 by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA, specifically requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in computing physician practice expense relative value units, to increase the equipment utilization factor for advanced diagnostic imaging services (such as MRI, CT and PET) from a presumed utilization rate of 50% to 65% for 2010 through 2012, 70% in 2013, and 75% thereafter. Excluded from the adjustment is low-technology imaging modalities such as ultrasound, X-ray and fluoroscopy. The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872), or Reconciliation Act, which was passed by the Senate and approved by the President on March 30, 2010, amends the provision for higher presumed utilization of advanced diagnostic imaging services to a presumed rate of 75%. The higher utilization rate was fully implemented in the beginning of 2011 and replaced the phase-in approach provided in the PPACA. This utilization rate was further increased to 90% by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, (“ATRA”), effective as of January 1, 2014.
The aim of increased utilization of diagnostic imaging services is to spread the cost of the equipment and services over a greater number of scans, resulting in a lower cost per scan. These changes have precipitated reductions in federal reimbursement for medical imaging and resulthave resulted in decreased revenue for the scans we perform for Medicare beneficiaries. Other changes in reimbursement for services rendered by Medicare Advantage plans may also reduce the revenues we receive for services rendered to Medicare Advantage enrollees.
On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. President Trump has repeatedly signaled his intent to repeal and replace the PPACA and members of the Republican Party in Congress have also advocated the repeal or modification of the PPACA. On January 20, 2017, President Trump signed an “Executive Order Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal.” (the “PPACA Executive Order”). Under the PPACA Executive Order it is the policy of the Trump Administration to seek prompt repeal of the PPACA.
On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”)“Tax Act”). Among numerous changes to the tax code, the TCJATax Act repealed the individual mandate tax penalty (the “Individual Mandate”), a PPACA provision that required individuals to pay additional taxes if he or she was uninsured during the year.
Repeal of the Individual Mandate may lead to more people being uninsured, and could raise premium rates for insured persons. Such a development as well as other changes to (or the full repeal of) the PPACA (whether through legislation or judicial action), could affect reimbursement, coverage, and utilization of diagnostic imaging services in ways that are currently unpredictable. Other changes to the PPACA (whether through legislation or judicial action), including further rollbacks or full repeal of the PPACA being sought by congressional and state members of the Republican Party, or expansion of the PPACA (including, but not limited to, the development of a "public option" that would compete with private insurers to offer coverage to both individuals and those with employer sponsored insurance) being sought by the Biden Administration, could have similarly unpredictable effects.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, in part, to combat healthcare fraud and to protect the privacy and security of patients’ individually identifiable healthcare information. HIPAA, among other things, amends existing crimes and criminal penalties for Medicare fraud and enacts new federal healthcare fraud crimes, including actions affecting non-government healthcare benefit programs. Under HIPAA, a healthcare benefit program includes any private plan or contract affecting interstate commerce under which any medical benefit, item or service is provided. A person or entity that knowingly and willfully obtains the money or property of any healthcare benefit program by
means of false or fraudulent representations in connection with the delivery of healthcare services is subject to a fine or imprisonment, or potentially both. In addition, HIPAA authorizes the imposition of civil money penalties against entities that employ or enter into contracts with excluded Medicare or Medicaid program participants if such entities provide services to federal health program beneficiaries. A finding of liability under HIPAA could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Further, HIPAA requires healthcare providers and their business associates to maintain the privacy and security of individually identifiable protected health information (“PHI”). HIPAA imposes federal standards for electronic transactions, for the security of electronic health information and for protecting the privacy of PHI. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (“HITECH”), signed into law on February 17, 2009, dramatically expanded, among other things, (1) the scope of HIPAA to now apply directly to “business associates,” or independent contractors who receive or obtain PHI in connection with providing a service to a covered entity, (2) substantive security and privacy obligations, including new federal security breach notification requirements to affected individuals, DHHS and prominent media outlets, of certain breaches of unsecured PHI, (3) restrictions on marketing communications and a prohibition on covered entities or business associates from receiving remuneration in exchange for PHI, and (4) the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed for HIPAA violations, increasing the annual cap in penalties from $25,000 to $1.5 million per year.
In addition, many states have enacted comparable privacy and security statutes or regulations that, in some cases, are more stringent than HIPAA requirements. In those cases it may be necessary to modify our operations and procedures to comply with the more stringent state laws, which may entail significant and costly changes for us. We believe that we are in compliance with such state laws and regulations. However, if we fail to comply with applicable state laws and regulations, we could be subject to additional sanctions.
We believe that we are in compliance with the current HIPAA requirements, as amended by HITECH, and comparable state laws, but we anticipate that we may encounter certain costs associated with future compliance. Moreover, we cannot guarantee that enforcement agencies or courts will not make interpretations of the HIPAA standards that are inconsistent with ours, or the interpretations of our contracted radiology practices or their affiliated physicians. A finding of liability under the HIPAA standards may result in significant criminal and civil penalties. Noncompliance also may result in exclusion from participation in government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. These actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration or FDA
The FDA has issued the requisite pre-market approval for all of the MRI and CT systems we use.
Our mammography systems are regulated by the FDA pursuant to the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992, as amended by the Mammography Quality Standards Reauthorization Acts of 1998 and 2004 (collectively, the “MQSA”). All mammography facilitiescenters are required to meet the applicable MQSA requirements, including quality standards, be accredited by an approved accreditation body or state agency and certified by the FDA or an FDA-approved certifying state agency. Pursuant to the accreditation process, each facility providing mammography services must comply with certain standards that include, among other things, annual inspection of the facility's equipment, personnel (interpreting physicians, technologists and medical physicists) and practices.
Compliance with these MQSA requirements and standards is required to obtain Medicare payment for services provided to beneficiaries and to avoid various sanctions, including monetary penalties, or suspension of certification. Although the Mammography Accreditation Program of the American College of Radiology is an approved accreditation body and currently accredits all of our facilitiescenters which provide mammography services, and although we anticipate continuing to meet the requirements for accreditation, if we lose such accreditation, the FDA could revoke our certification. Congress has extended Medicare benefits to include coverage of screening mammography but coverage is subject to the facility performing the mammography meeting prescribed quality standards described above. The Medicare requirements to meet the standards apply to diagnostic mammography and image quality examination as well as screening mammography.
Radiologist Licensing
The radiologists providing professional medical services at our facilitiescenters are subject to licensing and related regulations by the states in which they provide services. As a result, we require the radiology groups with which we contract to require those radiologists to have and maintain appropriate licensure. We do not believe that such laws and regulations will either prohibit or require licensure approval of our business operations, although no assurances can be made that such laws and regulations will not be interpreted to extend such prohibitions or requirements to our operations.
Insurance Laws and Regulation
States in which we operate have adopted certain laws and regulations affecting risk assumption in the healthcare industry, including those that subject any physician or physician network engaged in risk-based managed care to comply with applicable insurance laws and regulations. These laws and regulations may require physicians and physician networks to meet minimum capital requirements and other safety and soundness requirements. Implementing additional regulations or compliance requirements could result in substantial costs to the contracted radiology practices, limiting their ability to enter into capitated or other risk-sharing managed care arrangements and indirectly affecting our revenue from the contracted practices.
U.S. Federal Budget
We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from direct billings to governmental healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and private health insurance companies and/or health plans, including but not limited to those participating in the Medicare Advantage program. As a result, any negative changes in governmental capitation or fee-for-service rates or methods of reimbursement for the services we provide could have a significant adverse impact on our revenue and financial results.
Because governmental healthcare programs generally reimburse on a fee schedule basis rather than on a charge-related basis, we generally cannot increase our revenues from these programs by increasing the amount of charges for services. Moreover, if our costs increase, we may not be able to recover our increased costs from these programs. Government and private payors have taken and may continue to take steps to control the cost, eligibility for, use, and delivery of healthcare services as a result of budgetary constraints, cost containment pressures and other reasons. We believe that these trends in cost containment will continue. These cost containment measures, and other market changes in non-governmental insurance plans have generally restricted our ability to recover, or shift to non-governmental payors, any increased costs that we experience. Our integrated care business and financial operations may be materially affected by these developments.
