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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
 
 FORM 10-Q
 
ý
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018
OR
¨
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                     to                     
Commission file number: 001-33989
 
LHC GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware 71-0918189
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
901 Hugh Wallis Road South
Lafayette, LA 70508
(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)
(337) 233-1307
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ý    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  ý    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company”, and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer  ¨ý Accelerated filer ý
¨

    
Non-accelerated filer  
¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 Smaller reporting company   ¨
    Emerging growth company ¨




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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.


Table of Contents

¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  ý
Number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01, outstanding as of November 1, 2017: 18,279,658July 30, 2018: 31,333,150 shares.


Table of Contents

LHC GROUP, INC.
INDEX
 
  Page
Part I. Financial Information 
Item 1. 
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets — SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 20162017
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income — Three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity — NineSix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows — NineSix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017

Item 2.26
Item 3.
Item 4.
Part II. Other Information 
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 2.
Item 6.


PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
LHC GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Amounts in thousands, except share data)
September 30, 
 2017
 December 31, 
 2016
June 30, 
 2018
 December 31, 
 2017
(Unaudited)  (Unaudited)  
ASSETS      
Current assets:      
Cash$16,922
 $3,264
$15,370
 $2,849
Receivables:      
Patient accounts receivable, less allowance for uncollectible accounts of $26,089 and $29,036, respectively145,508
 124,803
Patient accounts receivable280,490
 161,898
Other receivables4,705
 5,115
7,647
 3,163
Amounts due from governmental entities830
 942
830
 830
Total receivables, net151,043
 130,860
Total receivables288,967
 165,891
Prepaid income taxes4,879
 
5,086
 7,006
Prepaid expenses11,437
 9,821
23,713
 13,042
Other current assets7,331
 5,796
17,300
 12,177
Total current assets191,612
 149,741
350,436
 200,965
Property, building and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $41,876 and $35,226, respectively47,562
 43,251
Property, building and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $49,173 and $43,565, respectively64,898
 46,453
Goodwill392,689
 307,317
1,118,777
 392,601
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $12,607 and $10,968, respectively130,779
 102,006
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $14,094 and $13,041, respectively325,137
 134,610
Assets held for sale2,850
 
Other assets2,411
 11,756
19,572
 19,073
Total assets$765,053
 $614,071
$1,881,670
 $793,702
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
Current liabilities:      
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities$40,355
 $26,805
$76,800
 $39,750
Salaries, wages, and benefits payable53,289
 34,265
99,881
 44,747
Self-insurance reserve9,524
 10,691
26,332
 12,450
Current portion of long-term debt261
 252
12,617
 286
Amounts due to governmental entities4,564
 4,955
4,375
 5,019
Income tax payable
 3,499
Total current liabilities107,993
 80,467
220,005
 102,252
Deferred income taxes38,186
 31,941
34,022
 27,466
Income taxes payable3,851
 
Revolving credit facility119,000
 87,000
242,000
 144,000
Long-term debt, less current portion93
 544
Long term notes payable265
 
Total liabilities265,272
 199,952
500,143
 273,718
Noncontrolling interest — redeemable13,206
 12,567
17,032
 13,393
Stockholders’ equity:      
LHC Group, Inc. stockholders’ equity:      
Common stock — $0.01 par value; 40,000,000 shares authorized; 22,635,322 and 22,429,041 shares issued in 2017 and 2016, respectively226
 224
Treasury stock — 4,890,181 and 4,828,679 shares at cost, respectively(42,226) (39,135)
Preferred stock – $0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding
 
Common stock — $0.01 par value; 60,000,000 and 40,000,000 shares authorized in 2018 and 2017, respectively; 35,592,424 and 22,640,046 shares issued in 2018 and 2017, respectively355
 226
Treasury stock — 4,953,665 and 4,890,504 shares at cost, respectively(46,344) (42,249)
Additional paid-in capital125,208
 119,748
923,655
 126,490
Retained earnings345,967
 314,289
386,193
 364,401
Total LHC Group, Inc. stockholders’ equity429,175
 395,126
1,263,859
 448,868
Noncontrolling interest — non-redeemable57,400
 6,426
100,636
 57,723
Total equity486,575
 401,552
1,364,495
 506,591
Total liabilities and equity$765,053
 $614,071
$1,881,670
 $793,702
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

LHC GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended  
 September 30,
 Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
Three Months Ended  
 June 30,
 Six Months Ended June 30,
2017 2016 2017 20162018 2017 2018 2017
Net service revenue$272,872
 $230,797
 $779,700
 $679,380
$502,024
 $257,535
 $793,078
 $501,784
Cost of service revenue172,856
 140,832
 488,384
 413,561
329,646
 161,158
 518,264
 315,528
Gross margin100,016
 89,965
 291,316
 265,819
172,378
 96,377
 274,814
 186,256
Provision for bad debts3,194
 3,275
 8,238
 11,658
General and administrative expenses75,669
 66,999
 221,077
 201,296
141,350
 73,552
 233,381
 145,563
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets(177) 142
 (23) 1,389
Operating income21,330
 19,549
 62,024
 51,476
31,028
 22,825
 41,433
 40,693
Interest expense(995) (816) (2,615) (2,167)(3,202) (840) (4,652) (1,620)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest20,335
 18,733
 59,409
 49,309
27,826
 21,985
 36,781
 39,073
Income tax expense7,445
 6,562
 20,410
 15,500
7,170
 7,792
 8,147
 12,965
Net income12,890
 12,171
 38,999
 33,809
20,656
 14,193
 28,634
 26,108
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests1,984
 2,555
 7,321
 7,043
3,859
 2,889
 6,842
 5,337
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$10,906
 $9,616
 $31,678
 $26,766
$16,797
 $11,304
 $21,792
 $20,771
Earnings per share attributable to LHC Group, Inc.'s common stockholders:              
Basic$0.61
 $0.55
 $1.79
 $1.53
$0.55
 $0.64
 $0.90
 $1.17
Diluted$0.61
 $0.54
 $1.77
 $1.52
$0.55
 $0.63
 $0.89
 $1.16
Weighted average shares outstanding:              
Basic17,740,818
 17,588,163
 17,704,561
 17,546,773
30,497,501
 17,728,567
 24,178,781
 17,686,134
Diluted18,010,522
 17,719,473
 17,931,700
 17,664,284
30,742,293
 17,964,387
 24,403,310
 17,911,723
 




See accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements.


LHC GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(Amounts in thousands, except share data)
(Unaudited)
 
Common Stock Additional
Paid-In
Capital
 Retained
Earnings
 Noncontrolling
Interest Non
Redeemable
 Total
Equity
Common Stock Additional
Paid-In
Capital
 Retained
Earnings
 Noncontrolling
Interest Non
Redeemable
 Total
Equity
Issued Treasury Issued Treasury 
Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount Shares Amount Shares 
Balance as of December 31, 2016$224
 22,429,041
 $(39,135) (4,828,679) $119,748
 $314,289
 $6,426
 $401,552
Balance as of December 31, 2017$226
 22,640,046
 $(42,249) (4,890,504) $126,490
 $364,401
 $57,723
 $506,591
Net income (1)

 
 
 
 
 31,678
 (328) 31,350

 
 
 
 
 21,792
 1,987
 23,779
Acquired noncontrolling interest
 
 
 
 
 
 52,492
 52,492

 
 
 
 
 
 36,474
 36,474
Noncontrolling interest distributions
 
 
 
 
 
 (1,472) (1,472)
 
 
 
 
 
 (1,119) (1,119)
Sale of noncontrolling interest
 
 
 
 348
 
 282
 630
Purchase of additional controlling interest
 
 
 
 (184) 
 
 (184)
NCI activity
 
 
 
 (2,664) 
 5,571
 2,907
Nonvested stock compensation
 
 
 
 4,522
 
 
 4,522

 
 
 
 3,919
 
 
 3,919
Issuance of vested stock2
 191,463
 
 
 (2) 
 
 
Restricted stock vesting2
 176,385
 
 
 (2) 
 
 
Treasury shares redeemed to pay income tax
 
 (3,091) (61,502) 
 
 
 (3,091)
 
 (4,095) (63,161) 
 
 
 (4,095)
Merger consideration127
 12,765,288
 
 
 795,278
 
 
 795,405
Issuance of common stock under Employee Stock Purchase Plan
 14,818
 
 
 776
 
 
 776

 10,705
 
 
 634
 
 
 634
Balance as of September 30, 2017$226
 22,635,322
 $(42,226) (4,890,181) $125,208
 $345,967
 $57,400
 $486,575
Balance as of June 30, 2018$355
 35,592,424
 $(46,344) (4,953,665) $923,655
 $386,193
 $100,636
 $1,364,495
 
(1)Net income excludes net income attributable to noncontrolling interest-redeemable of $7.6$4.9 million during the ninesix months ending SeptemberJune 30, 2017.2018. Noncontrolling interest-redeemable is reflected outside of permanent equity on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 89 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.



See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

LHC GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Operating activities:      
Net income$38,999
 $33,809
$28,634
 $26,108
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:      
Depreciation and amortization expense9,680
 9,024
7,548
 6,348
Provision for bad debts8,238
 11,658
Stock-based compensation expense4,522
 3,518
3,919
 3,077
Deferred income taxes6,245
 6,062
1,714
 2,522
Gain (loss) on disposal of assets(23) 1,389
(Loss) gain on disposal of assets(126) 154
Impairment of intangibles and other81
 
778
 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:      
Receivables(19,569) (21,175)(18,897) (1,926)
Prepaid expenses and other assets(3,859) 450
(6,521) (2,329)
Prepaid income taxes(4,879) (2,482)4,624
 (3,296)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses26,038
 17,633
8,729
 15,119
Income taxes payable(3,499) 

 (3,499)
Net amounts due to/from governmental entities(279) (2,043)(704) 498
Net cash provided by operating activities61,695
 57,843
29,698
 42,776
Investing activities:      
Purchases of property, building and equipment(7,944) (14,576)(13,760) (5,341)
Cash paid for acquisitions, primarily goodwill and intangible assets(61,247) (20,332)
Other
 273
Cash acquired from business combination, net of cash paid13,086
 (22,704)
Advanced payments on acquisitions
 (523)
Net cash used in investing activities(69,191) (34,635)(674) (28,568)
Financing activities:      
Proceeds from line of credit63,000
 38,000
270,084
 19,000
Payments on line of credit(31,000) (44,000)(278,884) (22,000)
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan776
 663
634
 469
Payments on debt(192) (156)135
 (129)
Payments on deferred financing fees(1,881) 
Noncontrolling interest distributions(8,406) (6,859)(5,763) (5,167)
Excess tax benefits from vesting of stock awards
 1,293
Withholding taxes paid on stock-based compensation(3,091) (1,931)(4,095) (2,744)
Purchase of additional controlling interest(184) 
(55) (184)
Sale of noncontrolling interest251
 52
3,322
 251
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
 109
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities21,154
 (12,829)
Net cash used in financing activities(16,503) (10,504)
Change in cash13,658
 10,379
12,521
 3,704
Cash at beginning of period3,264
 6,139
2,849
 3,264
Cash at end of period$16,922
 $16,518
$15,370
 $6,968
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:      
Interest paid$2,694
 $2,329
$3,112
 $1,762
Income taxes paid$22,376
 $11,390
$2,139
 $17,320
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.


LHC GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
1. Organization
LHC Group, Inc. (the “Company”) is a health care provider specializing in the post-acute continuum of care. The Company provides home health services, hospice services, home and community-based services, and facility-based services, the latter primarily through long-term acute care hospitals (“LTACHs”), and healthcare innovations services ("HCI").
On April 1, 2018, the Company completed its previously announced "merger of equals" business combination (the "Merger") with Almost Family, Inc. ("Almost Family"). See Note 3 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the Company, through its wholly- and majority-owned subsidiaries, equity joint ventures, controlled affiliates, and management agreements (including, as a result of the Merger, those owned and operated 449by Almost Family), operated 777 service providers in 2737 states within the continental United States.
Unaudited Interim Financial Information
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 2016,2017, and the related unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016,2017, condensed consolidated statement of changes in equity for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017, and related notes (collectively, these financial statements are referred to as the "interim financial statements" and together with the related notes are referred to herein as the “interim financial information”) have been prepared by the Company. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) have been included. Operating results for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017.2018.
Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial information presented. This report should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.2017. The report was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 9, 2017,1, 2018, and includes information and disclosures not included herein.
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, include the results of operations for Almost Family for the period April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2018 includes the preliminary valuation of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in connection with the Merger. See Note 3 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
2. Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Critical Accounting Policies
The Company’s most critical accounting policies relate to the principles of consolidation and revenue recognition, and accounts receivable and allowances for uncollectible accounts.recognition.
Principles of Consolidation
The interim financial information includes all subsidiaries and entities controlled by the Company through direct ownership of majority interest or controlling member ownership of such entities.entities (including, as a result of the Merger, those owned and operated by Almost Family). Third party equity interests in the consolidated joint ventures are reflected as

noncontrolling interests in the Company’s interim financial information. See Note 9 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
The following table summarizes the percentage of net service revenue earned by type of ownership or relationship the Company had with the operating entity: 

 Three Months Ended  
 September 30,
 Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
 Three Months Ended  
 June 30,
 Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
Ownership type 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Wholly-owned subsidiaries 50.6% 57.6% 52.1% 57.3% 59.5% 53.3% 55.5% 53.5%
Equity joint ventures 47.5
 40.7
 46.1
 41.0
 39.4
 45.1
 43.0
 44.8
Other 1.9
 1.7
 1.8
 1.7
 1.1
 1.6
 1.5
 1.7
 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the Company’s accompanying interim financial information. Business combinations accounted for under the acquisition method have been included in the interim financial information from the respective dates of acquisition.
The Company consolidates equity joint venture entities as the Company has controlling interests in the entities, has voting control over these entities, or has ability to exercise significant influence in the entities. The members of the Company's equity joint ventures participate in profits and losses in proportion to their equity interests. The Company also consolidates entities which have license leasing arrangements as the Company owns 100% of the equity of these subsidiaries.
The Company has various management services agreements under which the Company manages certain operations of agencies. The Company does not consolidate these agencies becauseif the Company does not have an ownership interest in, nor does it have an obligation to absorb losses of, or right to receive benefits from the entities that own the agencies.
Revenue Recognition
Basis of Presentation
The Company reportsadopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, ("ASU 2014-09") on January 1, 2018 on a full retrospective basis, which required the Company to present the prior comparable period as adjusted. The adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on the Company's interim financial statements. The Company did not adjust the opening balance of retained earnings to account for the implementation of the requirements of this standard as there are no timing differences related to the recognition of implicit price concessions as part of net service revenue. All amounts previously classified as provision for bad debts are now classified within the Company's net service revenue. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, the Company recorded $7.7 million and $12.6 million, respectively, of implicit price concessions as a direct reduction of net service revenue that would have been recorded as provision for bad debts prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09.
Adoption of the standard impacted the Company's previously reported results as follows (amounts in thousands):


 As previously reported Adjustment for ASU 2014-09 As adjusted
 As of December 31, 2017
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets     
Patient accounts receivable$161,898
 $
 $161,898
Allowance for uncollectible accounts23,556
 (23,556) 
 Three Months Ended June 30, 2017
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income:     
Net service revenue260,210
 (2,675) 257,535
Provision for bad debts2,675
 (2,675) 
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.'s common
 stockholders
11,304
 
 11,304
 Six Months Ended June 30, 2017
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income:     
Net service revenue506,828
 (5,044) 501,784
Provision for bad debts5,044
 (5,044) 
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.'s common
 stockholders
20,771
 
 20,771
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:     
Provision for bad debts5,044
 (5,044) 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:     
Receivables(6,970) 5,044
 (1,926)
Net service revenue is reported at the estimated net realizable amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to receive in exchange for providing services. These amounts are due from Medicare, Medicaid, Managed Care, Commercial, and others for services rendered.rendered, and they include implicit price concessions for retroactive revenue adjustments due to actual receipts from third-party payors, settlement of audits, and reviews. The estimated uncollectible amounts due from these payors are considered implicit price concessions that are a direct reduction to net service revenue. The Company assesses the patient's ability to pay for their healthcare services at the time of patient admission based on the Company's verification of the patient's insurance coverage under the Medicare, Medicaid, and other commercial or managed care insurance program.programs. Medicare contributes to the net service revenue of the Company’s home health, services, hospice, services,facility-based, and facility-basedhealthcare innovations services. Medicaid and other payors contribute to the net service revenue of all of the Company's services.segments.
Performance obligations are determined based on the nature of the services provided by the Company. The majority of the Company's performance obligation is to provide services to each patient based on medical necessity and identifies the bundle of services to be provided to achieve the goals established in the contract, while the healthcare innovations segment's performance obligation is largely to provide services under customer contracts. Revenue for performance obligations is satisfied over time and recognized based on actual charges incurred in relation to total expected charges over the measurement period of the performance obligation, which depicts the transfer of services and related benefits received by the patient and customers over the term of the contract to satisfy the obligations. The Company measures the satisfaction of the performance obligation as services are provided.
The Company's performance obligations relate to contracts with a duration of less than one year; therefore, the Company has elected to apply the optional exemption provided by ASC 606 - Revenue Recognition, and is not required to disclose the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to performance obligations that are unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied at the end of the reporting period. The unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied performance obligations are generally completed when the patients are discharged.
The Company determines the transaction price based on gross charges for services provided, reduced by contractual adjustments provided to third-party payors and implicit price concessions. The Company determines estimates of contractual adjustments and implicit price concessions based on historical collection experience. Estimates of contractual allowance and implicit price concessions are periodically reviewed to ensure they encompass the Company's current contract terms, are reflective of the Company's current patient mix, and are indicative of the Company's historic collections to ensure net service revenue is recognized at its net realizable value.

