Commitments and Contingencies | 10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Insurance Reserves As is typical in the healthcare industry, the Company is subject to claims that its services have resulted in patient injury or other adverse effects. The accrued insurance reserves included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets include estimates of the ultimate costs, in the event the Company was unable to receive funds from claims made under commercial insurance policies, for claims that have been reported but not paid and claims that have been incurred but not reported at the balance sheet dates. Although substantially all reported claims are paid directly by the Company’s commercial insurance carriers, the Company is ultimately responsible for payment of these claims in the event its insurance carriers become insolvent or otherwise do not honor the contractual obligations under the malpractice policies. The Company is required under U.S. GAAP to recognize these estimated liabilities in its consolidated financial statements on a gross basis; with a corresponding receivable from the insurance carriers reflecting the contractual indemnity provided by the carriers under the related malpractice policies. The Company maintains primary commercial insurance coverage on a claims-made basis for professional malpractice claims with a $ 1.0 million per claim deductible and $ 5.5 million per claim and annual aggregate limits as of October 1, 2021. Prior to October 1, 2021, the Company maintained primary commercial insurance coverage on a claim basis for professional malpractice claims with a $ 0.5 million per claim deductible and $ 6.0 million per claim and annual aggregate limits. Moreover, the Company maintains excess insurance coverage for professional malpractice claims. In addition, the Company maintains workers’ compensation insurance with a $ 0.5 million per claim deductible and statutory limits. The Company reimburses insurance carriers for deductible losses under these policies. The Company’s insurance carriers require collateral to secure the Company’s obligation to reimburse insurance carriers for these deductible payments. Collateral as of April 2, 2022 was comprised of $ 17.6 million of issued letters of credit, $ 2.9 million in cash collateral, and $ 2.9 million in surety bonds. Collateral as of January 1, 2022 was comprised of $ 17.6 million of issued letters of credit, $ 2.9 million in cash collateral, and $ 2.9 million in surety bonds. As of April 2, 2022, insurance reserves totaling $ 86.9 million were included on the accompanying interim unaudited consolidated balance sheets, representing $ 41.9 million and $ 45.0 million of reserves for professional malpractice claims and workers’ compensation claims, respectively. At January 1, 2022, insurance reserves totaling $ 80.5 million were included on the accompanying interim unaudited consolidated balance sheets, representing $ 38.7 million and $ 41.8 million of reserves for professional malpractice claims and workers’ compensation claims, respectively. Litigation and Other Current Liabilities On December 24, 2018, Aveanna Healthcare LLC, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) to acquire a pediatric home health company (the “Seller”). The agreement contained a provision whereby a $ 75.0 million transaction termination fee (the “Break-up Fee”) could be payable to the Seller under certain circumstances. On December 20, 2019, Aveanna Healthcare LLC terminated the Agreement, and the Seller demanded payment of the Break-up Fee. The Company believes the Agreement was terminated for cause and therefore no payment of the Break-up Fee is due to the Seller. The Seller has disputed this assertion. While the Company believes that litigation over this matter is unlikely at the present time, it is possible that the Company and the Seller may in the future pursue claims and counterclaims related to the termination of the Agreement and payment of the Break-up Fee. At this time, the Company is unable to predict the possible loss or range of loss, if any, associated with the resolution of any such litigation, or any potential related effect on the Company or its business or operations. On August 6, 2020, the Company sued Epic/Freedom, LLC (“Seller”), Webster Capital Corporation, and Webster Equity Partners (collectively, the “Defendants”) in the Delaware Superior Court. The Company asserted that the Defendants made fraudulent representations and warranties in connection with the Epic acquisition. The Company is seeking damages ranging fro m $ 24.0 million to $ 50.0 million . The Company also requested a declaratory judgment holding that the Defendants waived any claim to the Company’s continued possession of $ 7.1 million in escrow funds (the “Escrow Funds”) that were delivered to the Company in January 2018 by the Epic acquisition escrow agent. In response, the Defendants asserted four counterclaims: (1) specific performance of an alleged right to control a tax audit; (2) advancement of litigation fees and expenses for certain individual Defendants; (3) a declaratory judgment; and (4) breach of contract claim concerning the Escrow Funds. The Company subsequently reached an agreement with the Defendants, which (1) allowed the Defendants to take a principal role in the applicable tax audit, though the Company will continue to communicate with the Internal Revenue Service and retain the ability to make strategic decisions with respect to the audit and (2) dismissed claims against certain individual Defendants mooting Defendants’ claims for advancement of litigation fees and expenses. On July 29, 2021, the Delaware Superior Court denied the Defendants’ motion for judgment on the pleadings with respect to the Company’s claim for fraud against the Defendants, which allows the Company to pursue discovery with respect to the alleged fraud claim. With respect to the Company’s retention of certain tax refunds the Company received on behalf of Defendants, the Court denied the Company’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, pursuant to which the Company sought to retain the tax refunds as matter of law. The Court also ordered Seller to refile its motion for summary judgment on the same subject and abated a ruling pending further discovery and resolution of whether the parties entered into a post-closing agreement, allowing the Company to retain the tax refunds pending the outcome of the related tax audits. Lastly, the Court denied the Company’s motion for judgment on the pleadings as to its continued possession of the Escrow Funds. At this time, the Company cannot predict the ultimate resolution or estimate the amount of any loss or recovery, if any, related to this matter. The Company is currently a party to various routine litigation incidental to the business. While management currently believes that the ultimate outcome of such proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or overall trends in results of operations, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties. Management has established provisions within other current liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, which in the opinion of management represents the best estimate of exposure and adequately provides for such losses that may occur from asserted claims related to the provision of professional services and which may not be covered by the Company’s insurance policies. Management believes that any additional unfavorable provisions would not be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position; however, if an unfavorable ruling on any asserted or unasserted claim were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the Company’s net earnings or financial position. The estimate of the potential impact from legal proceedings on the Company’s financial position or overall results of operations could change in the future. Healthcare Regulatory Matters Starting on October 30, 2019 the Company has received grand jury subpoenas (“Subpoenas”) issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division (the “Antitrust Division”) requiring the production of documents and information pertaining to nurse wages, reimbursement rates, and hiring activities in a few of its local markets. The Company is fully cooperating with the Antitrust Division with respect to this investigation and management believes that it is not probable that this matter will materially impact the Company’s business, results of operations or financial condition. However, based on the information currently available to the Company, management cannot predict the timing or outcome of this investigation or predict the possible loss or range of loss, if any, associated with the resolution of this litigation. Laws and regulations governing the government payer programs are complex and subject to interpretation. Compliance with such laws and regulations can be subject to future governmental review and interpretation as well as significant regulatory action. From time to time, governmental regulatory agencies conduct inquiries and audits of the Company’s practices. It is the Company’s practice to cooperate fully with such inquiries. In addition to laws and regulations governing the Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care, and Tricare programs, there are a number of federal and state laws and regulations governing matters such as the corporate practice of medicine, fee splitting arrangements, anti-kickback statues, physician self-referral laws, false or fraudulent claims filing and patient privacy requirements. Failure to comply with any such laws or regulations could have an adverse impact on the Company’s operations and financial results. The Company believes that it is in material compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and is not aware of any pending or threatened investigations involving allegations of wrongdoing. |