Environmental Matters
The facilities we operate or manage generate hazardous and medical waste subject to federal and state requirements regarding handling and disposal. We believe that the facilities that we operate and manage are currently in compliance in all material respects with applicable federal, state and local statutes and ordinances regulating the handling and disposal of such materials. We do not believe that we will be required to expend any material additional amounts in order to remain in compliance with these laws and regulations or that compliance will materially affect our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position.
Compliance Program
We maintain a program to monitor compliance with federal and state laws and regulations applicable to healthcare entities. We have a compliance officer who is charged with implementing and supervising our compliance program, which includes the adoption of (i) Standards of Conduct for our employees and affiliates and (ii) a process that specifies how employees, affiliates and others may report regulatory or ethical concerns to our compliance officer. We believe that our compliance program meets the relevant standards provided by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
An important part of our compliance program consists of conducting periodic audits of various aspects of our operations and that of the contracted radiology practices. We also conduct mandatory educational programs designed to familiarize our employees with the regulatory requirements and specific elements of our compliance program.
Risks Related to Our Operations and Third-Party Relationships
If our contracted radiology practices terminate their agreements with us, our business could substantially diminish.
Our relationshipbusiness is substantially dependent on the radiology groups that we contract with professional corporations contracted to provide medical services is an integral partservices. The radiology groups are party to substantially all of the managed care contracts from which we derive revenue. Under the terms of our business. These professional corporationsmanagement agreements, these radiology groups must use their best efforts to provide medical services at our centers as
well as any new facilitiescenters that we open or acquire in their areas of operation. In addition, these professional corporation's strong relationships with referring physicians are largely responsible for the revenue generated at the facilities they service. Although our management agreements are for multiple years, the radiology groups have the right to terminate the agreements if we default on our obligations and fail to cure the default. Also, the various radiology groups’ ability to continue performing under the management agreements may be curtailed or eliminated due to the radiology groups’ own financial difficulties, loss of physicians or other circumstances.
If theany of our contracted radiology groups cannot perform their obligations to us, we would need to contract with one or more other radiology groups to provide the professional medical services at the facilities serviced by the group.services. We may not be able to locate radiology groups willing to provide those services on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Even if we were able to do so, anyIn addition, the radiology group’s relationships with referring physicians are largely responsible for the revenue generated at the centers they service. Any replacement radiology group’s relationships with referring physicians may not be as extensive as those of the terminated group. In any such event, our businessThe termination of a management agreement with a radiology group could be seriously harmed. In addition, the radiology groups are party to substantially allresult in both short and long-term loss of the managed care contracts from which we derive revenue. If we were unable to readily replace these contracts, our revenue would be negatively affected.
Our ability to generate revenue depends in large part on referrals from physicians.
We derive substantially all of our net revenue, directly or indirectly, from fees charged for the diagnostic imaging services performed at our facilities. We depend on referrals of patients from unaffiliated physicians and other third parties who have no contractual obligations to refer patients to us for a substantial portion of the services we perform. If a sufficiently large number of these physicians and other third parties were to discontinue referring patients to us, our scan volume could decrease, which would reduce our net revenue and operating margins. Further, commercial third-party payors have implemented programs that could limit the ability of physicians to refer patients to us. For example, prepaid healthcare plans, such as health maintenance organizations, sometimes contract directly with providersadversely affect our performance and require their enrollees to obtain these services exclusively from those providers. Some insurance companies and self-insured employers also limit these services to contracted providers. These “closed panel” systems are now commoncompetitive position in the managed care environment. Other systems create an economic disincentive for referrals to providers outsidemarkets served by the system’s designated panel of providers. If we are unable to compete successfully for these managed care contracts, our results and prospects for growth could be adversely affected.departing radiology group.
If our contracted radiology practices, including the consolidated medical group,Group, lose a significant number of their radiologists, our financial results could be adversely affected.
At times, there has been a shortage of qualified radiologists in some of the regional markets we serve. In addition, competition in recruiting radiologists may make it difficult for our contracted radiology practices to maintain adequate levels of radiologists. If a significant number of radiologists terminate their relationships with our contracted radiology practices and those radiology practices cannot recruit sufficient qualified radiologists to fulfill their obligations under our agreements with them, our ability to maximize the use of our diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters and our financial results could be adversely affected. Increased expenses for the Group will impact our financial results because the management fee we receive from them, which is based on a percentage of their collections, is adjusted annually to take into account their expenses as applicable. Neither we, nor our contracted radiology practices, maintain insurance on the lives of any affiliated physicians.
Our ability to generate revenue depends in large part on referrals from physicians.
We depend on unaffiliated physicians and other third parties who have no contractual obligations to refer patients to us for a substantial portion of the services we perform. If a sufficiently large number of these physicians and other third parties were to discontinue referring patients to us, our scan volume could decrease, which would reduce our net revenue and operating margins.
Further, commercial third-party payors have implemented managed care programs that could limit the ability of physicians to refer patients to us. For example, health maintenance organizations sometimes contract directly with providers and require their enrollees to obtain these services exclusively from those contracted providers. Some insurance companies and self-insured employers also limit these services to contracted providers. These “closed panel” systems are now common in the managed care environment. Other systems such as preferred physician organizations create an economic disincentive for referrals to providers outside the system’s designated panel of providers. We seek to be the designated provider under these systems. If we are unable to compete successfully for these managed care contracts, our net revenues and our prospects for growth could be adversely affected.
We may become subject to professional malpractice liability, which could be costly and negatively impact our reputation and business.
The physicians employed by our contracted radiology practicesgroups are from time to time subject to malpractice claims. We structure our relationships with the practicesradiology groups under our management agreements in a manner that we believe does not constitute the practice of medicine by us, or subject us to professional malpractice claims for acts or omissions of physicians employed by the contracted radiology practices. Nevertheless, claims suits or complaints relating to services provided by the contracted radiology practices have been asserted against us in the past and may be asserted against us in the future. In addition, we may be subject to other professional liability claims, including without limitation, for improper use or malfunction of our diagnostic imaging equipment, or for accidental contamination, or injury from exposure to radiation. We may not be able to maintain adequate liability insurance to protect us against those claims at acceptable costs or at all.
Historically, we have soughtWe seek to manage this risk through the purchase of loss by, among other things, purchasing professional liability insurance. However,Any claim made against us that is not fully covered by insurance could be costly to defend, result in a substantial damage award against us and divert the insurerattention of our management from our operations, all of which could have an adverse effect on our financial performance. In addition, successful claims against us may adversely affect our business or reputation. Although California places a $250,000 limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases, no limit applies to economic damages and no such limits exist in the other states in which we provide services.
Even if we purchase professional liability insurance we are dependent on the creditworthiness of the insurance provider. For a period of time ending in July 2017 we purchased suchprofessional liability insurance for the period ending July 15, 2017,from Fairway Physicians
Insurance Company, A Risk Retention Group (“Fairway”),. Fairway experienced financial hardship. As a result, on August 29, 2017, the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (“DISB”) found that Fairway was statutorily insolvent and that its continued operation would be hazardous to its policyholders, creditors and the general public. On October 25, 2017, the Superior Court for the District of Columbia issued an order authorizing the DISB Commissioner to liquidate Fairway. Fairway’s liquidation is currently pending, and it is presently unknown whether the Fairway liquidation estate will be able to pay covered policyholder claims, including claims asserted against us.
Any claim made against us that is not fully covered by insurance could be costly to defend, result in a substantial damage award against us and divert the attention of our management from our operations, all of which could have an adverse effect on our financial performance. In addition, successful claims against us may adversely affect our business or reputation. Although California places a $250,000 limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases, no limit applies to economic damages and no such limits exist in the other states in which we provide services.
We may not receive payment from some of our healthcare provider customers because of their financial circumstances.
We contract with commercial insurance and managed care providers to provide diagnostic images services to their members. Some of our healthcare provider customers do not have significant financial resources, liquidity or access to capital. If these customers experience financial difficulties they may be unable to pay us for the equipment and services that we provide. A significant deterioration in general or local economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on the financial health of certain of our healthcare provider customers. As a result, we may haveIf our health care provider customers suffer financial hardship they could delay or default on their payment obligations to increase the amounts ofus, reducing our accounts receivables that we write-off, which would adversely affectreceivable and negatively impacting our financial condition and results of operations.