The following table sets forth the percentage of net service revenue earned by category of payor for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016:2017:
 
Three Months Ended  
 September 30,
 Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
Three Months Ended  
 June 30,
 Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
Payor:2017 2016 2017 2016
2018 2017 2018 2017
Home health:       
Medicare71.0% 74.3% 71.5% 74.7%72.9% 72.4% 72.3% 73.0%
Medicaid1.8
 1.9
 1.8
 1.8
1.5
 1.2
 1.3
 1.2
Managed Care, Commercial, and Other27.2
 23.8
 26.7
 23.5
25.6
 26.4
 26.4
 25.8
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Hospice:       
Medicare91.1% 92.9% 91.7% 93.5%
Medicaid0.6
 0.9
 0.6
 0.6
Managed Care, Commercial, and Other8.3
 6.2
 7.7
 5.9
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Home and Community-Based Services:       
Medicaid24.7% 18.0% 23.1% 17.3%
Managed Care, Commercial, and Other75.3
 82.0
 76.9
 82.7
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Facility-Based Services:       
Medicare58.7% 65.0% 61.4% 64.4%
Medicaid
 
 
 
Managed Care, Commercial, and Other41.3
 35.0
 38.6
 35.6
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
HCI:       
Medicare26.7% % 26.7% %
Medicaid0.4
 
 0.4
 
Managed Care, Commercial, and Other72.9
 
 72.9
 
100.0% % 100.0% %
Medicare
Home Health Services
The Company’s home nursinghealth segment's Medicare patients, including certain Medicare Advantage patients, are classified into one of 153 home health resource groups prior to receiving services. Based on the patient’s home health resource group, the Company is entitled to receive a standard prospective Medicare payment for delivering care over a 60-day period referred to as an episode. The Company elects to use the same 60-day length of episode that Medicare recognizes as standard but accelerates revenue upon discharge to align with a patient's episode length, if less than the expected 60 days, which depicts the transfer of services and related benefits received by the patient over the term of the contract necessary to satisfy the obligations. The Company recognizes revenue based on the number of days elapsed during an episode of care within the reporting period.
Final payments from Medicare will reflect base payment adjustments for case-mix and geographic wage differences and 2% sequestration reduction for episodes beginning after March 31, 2013.reduction. In addition, final payments may reflect one of four retroactive adjustments to ensure the adequacy and effectiveness of the total reimbursement: (a) an outlier payment if the patient’s care was unusually costly; (b) a low utilization adjustment if the number of visits was fewer than five; (c) a partial payment if the patient transferred to another provider before completing the episode; or (d) a payment adjustment based upon the level of therapy services required. AdjustmentsThe retroactive adjustments outlined above are automatically recognized in net service revenue when

changes occur the event causing the adjustment occurs and during the period in which the services are provided to the patient. The Company reviews these adjustments to ensure that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the retroactive adjustments is subsequently resolved. Net service revenue and related patient accounts receivable are recorded at amounts estimated to be realized from Medicare for services rendered.

Hospice Services
HospiceThe Company's hospice services provided by the Company are paidsegment is reimbursed by Medicare under a per diem payment system.system based on the determined need for the patient on a daily basis. The Companyhospice segment receives one of four predetermined daily rates based upon the level of care the Company furnishes. Each level of care is contingent upon the patient's medical necessity and is distinct under contracted performance obligation, which depicts the transfer of services and related benefits received by the patient over the term of the contract to satisfy the obligations. The Company records net service revenue fromfor hospice services based on the daily or hourlycontracted per diem rate and recognizes revenueover time as hospice services are provided.provided, satisfying the performance obligation.
Hospice payments are subject to variable consideration through an inpatient cap and an overall Medicare payment cap. The inpatient cap relates to individual programs receiving more than 20% of itstheir total Medicare reimbursement from inpatient care services, and the overall Medicare payment cap relates to individual providers receiving reimbursements in excess of a “cap amount,” calculateddetermined by multiplyingMedicare to be payment equal to six months of hospice care for the numberaggregate base of beneficiaries during the period by a statutory amount that ishospice patients, indexed for inflation. The determination for each cap is made annually based on the 12-month period ending on October 31 of each year. The Company monitors its limits on a provider-by-provider basis and records an estimate of its liability for reimbursements received in excess of the cap amount. Beginningamount in the reporting period. The Company reviews these estimates to ensure that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the cap year October 1, 2014, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") implemented a new process requiring hospice providers to self-report their cap liabilities and remit applicable payment by March 31 of the following year.retroactive adjustments is subsequently resolved.
Facility-Based Services
The CompanyCompany's facility-based services segment is reimbursed primarily by Medicare for services provided under the LTACH prospective payment system. Each LTACH patient is assigned a long-term care diagnosis-related group. The Company is paid a predetermined fixed amount intended to reflect the average cost of treating a Medicare LTACH patient classified in that particular long-term care diagnosis-related group. For selected LTACH patients, the amount may be further adjusted based on length of stay and facility-specific costs, as well as in instances where a patient is discharged and subsequently re-admitted, among other factors. The Company calculates the adjustment based on a historical average of these types of adjustments for LTACH claims paid. Similar to other Medicare prospective payment systems, the rate is also adjusted for geographic wage differences. RevenueNet service revenue adjustments resulting from reviews and audits of Medicare cost report settlements are considered implicit price concessions for LTACHs and are measured at expected value. The Company reviews these estimates to ensure that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of LTACH services cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the retroactive adjustments is subsequently resolved. Net service revenue for the Company’s LTACHs asLTACH services are provided.satisfied over time and recognized based on actual charges incurred in relation to total expected charges, which depicts the transfer of services and related benefits received by the customer over the term of the contract to satisfy the obligations.
Medicaid, managed care,Non-Medicare Revenues
Substantially all remaining revenues are derived from services provided under a per visit, per hour or unit basis, per assessment or per member per month basis for which revenues are calculated and other payorsrecorded using payor-specific or patient-specific fee schedules based on the contracted rates in each underlying third party payor or services agreement. Net service revenue is recognized as such services are provided and costs for delivery of such services are incurred.
Contingent Service Revenues
The Company’s Medicaid reimbursement is based on a predetermined fee schedule appliedHealthcare Innovations segment provides strategic health management services to each service provided. Therefore, revenue is recognized for Medicaid services as services are provided based on this fee schedule. The Company’s managed care and other payors reimburse the Company based upon a predetermined fee schedule or an episodic basis, depending on the terms of the applicable contract. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue from managed care and other payorsAccountable Care Organizations (“ACOs”) that have been approved to participate in the same manner asMedicare Shared Savings Program (“MSSP.”)  The HCI segment has service agreements with ACOs that provide for sharing of MSSP payments received by the Company recognizesACO, if any.  ACOs are legal entities that contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") to provide services to the Medicare fee-for-service population with the goal of providing better care for individuals, improving health for populations and lowering costs.  ACOs share savings with CMS to the extent that the actual costs of serving assigned beneficiaries are below certain trended benchmarks of such beneficiaries and certain quality performance measures are achieved.  The MSSP is relatively new and therefore has limited historical experience, which impacts the Company’s ability to accurately accumulate and interpret the data available for calculating an ACOs’ shared savings, if any.  No net service revenue from Medicarehas been recognized related to potential MSSP payments for savings generated for the program periods ended December 31, 2017 or Medicaid.2018, if any.


Accounts Receivable and Allowances for Uncollectible Accounts

The Company reports accounts receivable net of estimated allowances for uncollectible accounts and adjustments.at amounts ultimately expected to be collected. Accounts receivable are uncollateralized and consist of amounts due from Medicare, Medicaid, other third-party payors, and patients. To provide for accounts receivable that could become uncollectible in the future, the Company establishes an allowance for uncollectible accounts to reduce the carrying amount of such receivables to their estimated net realizable value. The credit risk for other concentrations of receivables is limited due to the significance of Medicare as the primary payor. The Company believes the credit risk associated with its Medicare accounts, which have historically exceeded 50% of its patient accounts receivable, is limited due to (i) the historical collection rate from Medicare and (ii) the fact that Medicare is a U.S. government payor. The Company does not believe that there are any other concentrations of receivables from any particular payor that would subject it to any significant credit risk in the collection of accounts receivable.

The amount of the provision for bad debts is based upon the Company’s assessment of historical and expected net collections, business and economic conditions, and trends in government reimbursement. Uncollectible accounts are written off when the Company has determined the account will not be collected.
A portion of the estimated Medicare prospective payment system reimbursement from each submitted home nursing episode is received in the form of a request for anticipated payment (“RAP”). The Company submits a RAP for 60% of the

estimated reimbursement for the initial episode at the start of care. The full amount of the episode is billed after the episode has been completed. The RAP receivedis recouped and the payment for that particularthe entire episode is deducted from the final payment.paid. If a final bill is not submitted within the greater of 120 days from the start of the episode, or 60 days from the date the RAP was paid, any RAP received for that episode will be recouped by Medicare from any other Medicare claims in process for that particular provider. The RAP and final claim must then be resubmitted. For subsequent episodes of care contiguous with the first episode for a particular patient, the Company submits a RAP for 50% instead of 60% of the estimated reimbursement.
The Company’s Medicare population is paid at prospectively set amounts that can be determined at the time services are rendered. The Company’s Medicaid reimbursement is based on a predetermined fee schedule applied to each individual service it provides. The Company’s managed care contracts are structured similarsimilarly to either the Medicare or Medicaid payment methodologies. The Company is able to calculate its actual amount due at the patient level and adjust the gross charges down to the actual amount at the time of billing. This negates the need to record an estimated contractual allowance when reporting net service revenue for each reporting period.
Other Significant Accounting Policies
Earnings Per Share
Basic per share information is computed by dividing the relevant amounts from the condensed consolidated statements of income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period, under the treasury stock method. Diluted per share information is also computed using the treasury stock method, by dividing the relevant amounts from the condensed consolidated statements of income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding plus potentially dilutive shares.
The following table sets forth shares used in the computation of basic and diluted per share information:information and, with respect to the data provided for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, includes shares of the Company issued to former stockholders of Almost Family in connection with the Merger. See Note 3 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements:
 
Three Months Ended  
 September 30,
 Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
Three Months Ended  
 June 30,
 Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
2017 2016 2017 20162018 2017 2018 2017
Weighted average number of shares outstanding for basic per share calculation17,740,818
 17,588,163
 17,704,561
 17,546,773
30,497,501
 17,728,567
 24,178,781
 17,686,134
Effect of dilutive potential shares:              
Options
 
 
 1,146
Nonvested stock269,704
 131,310
 227,139
 116,365
244,792
 235,820
 224,529
 225,589
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted per share calculation18,010,522
 17,719,473
 17,931,700
 17,664,284
30,742,293
 17,964,387
 24,403,310
 17,911,723
Anti-dilutive shares
 20,001
 137,400
 214,856
20,200
 
 236,037
 149,100

Effective April 1, 2018, in conjunction with the Merger, the Company increased the authorized number of common shares to 60.0 million.



Assets Held for Sale
As of June 30, 2018, assets held for sale includes the land and building and all related equipment and fixtures of one closed hospice facility, which was acquired in the Merger that the Company is actively marketing and intends to sell.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2016, as part of its Simplification Initiative, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation ("ASU 2016-09"), which seeks to reduce complexity in accounting standards. The areas for simplification in ASU 2016-09, involve several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transaction, including (1) accounting for income taxes, (2) classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flow, (3) forfeitures, (4) minimum statutory tax withholding requirements, (5) classification of employee taxes paid on the statement of cash flows when an employer withholds shares for tax withholding purposes, (6) the practical expedient for estimating the expected term, and (7) intrinsic value. The Company adopted the new standard on its effective date on January 1, 2017 and elected to apply this adoption prospectively.
All excess tax benefits and deficiencies in the current and future periods will be recognized as income tax expense in the Company's consolidated financial statements in the reporting period in which they occur. The Company recorded excess tax benefits of $1.0 million in income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. Additionally, the Company elected to continue to apply an estimated rate of forfeiture to its compensation expense for share-based awards.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

On May 28, 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, ("ASU 2014-09") which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASU 2014-09 will replacereplaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP whenGAAP. The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2018, and elected to adopt it becomes effective. The new standardusing the full retrospective method.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses eight classification issues related to the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for reportingannual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. Entities should apply this ASU using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. There is no material impact to the Company's interim financial statements upon adoption of ASU 2016-15.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which assist entities with evaluating whether a set of transferred assets and activities is a business. This ASU is effective for annual and interim period in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard permitsimpact on the use of either the full retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. As the Company progresses with evaluating the effect that ASU 2014-09 will have on itsCompany's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures the Company does not expect a material impactwill depend on its consolidated financial statements upon implementation on January 1, 2018. Currently, the Company anticipates adoptingfacts and circumstances of any specific future transactions as evaluated under the new standard using the full retrospective method for all periods presented.guidance.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, ("ASU 2016-02") which requires lessees to recognize qualifying leases on the statement of financial position. Qualifying leases will be classified as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The new standard is effective on January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. ASU 2016-02 mandates a modified retrospective transition method for all entities. The Company anticipates that the adoption of ASU 2016-02 will result in a materialsignificant increase in total assets and total liabilities. The Company continues to evaluate the effect that ASU 2016-02 will have on its related disclosures.     
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which requires an entity to no longer perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. Instead, impairment will be measured using the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the reporting unit. This ASU is effective for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for goodwill impairment tests with measurement dates on or after January 1, 2017.

3. Almost Family Merger

On April 1, 2018, the Company completed its previously announced merger of equals business combination with Almost Family as contemplated by that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 15, 2017 by merging Hammer Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), with and into Almost Family, with Almost Family continuing as the surviving entity in the Merger and as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. At the effective time of the Merger on April 1, 2018, each outstanding share of common stock of Almost Family, other than certain canceled shares, was converted into the right to receive 0.9150 shares of the Company’s common stock and cash in lieu of any fractional shares of any Company common stock that Almost Family shareholders would otherwise have been entitled to receive. As a result, the Company issued approximately 12.8 million shares of its common stock to former stockholders of Almost Family. The Company was determined to be the accounting acquirer in the Merger.
The following table summarizes the consideration transferred in connection with the Merger (amounts in thousands, except share data):

Outstanding shares of Almost Family common stock as of April 1, 201813,951,134
Exchange ratio0.9150
Shares of the Company issued12,765,288
Price per share as of April 1, 2018$61.56
Fair value of the Company common stock issued$785,831
Fair value of vested Almost Family equity awards exchanged for equity awards in the Company$9,581
Preliminary merger consideration$795,412
The Company's preliminary valuation analysis of identifiable assets and liabilities assumed for the Merger is in accordance with the requirements of ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations, the preliminary estimates of which are presented in the table below (amounts in thousands). The final determination of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed will be completed in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance. Due to the significance of the Merger, the Company may use all of the measurement period to adequately analyze and assess the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed.     
Preliminary merger consideration  
  Stock $795,412
Preliminary fair value of total consideration transferred  
Recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed:  
  Cash and cash equivalents $16,547
  Patient accounts receivable 101,933
Prepaid income taxes 2,705
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets 9,540
  Property and equipment 11,144
  Trade name 116,679
  Certificates of need/licenses 58,861
  Other identifiable intangible assets 15,856
  Assets held for sale 2,850
  Accounts payable (38,202)
  Accrued other liabilities (59,041)
  Deferred income taxes (4,842)
  Seller notes payable (12,461)
  NCI- Redeemable (2,256)
  Long term income taxes payable (3,786)
  Line of credit (106,800)
NCI- Nonredeemable (34,990)
  Other assets and (liabilities), net 252
Total identifiable assets and liabilities 73,989
Preliminary goodwill $721,423
The following unaudited pro forma financial information reflects the consolidated results of operations of the Company had the Merger occurred on January 1, 2017. Almost Family’s financial information has been compiled in a manner consistent with the accounting policies adopted by LHC Group. The unaudited pro forma financial information has been prepared for comparative purposes and does not purport to be indicative of what would have occurred had the merger occurred on January 1, 2017, nor are they indicative of any future results (amounts in thousands, except per share amount).

 Pro forma - unaudited
 Six months ended June 30,
 2018 2017
Net service revenue$997,043
 $896,827
Net income attributable to the Company37,652
 29,181
Diluted earnings per share$1.22
 $0.95
The pro forma financial information contained in this report, including the above, is based on the Company's preliminary assignment of consideration given and therefore subject to adjustment. These pro forma amounts were calculated after applying the Company’s accounting policies and adjusting Almost Family’s and LHC Group's results to reflect adjustments that are directly attributable to the Merger. These adjustments mainly exclude transaction costs incurred by Almost Family and LHC Group in the fiscal quarter preceding the consummation of the Merger, together with the consequential tax effects at the statutory rate.
The unaudited pro forma financial information contained in this report, including the above, has been prepared for informational purposes only and does not include any anticipated synergies or other potential benefits of the Merger. Pro forma information is not presented for any other acquisitions or joint venture transactions, as the aggregate operations of the acquired businesses were not significant to the overall operations of the Company. It also does not give effect to certain future charges that the Company expects to incur in connection with the Merger, including, but not limited to, additional professional fees, legal expenses, severance, retention and other employee-related costs, contract breakage costs, and costs related to consolidation of technology systems and corporate facilities.
Transaction costs associated with the Merger that were incurred by the Company during the six months ended June 30, 2018 are being expensed as incurred and are presented in the condensed consolidated statements of income as general and administrative expenses. These expenses include investment banking, legal, accounting, and other third party transaction costs associated with the Merger, including preparation for regulatory filings and shareholder approvals. During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the Company incurred $11.7 million of transaction costs related to the Merger.
4. Other Acquisitions and Joint VenturesVenture Activities

On January 1, 2017, the Company formed a joint venture with LifePoint Health, Inc. ("LifePoint"). LifePoint contributed 28 home health agencies, 12 hospice agencies, and one inpatient hospice unit to the joint venture during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The Company acquired majority ownershipthe majority-ownership of the membership interests of these agencies. These providers conduct home health operations in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia; and hospice operations in Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.

