The Company is a party to various legal, regulatory and governmental proceedings incidental to its business. Based on current knowledge, management does not believe that loss contingencies arising from pending legal, regulatory and governmental matters will have a material adverse effect on the condensed consolidated financial position or liquidity of the Company. However, in light of the inherent uncertainties involved in pending legal, regulatory and governmental matters, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, and the very large or indeterminate damages sought in some of these matters, an adverse outcome in one or more of these matters could be material to the Company’s results of operations or cash flows for any particular reporting period.

With respect to all legal, regulatory and governmental proceedings, the Company considers the likelihood of a negative outcome. If the Company determines the likelihood of a negative outcome with respect to any such matter is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records an accrual for the estimated loss for the expected outcome of the matter. If the likelihood of a negative outcome with respect to material matters is reasonably possible and the Company is able to determine an estimate of the possible loss or a range of loss, whether in excess of a related accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability, the Company discloses the estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. However, the Company is unable to estimate a possible loss or range of loss in some instances based on the significant uncertainties involved in, and/or the preliminary nature of, certain legal, regulatory and governmental matters.

Caleb Padilla, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. Community Health Systems, Inc., Wayne T. Smith, Larry Cash, and Thomas J. Aaron. This purported federal securities class action was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on May 30, 2019. It seeks class certification on behalf of purchasers of the Company’s common stock between February 20, 2017 and February 27, 2018 and alleges misleading statements resulted in artificially inflated prices for the Company's common stock. On November 20, 2019, the District Court appointed Arun Bhattacharya and Michael Gaviria as lead plaintiffs in the case. The lead plaintiffs filed a consolidated class complaint on January 21, 2020. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated class complaint on March 23, 2020, and the District Court denied that motion on August 17, 2022. The Company has reached a tentative settlement of this matter, which was preliminarily approved by the District Court on May 31, 2023. The Court granted final approval of the settlement on October 13, 2023.

Thomas Mason, MD, Steven Folstad, MD and Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates, PA v. Health Management Associates, LLC f/k/a Health Management Associates, Inc., Mooresville Hospital Management Associates d/b/a Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Statesville HMA, LLC d/b/a Davis Regional Medical Center, Envision Healthcare Corporation f/k/a Emergency Medical Services Corporation, Emcare Holdings, Inc., and Emergency Medical Services, LP. This alleged wrongful retaliation case is filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The plaintiffs allege their agreements with the defendants were terminated in retaliation for plaintiffs’ alleged refusal to admit patients unnecessarily to the defendant hospitals or otherwise perform unnecessary diagnostic testing. The allegations of the complaint relate to time periods prior to the hospitals’ affiliation with the Company. The plaintiffs filed a third amended complaint on April 26, 2019. The defendants filed motions to dismiss, which were granted in part and denied in part on September 5, 2019. A jury trial in this matter is set to begin on February 5, 2024. The Company continues to vigorously defend this case.

The table below presents a reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability balances (in millions) during the nine months ended September 30, 2023, with respect to the Company’s determination of the contingencies of the Company in respect of which an accrual has been recorded.

Summary of Recorded Amounts


	Probable
	Contingencies
Balance as of December 31, 2022	$	11
Expense		34
Reserve for insured claim		4
Cash payments		(6	)
Balance as of September 30, 2023	$	43

In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company establishes a liability for litigation, regulatory and governmental matters for which, based on information currently available, the Company believes that a negative outcome is known or is probable and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. For all such matters (whether or not discussed in this contingencies footnote), such amounts have been recorded in other accrued liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and are included in the table above. Due to the uncertainties and difficulty in predicting the ultimate resolution of these contingencies, the actual amount could differ from the estimated amount reflected as a liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.