Capitation fee arrangements could reduce our operating margins.
For the year ended December 31, 2019,2021, we derived approximately 11% of our total net revenue from capitation arrangements, and we intendexpect to increase thecontinue to derive a significant portion of our revenue we derive from capitation arrangements in the future. Under capitation arrangements, the payor pays us a pre-determined amount per-patient per-month, and in exchange for us providingwe are required to provide all necessary covered services to the patients covered under the arrangement. These contracts pass much of the financial risk of providing diagnostic imaging services, including the risk of over-use, from the payor to us as the provider. Our success depends in partability to generate profit from these arrangements is dependent on our ability to negotiate effectively, on behalf of the contracted radiology practices and our diagnostic imaging facilities, contracts with health maintenance organizations, employer groups and other third-party payorscorrectly forecast demand for services to be provided on a capitated basisfor the patient base, negotiate appropriate pre-determined amounts with the payor and to efficiently manage the utilization of those services. If we are not successful in managing the utilization of services under these capitation arrangements or ifforecasting demand patients or enrollees covered by these contracts require more frequent or extensive care than anticipated, or if we are not efficient in managing the utilization of services under these capitation arrangements, we would incur unanticipated costs not offset by additional revenue, which would reduce operating margins.
Changes in the method or rates of third-party reimbursement could have a negative impact on our results
From time to time, federal and state reimbursement programs such as Medicare or Medicaid implement changes designed to contain healthcare costs, have been implemented, some of which have resulted in decreased reimbursement rates for diagnostic imaging services that impact our business.
On April 16, 2015, President Obama signed into lawJuly 13, 2021, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2), which provides for sweeping changes to how Medicare pays physicians. H.R. 2, among other things, repealed the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. The SGR formula was enacted in 1997 and was linked to the growth in the U.S. gross domestic product, which led Congress to repeatedly intervene to mitigate the negative reimbursement impact associated with it. H.R. 2 provides that for services paid under the physician fee schedule and furnished during calendar years 2016 through 2019, Medicare’s payment rates will increase by 0.5% per year over calendar year 2015. Fees will remain at the 2019 level through 2025, but providers have the ability to participate in the Quality Payment Program (“QPP”) and have the opportunity for additional payments. Under one track, incentive payments will be based upon participating in an innovative payment model (e.g., participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program), and under the other track, incentive payments will be based upon quality, resource use, clinical practice improvement activities and meaningful use of electronic health record technology. Given that the QPP remains under CMS’ continued development, we cannot determine the impact of such payments models on our business at this time. However, in general, shifting to value-based care may decrease our revenue and require us to invest heavily in new IT infrastructure and analytic tools.
In 2013, Congress adjusted Medicare payment rates for physician imaging services in an attempt to better reflect actual usage, by revising upward the assumed usage rate for diagnostic imaging equipment costing more than $1 million to 90% effective January, 1, 2014. Additionally, under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (“PAMA”), Congress introduced a new quality
incentive program that, effective January 1, 2016, reduced Medicare payment for certain CT services reimbursed through the2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that are furnished usingproposed rules, which proposed significant payment reductions effective January 1, 2022 for radiology services as a result of changes to relative value units (RVUs), redistributive effects of the CMS proposed clinical labor pricing update, phase-in implementation of the previously finalized updates to supply and equipment thatpricing, and statutorily mandated budget neutrality rules. The Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, enacted on December 10, 2021, mitigated the reimbursement cuts, reducing their impact in certain respects and delaying implementation of certain portions of the cuts, but the act does not meet certain dose optimizationcompletely eliminate the cuts. Furthermore, absent further and management standards. Other changesmore permanent intervention from Congress, CMS could propose and impose similar or more significant reimbursement cuts in reimbursement for services rendered by Medicare Advantage plans may reduce the revenues we receive for services rendered to Medicare Advantage enrollees.months and years ahead.
Pressure to control healthcare costs could have a negative impact on our results.
One of the principal objectives of health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations is to control the cost of healthcare services. Healthcare providers participating in managed care plans may be required to refer diagnostic imaging tests to certain providers depending on the plan in which a covered patient is enrolled. In addition, managedManaged care contracting has become very competitive, and reimbursement schedules are at or below Medicare reimbursement levels. The expansion of health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations and other managed care organizations within the geographic areas covered by our network could have a negative impact on the utilization and pricing of our services, because these organizations will exert greater control over patients’ access to diagnostic imaging services, the selections of the provider of such services and reimbursement rates for those services. Relatedly, reimbursement rate cuts may be pursued as a cost-saving measure by third party payors resulting from the implementation of the federal No Surprises Act (H.R. 133) and similar insurer-provider payment dispute laws, which also may negatively impact our revenue.
Any reduction in the rate that we can charge for our imaging services under these programs will reduce our net revenues and our operating margins per procedure. Unless we can secure additional procedure volumes, increase utilization of our equipment, or change the overall mix of service procedures that we provide, a decline in reimbursement rates will reduce our net revenues and results of operations.
Disruption or malfunction in our information systems could adversely affect our business.
We rely on information technology systems to process, transmit and store electronic information. A significant portion of the communication between personnel, customers, business partners, and suppliers depends on information technology. We rely on our information systems to perform functions critical to our ability to operate, including patient scheduling, billing, collections, image storage and image transmission. We also use information technology systems and networks in our operations and supporting departments such as marketing, accounting, finance, and human resources. The future success and growth of our business depends on streamlined processes made available through information systems, global communications, internet activity and other network processes.
Our information technology systems, and those of our third-party service providers, have been and may again in the future be vulnerable to information security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses and interruption or loss of valuable business data. Our information technology system is vulnerable to damage or interruption from:
•earthquakes, fires, floods and other natural disasters;
•power losses, computer systems failures, internet and telecommunications or data network failures, operator negligence, improper operation by or supervision of employees, physical and electronic losses of data and similar events; and
•computer viruses, penetration by hackers seeking to disrupt operations or misappropriate information and other breaches of security.
We maintain multiple layers of security measures and are continuously enhance our security technologies to address new threats.Our defenses are monitored and routinely tested internally and by external parties. Despite these efforts, our facilities and systems have been, and may in the future be, vulnerable to privacy and security incidents; security attacks and breaches; acts of vandalism or theft; computer viruses; coordinated attacks by activist entities; emerging cybersecurity risks; misplaced or lost data; programming and/or human errors; or other similar events. In addition, these threats are constantly changing, thereby increasing the difficulty of successfully defending against them or implementing adequate preventive measures. Emerging and advanced security threats, including coordinated attacks, require additional layers of security which may disrupt or impact efficiency of operations.
We suffered an unauthorized access to our network and could again face attempts by others to gain unauthorized access through the Internet or to introduce malicious software to our information technology systems. If a malicious hacker gains unauthorized access to our systems and network, it could have a material adverse impact on our business or operations. Such incidents, whether or not successful, could result in our incurring significant costs related to, for example, rebuilding internal systems, defending against litigation, responding to regulatory inquiries or actions, paying damages, or taking other remedial steps with respect to third parties. An extended interruption in our information technology system’s function could significantly curtail, directly and indirectly, our ability to conduct our business and generate revenue.If our network was compromised, it could give rise to unwanted media attention, materially damage our payor and physician relationships, harm our business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, result in fines or lawsuits, and may increase the costs we incur to protect against such information security breaches, such as increased investment in technology, the costs of compliance with consumer protection laws and costs resulting from consumer fraud. While we maintain cyber liability insurance, our insurance may not be sufficient to protect against all losses we may incur if we suffer significant or multiple attacks.
Technological change in our industry could reduce the demand for our services and require us to incur significant costs to upgrade our equipment.
The development of new technologies or refinements of existing modalities may require us to upgrade and enhance our existing equipment before we may otherwise intend. Many companies currently manufacture diagnostic imaging equipment. Competition among manufacturers for a greater share of the diagnostic imaging equipment market may result in technological advances in the speed and imaging capacity of new equipment. In addition, advances in technology may enable physicians and others to perform diagnostic imaging procedures without us.