On June 1, 2017, the Company formed a joint venture with Baptist Memorial Health Care ("Baptist"). Baptist contributed three home health agencies Nason Home Health in Roaring Springs, Pennsylvania, 1st Choice Home Health Care in Denton, Texas, and six hospice agencies to the joint venturePrime Healthcare Services in Reno, Nevada during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017. The Company acquired majority ownership of the membership interests of these agencies. These providers conduct home health and hospice operations in Mississippi and Tennessee.

On September 1, 2017, the Company formed a joint venture with Christus Continuing Care (“Christus”). Christus contributed seven home health agencies, five hospice agencies, one inpatient hospice unit, one community-based agency, and six LTACH agencies to the joint venture during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The Company acquired majority ownership of the membership interests of these agencies. These providers conduct home health, hospice, and community-based operations in Louisiana and Texas; and LTACH operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

In separate transactions, the Company acquired two home health agencies, two hospice agencies, one inpatient hospice unit, and one pharmacy during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

2018. The total aggregate purchase price for these transactions was $76.7$3.6 million, of which $10.4 million was paid in December 2016 and $61.2$3.5 million was primarily paid in cash during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.cash. The purchase prices were determined based on the Company’s analysis of comparable acquisitions and the target market’s potential future cash flows. Substantially all of the preliminary allocation of the purchase price for the acquisitions were allocated to goodwill of $4.3 million, indefinite lived intangibles-trade names of $0.6 million, and Certificates of need/licenses of $0.5 million. Acquired noncontrolling interest was $2.1 million.

Goodwill generated from the acquisitions was recognized based on the expected contributions of each acquisition to the overall corporate strategy. The Company expects its portion of goodwill to be fully tax deductible. The acquisitions were accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. Accordingly, the accompanying interim financial information includes the results of operations of the acquired entities from the date of acquisition.

During the six months ended June 30, 2018, the Company sold ownership interests in four of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The following table summarizes the aggregate consideration paidtotal purchase prices for the acquisitions andsale of such ownership interests were $3.8 million, all of which were accounted for as equity transactions, resulting in the amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition dates, as well as their fair value at the acquisition dates and the noncontrolling interest acquired during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (amountsCompany reducing additional paid in thousands):


Consideration  
  Cash $71,677
Fair value of total consideration transferred  
Recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed:  
  Patient accounts receivable 6,532
  Trade name 13,953
  Certificates of need/licenses 16,447
  Other identifiable intangible assets 6
  Other assets and (liabilities), net 2,121
Total identifiable assets 39,059
Noncontrolling interest 52,492
Goodwill, including noncontrolling interest of $34,313 $85,110

The Company conducted preliminary assessments and recognized provisional amounts in its initial accounting for the acquisitions of majority ownership of three joint venture partnerships for all identified assets in accordance with the requirements of ASC Topic 805. The Company is continuing its review of these matters during the measurement period. If new information about facts and circumstances that existed at the acquisition date is obtained and indicates adjustments are necessary, the acquisition accounting will be revised to adjust to the provisional amounts initially recognized.

capital by $2.7 million.
4.5. Goodwill and Intangibles
The changes in recorded goodwill by reporting unit for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 were as follows (amounts in thousands):

 
 Home health reporting unit 
Hospice
reporting unit
 
Community -
based
reporting unit
 
Facility-based
reporting unit
 Total
Balance as of December 31, 2016$210,839
 $64,234
 $18,820
 $13,424
 $307,317
Goodwill from acquisitions29,448
 15,188
 4,285
 1,876
 50,797
Goodwill related to noncontrolling interests20,781
 9,674
 2,856
 1,002
 34,313
Goodwill related to disposals(80) 
 
 
 (80)
Goodwill related to prior period net working capital adjustments............................................(5) 
 
 347
 342
Balance as of September 30, 2017$260,983
 $89,096
 $25,961
 $16,649
 $392,689
 Home health reporting unit 
Hospice
reporting
unit
 
Home and community-based services
reporting
 unit
 
Facility-based
reporting
 unit
 HCI reporting unit Total
Balance as of December 31, 2017$261,456
 $88,814
 $28,541
 $13,790
 $
 $392,601
Acquisitions525,654
 25,176
 137,882
 
 35,484
 724,196
Noncontrolling interests1,576
 
 
 
 
 1,576
Prior period adjustments and disposals............................................
 
 
 404
 
 404
Balance as of June 30, 2018$788,686
 $113,990
 $166,423
 $14,194
 $35,484
 $1,118,777
    The allocation of goodwill from acquisitions for each reporting unit is preliminary and subject to change once the valuation analysis required by ASC 805, Business Combinations is finalized.     
Intangible assets consisted of the following as of SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and December 31, 20162017 (amounts in thousands):

 September 30, 2017
 Remaining useful life 
Gross
carrying
amount
 
Accumulated
amortization
 
Net
carrying
amount
Indefinite-lived assets:
       
Trade namesIndefinite $78,590
 $
 $78,590
Certificates of need/licensesIndefinite 49,773
 
 49,773
Total  $128,363
 $
 $128,363
Definite-lived assets:       
Trade names2 months — 9 years $9,291
 $(7,184) $2,107
Non-compete agreements2 month — 2 years 5,732
 (5,423) 309
Total  $15,023
 $(12,607) $2,416
Balance as of September 30, 2017  $143,386
 $(12,607) $130,779
 
 Indefinite lived assets

  Definite lived assets  
 Trade Names Certificates of Need Trade Names Customer Relationships Non-compete Total
Balance as of December 31, 2017$78,299
 $53,493
 $2,580
 $
 $238
 $134,610
Acquisitions117,349
 59,056
 
 15,856
 91
 192,352
Amortization
 
 (739) (127) (188) (1,054)
Adjustments & disposals
 (771) 
 
 
 (771)
Balance as of June 30, 2018$195,648
 $111,778
 $1,841
 $15,729
 $141
 $325,137
     
Remaining useful lives for trade names, customer relationships, and non-compete agreements were 9.3, 19.8 and 3.1 years, respectively, at June 30, 2018. Similar amounts at December 31, 2017 were 10.3 and 2.1 years for trade names and non-compete agreements, respectively.
 December 31, 2016
 Remaining useful life 
Gross
carrying
amount
 
Accumulated
amortization
 
Net
carrying
amount
Indefinite-lived assets:
       
Trade namesIndefinite $64,672
 $
 $64,672
Certificates of need/licensesIndefinite 33,327
 
 $33,327
Total  $97,999
 $
 $97,999
Definite-lived assets:       
Trade names8 months — 9 years $9,294
 $(5,991) $3,303
Non-compete agreements2 months — 3 years 5,681
 (4,977) 704
Total  $14,975
 $(10,968) $4,007
Balance as of December 31, 2016  $112,974
 $(10,968) $102,006
Intangible assets of $87.8 million, net(net of accumulated amortization,amortization) in the amount of $249.1 million were related to the home health services segment, $31.8$35.4 million were related to the hospice services segment, $9.0$20.7 million were related to the community-based services segment, and $2.2$4.2 million were related to the facility-based services segment, and $15.7 million were related to the HCI services segment as of SeptemberJune 30, 2017. The Company recorded $1.6 million and $1.8 million of amortization2018. Amortization expense during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. This was recorded in general and administrative expenses.
5.6. Debt
Credit Facility
OnDuring the period from January 1, 2018 through April 1, 2018, the Company maintained its revolving line of credit through a credit facility agreement with Capital One, National Association, which had a scheduled maturity of June 18, 2014,2019 (the "Prior Credit Facility").
On March 30, 2018, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., which was effective on April 2, 2018 following the Merger (the “Credit Agreement”"New Credit Agreement") with Capital One, National Association, which. The New Credit Agreement provides a senior, secured revolving line of credit commitment with a maximum principal borrowing limit of $225.0$500.0 million,which includes an additional $200.0 million accordion expansion feature, and a letter of credit sub-limit equal to $15.0$50.0 million. The expiration date of the New Credit Agreement is March 30, 2023. The New Credit Agreement replaced the Prior Credit Facility with Capital One, National Association, which was set to mature on June 18, 2019. The Company’s obligations under the New Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (subject to customary exclusions), which assets include the Company’s equity ownership of its wholly-owned subsidiaries and its equity ownership in joint venture entities. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries also guarantee the obligations of the Company under the New Credit Agreement.  Debt issuance costs of $1.9 million were capitalized with the New Credit Agreement and will be amortized through March 30, 2023, the termination date for the New Credit Agreement. 

Revolving loans under the New Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. bear interest at, as selected by the Company, either a (1)(a) Base Rate, which is defined as a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a)(1) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus 0.5% (b)(2) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (c)(3) the Eurodollar Rate for a one month interest period on such day plus 1.0%1.5%, plus a margin ranging from 0.75%0.50% to 1.5%1.25% per annum or (2)(b) Eurodollar rate plus a margin ranging from 1.75%1.50% to 2.5%2.25% per annum.annum, with pricing varying based on the Company's quarterly consolidated Leverage Ratio (as defined in the New Credit Agreement). Swing line loans bear interest at the Base Rate. The Company is limited to 15 Eurodollar borrowings outstanding at the sameany time. The Company is required to pay a commitment fee for the unused commitments at rates ranging from 0.225%0.20% to 0.375%0.35% per annum depending upon the Company’s quarterly consolidated Leverage Ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement.Ratio. The Base Rate at Septemberas of June 30, 20172018 was 5.25%5.75% and the EurodollarLIBOR rate was 3.24%3.88%. As of June 30, 2018, the effective interest rate on outstanding borrowings under the New Credit Agreement was 3.85%.
On April 2, 2018, in connection with the consummation of the Merger, the Company borrowed approximately $247.4 million under the New Credit Agreement to (i) repay the approximately $107.3 million of outstanding borrowings under Almost Family’s $350.0 million credit facility, which was terminated in connection with the Merger, (ii) repay the approximately $125.1 million of outstanding borrowings under Prior Credit Facility, which was also terminated in connection with the Merger, and (iii) pay certain debt issuance and repayment costs and Merger related fees and expenses.
As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively,2018, the Company had $119.0$242.0 million drawn, letters of credit issued in the amount of $25.1 million, and $87.0$232.9 million of remaining borrowing capacity available under the New Credit Agreement. At December 31, 2017, the Company had $144.0 million drawn and letters of credit totaling $11.0issued in the amount of $9.6 million outstanding under its credit facilities with Capital One, National Association.the Prior Credit Facility.

AsUnder the terms of September 30, 2017,the New Credit Agreement, the Company had $95.0 million available for borrowing under theis required to maintain certain financial ratios and comply with certain financial covenants. The new Credit Agreement permits the Company to make certain restricted payments, such as purchasing shares of its stock, within certain parameters, provided the Company maintains compliance with Capital One, National Association.

those financial ratios and covenants after giving effect to such restricted payments. The Company was in compliance with debt covenants at June 30, 2018.
6.7. Stockholder’s Equity
Equity Based Awards
TheAt the LHC Group, Inc. 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on June 7, 2018, the stockholders of the Company approved the adoption of the LHC Group, Inc. 2018 Incentive Plan (the "2018 Incentive Plan") to replace the Company's 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan. The 2018 Incentive Plan (the “2010 Incentive Plan”) iswill be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. AThe total number of 1,500,000 shares of the Company’sCompany's common stock wereoriginally reserved and 391,414 shares are currently available for issuance pursuant to awards granted under the 2018 Incentive Plan was 2,000,000, plus an additional number of shares (not to exceed 300,000) underlying stock awards granted under the Company's 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Prior Plan") that terminate, expire or forfeited. As of June 30, 2018, there were approximately 210,544 shares of our common stock subject to outstanding awards, and approximately 2,000,000 shares of our common stock reserved and available for future awards, under the 2018 Incentive Plan. A variety of discretionary awards for employees, officers, directors, and consultants are authorized under the 20102018 Incentive Plan, including incentive or non-qualified statutory stock options and nonvested stock.restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance-based awards. All awards must be evidenced by a written award certificate which will include the provisions specified by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee determines the exercise price for non-statutory stock options. The exercise price for any optionoptions, which cannot be less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock as of the date of grant.
Almost Family had Stock and Incentive Compensation Plans that provided for stock awards of the Company’s common stock to employees, non-employee directors or independent contractors. Almost Family issued restricted share and/or option awards to employees and non-employee directors. Under the change in control provisions of the Almost Family plans, all outstanding restricted stock, performance restricted stock, and options became non-forfeitable in conjunction with the Merger.  
Each unvested restricted share award issued by Almost Family that was outstanding immediately prior to the Merger converted into a restricted stock award to acquire shares of the Company on the same terms and conditions rounded up or down to the nearest whole share, determined by multiplying the number of shares of Almost Family common stock subject to such restricted share award by the exchange ratio. Each stock option to purchase shares of Almost Family that was outstanding immediately prior to the Merger converted into an option to purchase shares of the Company on the same terms and conditions, (A) the number of shares of LHC common stock, rounded down to the nearest whole share, determined by multiplying (I) the total number of shares of Almost Family common stock by (II) the exchange ratio, and (B) at a per-share exercise price, rounded up to the nearest whole cent, equal to the quotient determined by dividing (I) the exercise price per share of Almost Family common stock by (II) the exchange ratio.


Share Based Compensation
Nonvested Stock
During the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the Company’s independent directors were granted 11,70013,600 nonvested shares of common stock under the Second Amended and Restated 2005 Non-Employee Directors Compensation Plan. The shares were drawn from the 1,500,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2010 Incentive Plan. The shares vest 100% on the one year anniversary date. During the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, four new directors were granted 14,000 nonvested shares of common stock under the Second Amended and Restated 2005 Non-Employee Directors Compensation Plan. The shares vest 33% at the grant date, then 33% each year on the anniversary date until the third year. The shares were drawn from the 2,300,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2018 Incentive Plan. During the six months ended June 30, 2018, employees were granted 139,310213,105 nonvested shares of common stock pursuant to the 2010 Incentive Plan. The shares vest over a period of five years, conditioned on continued employment. The fair value of nonvested shares of common stock is determined based on the closing trading price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The weighted average grant date fair value of nonvested shares of common stock granted during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 was $48.52.$62.35.
The following table represents the nonvested stock activity for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017:
2018: 
 
Number of
shares
 
Weighted
average grant
date fair value
Nonvested shares outstanding as of December 31, 2016574,711
 $31.61
Granted151,010
 $48.52
Vested(191,463) $28.91
Forfeited(3,793) $39.30
Nonvested shares outstanding as of September 30, 2017530,465
 $37.35
 Restricted stock Options
 
Number of
shares
 
Weighted
average grant
date fair value
 Number of shares 
Weighted
average grant
date fair value
Nonvested shares outstanding as of December 31, 2017529,465
 $37.34
 
 $
Granted240,705
 $62.35
 
 $
Acquired
 $
 270,710
 $36.48
Vested or exercised(176,385) $34.93
 (10,727) $29.08
Nonvested shares outstanding as of June 30, 2018593,785
 $48.20
 259,983
 $36.66
As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, there was $14.9$23.4 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested shares of common stock granted. That cost is expected to be recognized over the weighted average period of 3.133.40 years. The total fair value of shares of common stock vested during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $5.5 million. The Company records compensation expense related to nonvested stock awards at the grant date for shares of common stock that are awarded fully vested, and over the vesting term on a straight line basis for shares of common stock that vest over time. The Company recorded $4.5$3.9 million and $3.5$3.1 million of compensation expense related to nonvested stock grants infor each of the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 2016, respectively.2017.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
In 2006, the Company adopted the Employee Stock Purchase Plan whereby eligible employees may purchase the Company’s common stock at 95% of the market price on the last day of the calendar quarter. There were 250,000 shares of common stock initially reserved for the plan. In 2013, the Company adopted the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which reserved an additional 250,000 shares of common stock to the plan.


The table below details the shares of common stock issued during 2017:2018: 
 
Number of
shares
 
Per share
price
Shares available as of December 31, 2016189,611
  
Shares issued during the three months ended March 31, 20175,891
 $43.42
Shares issued during the three months ended June 30, 20174,152
 $51.21
Shares issued during the three months ended September 30, 2017..........................................................4,775
 $64.49
Shares available as of September 30, 2017174,793
  
 
Number of
shares
 
Per share
price
Shares available as of December 31, 2017171,069
  
Shares issued during the three months ended March 31, 20185,534
 $58.19
Shares issued during the three months ended June 30, 20185,171
 $58.48
Shares available as of June 30, 2018160,364
  
Treasury Stock
In conjunction with the vesting of the nonvested shares of common stock, recipients incur personal income tax obligations. The Company allows the recipients to turn in shares of common stock to satisfy minimum tax obligations. During the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the Company redeemed 61,50263,161 shares of common stock valued at $3.1$3.9 million, related to

these tax obligations. In addition, the Company redeemed 5,485 shares of common stock valued at $0.2 million, related to the exercise of Almost Family options. Such shares are held as treasury stock and are available for reissuance by the Company.
Additionally, shares were submitted by employees in lieu of exercise price that would have otherwise been due on exercise of stock options, which shares are held in treasury stock and are available for reissuance by the Company.
7.8. Commitments and Contingencies
Contingencies
Regulatory Matters
The Company provides services in a highly regulated industry and is a party to various proceedings and regulatory and other governmental and internal audits and investigations in the ordinary course of business (including audits by Zone Program Integrity Contractors ("ZPICs") and Recovery Audit Contractors ("RACs") and investigations resulting from the Company's obligation to self-report suspected violations of law). Management cannot predict the ultimate outcome of any regulatory and other governmental and internal audits and investigations. While such audits and investigations are the subject of administrative appeals, the appeals process, even if successful, may take several years to resolve. The Department of Justice, CMS, or other federal and state enforcement and regulatory agencies may conduct additional investigations related to the Company's businesses in the future.businesses. These audits and investigations have caused and could potentially continue to cause delays in collections, and recoupments from governmental payors. Currently, the Company has recorded $16.9 million in other assets, which are from government payors andrelated to the disputed finding of pending appeals of ZPIC audits. Additionally, these audits may subject the Company to sanctions, damages, extrapolation of damage findings, additional recoupments, fines, and other penalties (some of which may not be covered by insurance), which may, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company's business and financial condition.
Merger Related Litigation
On January 18, 2018, Jordan Rosenblatt, a purported shareholder of Almost Family filed a complaint for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, styled Rosenblatt v. Almost Family, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:18-cv-40-TBR (the “Rosenblatt Action”). The Rosenblatt Action was filed against the Company, Almost Family, Almost Family’s board of directors, and Hammer Merger Sub. The complaint in the Rosenblatt Action (“Rosenblatt Complaint”) asserts, among other things, that the Form S-4 Registration Statement (“Registration Statement”) filed on December 21, 2017 in connection with the Merger contained false and misleading statements with respect to the Merger. The Rosenblatt Action sought, among other things, an injunction enjoining the Merger from closing and an award of attorneys’ fees and costs.
In addition to the Rosenblatt Action, two additional complaints were filed against Almost Family in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the "Delaware Actions") alleging similar violations as the Rosenblatt Action. These Delaware Actions also sought, among other things, an injunction to enjoin both the vote of the Almost Family stockholders with respect to the Merger and the closing of the Merger, monetary damages and an award of attorneys’ fees and costs from Almost Family.
On February 22, 2018, plaintiffs in the Delaware Actions moved for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the merger of Almost Family and Merger Sub. Then, on March 2, 2018, the Delaware Actions were transferred to the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Shortly thereafter, on March 12, 2018, Almost Family, LHC and Merger Sub opposed the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, and the court heard oral argument on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction on March 19, 2018. On March 22, 2018, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. The next day, on March 23, 2018, one of the plaintiffs in the Delaware Actions moved to consolidate the Delaware Actions with the Rosenblatt Action and for the appointment of a lead plaintiff, and that motion is pending before the court.
We believe that the claims asserted in these lawsuits are entirely without merit and intend to defend these lawsuits vigorously.
Other Litigation
We are involved in various other legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Although the results of litigation cannot be predicted with certainty, management believeswe believe the outcome of pending litigation will not have a material adverse effect, after considering the effect of the Company’sour insurance coverage, on the Company’s interimour consolidated financial information.

Joint Venture Buy/Sell Provisions
Most of the Company’s joint ventures include a buy/sell option that grants to the Company and its joint venture partners the right to require the other joint venture party to either purchase all of the exercising member’s membership interests or sell to the exercising member all of the non-exercising member’s membership interest, at the non-exercising member’s option, within 30 days of the receipt of notice of the exercise of the buy/sell option. In some instances, the purchase price is based on a multiple of the historical or future earnings before income taxes and depreciation and amortization of the equity joint venture at the time the buy/sell option is exercised. In other instances, the buy/sell purchase price will be negotiated by the partners and subject to a fair market valuation process. The Company has not received notice from any joint venture partners of their intent to exercise the terms of the buy/sell agreement nor has the Company notified any joint venture partners of its intent to exercise the terms of the buy/sell agreement.
Compliance
The laws and regulations governing the Company’s operations, along with the terms of participation in various government programs, regulate how the Company does business, the services offered and its interactions with patients and the public. These laws and regulations, and their interpretations, are subject to frequent change. Changes in existing laws or regulations, or their interpretations, or the enactment of new laws or regulations could materially and adversely affect the Company’s operations and financial condition.

The Company is subject to various routine and non-routine governmental reviews, audits and investigations. In recent years, federal and state civil and criminal enforcement agencies have heightened and coordinated their oversight efforts related to the health care industry, including referral practices, cost reporting, billing practices, joint ventures and other financial relationships among health care providers. Violation of the laws governing the Company’s operations, or changes in the interpretation of those laws, could result in the imposition of fines, civil or criminal penalties and/or termination of the Company’s rights to participate in federal and state-sponsored programs and suspension or revocation of the Company’s licenses. The Company believes that it is in material compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
8.9. Noncontrolling interest
Noncontrolling Interest-Redeemable
A majorityThe Company classifies noncontrolling interests of its joint venture parties based upon a review of the legal provisions governing the redemption of such interests. In each of the Company’s joint ventures, those provisions are embodied within the joint venture’s operating agreement. For joint ventures with operating agreement provisions that establish an obligation for the Company to purchase the third party partners’ noncontrolling interests other than as a result of events that lead to a liquidation of the joint venture, such noncontrolling interests are classified as redeemable noncontrolling interests in temporary equity. For joint ventures with operating agreement provisions that establish an obligation that the Company purchase the third party partners’ noncontrolling interests, but which obligation is triggered by events that lead to a liquidation of the joint venture, such noncontrolling interests are classified as nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in permanent equity. Additionally, for joint ventures with operating agreement provisions that do not establish an obligation for the Company to purchase the third party partners’ noncontrolling interests (e.g., where the Company has the option, but not the obligation, to purchase the third party partners’ noncontrolling interests), such noncontrolling interests are classified as nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in permanent equity.
The Company’s equity joint venture agreements include a provisionventures that requiresare classified as redeemable noncontrolling interests are subject to operating agreement provisions that require the Company to purchase the noncontrolling partner’s interest upon the occurrence of certain triggering events, suchwhich are defined as death orthe bankruptcy of the partner or the partner’s exclusion from the Medicare or Medicaid programs. These triggering events and the related repurchase provisions are specific to each individual equity joint venture; if the repurchase provision is triggered in any oneredeemable equity joint venture, since the remainingtriggering of a repurchase obligation for any one redeemable noncontrolling interest in an equity joint ventures wouldventure does not be impacted.necessarily impact any of the other redeemable noncontrolling interests in other equity joint ventures. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event requiring the purchase of a redeemable noncontrolling interest, the Company would be required to purchase the noncontrolling partner’s interest at either the fair value or the book value at the time of purchase, as statedbased upon a valuation methodology set forth in the applicable joint venture agreement. The
Redeemable noncontrolling interests and nonredeemable noncontrolling interests are initially recorded at their fair value as of the closing date of the transaction establishing the joint venture. Such fair values are determined using various accepted valuation methods, including the income approach, the market approach, the cost approach, and a combination of one or more of these approaches. A number of facts and circumstances concerning the operation of the joint venture are evaluated for each transaction, including (but not limited to) the ability to choose management, control over acquiring or liquidating assets, and controlling the joint venture’s strategy and direction, in order to determine the fair value of the noncontrolling interest.
Based upon the Company’s evaluation of the redemption provisions concerning redeemable noncontrolling interests as of June 30, 2018, the Company has never been requireddetermined in accordance with authoritative accounting guidance that it was not probable that an

event otherwise requiring redemption of any redeemable noncontrolling interest would occur (i.e., the date for such event was not set or such event is not certain to purchaseoccur). Therefore, none of the redeemable noncontrolling interests were identified as mandatorily redeemable interests at such times, and the Company did not record any values in respect of any mandatorily redeemable interests.
Subsequent to the closing date of the transaction establishing the joint venture, the Company records adjustments to the carrying amounts of noncontrolling interests during each reporting period to reflect (a) comprehensive income (loss) attributed to each noncontrolling interest, which is calculated by multiplying the noncontrolling interest percentage by the comprehensive income (loss) of the joint venture’s operations, (b) dividends paid to the noncontrolling interest partner, and (c) any of its equityother transactions that increase or decrease the Company’s ownership interest in each joint venture, partners, andas a result of which the Company believesretains its controlling interest. If the likelihoodCompany determines that, based upon its analysis as of the end of each reporting period in accordance with authoritative accounting guidance, that it is not probable that an event would occur to otherwise require the redemption of a triggering event occurring is remote. According to authoritative guidance, redeemable noncontrolling interests must beinterest (i.e., the date for such event is not set or such event is not certain to occur), then the Company does not adjust the recorded amount of such redeemable noncontrolling interest.

The carrying amount of each redeemable equity instrument presented in temporary equity for the six months ended June 30, 2018 is not less than the initial amount reported outside of permanent equity on the consolidated balance sheet in instances where there is a repurchase provision with a triggering event that is outside the control of the Company.
for each instrument. The following table summarizes the activity of noncontrolling interest-redeemable for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 (amounts in thousands):
Balance as of December 31, 2016$12,567
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest-redeemable7,649
Noncontrolling interest-redeemable distributions(6,933)
Sale of noncontrolling interest-redeemable(77)
Balance as of September 30, 2017$13,206
9. Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts
The following table summarizes the activity in the allowance for uncollectible accounts for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (amounts in thousands):
Balance as of December 31, 2016$29,036
Additions8,238
Deductions(11,185)
Balance as of September 30, 2017$26,089

The allowance for uncollectible accounts declined to 15.2% from 18.9% of patient accounts receivable over the nine months ended September 30, 2017. This was due to a reduction in provision of bad debts due to more timely cash collections and an increase in amounts collected. Patient accounts receivable over 180 days decreased 17% during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 due to the Company's continued process improvements. The maturity of the Company's back office and field operations, the use of the point-of-care platform, and the use of other technology advancements in reporting and analytics were the drivers of improved collections.
Balance as of December 31, 2017$13,393
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest-redeemable4,855
Noncontrolling interest-redeemable distributions(4,644)
Acquired noncontrolling interest-redeemable3,428
Balance as of June 30, 2018$17,032
10. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of the Company’s cash, receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values because of their short maturity. The estimated fair value of intangible assets acquired was calculated using level 3 inputs

based on the present value of anticipated future benefits. For the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the carrying value of the Company’s long-term debt approximates fair value as the interest rates approximate current rates.
11. Segment Information
The Company’s reportableIn the second quarter of 2018, in recognition of the changes to the Company's business segments consistresulting from the addition of Almost Family and its subsidiaries through the Merger, the Company redefined its reporting segments to include (1) home health services, (2) hospice services, (3) home and community-based services, formerly referred to by the Company as community-based services, (4) facility-based services and (5) healthcare innovations (“HCI”).  In management’s opinion, this approach provides investors clarity and best aligns with the Company’s internal decision-making processes as viewed by the chief operating decision maker. Reportable segments have been identified based upon how management has organized the business by services provided to customers and how the chief operating decision maker manages the business and allocates resources, consistent with the criteria in ASC 280, Segment Reporting.
The home health segment provides skilled medical services in patients’ homes largely to enable recipients to reduce or avoid periods of hospitalization and/or nursing home care.  Approximately 72.9% of the home health services segment revenues were generated from the Medicare program, while the balance is generated from Medicaid and private insurance programs. 
The hospice segment services are largely provided in patients’ homes and generally require specialized hospice nursing skills.  Hospice services segment revenues are generated on a per diem basis and are primarily from Medicare, which account for approximately 91.1% of hospice services segment revenues.
The home and community-based segment services includes traditional home and community-based services (generally provided by paraprofessional staff such as home health aides) which are generally of a custodial rather than skilled nature.  Home and community-based services segment revenues are generated on an hourly basis and are primarily from Medicaid, which account for approximately 24.7% of home and community-based services segment revenues.  

The facility-based services. segment services includes services provided through LTACHs, a family health center, two pharmacies, a rural health clinic, and two physical therapy clinics. The facility-based services segment is reimbursed primarily by Medicare under the LTACH prospective payment system, which accounts for approximately 58.7% of facility-based services segment revenue.
The HCI segment combines reporting on the Company’s developmental activities outside its other business segments.  The HCI segment includes (a) Imperium Health Management, LLC, an ACO enablement company, (b) Long Term Solutions, Inc., an in-home assessment company serving the long-term care insurance industry, and certain assets operated by Advanced Care House Calls, which provides primary medical care for home-bound or home-limited patients with chronic and acute illnesses who have difficulty traveling to a doctor’s office, (c) Ingenios Health Co., a Nurse-Practitioner-oriented and mobile technology-enabled health risk assessment company primarily serving managed care organizations, and (d) an investment in Care Journey (formerly NavHealth, Inc.), a population-health analytics company. These activities are intended ultimately, whether directly or indirectly, to benefit the Company’s patients and payors through the enhanced provision of services in the Company’s other segments.  The activities all share a common goal of improving patient experiences and quality outcomes, while lowering costs.  They include, but are not limited to, items such as: technology, information, population health management, risk-sharing, care-coordination and transitions, clinical advancements, enhanced patient engagement and informed clinical decision and technology enabled in-home clinical assessments.
The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies, as described in Note 2 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.Statements, including the adoption of ASU 2014-09.
The following tables summarize the Company’s segment information for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017 (amounts in thousands):
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017Three Months Ended June 30, 2018
Home health services Hospice services Community-based services Facility-based services TotalHome health services Hospice services Home and community-based services Facility-based services HCI Total
Net service revenue$198,978
 $41,291
 12,146
 $20,457
 $272,872
$360,276
 $50,554
 52,753
 $28,304
 $10,137
 $502,024
Cost of service revenue123,204
 27,441
 8,971
 13,240
 172,856
230,293
 33,493
 40,349
 19,307
 6,204
 329,646
Provision for bad debts2,661
 234
 30
 269
 3,194
General and administrative expenses55,980
 11,263
 2,387
 6,039
 75,669
99,162
 14,613
 11,777
 11,088
 4,710
 141,350
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets20
 13
 
 (210) (177)
Operating income17,113
 2,340
 758
 1,119
 21,330
Operating income (loss)30,821
 2,448
 627
 (2,091) (777) 31,028
Interest expense(746) (149) (50) (50) (995)(2,256) (473) (158) (159) (156) (3,202)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest16,367
 2,191
 708
 1,069
 20,335
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest28,565
 1,975
 469
 (2,250) (933) 27,826
Income tax expense5,703
 931
 338
 473
 7,445
7,091
 483
 139
 (313) (230) 7,170
Net income10,664
 1,260
 370
 596
 12,890
Net income (loss)21,474
 1,492
 330
 (1,937) (703) 20,656
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests1,759
 273
 (21) (27) 1,984
3,810
 412
 (90) (207) (66) 3,859
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$8,905
 $987
 $391
 $623
 $10,906
Net income (loss) attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$17,664
 $1,080
 $420
 $(1,730) $(637) $16,797
Total assets$515,562
 $156,296
 $44,621
 $48,574
 $765,053
$1,306,773
 $189,447
 $255,456
 $66,665
 $63,329
 $1,881,670
 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2017
Three Months Ended September 30, 2016(as adjusted)
Home health services Hospice services Community-based services Facility-based services TotalHome health services Hospice services Home and community-based services Facility-based services HCI Total
Net service revenue$167,529
 $35,322
 $11,793
 $16,153
 $230,797
$192,409
 $37,851
 $10,746
 $16,529
 $
 $257,535
Cost of service revenue100,057
 21,243
 9,100
 10,432
 140,832
117,606
 24,473
 7,986
 11,093
 
 161,158
Provision for bad debts2,049
 797
 190
 239
 3,275
General and administrative expenses50,293
 9,491
 2,263
 4,952
 66,999
55,268
 10,743
 2,261
 5,280
 
 73,552
Loss on disposal of assets20
 5
 
 117
 142
Operating income15,110
 3,786
 240
 413
 19,549
19,535
 2,635
 499
 156
 
 22,825
Interest expense(612) (90) (41) (73) (816)(630) (126) (42) (42) 
 (840)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest14,498
 3,696
 199
 340
 18,733
18,905
 2,509
 457
 114
 
 21,985
Income tax expense5,133
 1,275
 83
 71
 6,562
6,757
 849
 180
 6
 
 7,792
Net income9,365
 2,421
 116
 269
 12,171
12,148
 1,660
 277
 108
 
 14,193
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests1,853
 553
 
 149
 2,555
2,266
 480
 5
 138
 
 2,889
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$7,512
 $1,868
 $116
 $120
 $9,616
Net income (loss) attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$9,882
 $1,180
 $272
 $(30) $
 $11,304
Total assets$425,923
 $119,906
 $33,549
 $34,075
 $613,453
$466,308
 $138,519
 $33,292
 $34,547
 $
 $672,666
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017Six Months Ended 
 June 30, 2018
Home health services Hospice services Community-based services Facility-based services TotalHome health services Hospice services Home and community-based services Facility-based services HCI Total
Net service revenue$575,180
 $116,249
 $33,807
 $54,464
 $779,700
$564,463
 $93,180
 66,844
 $58,454
 $10,137
 $793,078
Cost of service revenue352,896
 75,187
 24,905
 35,396
 488,384
360,453
 61,512
 51,139
 38,956
 6,204
 518,264
Provision for bad debts5,796
 1,393
 404
 645
 8,238
General and administrative expenses165,153
 32,404
 6,957
 16,563
 221,077
165,452
 27,910
 15,075
 20,234
 4,710
 233,381
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets39
 21
 
 (83) (23)
Operating income51,296
 7,244
 1,541
 1,943
 62,024
38,558
 3,758
 630
 (736) (777) 41,433
Interest expense(1,961) (393) (130) (131) (2,615)(3,343) (690) (230) (232) (157) (4,652)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest49,335
 6,851
 1,411
 1,812
 59,409
Income (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interest35,215
 3,068
 400
 (968) (934) 36,781
Income tax expense16,712
 2,439
 602
 657
 20,410
7,813
 594
 124
 (154) (230) 8,147
Net income32,623
 4,412
 809
 1,155
 38,999
Net income (loss)27,402
 2,474
 276
 (814) (704) 28,634
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests6,053
 1,038
 (7) 237
 7,321
6,047
 829
 (70) 102
 (66) 6,842
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$26,570
 $3,374
 $816
 $918
 $31,678
Net income (loss) attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$21,355
 $1,645
 $346
 $(916) $(638) $21,792


Six Months Ended 
 June 30, 2017
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016(as adjusted)
Home health services Hospice services Community-based services Facility-based services TotalHome health services Hospice services Home and community-based services Facility-based services HCI Total
Net service revenue$492,090
 $100,051
 $32,823
 $54,416
 $679,380
$373,067
 $73,799
 $21,287
 $33,631
 $
 $501,784
Cost of service revenue294,359
 61,836
 24,656
 32,710
 413,561
229,692
 47,746
 15,934
 22,156
 
 315,528
Provision for bad debts8,122
 2,364
 488
 684
 11,658
General and administrative expenses150,948
 27,787
 6,557
 16,004
 201,296
109,190
 21,149
 4,572
 10,652
 
 145,563
Loss on disposal of assets811
 329
 46
 203
 1,389
Operating income37,850
 7,735
 1,076
 4,815
 51,476
34,185
 4,904
 781
 823
 
 40,693
Interest expense(1,640) (232) (106) (189) (2,167)(1,215) (243) (81) (81) 
 (1,620)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest36,210
 7,503
 970
 4,626
 49,309
32,970
 4,661
 700
 742
 
 39,073
Income tax expense11,026
 2,484
 413
 1,577
 15,500
11,010
 1,508
 263
 184
 
 12,965
Net income25,184
 5,019
 557
 3,049
 33,809
21,960
 3,153
 437
 558
 
 26,108
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests5,002
 1,368
 (57) 730
 7,043
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests4,294
 766
 13
 264
 
 5,337
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$20,182
 $3,651
 $614
 $2,319
 $26,766
$17,666
 $2,387
 $424
 $294
 $
 $20,771
12. Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted significant changes to U.S. tax law following the passage and signing of “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” or the “TCJA”. The TCJA is complex and significantly changes the U.S. corporate income tax system by, among other things, reducing the Federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. The effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 benefited from $0.9 million and $1.1 million, respectively, of excess tax benefits associated with stock-based compensation arrangements, which was offset by the effect of capitalized transaction costs related to the Merger during the six months ended June 30, 2018 of $0.9 million.