Our scale in both the number of our locations and the number and types of imaging equipment we offer is one of our competitive advantages. If the development of new technologies accelerates the obsolescence of our current equipment, we may lose some of our competitive advantage. We may also be required to accelerate the depreciation on existing equipment and incur significant capital expenditures to acquire the new technologies. We may not have the financial ability to acquire the new or improved equipment and may not be able to maintain a competitive equipment base.
Risks Related to Our Ability to Grow Our Business
We face various risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We face various risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks, including the global outbreak of COVID-19 (including the virus' variants that have emerged and could emerge in the future):
•Restrictions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, including quarantines, government-mandated actions, stay-at-home orders and other restrictions, have led and may in the future lead to periods where procedure volumes drop significantly;
•Disruptions in supply chains can affect the cost and availability of reagents and other materials needed for certain procedures;
•Significant portions of our workforce may be unable to work illness, quarantines, facility closures, ineffective remote work arrangements or technology failures or limitations;
•General economic downturns as a result of COVID-19 may affect demand or pricing for our services; and
•Volatility in the global capital markets may result in a decrease in the price of our common stock, or an increase in our cost of capital.
The United States government has taken steps to attempt to mitigate some of the more severe anticipated effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. We received some funding from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services under the CARES Act’s Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), which is geared towards supporting healthcare related expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19. Nonetheless, no assurance that such types of measures and funding whether already enacted or to be enacted, including H.R. 133, will be effective or achieve their desired results in a timely fashion, including as it relates to our business operations. Moreover, while we believe we are in compliance with the applicable terms and conditions of funding under PHSSEF, compliance-related guidance for the program remains in process, and we may face enforcement risk if we are found to have failed to comply with such terms and conditions.
Our results of operations have recovered from the initial outbreak of COVID-19, but a further outbreak or similar pandemic event would negatively impact our results of operations. In addition, changes to statutes, regulations or regulatory policies or practices as a result of, or in response to COVID-19, could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. Given the many uncertainties and far-reaching consequences of potential developments, we cannot assure that the COVID-19 outbreak and the many related impacts will not require extended or additional diagnostic center closures and other disruptions to our business or will not materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition for significant periods of time moving forward.
We experience competition from other diagnostic imaging companies and hospitals, and this competition could adversely affect our revenue and business.
The market for diagnostic imaging services is highly competitive. We compete for patients principally on the basis of our reputation, our ability to provide multiple modalities at many of our facilities,centers, the location of our facilitiescenters and the quality of our diagnostic imaging services. We compete locally with groups of radiologists, established hospitals, clinics and other independent organizations that own and operate imaging equipment. Our competitors include independent imaging operators, such as Alliance Healthcare Services and smaller regional operators, as well as hospitals, clinics and hospitalradiology groups that operate their own imaging services.equipment. Some of our competitors may have, now or in the future, have access to greater financial resources than we do and may have access to newer, more advanced equipment. In addition, some physician practices have established their own diagnostic imaging facilities within their group practices and compete with us. We are experiencing increased competition as a result of such activities, and if we are unable to successfully compete, our business and financial condition would be adversely affected.
Our success depends in part on our key personnel and loss of key executives could adversely affect our operations. In addition, former employees and radiology practices we have previously contracted with could use the experience and relationships developed while employed or under contract with us to compete with us.
Our success depends in part on our ability to attract and retain qualified senior and executive management, and managerial and technical personnel. Competition in recruiting these personnel may make it difficult for us to continue our growth and success. The loss of their services or our inability in the future to attract and retain management and other key personnel could hinder the implementation of our business strategy. The loss of the services of Dr. Howard G. Berger, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Norman R. Hames or Stephen M. Forthuber, our Chief Operating Officers, West Coast and East Coast, respectively, could hinder our ability to execute our business strategy and have a significant negative impact on our operations. We believe that they could not easily be replaced with executives of equal experience and capabilities. Additionally, if we lose the services of Dr. Berger, our relationship with BRMG could deteriorate,capabilities, which would materially adversely affect our business.
Former employees and radiology practices we have previously contracted with could use the experience and relationships developed while employed or under contract with us to compete with us.
The agreements with most of our radiology practices contain non-compete provisions; however the enforceability of these provisions is determined by a court based on the facts and circumstances of the specific case at the time enforcement is
sought. Our inability to enforce radiologists’ non-compete provisions could result in increased competition from individuals who are knowledgeable about our business strategies and operations.
Many of the states in which we operate do not enforce agreements that prohibit a former employee from competing with a former employer. As a result, many of our employees whose employment is terminated are free to compete with us, subject to prohibitions on the use of trade secret information and, depending on the terms of the employee’s employment agreement, on solicitation of existing employees and customers (if enforceable). A former executive, manager or other key employee who joins one of our competitors could use the relationships he or she established with third party payors, radiologists or referring physicians while our employee and the industry knowledge he or she acquired during that tenure to enhance the new employer’s ability to compete with us.
The agreements with most of our radiology practices contain non-compete provisions; however the enforceability of these provisions is determined by a court based on all the facts and circumstances of the specific case at the time enforcement is sought. Our inability to enforce radiologists’ non-compete provisions could result in increased competition from individuals who are knowledgeable about our business strategies and operations.
Our failure to successfully, and in a timely manner, integrate similaracquired businesses and/or new lines of businesses we acquire could reduce our profitability.
We may never realize expected synergies, business opportunities and growth prospects in connection with our acquisitions and joint ventures. We may not be able to capitalize on expected business opportunities, assumptions underlying estimates of expected cost savings may be inaccurate, or general industry and business conditions may deteriorate. In addition, integrating operations will require significant efforts and expensesexpense on our part. Personnel may leave or be terminated because of an acquisition. Our management may have its attention diverted while trying to integrate an acquisition. If these factors limit our ability to integrate the operations of an acquisition successfully or on a timely basis, our expectations of future results of operations, including certain cost savings and synergies as a result of the acquisition, may not be met.
In the past we have acquired, and may again in the future acquire, companies that create a new line of business. The process of integrating the acquired business, technology, service and research and development component into our business and operations and entry into a new line of business in which we are inexperienced may result in unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures. In developing a new line of business, we may invest significant time and resources that take away the attention of management that would otherwise be available for ongoing development of our business, which may affect our results of operations and we may not be able to take full advantage of the business opportunities available to us as we expand new lines of business. In addition, there can be no assurance that our new lines of business will ultimately be successful. The failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new lines of business could have a material, adverse effect on the Company’sour business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We may not generate the expected benefits from our recent investment in AI technologies.
We believe that technology advancements including AI will significantly impact diagnostic images services in the future. As part of our growth strategy we have acquired or invested in in a number of AI companies and technologies, including DeepHealth, Inc., NeuroLogix, Inc., WhiteRabbit.ai, and recently Aidence Holding B.V. and Quantib B.V. Our focus in AI technologies is aimed at developing solutions that improve the quality of diagnostic imaging, reduce operating costs, and correspondingly improve our competitive position. The success of our AI investments will depend upon a number of factors, some of which are out of our control, such as:
•our ability to effectively integrate the operations of the acquired companies, including retaining key personnel;
•whether any of our existing or future AI products will receive European CE or U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance or other clearances and or regulatory approvals necessary for commercialization;
•whether our AI solutions will prove effective for improving health care quality, patient services or business procedures;
•our ability to successfully commercialize and secure market acceptance of our AI solutions from patients and health care providers; and
•the development of competing technologies by other companies, and the relative efficacy, cost and ease of use of those technologies.
There is no guarantee that we will receive the anticipated benefits from the investments we have made and may continue to make in the area of AI. Any failure would result in reduced operating profits and the potential impairment of goodwill related to those investments, which would further impact our profitability.
We may not be able to successfully grow our business, which would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Historically, we have experienced substantial growth through acquisitions that have increased our size, scope and geographic distribution. During the past two fiscal years, we have completed 169 acquisitions. These acquisitions have added 6419 centers to our fixed-site outpatient diagnostic imaging services. Our ability to successfully expand through acquiring facilities, centers,
developing new facilities,centers, adding equipment at existing facilities,centers, and directly or indirectly entering into contractual relationships with high-quality radiology practices depends upon many factors, including our ability to:
•identify attractive and willing candidates for acquisitions;
•identify locations in existing or new markets for development of new facilities;centers;
•comply with legal requirements affecting our arrangements with contracted radiology practices, including state prohibitions on fee-splitting, corporate practice of medicine and self-referrals;practices;
•obtain regulatory approvals where necessary and comply with licensing and certification requirements applicable to our diagnostic imaging facilities,centers, the contracted radiology practices and the physicianstheir associated with the contracted radiology practices;physicians;
•recruit a sufficient number of qualified radiology technologists and other non-medical personnel;
•expand our infrastructure and management; and
•compete for opportunities.