US GAAP prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the accounting and financial statement disclosure of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.  The evaluation of a tax position is a two-step process.  The first step requires the Company to determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the position.  The second step requires the Company to recognize in the financial statements each tax position that meets the more likely than not criteria, measured at the amount of benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized.  The Company’s unrecognized tax benefits would affect the tax rate, if recognized.  The Company includes the full amount of unrecognized tax benefits in other noncurrent liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.  The Company anticipates it is reasonably possible an increase or decrease in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits could be made in the next twelve months. However, the Company does not presently anticipate that any increase or decrease in unrecognized tax benefits will be material to the consolidated financial statements. The amounts recognized as of June 30, 2018 was $3.9 million.

13. Subsequent Events

Management has evaluated all events and transactions that occurred after June 30, 2018.  During this period, the Company had no material subsequent events requiring recognition in the consolidated financial statements, except as noted below:
On July 1, 2018, the Company purchased the remaining redeemable noncontrolling interest for one of its joint ventures for $7.0 million, with a short-term earn out provision, which could increase the purchase price to a maximum of $10.0 million.




ITEM 2.     MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
CAUTIONARY NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contains certain statements and information that may constitute “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 (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements relate to future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, future financial performance, and expectations and beliefs concerning matters that are not historical facts or that necessarily depend upon future events. The words “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Specifically, this report contains, among others, forward-looking statements about:
 
our expectations regarding financial condition or results of operations for periods after SeptemberJune 30, 2017;2018;
our critical accounting policies;
our business strategies and our ability to grow our business;
our participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
the reimbursement levels of Medicare and other third-party payors;
the prompt receipt of payments from Medicare and other third-party payors;
our future sources of and needs for liquidity and capital resources;
the effect of any regulatory changes under the new presidential administration;or anticipated regulatory changes;
the effect of any changes in market rates on our operations and cash flows;
our ability to obtain financing;
our ability to make payments as they become due;
the outcomes of various routine and non-routine governmental reviews, audits and investigations;

our expansion strategy, the successful integration of recent acquisitions and, if necessary, the ability to relocate or restructure our current facilities;
the value of our proprietary technology;
the impact of legal proceedings;
our insurance coverage;
our competitors and our competitive advantages;
our ability to attract and retain valuable employees;
the price of our stock;
our compliance with environmental, health and safety laws and regulations;
our compliance with health care laws and regulations;
our compliance with SECSecurities and Exchange Commission laws and regulations and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements;
the impact of federal and state government regulation on our business; and
the impact of changes in future interpretations of fraud, anti-kickback, or other laws.laws;
the integration of the Almost Family and the Company's business;
the cost savings, synergies, growth and other benefits from the Almost Family Merger, which may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; and

costs associated with the integration of the businesses of the Company and Almost Family, which could be higher than anticipated.
The forward-looking statements included in this report reflect our current views about future events, are based on assumptions, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Many important factors could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from any future results or achievements expressed in or implied by our forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine future events or achievements are beyond our ability to control or predict. Important factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from the results or achievements reflected in our forward-looking statements include, among other things, the factors discussed in the Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors,” included in this report and in our other filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20162017 (the “2016“2017 Form 10-K”), as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC. This report should be read in conjunction with the 20162017 Form 10-K, and all of our other filings made with the SEC through the date of this report, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.
You should read this report, the information incorporated by reference into this report, and the documents filed as exhibits to this report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or achievements may differ materially from what we expect or anticipate.
The forward-looking statements contained in this report reflect our views and assumptions only as of the date this report is filed with the SEC. Except as required by law, we assume no responsibility for updating any forward-looking statements.
We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. In addition, with respect to all of our forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
You should read this report, the information incorporated by reference into this report, and the documents filed as exhibits to this report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or achievements may differ materially from what we expect or anticipate.
Unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Company” refer to LHC Group, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.subsidiaries (including, as a result of the Merger, those owned and operated by Almost Family).
OVERVIEW
General
We provide quality, cost-effective post-acute health care services to our patients. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we have 449777 service providers in 27 states.37 states within the continental United States. Our services are classified into fourfive segments: (1) home health services, (2) hospice services, (3) home and community-based services, and (4) facility-based services offered through our long-term acute care hospitals (“LTACHs”). and (5) healthcare innovations services. We intend to increase the number of service providers within each of our four segments that we operate through continued acquisitions, joint ventures, and organic development.
Through ourOur home health services segment, weservice locations offer a wide range of services, including skilled nursing, medically-oriented social services, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we operated 324568 home health services locations, of which 166313 are wholly-owned, 152243 are majority-owned through equity joint ventures, three are under license lease arrangements, and the operations of the remaining threenine locations are only managed by us.

Through our hospice services segment, weOur hospices provide end-of-life care to patients with terminal illnesses through interdisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses, home health aides, counselors, and volunteers. We offer a wide range of services, including pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, inpatient and respite care, homemaker services, and counseling. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we operated 92106 hospice locations, of which 4660 are wholly-owned, 44 are majority-owned through equity joint ventures, and two are under license lease arrangements.
Through our home and community-based services segment, services are performed by skilled nursing and paraprofessional personnel, and include assistance with activities of daily living to the elderly, chronically ill, and disabled patients. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we operated 1280 home and community-based services locations: 1071 are wholly-owned and twonine are majority-owned through an equity joint venture.
We provide facility-based services principally through our LTACHs. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we operated 11 LTACHs with 1512 locations, of which all but one are located within host hospitals. Of these facility-based services locations, threetwo are wholly-owned, 11nine are majority-owned through equity joint ventures, and one location is managed by us. We also wholly-own and operate a family health center, two pharmacies, a rural health clinic, and twothree physical therapy clinics.

Our HCI segment reports on our developmental activities outside its other business segments.  The HCI segment includes (a) Imperium Health Management, LLC, an ACO enablement company, (b) Long Term Solutions, Inc., an in-home assessment company serving the long-term care insurance industry, Long Term Solutions, Inc., and certain assets operated by Advanced Care House Calls, which provides primary medical care for home-bound or home-limited patients with chronic and acute illnesses who have difficulty traveling to a doctor’s office, (c) Ingenios Health Co., a Nurse-Practitioner-oriented and mobile technology-enabled health risk assessment company primarily serving managed care organizations, and (d) an investment in Care Journey (formerly NavHealth, Inc.), a population-health analytics company. These activities are intended ultimately, whether directly or indirectly, to benefit our patients and/or payors through the enhanced provision of services in our other segments.  The activities all share a common goal of improving patient experiences and quality outcomes, while lowering costs.  They include, but are not limited to, items such as: technology, information, population health management, risk-sharing, care-coordination and transitions, clinical advancements, enhanced patient engagement and informed clinical decision and technology enabled in-home clinical assessments. We have four HCI locations, of which three are wholly-owned, and one is majority-owned through an equity joint venture.
The Joint Commission is a nationwide commission that establishes standards relating to the physical plant, administration, quality of patient care, and operation of medical staffs of health care organizations. Currently, Joint Commission accreditation of home nursing and hospice agencies is voluntary. However, some managed care organizations use Joint Commission accreditation as a credentialing standard for regional and state contracts. As of SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, the Joint Commission had accredited 299358 of our 324568 home health services locations and 6164 of our 92106 hospice agencies. Those not yet accredited are working towards achieving this accreditation. As we acquire companies, we apply for accreditation 12 to 18 months after completing the acquisition.
The percentage of net service revenue contributed from each reporting segment for the three and ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017 was as follows:
 
 Three Months Ended  
 September 30,
 Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
 Three Months Ended  
 June 30,
 Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
Reporting segment 2017 2016 2017 2016 2018 2017 2018 2017
Home health services 72.9% 72.6% 73.8% 72.5% 71.8% 74.5% 71.2% 74.2%
Hospice services 15.1
 15.3
 14.9
 14.7
 10.1
 14.8
 11.7
 14.8
Community-based services 4.5
 5.1
 4.3
 4.8
Home and community-based services 10.5
 4.2
 8.4
 4.3
Facility-based services 7.5
 7.0
 7.0
 8.0
 5.6
 6.5
 7.4
 6.7
Healthcare innovations services 2.0
 
 1.3
 
 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Recent Developments
The reader is encouraged to review our detailed discussion of health care legislation and Medicare regulations in the similarly titled section in Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” along with the discussions in Part I, Item 1, “Business; Government Regulation” and in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2017, as supplemented in Part I, Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.
Home Health Services
On April 14, 2015, legislation was passed which limits any increase in home health payments to 1% for fiscal yearJuly 2, 2018, and extended the 3% rural home health safeguard for two years through December 31, 2017.
On October 31, 2016, CMS released a Final Rule (effective January 1, 2017)the proposed rule regarding payment rates for home health services provided during calendar year 2017. The national, standardized 60-day episode payment rate increased to $2,989.97 for 2017. The rural rate is $3,079.67. The Final Rule implements the final year of the four year phase-in of the rebasing adjustments to the national, standardized 60-day episode payment rate and the decrease of 0.97% to account for nominal case-mix growth between calendar year 2012 and calendar year 2014, which was not accounted for in the rebasing adjustments finalized in calendar year 2014. The Final Rule also contains minor adjustments to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing ("HHVBP") program and to the home health quality reporting program. CMS estimates the overall economic impact of the proposed rule's policy changes and payment rate update is an estimated aggregate decrease of 0.7% in payments to home health agencies, which decrease will vary based on each agency's wage index and patient mix weight.
In addition, CMS finalized its proposal to implement a HHVBP program that is intended to incentivize the delivery of high-quality patient care. The HHVBP program would withhold 3% to 8% of Medicare payments, which would be redistributed to participating home health agencies depending on their performance relative to specified measures. The HHVBP would apply

to all home health agencies in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, effective January 1, 2018.
On November 1, 2017, CMS released the Final Rule (effective January 1, 2018) regarding payment rates for home health services provided during calendar year 2018.2019. The national, standardized 60-day episode payment rate will increase to $3,039.64$3,151.22 in 2018.2019. The Final Ruleproposed rule estimates an impact of 0.5% reduction2.1% increase in payments due to the expirationpolicy changes proposed in the rule. The rule implements a modified rural safeguard payment varying between 1.5% and 4.0% beginning in 2019 as prescribed by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The proposed rule also makes policy changes to the rural add-on provision, a 1% home health payment update percentage, and 0.97% adjustment for case mix (the third year of a three year adjustment). CMS also estimates a reduction in regulatoryquality reporting due toprogram, the removal of a number of quality measures and OASIS items. CMS estimates the overall economic impact of the Final Rule's changes and payment rate update is an estimated decrease of 0.4% in payments to home health agencies.value based purchasing demonstration, the home health high cost outlier policy, and simplifies certification and recertification requirements. In addition, effective January 1, 2020, CMS decided notis proposing to finalize its rule onimplement the Patient Driven Groupings Model ("PDGM"), which is a modification of the Home Health Groupings Model ("HHGM") asthat was published in the 2018 proposed

rule but insteadwhich was not finalized. The PDGM will take additional time to further engage with stakeholders to move towards a system that shifts the focus from volume of servicesshift home health payments to a more patient-centered model.30-day payment period for which the national standardized rate would be set in the 2019 proposed rule.
Hospice ServicesMedicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
On July 29, 2016, CMS issued a Final Rule updating Medicare payment rates and the wage index for hospices for fiscal year 2017, which resulted in a 2.1% increase in payment rates. The 2.1% increase is based on 2.7% inpatient hospital market basket update, reduced by a 0.3% productivity adjustment, and a 0.3% adjustment set by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("PPACA"established ACOs as a tool to improve quality and lower costs through increased care coordination in the Medicare fee-for-service (“FFS”). program, also known as “Original Medicare.”  The hospice cap amount for the 2017 hospice cap year will be $28,404.99. The following table shows the hospice Medicare payment rates for fiscal year 2017, which began on October 1, 2016 and ended September 30, 2017:
DescriptionRate per patient day
Routine Home Care days 1-60$190.55
Routine Home Care days 60+$149.82
Continuous Home Care$964.63
Full Rate = 24 hours of care 
$40.19 = hourly rate 
Inpatient Respite Care$170.97
General Inpatient Care$734.94

On August 1, 2017, CMS issued a Final Rule updating Medicare payment rates and the wage index for hospices for fiscal year 2018. The result will be in a 1.0% increase in payment rates due to the provisions of Section 411 (d)FFS program covers approximately 70% of the Medicare Accessrecipients or approximately 36 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries.  ACOs are typically formed as legal entities by groups of doctors and CHIP Reauthorization Actother healthcare providers who endeavor to work together to provide high quality services and care for their patients through three-year contracts with CMS.  Provider and beneficiary participation in an ACO is purely voluntary and Medicare beneficiaries retain their current ability to seek treatment from any provider they wish.  Beneficiaries are assigned to ACOs using an “attribution” model based on a plurality of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-10) ("MACRA"services provided by the primary care physician.  Beneficiaries retain the right to use any doctor or hospital who accepts Medicare, at any time.
CMS established the Medicare Shared Savings Program (“MSSP”). to facilitate coordination and cooperation among providers to improve the quality of care for Medicare FFS beneficiaries and to reduce costs.  Eligible providers, hospitals, and suppliers may participate in the MSSP by creating, participating in or contracting with an ACO.  The hospice capMSSP is designed to improve beneficiary outcomes and increase value of care by (1) promoting accountability for the care of Medicare FFS beneficiaries, (2) requiring coordinated care for all services provided under Medicare FFS, and (3) encouraging investment in infrastructure and redesigned care processes.  The MSSP will reward ACOs that provide healthcare services at a cost for the ACO’s patients during a relevant measurement year that is below the ACO’s benchmark costs established by CMS, while also meeting performance standards on quality of care.  Under the final MSSP rules, Medicare is to reimburse individual providers and suppliers for specific items and services as Medicare currently does under the FFS payment methodologies.  MSSP rules require CMS to develop a benchmark for savings to be achieved by each ACO, if the ACO is to receive shared savings or for ACOs that have elected to accept responsibility for losses.  An ACO that meets the program’s quality performance standards will be $28,689.04, which iseligible to receive a 1% increase. The Final Rule finalizes eight measures from Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems ("CAHPS") Hospice Survey data already submitted by hospices. The rule also finalizes the extensionshare of the exception for quality reporting purposes from 30 calendar days to 90 calendar days after the date that an extraordinary circumstance occurred. CMS will begin public reporting Hospice Quality Reporting Program ("HQRP") data via a Hospice Compare Site in August 2017 to help customers make informed choices. Hospices that fail to meet quality reporting requirements will receive a two percentage point reduction to their payments.
The following table shows the hospice Medicare payment rates for fiscal year 2018, which began on October 1, 2017 and will end September 30, 2018:
DescriptionRate per patient day
Routine Home Care days 1-60$192.78
Routine Home Care days 60+$151.41
Continuous Home Care$976.42
Full Rate = 24 hours of care 
$40.68 = hourly rate 
Inpatient Respite Care$172.78
General Inpatient Care$743.55

Community-Based Services
Community-based services are in-home care services, which are primarily performed by skilled nursing and paraprofessional personnel, and include assistance with activities of daily livingsavings to the elderly, chronically ill,extent its assigned beneficiary medical expenditures are below its own medical expenditure benchmark provided by CMS. The Company’s HCI services segment provides specialized management services to ACOs, and disabled patients. Revenue isin return, the Company shares in any MSSP payments received by the ACO.
Seasonality
Our home health services segment operations in Florida normally experience higher admissions during the first quarter and lower admissions during the third quarter than in the other quarters due to seasonal population fluctuations. In the second quarter of 2018, Florida operations generated on an hourly basis and our current primary payors are TennCare Managed Care Organization and Medicaid. Approximately 70%approximately 9.7% of our net service revenue in this segment was generated in Tennessee forrevenue. Further, our third quarter falls within the nine"hurricane season" including the peak months ended September 30, 2017.
Facility-Based Services
On December 26, 2013, President Obama signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-67). This law prevents a scheduled payment reduction for physiciansAugust and other practitioners who treat Medicare patients from taking effect on January 1, 2014. Included in the legislation are the following changesSeptember. Our operations may thus be subject to LTACH reimbursement:
Medicare discharges from LTACHs will continue to be paid at full LTACH PPS rates if:
the patient spent at least three days in a short-term care hospital (“STCH”) intensive care unit (“ICU”) during a STCH stay that immediately preceded the LTACH stay, or
the patient was on a ventilator for more than 96 hours in the LTACH (based on the MS-LTACH DRG assigned)periods of unexpected disruption, which may lower volumes and had a STCH stay immediately preceding the LTACH stay.
Also, the LTACH discharge cannot have a principal diagnosis that is psychiatric or rehabilitation.
All other Medicare discharges from LTACHs will be paid at a new “site neutral” rate, which is the lesser of the ("IPPS") comparable per diem amount determined using the formula in the short-stay outlier regulation at 42 C.F.R. § 412.529(d)(4) plus applicable outlier payments, or 100% of the estimated cost of the services involved.
The above new payment policy will be effective for LTACH cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015, and the site neutral payment rate will be phased-in over two years.
For cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015, discharges paid at the site neutral payment rate or by a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) will be excluded from the LTACH average length-of-stay (“ALOS”) calculation.
For cost reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2016 and later, CMS will notify LTACHs of their “LTACH discharge payment percentage” (i.e., the number of discharges not paid at the site neutral payment rate divided by the total number of discharges).
For cost reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2020 and later, LTACHs with less than 50% of their discharges paid at the full LTACH PPS rates will be switched to payment under the IPPS for all discharges in subsequent cost reporting periods. However, CMS will set up a process for LTACHs to seek reinstatement of LTACH PPS rates for applicable discharges.
MedPAC will study the impact of the above changes on quality of care, use of hospice and other post-acute care settings, different types of LTACHs and growth in Medicare spending on LTACHs. MedPAC is to submit a report to Congress with any recommendations by June 30, 2019. The report is to also include MedPAC’s assessment of whether the 25 Percent rule should continue to be applied.
On August 2, 2016, CMS released the final rule to update fiscal year 2017 LTACH reimbursement and policies under the LTACH PPS, which affects discharges occurring in cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2016. CMS projects that overall LTACH PPS spending would decrease by 7.1% compared to fiscal year 2016 payments. This estimated decrease is attributable to the statutory decrease in payment rates for site neutral LTACH PPS cases that do not meet the clinical criteria to qualify for higher LTACH rates in cost reporting years beginning on or after October 1, 2016. Cases that do qualify for higher LTACH PPS rates will see a payment rate increase of 0.7% (including a market basket update of 2.8% reduced by a multi-factor productivity adjustment of 0.3%, minus an additional adjustment of 0.75 percentage point in accordance with the PPACA, for a net market basket of 1.75%). The LTACH PPS standard federal payment rate for fiscal year 2017 is $42,476.41 (increased from $41,762.85 in fiscal year 2016). Site-neutral discharges will have a 23% reduction in payments. CMS also proposes to begin enforcement of the 25 Percent rule which will cap the number of patients treated at an LTACH who have been referred from all locations of a hospital. Grandfathered LTACH facilities are exempt from the 25 Percent rule, while rural LTACHs will have a threshold of 50% and MSA-dominant hospitals will have a threshold between 25% and 50%. The 25 Percent rule will apply to discharges occurring after October 1, 2016. CMS will have two separate outlier pools and thresholds

for LTACH-appropriate patients and for site-neutral patients. For 2017, CMS finalized an increase of its fixed-loss threshold to $21,943 from 2016’s $16,423, to limit outlier spending at no more than 8% of total LTACH spending (2016 outlier payments may reach 9.0%). CMS is applying the proposed inpatient fixed-loss threshold of $23,570 for site neutral patients. CMS also finalized four new measures for the LTACH Quality Reporting Program to meet the requirements of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act. For the fiscal year 2018 LTACH Quality Reporting Program, CMS added quality measures for Medicare spending per beneficiary, discharge to community and potentially-preventable 30-day post-discharge readmissions. For the fiscal year 2020 LTACH Quality Reporting Program, CMS adopted a new drug regimen review measure.
On December 7, 2016, Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act ("Cures"), which boosts funding for medical research, eases the development and approval of experimental treatments and reforms federal policy on mental health care. Included in the bill was relief for LTACHs under a one year moratorium on the 25 Percent Rule, which would otherwise penalize LTACHs that admit more than 25% of their patients from a particular acute care hospital. As modified by Cures, implementation of the 25 Percent Rule will be suspended during federal fiscal year 2017 (October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017).
On August 2, 2017, CMS posted a display copy of its final rule for the annual update to Medicare payment rates and policies for the Fiscal Year 2018 inpatient hospitals prospective payment system and the LTACH PPS. CMS estimates the impact of the proposed rule will result in a 2.4% overall reduction in LTACH spending. The LTACH standard federal rate is reduced to $41,430.56 from $42,476.41. CMS is also proposing a 12 month administrative moratorium on application of the 25 Percent Rule beginning with the expiration of the statutory moratorium after September 30, 2017. The 25 Percent Rule will not be applied to LTACHs for discharges occurring on or before September 30, 2018. CMS also adopted certain adjustments to high cost outlier and short stay outlier policies. CMS finalized its proposal for a new severe wound exception to be paid at standard Federal LTACH rates instead of site neutral payments for grandfathered LTACHs. CMS changed the separateness and control restrictions for certain co-located IPPS-exempt hospitals. The Final Rule also adds three new quality measures and discontinues two quality measures. CMS also finalized its proposal to implement collection of standardized patient assessment data under the IMPACT Act on functional status, cognitive function, cancer treatments, respiratory treatments, transfusions and other special services effective for admissions on/after April 1, 2019.
None of the aforementioned estimated changes to Medicare payments for home health, hospice, and LTACHs include the deficit reduction sequester cuts to Medicare that began on April 1, 2013, which reduced Medicare payments by 2% for patients whose service dates ended on or after April 1, 2013.costs.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Merger with Almost Family
On November 15, 2017, we entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger with Almost Family, providing for a "merger of equals" business combination between us and Almost Family, which we completed on April 1, 2018. The Merger created the second largest in-home healthcare provider in the country with an expanded geographic service territory of 36 states, which service territory contains over sixty percent (60%) of the U.S. population aged 65 and over and more than 770 locations, including those related to the 76 joint venture partnerships with health systems that consist of 336 hospitals.
Since the Merger was completed April 1, 2018, the first day of the Company’s second fiscal quarter, financial results of the Company for the six months ended June 30, 2018 include only one full fiscal quarter of revenues and operating income with Almost Family and its subsidiaries. The Company’s unaudited revenues and operating income for its second fiscal quarter of 2018, which included the financial results of Almost Family and its subsidiaries, was $502.0 million and $31.0 million, respectively. By comparison, for its second fiscal quarter of 2017, the Company (without combining the financial results of Almost Family and its subsidiaries) reported unaudited revenues and operating income of $257.5 million and $22.8 million, respectively, and Almost Family reported unaudited revenues and operating income of approximately $197.1 million and $9.8 million, respectively. Comparable unaudited pro forma second fiscal quarter operating results for 2017 reflected aggregate unaudited pro forma revenue and operating income of $454.7 million and $16.1 million, respectively. Unaudited pro forma information is for illustrative purposes only and may not be indicative of the results of operations that would have actually

occurred if the Merger had been completed as of the beginning of 2017. In addition, future results may vary from the results reflected in such information.
Three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared to three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017
Consolidated financial statements
The following table summarizes our consolidated results of operations for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017 (amounts in thousands, except percentages which are percentages of consolidated net service revenue, unless indicated otherwise):
 
2017 2016 
Increase
(Decrease)
2018 2017 
Increase
(Decrease)
Net service revenue$272,872
  $230,797
   $42,075
$502,024
  $257,535
   $244,489
Cost of service revenue172,856
 63.3 % 140,832
 61.0% 32,024
329,646
 65.7% 161,158
 62.6% 168,488
Provision for bad debts3,194
 1.2
 3,275
 1.4
 (81)
General and administrative expenses75,669
 27.7
 66,999
 29.0
 8,670
141,350
 28.2
 73,552
 28.6
 67,798
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets(177) (0.1) 142
 0.1
 319
Interest expense(995)  (816)   179
(3,202)  (840)   2,362
Income tax expense7,445
 41.1
(1)6,562
 40.6
(2)883
7,170
 27.1
(1)7,792
 41.0
(1)(622)
Noncontrolling interest1,984
  2,555
   (571)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests3,859
  2,889
   970
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$10,906
  $9,616
   $1,290
$16,797
  $11,304
   $5,493


(1)Effective tax rate as a percentage of income from continuing operations attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders, excluding the excess tax benefits realized during the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2018 and 2017, of $0.09$0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively and the effect of capitalized transaction costs related to the Merger during the three months ended June 30, 2018 of $0.9 million. ForThe change in our effective tax rate in 2018 was a discussion on the excess tax benefits, see Note 2result of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements,passage and signing of the Tax Cuts and Job Act, which is incorporated herein by reference.reduced the Federal corporate income tax rate.
(2)Effective tax rate as a percentage of income from continuing operations attributable to LHC Group, Inc.'s common stockholders.

Net service revenue
The following table sets forth each of our segment’s revenue growth or loss, admissions, census, episodes, patient days, and billable hours for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and the related change from the same period in 20162017 (amounts in thousands, except admissions, census, episode data, patient days and billable hours)hours, and revenue excludes implicit price concessions):
 

Same
Store(1)
 
De
Novo(2)
 Organic(3) 
Organic
Growth
(Loss) %
 Acquired(4) Total 
Total
Growth
(Loss) %
Same
Store(1)
 
De
Novo(2)
 Organic(3) 
Organic
Growth
(Loss) %
 Acquired(4) Total 
Total
Growth
(Loss) %
Home health services                          
Revenue$184,467
 $327
 $184,794
 10.3 % $14,184
 $198,978
 18.8%$206,678
 $1,521
 $208,199
 9.0 % $157,714
 $365,913
 88.6 %
Revenue Medicare$133,597
 $283
 $133,880
 4.9
 $9,267
 $143,147
 12.1
$143,008
 $1,344
 $144,352
 5.1
 $119,362
 $263,714
 88.8
Admissions43,122
 73
 43,195
 6.2
 4,646
 47,841
 17.7
50,024
 296
 50,320
 7.9
 43,585
 93,905
 98.0
Medicare Admissions27,207
 61
 27,268
 1.7
 2,696
 29,964
 11.8
30,583
 236
 30,819
 5.4
 28,193
 59,012
 98.3
Average Census39,893
 50
 39,943
 3.7
 3,507
 43,450
 12.8
43,207
 278
 43,485
 2.3
 33,223
 76,708
 77.8
Average Medicare Census27,599
 40
 27,639
 (1.2) 2,052
 29,691
 6.1
28,590
 239
 28,829
 (1.0) 22,450
 51,279
 73.5
Home Health Episodes50,123
 75
 50,198
 2.0
 3,805
 54,003
 9.7
53,277
 435
 53,712
 2.4
 42,658
 96,370
 81.0
Hospice services                          
Revenue$33,581
 $517
 $34,098
 (3.5) $7,193
 $41,291
 16.9
$39,022
 $
 $39,022
 1.6
 $12,127
 $51,149
 32.8
Revenue Medicare$31,680
 $451
 $32,131
 (2.9) $5,785
 $37,916
 14.6
$34,652
 $
 $34,652
 (2.0) $11,386
 $46,038
 29.7
Admissions2,451
 47
 2,498
 (2.2) 940
 3,438
 34.6
3,294
 
 3,294
 2.5
 1,234
 4,528
 40.4
Medicare Admissions2,140
 40
 2,180
 (3.8) 787
 2,967
 30.9
2,851
 
 2,851
 2.4
 1,091
 3,942
 41.3
Average Census2,651
 37
 2,688
 (1.8) 420
 3,108
 13.6
2,822
 
 2,822
 (6.5) 837
 3,659
 20.8
Average Medicare Census2,466
 34
 2,500
 (1.9) 388
 2,888
 13.4
2,603
 
 2,603
 (6.7) 769
 3,372
 20.5
Patient days244,061
 3,307
 247,368
 (1.7) 38,603
 285,971
 13.6
256,776
 
 256,776
 (6.5) 76,202
 332,978
 20.8
Community-based services             
Home and community-based services             
Revenue$11,338
 $
 $11,338
 (3.9) $808
 $12,146
 3.0
$11,840
 $
 $11,840
 9.2
 $41,924
 $53,764
 395.7
Billable hours339,569
 
 339,569
 (1.4) 30,131
 369,700
 7.3
375,689
 
 375,689
 (1.4) 1,852,142
 2,227,831
 484.6
Facility-based services                          
LTACHs                          
Revenue$15,712
 $
 $15,712
 4.5
 2,561
 $18,273
 21.6
$17,727
 $
 $17,727
 25.2
 $9,977
 $27,704
 95.7
Patient days12,506
 
 12,506
 (7.4) 2,093
 14,599
 8.1
12,382
 
 12,382
 (5.3) 7,601
 19,983
 52.8
Other facility-based services             
Revenue$1,075
 $
 $1,075
 (59.2) $
 $1,075
 (59.2)
HCI             
Revenue$
 $
 $
 
 $10,137
 $10,137
 100.0
Consolidated             
Revenue$276,342
 $1,521
 $277,863
 8.1
 $231,879
 $509,742
 95.9

(1)Same store — location that has been in service with us for greater than 12 months.
(2)De Novo — internally developed location that has been in service with us for 12 months or less.
(3)Organic — combination of same store and de novo.
(4)Acquired — purchased location that has been in service with us for 12 months or less.less, including all legacy Almost Family locations for the period after April 1, 2018.
Total organic revenue and patient metrics increased in our home health services segment due to the successful execution of same store growth strategies. Total organic revenue and patient metrics decreased in our hospice services segment due to the lower admissions during the third quarter of 2017. Total organic revenue increased in the facility-based services segment due to patients that meet the new LTACH criteria payment model.
Organic growth is primarily generated by population growth in areas covered by mature agencies, agencies five years old or older, and by increased market share in acquired and developing agencies. Historically, acquired agencies have the highest

growth in admissions and average census in the first 24 months after acquisition, and have the highest contribution to organic growth, measured as a percentage of growth, in the second full year of operation after the acquisition.
The following table sets forth the reconciliation of total revenue disclosed above, which excludes implicit price concession, to net service revenue recognized for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 (amounts in thousands):


  Three Months Ended
June 30,
 
  2018% of Net Service Revenue 2017% of Net Service Revenue
Revenue $509,742
  $260,210
 
Less: Implicit price concession 7,718
1.5% 2,675
1.0%
Net service revenue $502,024
  $257,535
 
Cost of service revenue
The following table summarizes cost of service revenue (amounts in thousands, except percentages, which are percentages of the segment’s respective net service revenue):
 
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Home health services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$112,117
 56.3% $90,393
 53.9%$211,631
 58.7% $107,044
 56.3%
Transportation6,271
 3.2
 5,624
 3.4
11,527
 3.2
 5,974
 3.1
Supplies and services4,816
 2.4
 4,040
 2.4
7,135
 2.0
 4,588
 2.4
Total$123,204
 61.9% $100,057
 59.7%$230,293
 63.9% $117,606
 61.8%
Hospice services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$19,523
 47.3% $14,695
 41.5%$24,564
 48.6% $17,189
 44.7%
Transportation1,588
 3.8
 1,329
 3.8
1,872
 3.7
 1,534
 4.1
Supplies and services6,330
 15.3
 5,219
 14.8
7,057
 14.0
 5,750
 15.2
Total$27,441
 66.5% $21,243
 60.1%$33,493
 66.3% $24,473
 64.0%
Community-based services       
Home and community-based services       
Salaries, wages and benefits$8,820
 72.6% $8,967
 76.1%$39,614
 75.1% $7,861
 73.2%
Transportation92
 0.8
 69
 0.6
549
 1.0
 72
 0.7
Supplies and services59
 0.5
 64
 0.5
186
 0.4
 53
 0.5
Total$8,971
 73.9% $9,100
 77.2%$40,349
 76.5% $7,986
 74.4%
Facility-based services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$9,644
 47.1% $6,987
 43.2%$13,706
 48.4% $7,698
 44.5%
Transportation81
 0.4
 60
 0.4
69
 0.2
 49
 0.3
Supplies and services3,515
 17.2
 3,385
 21.0
5,532
 19.5
 3,346
 20.2
Total$13,240
 64.7% $10,432
 64.6%$19,307
 68.1% $11,093
 65.0%
HCI       
Salaries, wages and benefits$6,021

59.4% $
 %
Transportation163

1.6
 
 
Supplies and services20

0.2
 
 
Total$6,204
 61.2% 
 %
Consolidated       
Total$329,646
 65.7% $161,158
 62.6%

Consolidated cost of service revenue for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 was $172.9$329.6 million or 63.3%65.7% of net service revenue, compared to $140.8$161.2 million, or 61.0%62.6% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016.2017. Substantially all of the change in consolidated cost of service revenue was a result of the Merger and other acquisitions purchased during the latter part of 2017 and 2018. Consolidated cost of service revenue variances, excluding the acquisitions, were as follows:

Home Health Segment -- CostOur same store cost of service revenue increased as a percentage of net service revenue increased 2.3%. This was due to in part to 2.0%1.0% Medicare reimbursement cuts recognized in 2017. Additionally, acquisitions accounted for $11.9 million2018 and annual cost of the $23.1 millionliving increases. In addition, a 0.5% increase with the remaining difference caused by the growth in our same store agencies.implicit price concession, which affected our net service revenue.

Hospice Segment -- Acquisitions accounted for $5.6 million of the $6.2 million increase, with the remaining difference caused by the growth in our same store agencies. Cost of service increased as a percentage of net service revenue due to annual cost of living increases and the decline in admissions associated with our same store agencies.patient days.