We may not be able to compete effectively for the acquisition of diagnostic imaging facilities.centers. Our competitors may have more established operating histories and greater resources than we do. Competition may also make any acquisitions more expensive.
Managing our recent acquisitions, as well as any other future acquisitions, will entail numerous operational and financial risks, including:
inability to obtain adequate financing;
failure to achieve our targeted operating results;
diversion of management’s attention and resources;
failure to retain key personnel;
difficulties in integrating new operations into our existing infrastructure; and
amortization or write-offs of acquired intangible assets, including goodwill.
If we are unable to successfully grow our business through acquisitions it could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Further we cannot ensure we will be able to receive the required regulatory approvals for any future acquisitions, expansions or replacements, and the failure to obtain these approvals could limit the market for our services and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to tax audits, challenges to our tax positions, or adverse changes or interpretations of tax laws.
We are subject to federal and applicable state income tax laws and regulations. Income tax laws and regulations are often complex and require significant judgment in determining our effective tax rate and in evaluating our tax positions. Our determination of our tax liability is subject to review by applicable tax authorities. Any audits or challenges of such determinations may adversely affect our effective tax rate, tax payments or financial condition. Recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, most significant of which is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "Tax Act"), made significant changes to federal tax law, including the taxation of corporations, by, among other things, reducing the corporate income tax rate, disallowing certain deductions that had previously been allowed, and altering the expensing of capital expenditures. The implementation and evaluation of these changes is ongoing and additional administrative guidance is necessary to fully evaluate the effects of many provisions.
The ultimate impact of the Tax Act may differ from our estimates due to changes in interpretations and assumptions made by us as well as potential amendments, technical corrections, and additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and any such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow. Furthermore, future related changes may occur at the state level that could result in unfavorable adjustments to our tax liability.
We may be required to recognize an impairment of our goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.
We recognized an impairment of goodwill and trade name in our Imaging On Call reporting unit in the amount of $3.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We are required to perform impairment tests for goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets annually and whenever events or circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that impairment exists or that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be recoverable, we recognize an impairment. A decline in the Company's operating results, future estimated cash flows and other assumptions could impact our estimated fair values, potentially leading to a material impairment of goodwill or other indefinite-lived assets, which could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.
Our substantial debt could adversely affect our financial condition and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our outstanding indebtedness.
Our current substantial indebtedness and any future indebtedness we incur could adversely affect our financial condition. We are highly leveraged. As of December 31, 2019, our total combined indebtedness of term loans, capital leases and notes payable, excluding discount on term loan debt, was $706.0 million. Term loan indebtedness, excluding related discount, was $705.7 million of which $649.8 million constituted Barclays first lien term loans and the SunTrust term loan of $55.9 million. Our substantial indebtedness could also:
make it difficult for us to satisfy our payment obligations with respect to our outstanding indebtedness;
require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
expose us to the risk of interest rate increases on our variable rate borrowings, including borrowings under our new senior secured credit facilities;
increase our vulnerability to adverse general economic and industry conditions;
limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and
limit our ability to borrow additional funds on terms that are satisfactory to us or at all.
Increases in interest rates could increase the amount of our debt payments and reduce our operating cash flows.
We have incurred significant indebtedness that accrues interest at variable rate borrowing and we may incur additional debt in the future. Increases in interest rates on our current outstanding debt or any other debt we may incur will reduce our operating cash flows and if we need to repay any of our variable rate borrowing during period of high interest rates, we could be required to forgo other opportunities in order to repay the debt which may not permit us to realize future earnings of those forgone opportunities. To mitigate this risk, we have entered into an interest rate cap contract on our term loan debt facilities. See Note 8 in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 10-K.
We may not be able to finance future needs or adapt our business plan to changes because of restrictions placed on us by our credit facilities and instruments governing our other indebtedness.
Our credit facilities contain affirmative and negative covenants which restrict, among other things, our ability to:
pay dividends or make certain other restricted payments or investments;
incur additional indebtedness and certain disqualified equity interests;
create liens (other than permitted liens) securing indebtedness or trade payables;
sell certain assets or merge with or into other companies or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;
enter into certain transactions with affiliates;
create restrictions on dividends or other payments by our restricted subsidiaries; and
create guarantees of indebtedness by restricted subsidiaries.
All of these restrictions could affect our ability to operate our business and may limit our ability to take advantage of potential business opportunities as they arise. A failure to comply with these covenants and restrictions would permit the relevant creditors to declare all amounts borrowed under the applicable agreement governing such indebtedness, together with accrued interest and fees, to be immediately due and payable. If the indebtedness under our credit facilities is accelerated, we may not have sufficient assets to repay amounts due under the credit facilities or on other indebtedness then outstanding.
A restriction in our ability to make capital expenditures would restrict our growth and could adversely affect our business.
We operate in a capital intensive, high fixed-cost industry that requires significant amounts of capital to fund operations, particularly the initial start-up and development expenses of new diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters and the acquisition of additional facilitiescenters and new diagnostic imaging equipment. We incur capital expenditures to, among other things, upgrade and replace equipment for existing facilitiescenters and expand within our existing markets and enter new markets. If we open or acquire additional imaging facilities,centers, we may have to incur material capital lease obligations. To the extent we are unable to generate sufficient cash from our operations, funds are not available fromunder our lenderscredit facilities or we are unable to structure or obtain financing through operating leases, finance leases or long-term installment notes, we may be unable to meet ourthe capital expenditure requirements necessary to support the maintenance and continued growth of our operations.
We may be impacted by eligibility changesRisks Related to governmentHealthcare Laws and private insurance programs.Regulations
Due to potential decreased availability of healthcare through private employers, the number of patients who are uninsured or participate in governmental programs may increase. Healthcare reform legislation will increase the participation of individuals in the Medicaid program in states that elect to participate in the expanded Medicaid coverage. A shift in payor mix from managed care and other private payors to government payors as well as an increase in the number of uninsured patients may result in a reduction in the rates of reimbursement or an increase in uncollectible receivables or uncompensated care, with a corresponding decrease in net revenue. Changes in the eligibility requirements for governmental programs such as the Medicaid program and state decisions on whether to participate in the expansion of such programs also could increase the number of patients who participate in such programs and the number of uninsured patients. Even for those patients who remain in private insurance plans, changes to those plans could increase patient financial responsibility, resulting in a greater risk of uncollectible receivables.
Furthermore, additional changes to, or repeal of, the PPACA, whether through legislation or judicial action, may also affect reimbursement and coverage in ways that are currently unpredictable. These factors and events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our business could be adversely impacted if there are deficiencies in our disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting.
The design and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting may not prevent all errors, misstatements or misrepresentations. While our management regularly reviews the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, there can be no guarantee that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will be effective in accomplishing all control objectives all of the time. Deficiencies, including any material weakness, in our internal control over financial reporting that may occur in the future could result in misstatements of our results of operations, restatements of our financial statements, or otherwise adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations.
The regulatory framework in which we operate is uncertain and evolving.
Although we believe that we are operating in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, neither our current or anticipated business operations nor the operations of the contracted radiology practices have been the subject of judicial or regulatory interpretation. We cannot assure you that a review of our business by courts or regulatory authorities will not result in a determination that could adversely affect our operations or that the healthcare regulatory environment will not change in a way that restricts our operations. In addition, healthcare laws and regulations may change significantly in the future. We continuously monitor these developments and modify our operations from time to time as the regulatory environment changes. We cannot assure you however, that we will be able to adapt our operations to address new regulations or that new regulations will not adversely affect our business.
Certain states have enacted statutes or adopted regulations affecting risk assumption in the healthcare industry, including statutes and regulations that subject any physician or physician network engaged in risk-based managed care contracting to comply with applicable insurance laws and regulations.laws. These laws, and regulations, if adopted in the states in which we operate, may require physicians and physician networks to meet minimum capital requirements and other safety and soundness requirements. Implementing additional regulations or compliance requirements could result in substantial costs to us and the contracted radiology practices and limit our ability to enter into capitation or other risk-sharing managed care arrangements.
We may be impacted by eligibility changes to government and private insurance programs.
Due to potential decreased availability of healthcare through private employers, the number of patients who are uninsured or participate in governmental programs may increase. Healthcare reform legislation will increase the participation of individuals in the Medicaid program in states that elect to participate in the expanded Medicaid coverage. A shift in payor mix from managed care and other private payors to government payors as well as an increase in the number of uninsured patients may result in a reduction in the rates of reimbursement or an increase in uncollectible receivables or uncompensated care, with a corresponding decrease in net revenue. Changes in the eligibility requirements for governmental programs and state decisions on whether to participate in the expansion of such programs also could increase the number of patients who participate in such programs and the number of uninsured patients. Even for those patients who remain in private insurance plans, changes to those plans could increase patient financial responsibility, resulting in a greater risk of uncollectible receivables. Furthermore, additional changes to, or repeal of, the PPACA, whether through legislation or judicial action, may also affect reimbursement
and coverage in ways that are currently unpredictable. These factors and events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
State and federal anti-kickback and anti-self-referral laws may adversely affect income.
Various federal and state laws govern financial arrangements among healthcare providers. The federal Anti-Kickback LawStatute prohibits the knowing and willful offer, payment, solicitation or receipt of any form of remuneration in return for, or to induce, the referral of Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal healthcare program patients, or in return for, or to induce, the purchase, lease or order of items or services that are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal healthcare programs. Similarly, many state laws prohibit the solicitation, payment or receipt of remuneration in return for, or to induce the referral of patients in private as well as government programs. Violation of these Anti-Kickback Lawsanti-kickback laws may result in substantial civil or criminal penalties for individuals or entities and/or exclusion from federal or state healthcare programs. We believe we are operating in compliance with applicable law and believe that our arrangements with providers would not be found to violate the Anti-Kickback Laws.anti-kickback laws. However, these laws could be interpreted in a manner inconsistent with our operations.
Federal law prohibiting certain physician self-referrals, known as the Stark Law, prohibits a physician from referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to an entity for certain “designated health services” if the physician has a prohibited financial relationship with that entity, unless an exception applies. Certain radiology services are considered “designated health services” under the Stark Law. Although we believe our operations do not violate the Stark Law, our activities may be challenged. If a challenge to our activities is successful, it could have an adverse effect on our operations. In addition, legislation may be enacted in the future that further addresses Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse or that imposes additional requirements orregulatory burdens on us.
In addition, under the DRA, states enacting false claims statutes similar to the federal False Claims Act, which establish liability for submission of fraudulent claims to the State Medicaid program and contain qui tam or whistleblower provisions, receive an increased percentage of any recovery from a State Medicaid judgment or settlement. Adoption of new false claims statutes in states where we operate may impose additional requirements or burdens on us.
FederalIf we fail to comply with federal and state privacy and information security laws are complex, and if we fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations and standards, or if we fail to properly maintain the integritymandating protection of ourcertain confidential data protect our proprietary rights to our systems, or
defend against disclosure, including cybersecurity attacks, we may be subject to government or private actions due to privacy and security breaches, and our business, reputation, results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.actions.
Our operations rely on the secure processing, transmission and storage of confidential, proprietary and other information in our computer systems and networks. We must comply with numerous federal and state laws and regulations governing the collection, dissemination, access, use, security and privacy of PHI, including HIPAA and its implementing privacy and security regulations, as amended by the federal HITECH Act and collectively referred to as HIPAA.(collectively, “HIPAA”). Information security risks have significantly increased in recent years in part because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct our operations, and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists and other external parties, including foreign state agents. If we fail to comply with applicable privacy and security laws, regulations and standards, properly maintain the integrity of our data, protect our proprietary rights to our systems, or defend against cybersecurity attacks, our business, reputation, results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
We are continuously implementing multiple layers of security measures through technology, processes, and our people; utilize current security technologies; and our defenses are monitored and routinely tested internally and by external parties. Despite these efforts, our facilities and systems may be vulnerable to privacy and security incidents; security attacks and breaches; acts of vandalism or theft; computer viruses; coordinated attacks by activist entities; emerging cybersecurity risks; misplaced or lost data; programming and/or human errors; or other similar events. Emerging and advanced security threats, including coordinated attacks, require additional layers of security which may disrupt or impact efficiency of operations.
Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential information, including protected health information, financial data, competitively sensitive information, or other proprietary data, whether by us or a third party, could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows, or results of operations. The occurrence of any of these events could result in interruptions, delays, the loss or corruption of data, cessations in the availability of systems or liability under privacy and security laws, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations and harm our business reputation. If we are unable to protect the physical and electronic security and privacy of our databases and transactions, we could be subject to potential liability and regulatory action, our reputation and relationships with our patients and vendors would be harmed, and our business, operations, and financial results may be materially adversely affected. Failure to adequately protect and maintain the integrity of our information systems (including our networks) and data, or to defend against cybersecurity attacks, could subject us to monetary fines, civil suits, civil penalties or criminal sanctions and requirementssanctions. We could also be required to disclose the breach publicly, which may damage our business reputation with our patients and mayvendors and cause a further result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Complying with federal and state regulations is an expensive and time-consuming process, and any failure to comply could result in substantial penalties.
We are directly or indirectly, through the radiology practices with which we contract, subject to extensive regulation by both the federal government and the state governments in which we provide services, including:
•the federal False Claims Act;
•the federal Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback Laws,Statute, and state anti-kickback prohibitions;
•federal and state billing and claims submission laws and regulations;
the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996,•HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009,HITECH, and comparable state laws;
•the federal physician self-referral prohibition commonly known as the Stark Law and the state equivalent of the Stark Law;equivalents;
•state laws that prohibit the corporate practice of medicine by non-physicians and prohibit similar fee-splitting arrangements involving physicians;arrangements;
•federal and state laws governing the diagnostic imaging and therapeutic equipment we use in our business concerning patient safety, equipment operating specifications and radiation exposure levels; and
•state laws governing reimbursement for diagnostic services related to services compensable under workersworkers' compensation rules.
If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws and regulations to which we or the radiology practices with which we contract are subject, we may be subject to the applicable penalty associated with the violation,penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines and
the curtailment of our operations. Any penalties, damages, fines or curtailment of our operations, individually or in the aggregate, could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results. The risks of our being found in violation of these laws and regulations is increased by the fact that many of them have not been fully interpreted by the regulatory authorities or the courts, and their provisions are open to a variety of interpretations. Any action brought against us for violation of these laws or regulations, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business.
If we fail to comply with various licensure, certification and accreditation standards, we may be subject to loss of licensure, certification or accreditation, which would adversely affect our operations.
Ownership, construction, operation, expansion and acquisition of our diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters are subject to various federal and state laws, regulations and approvals concerning licensing of personnel, other required certificates for certain types of healthcare facilities and certain medical equipment. In addition, freestanding diagnostic imaging facilitiescenters that provide services independent of a physician’s office must be enrolled by Medicare as an independent diagnostic treatment facility, or IDTF, to bill the Medicare program. Medicare carriers have discretion in applying the IDTF requirements and therefore the application of these requirements may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In addition, federal legislation requires all suppliers that provide the technical component of diagnostic MRI, PET/CT, CT, and nuclear medicine to be accredited by an accreditation organization designated by CMS (which currently include the American College of Radiology (ACR), the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) and the Joint Commission). Our MRI, CT, nuclear medicine, ultrasound and mammography facilitiescenters are currently accredited by the American College of Radiology. We may not be able to receive the required regulatory approvals or accreditation for any future acquisitions, expansions or replacements, and the failure to obtain these approvals could limit the opportunity to expand our services.