Community-Based Services Segment: Cost of service revenue decreased as a percentage of net service revenue due to the utilization of contract labor in the prior year, which was used to service a higher level of care in our 2016 patient mix.

Facility-Based Segment -- Acquisitions accounted for $2.7 million of the $2.8 million increase. Cost of service - salaries, wages, and benefits increased as a percentage of net service revenue due to lower revenue per patient day for the period caused by patient criteria changes that went into effect September 2016.

Provision for bad debts

Consolidated provision for bad debts for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was $3.2 million, or 1.2% of net service revenue, compared to $3.3 million, or 1.4% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016. The Company continues to have more timely cash collections and an increase in amounts collected. The continued maturity of our back office and field operations, use of our point-of-care platform, and use of other technology advancements in reporting and analytics are drivers of collection improvements.
General and administrative expenses
The following table summarizes general and administrative expenses (amounts in thousands, except percentages, which are percentages of the segment’s respective net service revenue):
 
Three Months Ended September 30,Three Months Ended June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Home health services              
General and administrative$53,753
 27.0% $48,282
 28.8%$96,791
 26.9% $53,137
 27.6%
Depreciation and amortization2,227
 1.1
 2,011
 1.2
2,371
 0.7
 2,131
 1.1
Total$55,980
 28.1% $50,293
 30.0%$99,162
 27.5% $55,268
 28.7%
Hospice services              
General and administrative$10,697
 25.9% $8,941
 25.3%$13,979
 27.7% $10,199
 26.9%
Depreciation and amortization566
 1.4
 550
 1.6
634
 1.3
 544
 1.4
Total$11,263
 27.3% $9,491
 26.9%$14,613
 28.9% $10,743
 28.3%
Community-based services       
Home and community-based services       
General and administrative$2,275
 18.7% $2,158
 18.3%$11,582
 22.0% $2,149
 20.0%
Depreciation and amortization112
 0.9
 105
 0.9
195
 0.4
 112
 1.0
Total$2,387
 19.6% $2,263
 19.2%$11,777
 22.4% $2,261
 21.0%
Facility-based services              
General and administrative$5,613
 27.4% $4,506
 27.9%$10,351
 36.6% $4,908
 29.7%
Depreciation and amortization427
 2.1
 446
 2.8
737
 2.6
 372
 2.3
Total$6,040
 29.5% $4,952
 30.7%$11,088
 39.2% $5,280
 32.0%
HCI       
General and administrative$4,331
 42.7% $
 %
Depreciation and amortization379
 3.7
 
 
Total$4,710
 46.4% $
 %
Consolidated       
Total$141,350
 28.2% $73,552
 28.6%
Consolidated general and administrative expenses for the three months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 were $75.7$141.4 million, or 27.7%28.2% of net service revenue, compared to $67.0$73.6 million, or 29.0%28.6% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016. Although2017. Substantially all of the change in consolidated general and administrative expenses increasedwas a result of the Merger and other acquisitions purchased during the latter part of 2017 and 2018. The increase in total over the same period in 2016, they decreased as a percentage of net service revenue by 1.3%. We continue to leverage efficiencies found in our back office that allow us to maintain general and administrative costs without increasing costsexpenses in proportionthe facility-based services segment was due in part to the growthclosure of our company.two LTACH locations and the relocation of two other LTACH locations.




NineSix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 compared to ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20162017
Consolidated financial statements
The following table summarizes our consolidated results of operations for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and 20162017 (amounts in thousands, except percentages which are percentages of consolidated net service revenue, unless indicated otherwise):
 

2017 2016 
Increase
(Decrease)
2018 2017 
Increase
(Decrease)
Net service revenue$779,700
  $679,380
   $100,320
$793,078
  $501,784
   $291,294
Cost of service revenue488,384
 62.6 % 413,561
 60.9% 74,823
518,264
 65.3% 315,528
 62.9% 202,736
Provision for bad debts8,238
 1.1
 11,658
 1.7
 (3,420)
General and administrative expenses221,077
 28.4
 201,296
 29.6
 19,781
233,381
 29.4
 145,563
 29.0
 87,818
(Gain) loss on disposal of assets(23) 
 1,389
 0.2
 1,412
Interest expense(2,615)  (2,167)   448
(4,652)  (1,620)   3,032
Income tax expense20,410
 41.0
(1)15,500
 40.5
(2)4,910
8,147
 27.5
(1)12,965
 41.0
(1)(4,818)
Noncontrolling interest7,321
  7,043
   278
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests6,842
  5,337
   1,505
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders$31,678
  $26,766
   $4,912
$21,792
  $20,771
   $1,021

(1)Effective tax rate as a percentage of income from continuing operations attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders, excluding the excess tax benefits realized during the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2018 and 2017 of $1.0 million. For$0.9 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The change in our effective tax rate in 2018 was a discussion on the excess tax benefits, see Note 2result of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.
(2)Effective tax rate as a percentage of income from continuing operations attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders, excluding the changes in measurement realized in 2016passage and signing of the unrecognizedTax Cuts and Job Act, which reduced the Federal corporate income tax position of $1.6 million and related interest expense of $0.4 million.rate.

Net service revenue
The following table sets forth each of our segment’s revenue growth or loss, admissions, census, episodes, patient days, and billable hours for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 and the related change from the same period in 20162017 (amounts in thousands, except admissions, census, episode data, patient days and billable hours)hours, and revenue excludes implicit price concessions):
 

Same
Store(1)
 
De
Novo(2)
 Organic(3) 
Organic
Growth
(Loss) %
 Acquired(4) Total 
Total
Growth
(Loss) %
Same
Store(1)
 
De
Novo(2)
 Organic(3) 
Organic
Growth
(Loss) %
 Acquired(4) Total 
Total
Growth
(Loss) %
Home health services                          
Revenue$541,918
 $990
 $542,908
 10.3 % $32,272
 $575,180
 16.9 %$400,360
 $3,169
 $403,529
 9.0 % $169,913
 $573,442
 52.4 %
Revenue Medicare$394,756
 $826
 $395,582
 5.6
 $19,973
 $415,555
 10.9
$278,322
 $2,875
 $281,197
 4.9
 $128,767
 $409,964
 50.5
Admissions130,012
 219
 130,231
 9.7
 12,610
 142,841
 20.3
99,231
 643
 99,874
 7.2
 47,154
 147,028
 55.2
Medicare Admissions82,898
 176
 83,074
 5.5
 6,715
 89,789
 14.0
60,885
 525
 61,410
 4.8
 30,630
 92,040
 54.5
Average Census39,819
 47
 39,866
 4.0
 2,996
 42,862
 11.9
42,674
 331
 43,005
 2.9
 33,511
 76,516
 80.5
Average Medicare Census27,829
 38
 27,867
 (0.7) 1,660
 29,527
 5.2
28,388
 284
 28,672
 (0.8) 22,618
 51,290
 75.0
Home Health Episodes149,670
 234
 149,904
 1.2
 9,241
 159,145
 7.4
103,730
 789
 104,519
 1.0
 46,171
 150,690
 43.5
Hospice services                          
Revenue$99,410
 $1,001
 $100,411
 0.4
 $15,838
 $116,249
 16.2
$75,045
 $
 $75,045
 0.6
 $19,472
 $94,517
 26.1
Revenue Medicare$93,073
 $892
 $93,965
 0.9
 $13,609
 $107,574
 15.6
$68,385
 $
 $68,385
 (1.4) $17,281
 $85,666
 23.0
Admissions7,729
 1
 7,730
 2.5
 1,987
 9,717
 28.9
6,469
 
 6,469
 3.8
 2,113
 8,582
 36.7
Medicare Admissions6,663
 1
 6,664
 
 1,696
 8,360
 25.4
5,643
 
 5,643
 5.3
 1,848
 7,491
 38.9
Average Census2,533
 24
 2,557
 (1.4) 431
 2,988
 15.2
2,497
 
 2,497
 (14.3) 902
 3,399
 16.2
Average Medicare Census2,341
 22
 2,363
 (1.9) 406
 2,769
 14.9
2,316
 
 2,316
 (14.1) 827
 3,143
 16.1
Patient days716,644
 6,504
 723,148
 1.8
 92,607
 815,755
 14.8
500,478
 
 500,478
 (5.1) 114,720
 615,198
 16.2
Community-based services             
Home and community-based services             
Revenue$32,125
 $
 $32,125
 (2.1) $1,682
 $33,807
 3.0
$23,597
 $
 $23,597
 8.9
 $44,474
 $68,071
 214.3
Billable hours1,014,930
 
 1,014,930
 3.6
 41,292
 1,056,222
 7.8
766,687
 
 766,687
 1.8
 1,939,927
 2,706,614
 259.5
Facility-based services                          
LTACHs                          
Revenue$44,330
 $
 $44,330
 (13.2) 2,561
 $46,891
 (8.2)$35,666
 $
 $35,666
 22.6
 $20,190
 $55,856
 92.0
Patient days39,313
 
 39,313
 (8.5) 2,093
 41,406
 (3.6)25,652
 
 25,652
 (4.3) 15,385
 41,037
 53.1
Other facility-based services             
Revenue$3,699
 $
 $3,699
 (24.8) $
 $3,699
 (24.8)
HCI             
Revenue$
 $
 $
 
 $10,137
 $10,137
 100.0
Consolidated             
Revenue$538,367
 $3,169
 $541,536
 8.2
 $264,186
 $805,722
 59.0

(1)Same store — location that has been in service with us for greater than 12 months.
(2)De Novo — internally developed location that has been in service with us for 12 months or less.
(3)Organic — combination of same store and de novo.
(4)Acquired — purchased location that has been in service with us for 12 months or less.less, including all legacy Almost Family locations for the period after April 1, 2018.
Total organic revenue and patient metrics increased in our home health services segment and hospice services segment due to the successful execution of same store growth strategies. Total organic revenue and patient days decreased in the facility-based services segment due to the negative impact from the reduction of LTACH beds and lower revenue per patient day caused by patient criteria changes that went into effect in June 2016 and September 2016.
Organic growth is primarily generated by population growth in areas covered by mature agencies, agencies five years old or older, and by increased market share in acquired and developing agencies. Historically, acquired agencies have the highest growth in admissions and average census in the first 24 months after acquisition, and have the highest contribution to organic growth, measured as a percentage of growth, in the second full year of operation after the acquisition.
The following table sets forth the reconciliation of total revenue disclosed above, which excludes implicit price concession, to net service revenue recognized for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 (amounts in thousands):


 Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
 
 2018% of Net Service Revenue 2017% of Net Service Revenue
Revenue$805,722
  $506,828
 
Less: Implicit price concession12,644
1.6% 5,044
1.0%
Net service revenue$793,078
  $501,784
 
Cost of service revenue
The following table summarizes cost of service revenue (amounts in thousands, except percentages, which are percentages of the segment’s respective net service revenue):

Nine Months Ended September 30,Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Home health services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$320,933
 55.8% $266,170
 54.1%$330,297
 58.5% $208,816
 56.0%
Transportation18,064
 3.1
 16,648
 3.4
18,033
 3.2
 11,793
 3.2
Supplies and services13,899
 2.4
 11,541
 2.3
12,123
 2.1
 9,083
 2.4
Total$352,896
 61.3% $294,359
 59.8%$360,453
 63.8% $229,692
 61.6%
Hospice services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$52,800
 45.4% $43,319
 43.3%$45,053
 48.4% $33,277
 45.1%
Transportation4,555
 3.9
 4,005
 4.0
3,496
 3.8
 2,967
 4.0
Supplies and services17,832
 15.3
 14,512
 14.5
12,963
 13.9
 11,502
 15.6
Total$75,187
 64.6% $61,836
 61.8%$61,512
 66.1% $47,746
 64.7%
Community-based services       
Home and community-based services       
Salaries, wages and benefits$24,514
 72.5% $24,256
 73.9%$50,261
 75.2% $15,694
 73.7%
Transportation231
 0.7
 197
 0.6
639
 1.0
 139
 0.7
Supplies and services160
 0.5
 203
 0.6
239
 0.4
 101
 0.5
Total$24,905
 73.7% $24,656
 75.1%$51,139
 76.6% $15,934
 74.9%
Facility-based services              
Salaries, wages and benefits$24,959
 45.8% $21,626
 39.7%$27,362
 46.8% $15,316
 45.5%
Transportation199
 0.4
 190
 0.3
148
 0.3
 117
 0.3
Supplies and services10,238
 18.8
 10,894
 20.0
11,446
 19.6
 6,723
 20.0
Total$35,396
 65.0% $32,710
 60.0%$38,956
 66.7% $22,156
 65.9%
HCI       
Salaries, wages and benefits$6,021
 59.4% $
 %
Transportation163
 1.6
 
 
Supplies and services20
 0.2
 
 
Total$6,204
 61.2% $
 %
Consolidated       
Total$518,264
 65.3
 $315,528
 62.9

Consolidated cost of service revenue for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 was $488.4$518.3 million or 62.6% 65.3%of net service revenue, compared to $413.6$315.5 million, or 60.9%62.9% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016.2017. Substantially all of the change in consolidated cost of service revenue was a result of the Merger and other acquisitions purchased during the latter part of 2017 and 2018. Consolidated cost of service revenue variances, excluding the acquisitions, were as follows:

Home Health Segment -- CostOur same store cost of service revenue increased as a percentage of net service revenue increased 2.8%, which was due in part to 2.0%1.0% Medicare reimbursement cuts recognized in 2017. Additionally, acquisitions accounted for $32.5 million2018 and annual cost of the $58.5 millionliving increases. In addition, a 0.6% increase with the remaining difference caused by growth in our same store agencies.implicit price concession, which affected our net service revenue.

Hospice Segment -- Acquisitions accounted for $6.6 million of the $13.4 million increase in cost of service revenue, with the remaining difference caused by growth in our same store agencies. Cost of service increased as a percentage of net service revenue due to annual cost of living increases and the decline in same store admissions during the third quarter of 2017.

Community-Based Services Segment: Cost of service revenue decreased as a percentage of net service revenue due to the utilization of contract labor in the prior year, which was used to service a higher level of care in our 2016 patient mix.days.

Facility-Based Services Segment -- Acquisitions accounted for $3.0 million of the $2.7 million increase in cost of service revenue, which was offset by decrease in cost of service for one LTACH location that had a reduction of beds during 2016. Cost of service revenue increased as a percentage of net service revenue due to lower revenue per patient day for the period caused by patient criteria changes that went into effect in June 2016 and September 2016.

Provision for bad debts
Consolidated provision for bad debts for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $8.2 million, or 1.1% of net service revenue, compared to $11.7 million, or 1.7% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016. The decrease in provision for bad debts was primarily due to continued process improvements implemented in our revenue cycle department. These improvements also contributed to the significant decrease in patient accounts receivable that are over 180 days. The Company continues to have more timely cash collections and an increase in amounts collected. The continued maturity of our

back office and field operations, use of our point-of-care platform, and use of other technology advancements in reporting and analytics are drivers of collection improvements.

General and administrative expenses
The following table summarizes general and administrative expenses (amounts in thousands, except percentages, which are percentages of the segment’s respective net service revenue):
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Home health services              
General and administrative$158,713
 27.6% $145,166
 29.5%$160,902
 28.5% $104,959
 28.1%
Depreciation and amortization6,440
 1.1
 5,782
 1.2
4,550
 0.8
 4,231
 1.1
Total$165,153
 28.7% $150,948
 30.7%$165,452
 29.3% $109,190
 29.2%
Hospice services         
    
General and administrative$30,675
 26.4% $26,175
 26.2%$26,773
 28.7% $19,978
 27.1%
Depreciation and amortization1,729
 1.5
 1,612
 1.6
1,137
 1.2
 1,171
 1.6
Total$32,404
 27.9% $27,787
 27.8%$27,910
 29.9% $21,149
 28.7%
Community-based services       
Home and community-based services       
General and administrative$6,621
 19.6% $6,260
 19.1%$14,766
 22.1% $4,348
 20.4%
Depreciation and amortization336
 1.0
 297
 0.9
309
 0.5
 224
 1.1
Total$6,957
 20.6% $6,557
 20.0%$15,075
 22.6% $4,572
 21.5%
Facility-based services              
General and administrative$15,388
 28.3% $14,672
 27.0%$19,188
 32.8% $9,776
 29.1%
Depreciation and amortization1,175
 2.2
 1,332
 2.4
1,046
 1.8
 876
 2.6
Total$16,563
 30.5% $16,004
 29.4%$20,234
 34.6% $10,652
 31.7%
HCI       
General and administrative$4,331
 42.7% $
 %
Depreciation and amortization379
 3.7
 
 
Total$4,710
 46.4% $
 %
Consolidated       
Total$233,381
 29.4% $145,563
 29.0%
Consolidated general and administrative expenses for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 were $221.1$233.4 million or 28.4%29.4% of net service revenue, compared to $201.3$145.6 million, or 29.6%29.0% of net service revenue, for the same period in 2016. Although2017. Substantially all of the change in consolidated general and administrative expenses increasedwas a result of the Merger and other acquisitions purchased during the latter part of 2017 and 2018. The increase in total over the same period in 2016, they decreased as a percentage of net service revenue by 1.2%. We continue to leverage efficiencies found in our back office that allows us to maintain general and administrative costs without increasing costsexpenses in proportionthe facility-based services segment was due in part to the growthclosure of our company.
Loss on disposaltwo LTACH locations and the relocation of assets
The loss on disposal of assets increased during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 primarily due to the sale of an aircraft. The aircraft incurred damage and was subsequently sold at a price below the aircraft's net book value. The sale generated a loss of $0.9 million, which was realized during the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

two other LTACH locations.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Liquidity

Our principal source of liquidity for operating activities is the collection of patient accounts receivable, most of which are collected from governmental and third party commercial payors. We also have the ability to obtain additional liquidity, if necessary, through our credit facility, which provides for aggregate borrowings, including outstanding letters of credit, up to $225 million. As of September 30, 2017, we had $95.0 million available for borrowing under our credit facility.credit.
The following table summarizes changes in cash (amounts in thousands): 