Our facilitiescenters are subject to periodic inspection by governmental and other authorities to assure continued compliance with the various standards necessary for licensure and certification. If any facility loses its certification under the Medicare program, then the facility will be ineligible to receive reimbursement from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For the year ended December 31, 2019,2021, approximately 21% and 2%3% of our net service fee revenue came from Medicare and various state Medicaid programs, respectively. A change in the applicable certification status of one of our facilitiescenters could adversely affect our other facilitiescenters and in turn us as a whole. Credentialing of physicians is required by our payors prior to commencing payment. We have experienced a slowdown in the credentialing of our physicians over the last several years which has lengthened our billing and collection cycle, and could negatively impact our ability to collect revenue from patients covered by Medicare.
Our agreements with the contracted radiology practices must be structured to avoid the corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting.
State law prohibitsThe laws of certain states prohibit us from exercising control over the medical judgments or decisions of physicians and from engaging in certain financial arrangements, such as splitting professional fees with physicians. These laws are enforced by state courts and regulatory authorities, each with broad discretion. A component of our business has been to enter into management agreements with radiology practices. We provide management, administrative, technical and other non-medical services to the radiology practices in exchange for a service fee typically based on a percentage of the practice’s revenue. We structure our relationships with the radiology practices, including the purchase of diagnostic imaging facilities,centers, in a manner that we believe keeps us from engaging in the practice of medicine or exercising control over the medical judgments or decisions of the radiology practices or their physicians, or violating the prohibitions against fee-splitting. ThereState laws and enforcement efforts regarding corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting are often subject to change. As a consequence, there can be no assurance that our present arrangements with BRMGthe Group or the physicians providing medical services and medical supervision at our imaging facilitiescenters will not be challenged, and, if challenged, that they will not be found to violate the corporate practice of medicine or fee splitting prohibitions, thus subjecting us to potential damages, injunction and/or civil and criminal penalties or require us to restructure our arrangements in a way that would affect the control or quality of our services and/or change the amounts we receive under our management agreements. Any of these results could jeopardize our business.
Some of our imaging modalities use radioactive materials, which generate regulated waste and could subject us to liabilities for injuries or violations of environmental and health and safety laws.
Some of our imaging procedures use radioactive materials, which generate medical and other regulated wastes. For example, patients are injected with a radioactive substance before undergoing a PET scan. Storage, use and disposal of these
materials and waste products present the risk of accidental environmental contamination and physical injury. We are subject to federal, state and local regulations governing storage, handling and disposal of these materials. We could incur significant costs and the diversion of our management’s attention in order to comply with current or future environmental and health and safety laws and regulations. Also, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these hazardous
materials. Although we maintain professional liability insurance coverage in amounts we believe is consistent with industry practice in the event of an accident, we could be held liable for any resulting damages, and any liability could exceed the limits of or fall outside the coverage of our professional liability insurance.
Technological change in our industry could reduce the demand for our servicesGeneral Economic, Legal, Tax and require us to incur significant costs to upgrade our equipment.Financial Risks
The development of new technologies or refinements of existing modalities may require us to upgrade and enhance our existing equipment before we may otherwise intend. Many companies currently manufacture diagnostic imaging equipment. Competition among manufacturers for a greater share of the diagnostic imaging equipment market may result in technological advances in the speed and imaging capacity of new equipment. This may accelerate the obsolescence of our equipment, and we may not have the financial ability to acquire the new or improved equipment and may not be able to maintain a competitive equipment base. In addition, advances in technology may enable physicians and others to perform diagnostic imaging procedures without us. If we are unable to deliver our services in the efficient and effective manner that payors, physicians and patients expect our revenue could substantially decrease.
Because we have high fixed costs, lower scan volumes per system could adversely affect our business.
The principal components of our expenses, excluding depreciation, consist of debt service, capital lease payments, compensation paid to technologists, salaries, real estate lease expenses and equipment maintenance costs. Because a majority of these expenses are fixed, a relatively small change in our revenue could have a disproportionate effect on our operating and financial results depending on the source of our revenue. Thus, decreased revenue as a result of lower scan volumes per system could result in lower margins, which could materially adversely affect our business.
We may be unable to effectively maintain our equipment or generate revenue when our equipment is not operational.
Timely, effective service is essential to maintaining our reputation and high use rates on our imaging equipment. Although we have a agreements with original equipment manufacturers pursuant to which they maintain and repair the majority of our imaging equipment, those agreements do not compensate us for loss of revenue when our systems are not fully operational and our business interruption insurance may not provide sufficient coverage for the loss of revenue. Also, service representatives may not be able to perform repairs or supply needed parts in a timely manner, which could result in a loss of revenue. Therefore, if we experience more equipment malfunctions than anticipated or if we are unable to promptly obtain the service necessary to keep our equipment functioning effectively, our ability to provide services would be adversely affected and our revenue could decline.
Disruption or malfunction in our information systems could adversely affect our business.
We rely on information technology systems to process, transmit and store electronic information. A significant portion of the communication between personnel, customers, business partners, and suppliers depends on information technology. We rely on our information systems to perform functions critical to our ability to operate, including patient scheduling, billing, collections, image storage and image transmission. We also use information technology systems and networks in our operations and supporting departments such as marketing, accounting, finance, and human resources. The future success and growth of our business depends on streamlined processes made available through information systems, global communications, internet activity and other network processes.
Despite our current security measures, our information technology systems, and those of our third-party service providers, may be vulnerable to information security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses and interruption or loss of valuable business data. Our information technology system is vulnerable to damage or interruption from:
earthquakes, fires, floods and other natural disasters;
power losses, computer systems failures, internet and telecommunications or data network failures, operator negligence, improper operation by or supervision of employees, physical and electronic losses of data and similar events; and
computer viruses, penetration by hackers seeking to disrupt operations or misappropriate information and other breaches of security.
We have technology security initiatives and disaster recovery plans in place to mitigate our risk to these vulnerabilities, but these measures may not be adequate or implemented properly to ensure that our operations are not disrupted or that data security breaches do not occur.
We could face attempts by others to gain unauthorized access through the Internet or to introduce malicious software to our information technology systems. If a malicious hacker gained unauthorized access to our systems and network, it could have a material adverse impact on our business or operations. Such incidents, whether or not successful, could result in our incurring significant costs related to, for example, rebuilding internal systems, defending against litigation, responding to regulatory inquiries or actions, paying damages, or taking other remedial steps with respect to third parties. In addition, these threats are constantly changing, thereby increasing the difficulty of successfully defending against them or implementing adequate preventive measures. Accordingly, an extended interruption in our information technology system’s function could significantly curtail, directly and indirectly, our ability to conduct our business and generate revenue.
If our network was compromised, it could give rise to unwanted media attention, materially damage our payor and physician relationships, harm our business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, result in fines or lawsuits, and may increase the costs we incur to protect against such information security breaches, such as increased investment in technology, the costs of compliance with consumer protection laws and costs resulting from consumer fraud. While we maintain cyber liability insurance, our insurance may not be sufficient to protect against all losses we may incur if we suffer significant or multiple attacks.
Adverse changes in general domestic and worldwide economic conditions and instability and disruption of credit markets could adversely affect our operating results, financial condition, or liquidity.
We are subject to risk arising from adverse changes in general domestic and global economic conditions, including recession or economic slowdown and disruption of credit markets. Continued concerns about the systemic impact of potential long-term and wide-spread recession, inflation, energy costs, geopolitical issues, the availability and cost of credit have contributed to increased market volatility and diminished expectations for the United States economy. The United States and other western countries have responded to this economic situation by exercising monetary policy to keep interest rates low. Any significant change in economic conditions or change in fiscal monetary policy could result in material changes in interest rates.
Continued turbulence in domestic and international markets and economies may adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition, and the liquidity and financial condition of our patients. If these market conditions continue, they may increase expenses associated with borrowing, limit our ability and the ability of our patients, to timely replace maturing liabilities and access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs, resulting in adverse effects on our financial condition and results of operations.
Business disruptions and interruptions due to external events beyond our control can adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our operations can be subject to external events beyond our control, such as the effects of earthquakes, fires, floods, severe weather, public health issues, power failures, telecommunication loss, and other natural and man-made events, some of which may be intensified by the effects of climate change and changing weather patterns. Our corporate headquarters and over 100 of our radiology centers are located in California, which is subject to wildfires, blackouts, and potentially damaging earthquakes. In addition, several of our facilitiescenters located in parts of the east coast have suffered from weather events that caused us to temporarily close facilities.centers. More recently, the novel coronavirus outbreak has impacted other countries.our business. This or such other events could cause disruption or interruption to our operations and significantly impact our employees. Any disruption to our services may result in decreases in revenues or increased operating and capital expenses. Historically, when we have experienced a reduction in business due to inclement weather or external events for a period of time, our operations have returned to a normalized level, but we have not experience a significant increase of procedures that would fully compensate for the revenues lost during the slower periods.
Possible volatility in our stock price could negatively affect us and our stockholders.
The trading price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market has fluctuated significantly in the past. During the period from January 1, 20182020 through December 31, 2019,2021, the trading price of our common stock fluctuated from a high of $20.45$38.15 per share to a low of $9.65$6.14 per share. In the past, we have experienced a drop in stock price following an announcement of disappointing earnings or earnings guidance. Any such announcement in the future could lead to a similar drop in stock price. The price of our common stock could also be subject to wide fluctuations in the future as a result of a number of other factors, including the following:
•changes in expectations as to future financial performance or buy/sell recommendations of securities analysts;
•our, or a competitor’s, announcement of new services, or significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments; and
•the operating and stock price performance of other comparable companies.
In addition, the U.S. securities markets have experiencedperiodically experience significant price and volume fluctuations. These fluctuations often have been unrelated to the operating performance of companies in these markets. Broad market and industry factors may lead to volatility in the price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. Moreover, our stock has limited trading volume, and this illiquidity may increase the volatility of our stock price.
In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of an individual company’s securities, securities class action litigation often has been instituted against that company. The institution of similar litigation against us could result in
substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could negatively affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Our substantial debt could adversely affect our financial condition and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under our outstanding indebtedness.
Our current substantial indebtedness and any future indebtedness we incur could adversely affect our financial condition. We are highly leveraged. As of December 31, 2021 term loan indebtedness, excluding related discount, was $767.9 million, of which the Barclays first lien term loans were $721.4 million and the SunTrust term loan was $46.5 million. Our substantial indebtedness could also:
•make it difficult for us to satisfy our payment obligations with respect to our outstanding indebtedness;
•require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our debt, reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
•expose us to the risk of interest rate increases on our variable rate borrowings, including borrowings under our new senior secured credit facilities;
•increase our vulnerability to adverse general economic and industry conditions;
•limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
•place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and
•limit our ability to borrow additional funds on terms that are satisfactory to us or at all.
We may not be able to finance future needs or adapt our business plan to changes because of restrictions placed on us by our credit facilities and instruments governing our other indebtedness.
Our credit facilities contain affirmative and negative covenants which restrict, among other things, our ability to:
•pay dividends or make certain other restricted payments or investments;
•incur additional indebtedness and certain disqualified equity interests;
•create liens (other than permitted liens) securing indebtedness or trade payables;
•sell certain assets or merge with or into other companies or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;
•enter into certain transactions with affiliates;
•create restrictions on dividends or other payments by our restricted subsidiaries; and
•create guarantees of indebtedness by restricted subsidiaries.
All of these restrictions could affect our ability to operate our business and may limit our ability to take advantage of potential business opportunities as they arise. A failure to comply with these covenants and restrictions would permit the relevant creditors to declare all amounts borrowed under the applicable agreement governing such indebtedness, together with accrued interest and fees, to be immediately due and payable. If the indebtedness under our credit facilities is accelerated, we may not have sufficient assets to repay amounts due under the credit facilities or on other indebtedness then outstanding.
Our business could be adversely impacted if there are deficiencies in our disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting.
The design and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting may not prevent all errors, misstatements or misrepresentations. While our management regularly reviews the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, there can be no guarantee that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will be effective in accomplishing all control objectives all of the time. Deficiencies, including any material weakness, in our internal control over financial reporting that may occur in the future could result in misstatements of our results of operations, restatements of our financial statements, or otherwise adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations.
We are subject to tax audits, challenges to our tax positions, or adverse changes or interpretations of tax laws.
We are subject to federal and applicable state income tax laws and regulations. Income tax laws and regulations are often complex and require significant judgment in determining our effective tax rate and in evaluating our tax positions. Our determination of our tax liability is subject to review by applicable tax authorities. Any audits or challenges of such
determinations may adversely affect our effective tax rate, tax payments or financial condition. Recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, the most significant of which is the Tax Act, made significant changes to federal tax law, including the taxation of corporations, by, among other things, reducing the corporate income tax rate, disallowing certain deductions that had previously been allowed, and altering the expensing of capital expenditures.
The ultimate impact of the Tax Act may differ from our estimates due to changes in interpretations and assumptions made by us as well as potential amendments, technical corrections, and additional regulatory guidance that may be issued, and any such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow. Furthermore, future related changes may occur at the state level that could result in unfavorable adjustments to our tax liability.
We may be required to recognize an impairment of our goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.
During 2020 we ceased employing certain indefinite lived trade names with a total value of $4.2 million and they were written off in full. We are required to perform impairment tests for goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets annually and whenever events or circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that impairment exists or that the carrying amounts of the assets may not be recoverable, we recognize an impairment. A decline in the Company's operating results, future estimated cash flows and other assumptions could impact our estimated fair values, potentially leading to a material impairment of goodwill or other indefinite-lived assets, which could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.
Because we have high fixed costs, lower scan volumes per system could adversely affect our business.
The principal components of our expenses, excluding depreciation, consist of debt service, capital lease payments, compensation paid to technologists, salaries, real estate lease expenses and equipment maintenance costs. Because a majority of these expenses are fixed, a relatively small change in our revenue could have a disproportionate effect on our operating and financial results depending on the source of our revenue. Thus, decreased revenue as a result of lower scan volumes per system could result in lower margins, which could materially adversely affect our business.
Provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and our organizational documents may discourage an acquisition of us.
In the future, we could become the subject of an unsolicited attempted takeover of our company. Although an unsolicited takeover could be in the best interests of our stockholders, our organizational documents and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware both contain provisions that will impede the removal of directors and may discourage a third-party from making a proposal to acquire us. For example, the provisions:
•permit the board of directors to increase its own size, within the maximum limitations set forth in the bylaws, and fill the resulting vacancies;
•authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock in one or more series without a stockholder vote;
•establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to the board of directors; and
•prohibit transfers and/or acquisitions of stock (without consent of the Board of Directors ) that would result in any stockholder owning greater than 5% of the currently outstanding stock resulting in a limitation on net operating loss carryovers, capital loss carryovers, general business credit carryovers, alternative minimum tax credit carryovers and foreign tax credit carryovers, as well as any loss or deduction attributable to a “net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of Section 382 of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended.
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control.
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Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments |
None.
Our corporate headquarters is located in adjoining premises at 1508, 1510 and 1516 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90025, and approximately 21,500 square feet is occupied under these leases, which including options, expire June 30, 2027. We also have a regional office of approximately 39,000 square feet in Baltimore, Maryland under a lease, which including options, expires September 30, 2028. In addition, we lease approximately 52,00045,000 square feet of warehouse space under leases nationwide, which expire at various dates, including options, through December 31, 2028. As of December 31, 2019, total square footage operated directly or indirectly under lease, including medical office, administrative and warehouse locations, was approximately 2.6 million square feet.
At December 31, 2019,2021, we operated directly or indirectly through joint ventures with hospitals, 335347 centers located in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. We lease the premises at which these facilities are located and do not have options to purchase the facilities we rent. Our most common initial term varies in length from 5 to 15
years. Including renewal options negotiated with the landlord, we can have a total span of 10 to 35 years at the facilities we lease. We also lease smaller satellite X-Ray locations on mutually renewable terms, usually lasting one year. Rental increases can range from 1% to 10% on an annual basis, depending on the location and market conditions where we do business.
As of December 31, 2021, total square footage operated directly or indirectly under lease, including medical office, administrative and warehouse locations, was approximately 2.9 million square feet. We are engaged from time to time in the defense of lawsuits arising out of the ordinary course and conduct of our business. We believe that the outcome of our current litigation will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. However, we could be subsequently named as a defendant in other lawsuits that could adversely affect us.
Not applicable.