Nine Months Ended September 30,Six Months Ended June 30,
2017 20162018 2017
Net cash provided by (used in):      
Operating activities$61,695
 $57,843
$29,698
 $42,776
Investing activities(69,191) (34,635)(674) (28,568)
Financing activities21,154
 (12,829)(16,503) (10,504)
Cash provided by operating activities and cash used in investing activities varied due to net changes in operating assets and liabilities primarily related to acquisitions acquired in 2017. Cash used in financing activities changed primarily due to the increased collections in patient accounts receivable, accretionline of acquisitions purchased in 2016, and accretion of our same store agencies.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts
For home health services, hospice services, and community-based services, we calculate the allowance for uncollectible accounts as a percentage of total patient receivables. The percentage changes depending on the payor and increases as the patient receivables age. For facility-based services, we calculate the allowance for uncollectible accounts based on a claim by claim review.
As of September 30, 2017, our allowance for uncollectible accounts, as a percentage of patient accounts receivable, was approximately 15.2%, or $26.1 million, compared to 18.9% or $29.0 million at December 31, 2016. Days sales outstanding was 49 days for September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
The following table sets forth as of September 30, 2017, the aging of accounts receivable (amounts in thousands):
Payor0-90 91-180 181-365 Over 365 Total
Medicare$78,600
 $14,145
 $2,725
 $6,196
 $101,666
Medicaid5,507
 2,588
 614
 1,393
 10,102
Other38,804
 8,860
 6,557
 5,608
 59,829
Total$122,911
 $25,593
 $9,896
 $13,197
 $171,597
The following table sets forth as of December 31, 2016, the aging of accounts receivable (amounts in thousands):
Payor0-90 91-180 181-365 Over 365 Total
Medicare$71,386
 $9,590
 $5,547
 $5,720
 $92,243
Medicaid4,600
 1,470
 1,380
 268
 7,718
Other33,084
 5,943
 7,179
 7,672
 53,878
Total$109,070
 $17,003
 $14,106
 $13,660
 $153,839
credit activity.
Indebtedness
AsDuring the period from January 1, 2018 through April 1, 2018, we maintained our revolving line of September 30, 2017, we had $95.0 million available for borrowing under ourcredit through a credit facility with $119.0 million drawn under our credit facility and $11.0 million of letters of credit outstanding. At December 31, 2016, we had $87.0 million drawn and $11.0 million of letters of credit outstanding under our credit facility.
For a discussion on our Credit Agreementagreement with Capital One, National Association see Note 5which had a scheduled maturity of June 18, 2019 (the "Prior Credit Facility"). The interest rate for borrowing under the Prior Credit Facility was a variable rate which is a function of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements,prime rate (base rate) or London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") as elected by us, plus the applicable margin based on the Leverage Ratio.
On March 30, 2018, we entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., which is incorporated herein by reference.
Awas effective on April 2, 2018 (the "New Credit Agreement"). The New Credit Agreement provides a senior, secured revolving line of credit commitment with a maximum principal borrowing limit of $500.0 million, which includes an additional $200.0 million accordion expansion feature, and a letter of credit sub-limit equal to $50.0 million. The expiration date of the New Credit Agreement is March 30, 2023. Our obligations under the New Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, which assets include the Company’s equity ownership of its wholly-owned subsidiaries and its equity ownership in joint venture entities. Our wholly-owned subsidiaries also guarantee the obligations of the Company under the New Credit Agreement. Debt issuance costs of $1.9 million were capitalized with the New Credit Agreement and will be amortized through March 30, 2023, the termination date for the New Credit Agreement.
Revolving loans under the New Credit Agreement bear interest at, as selected by us, either a (a) Base Rate, which is defined as a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (1) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus 0.5%, (2) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, and (3) the Eurodollar Rate for a one month interest period on such day plus 1.5%, plus a margin ranging from 0.50% to 1.25% per annum or (b) Eurodollar rate plus a margin ranging from 1.50% to 2.25% per annum. Swing line loans bear interest at the Base Rate. We are limited to 15 Eurodollar borrowings outstanding at the same time. We are required to pay a commitment fee for the unused commitments at rates ranging from 0.20% to 0.35% per annum depending upon our consolidated Leverage Ratio, as defined in the New Credit Agreement. The effective interest rates on our borrowings under the New Credit Agreement were 3.85% as of June 30, 2018.
On April 2, 2018, in connection with the consummation of the Merger, we borrowed approximately $247.4 million under the New Credit Agreement to (i) repay the approximately $107.3 million of outstanding borrowings under Almost Family’s prior credit facility with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., which was terminated in connection with the Merger, (ii) repay the approximately $125.1 million of outstanding borrowings under the Prior Credit Facility, which was also terminated in connection with the Merger, and (iii) pay certain debt issuance and repayment costs and Merger related fees and expenses.
At December 31, 2017, we had $144.0 million drawn and letters of credit outstanding in the amount of $9.6 million under our Prior Credit Facility. As of June 30, 2018, we had $242.0 million drawn and letters of credit outstanding in the amount of $25.1 million under the New Credit Agreement, and had approximately $232.9 million of remaining borrowing capacity available under the New Credit Agreement.
Under the New Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a letter of credit fee shall be equal to the applicable Eurodollar rate multiplied-byon the faceaverage daily amount of the letter of credit is charged upon the issuance and on each anniversary date while the letter of credit is outstanding.exposure. The agent’s standard up-front fee and other

customary administrative charges will also be due upon issuance of the letter of credit along with a renewal fee on each anniversary date of such issuance while the letter of credit is outstanding. Borrowings accrue interest under the Credit Agreement at either the Base Rate or the Eurodollar rate, and are subject to the applicable margins set forth below:
 

Leverage Ratio 
Eurodollar
Margin
 
Base
Rate
Margin
 
Commitment
Fee Rate
≤1.00:1.00 1.75% 0.75% 0.225%
>1.00:1.00 ≤ 1.50:1.00 2.00% 1.00% 0.250%
>1.50:1.00 ≤ 2.00:1.00 2.25% 1.25% 0.300%
>2.00:1.00 2.50% 1.50% 0.375%
Leverage Ratio 
Eurodollar
Margin
 
Base
Rate
Margin
 
Commitment
Fee Rate
≤1.00:1.00 1.50% 0.50% 0.200%
>1.00:1.00 ≤ 2.00:1.00 1.75% 0.75% 0.250%
>2.00:1.00 ≤ 3.00:1.00 2.00% 1.00% 0.300%
>3.00:1.00 2.25% 1.25% 0.350%
Our New Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative, negative and financial covenants. For example, without prior approvalcovenants, which are subject to customary carve-outs, thresholds, and materiality qualifiers. The Credit Facility allows us to make certain restricted payments within certain parameters provided we maintain compliance with those financial ratios and covenants after giving effect to such restricted payments or, in the case of our bank group, werepurchasing shares of its stock, so long as such repurchases are materially restricted in incurring additional debt, disposing of assets, making investments, allowing fundamental changes to our business or organization, and makingwithin certain payments in respect of stock or other ownership interests, such as dividends and stock repurchases, up to $50 million. Under our Credit Agreement, we are also required to meet certain financial covenants with respect to minimum fixed charge coverage and leverage ratios.specified baskets.
Our New Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default.default, which are subject to customary carve-outs, thresholds, and materiality qualifiers. These include bankruptcy and other insolvency events, cross-defaults to other debt agreements, a change in control involving us or any subsidiary guarantor, and the failure to comply with certain covenants.
At SeptemberJune 30, 2017,2018, we were in compliance with all covenants contained in the Credit Agreement governing our credit facility.debt covenants.
Contingencies
For a discussion of contingencies, see Note 78 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not currently have any off-balance sheet arrangements with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. In addition, we do not engage in trading activities involving non-exchange traded contracts. As such, we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market, or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in these relationships.
Critical Accounting Policies
For a discussion of critical accounting policies, see Note 2 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Accounts Receivable and Allowances for Uncollectible Accounts
We report accounts receivable net of estimated allowances for uncollectible accounts and adjustments. Accounts receivable are uncollateralized and consist of amounts due from Medicare, Medicaid, other third-party payors, and patients. To provide for accounts receivable that could become uncollectible in the future, we establish an allowance for uncollectible accounts to reduce the carrying amount of such receivables to their estimated net realizable value.
The collection of outstanding receivables is our primary source of cash collections and is critical to our operating performance. Because Medicare is our primary payor, the credit risk associated with receivables from other payors is limited. We believe the credit risk associated with our Medicare accounts, which historically exceeds 50% of our patient accounts receivable as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, is limited due to (i) the historical collections from Medicare and (ii) the fact that Medicare is a U.S. government payor. We do not believe that there are any other significant concentrations of receivables from any particular payor that would subject us to any significant credit risk in the collection of accounts receivable.
The amount of the provision for bad debts is based upon our assessment of historical and expected net collections, business and economic conditions and trends in government reimbursement. Quarterly, we perform a detailed review of historical writeoffs and recoveries as well as recent collection trends. Uncollectible accounts are written off when we have exhausted collection efforts and concluded the account will not be collected.

Although our estimated reserves for uncollectible accounts are based on historical experience and the most current collection trends, this process requires significant judgment and interpretation of the observed trends and the actual collections could differ from our estimates.
Insurance
We retain significant exposurecoverage for our employee health insurance, workers compensation, employment practices, and professional liability insurance programs. Our insurance programs require us to estimate potential payments on filed claims and/or claims incurred but not reported. Our estimates are based on information provided by the third-party plan administrators, historical claim experience, expected costs of claims incurred but not paid and expected costs associated with settling claims. Each month, we review the insurance-related recoveries and liabilities to determine if any adjustments are required.
Our employee health insurance program is self-funded, with stop-loss coverage on claims that exceed $0.2 million for any individually covered employee or employee family member. We are responsible for workers’ compensation claims up to $0.5 million per individual incident.
Malpractice, employment practices, and general liability claims for incidents which may give rise to litigation have been asserted against us by various claimants. The claims are in various stages of processing and some may ultimately be brought to trial. We are aware of incidents that have occurred through SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 that may result in the assertion of additional claims. We currently carry professional, general liability and employment practices insurance coverage (on a claims made basis) for this exposure.

We also carry D&O coverage (also on a claims made basis) for potential claims against our directors and officers, including securities actions, with a deductible of $1.0 million per security claim and $0.5 million on other claims. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger with Almost Family, for six years following the Merger, the Company will maintain in effect Almost Family’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy covering each person covered by such policy for acts or omissions occurring prior to and through the effective time of the Merger. In lieu of maintaining Almost Family’s policies, the Company may (i) substitute policies of an insurance company with the same or better rating as Almost Family’s insurance carrier, the material terms of which, including coverage and amount, are no less favorable in any material respect than Almost Family’s policies as of the effective date of the Merger, or (ii) obtain extended reporting period coverage under Almost Family’s insurance programs for a period of six years after the effective time of the Merger.
We estimate our liabilities related to these programs using the most current information available. As claims develop, we may need to change the recorded liabilities and change our estimates. These changes and adjustments could be material to our financial statements, results of operations and financial condition.
ITEM 3.    QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
Our exposure to market risk relates to changes in interest rates for borrowings under our credit facility. Our letter of credit fees and interest accrued on our debt borrowings are subject to the applicable Eurodollar or Base Rate. A hypothetical basis point increase in interest rates on the average daily amounts outstanding under the credit facility would have increased interest expense by $0.7$1.0 million for the ninesix months ended SeptemberJune 30, 2017.2018.
ITEM 4.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that information that we are required to disclose in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) were effective as of SeptemberJune 30, 2017.2018.
Changes in Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
ThereExcept in connection with the orderly integration of the operations and financial reporting of Almost Family following the Merger, there have not been any changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act, during the quarterly period ended SeptemberJune 30, 20172018 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. On April 1, 2018, the Company completed the Merger. The Company is in the process of integrating Almost Family into the Company's existing internal control environment. As permitted by the SEC, the Company expects to exclude Almost Family from the assessment of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018.

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
 
ITEM 1.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
For a discussion of legal proceedings, see Note 78 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS.
There have been no material changesImportant risk factors that could affect the Company’s operations and financial performance, or that could cause results or events to differ from the information includedcurrent expectations, are described in Part I, Item 1A., “Risk Factors” of the Company’s 20162017 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Those risk factors are supplemented by those discussed under “Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations” in Part I, Item 2 of this report. Furthermore, as a result of the Merger with Almost Family and recent regulatory developments, the risk factors discussed below have been identified as additional risk factors to those previously reported in the Company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K (dollars in thousands).
Portions of our Healthcare Innovations (HCI) segment compete in relatively new and developing markets, face larger more well-capitalized competitors, and rely on small numbers of relatively large customers.
The Company’s HCI segment is used to report on the Company’s developmental activities other than home health, hospice, home and community-based services, and facility-based services.  The HCI segment includes (a) Imperium Health Management, LLC, an ACO enablement company, (b) Long Term Solutions, Inc., an in-home assessment company serving the long-term care insurance industry, and certain assets operated by Advanced Care House Calls, which provides primary medical care for home-bound or home-limited patients with chronic and acute illnesses who have difficulty traveling to a doctor’s office (c) Ingenios Health Co., a Nurse-Practitioner-oriented and mobile technology-enabled health risk assessment company primarily serving managed care organizations, and (d) an investment in Care Journey (formerly NavHealth, Inc.), a population-health analytics company. Portions of our HCI segment compete in new and developing markets with new competitors or solutions developed and introduced to the market regularly.  Such new products may capture market share more quickly or may have access to more capital than the capital we have allocated for such projects.  Our efforts to bring new solutions to the market may prove unsuccessful, may prove to be unprofitable, or may prove to be costlier to bring to market than anticipated.  Our investments in these activities are highly speculative in nature and subject to loss.  Specifically, our assessment subsidiary competes with larger, better capitalized competitors, while also being particularly reliant on a small number of large customers, the loss of which could significantly and adversely impact its results.
We have invested in development stage companies which may require further funding to support their respective business plans, which may ultimately prove unsuccessful.
In conjunction with the Merger, we obtained controlling interests in (a) Imperium Health Management, LLC, an ACO enablement and management company, (b) Ingenios Health Co. a provider of in-home technology enabled in-home clinical assessments, (c) Long Term Solutions, Inc., a provider of in-home nursing assessments for the long-term care insurance industry; and certain assets operated by Advanced Care House Calls, which provides primary medical care for home-bound or home-limited patients with chronic and acute illnesses who have difficulty traveling to a doctor’s office, as well as (d) a noncontrolling interest in Care Journey (formerly NavHealth, Inc.), a development stage analytics and software company.  These investments are highly speculative, at risk and we may choose to make further investments, all of which may ultimately provide no return and could lead to a total loss of our investment.   These investments collectively comprise our HCI segment.
Our HCI segment provides strategic health management services to Accountable Care Organizations (“ACOs”) that have been approved to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (“MSSP”).  ACOs are entities that contract with CMS to serve the Medicare fee-for-service population with the goal of better care for individuals, improved health for populations and lower costs.  ACOs share savings with CMS to the extent that the actual costs of serving assigned beneficiaries are below certain trended benchmarks of such beneficiaries and certain quality performance measures are achieved. In addition to our ownership interests in ACOs, we also have management service agreements with ACOs that provide for sharing of MSSPs received by the ACOs, if any. 
Notwithstanding our efforts, our ACOs may be unable to meet the required savings rates or may not satisfy the quality measures and efforts to drive other revenue may not cover operating costs of these investments.  In addition, as the MSSP is a

new program, it presents challenges and risks associated with the timeliness and accuracy of data and interpretation of complex rules, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to recoup any of our investments.  Further, there can be no assurance that we will maintain positive relations with our ACO partners or significant customers, which could result in a loss of our investment.
In addition, CMS, the OIG, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Trade Commission, US Department of Justice, and various states have adopted or are considering adopting new legislation, rules, regulations and guidance relating to formation and operation of ACOs.  Such laws may, among other things, require ACOs to become subject to financial regulation such as maintaining deposits of assets with the states in which they operate, the filing of periodic reports with the insurance department and/or department of health, or holding certain licenses or certifications in the jurisdictions in which the ACOs operate.  Failure to comply with legal or regulatory restrictions may result in CMS terminating the ACO's agreement with CMS and/or subjecting the ACO to loss of the right to engage in some or all business in a state, payments fines or penalties, or may implicate federal and state fraud and abuse laws relating to anti-trust, physician fee-sharing arrangements, anti-kickback prohibitions, prohibited referrals, any of which may adversely affect our operations and/or profitability.
We develop portions of our clinical software system in-house. Failure of, or problems with, our system could harm our business and operating results.
We develop and utilize a proprietary clinical software system to collect assessment data, log patient visits, generate medical orders, and monitor treatments and outcomes in accordance with established medical standards.  The system integrates billing and collections functionality as well as accounting, human resource, payroll, and employee benefits programs provided by third parties.  Problems with, or the failure of, our technology and systems could negatively impact data capture, billing, collections, and management and reporting capabilities.  Any such problems or failures could adversely affect our operations and reputation, result in significant costs to us, and impair our ability to provide our services in the future.  The costs incurred in correcting any errors or problems may be substantial and could adversely affect our profitability.

ITEM 2.    UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS.
None.

ITEM 6.    EXHIBITS.
 
2.1
3.1
  
3.2
  
4.1
  
10.1
10.2
  
31.1
  
31.2
  
32.1*
  
101.INS
  
101.SCH
  
101.CAL
  
101.DEF
  
101.LAB
  
101.PRE

*    This exhibit is furnished to the SEC as an accompanying document and is not deemed to be ��filed”“filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, and the document will not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.


SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
  LHC GROUP, INC.
  
Date: November 6, 2017August 2, 2018 /s/ Joshua L. Proffitt
  Joshua L. Proffitt
  
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer      
(Principal financial officer)


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