Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Contingencies

Commitments and contingencies

The Company operates in a highly regulated industry and is a party to various lawsuits, demands, claims, qui tam suits, governmental investigations (which frequently arise from qui tam suits) and audits (including, without limitation, investigations or other actions resulting from its obligation to self-report suspected violations of law) and other legal proceedings, including, without limitation, those described below. The Company records accruals for certain legal proceedings and regulatory matters to the extent that the Company determines an unfavorable outcome is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company’s total recorded accruals with respect to legal proceedings and regulatory matters, net of anticipated third party recoveries, were immaterial. While these accruals reflect the Company’s best estimate of the probable loss for those matters as of the dates of those accruals, the recorded amounts may differ materially from the actual amount of the losses for those matters, and any anticipated third party recoveries for any such losses may not ultimately be recoverable. Additionally, in some cases, no estimate of the possible loss or range of loss in excess of amounts accrued, if any, can be made because of the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings and regulatory matters, which also may be impacted by various factors, including, without limitation, that they may involve indeterminate claims for monetary damages or may involve fines, penalties or non-monetary remedies; present novel legal theories or legal uncertainties; involve disputed facts; represent a shift in regulatory policy; are in the early stages of the proceedings; or may result in a change of business practices. Further, there may be various levels of judicial review available to the Company in connection with any such proceeding.

The following is a description of certain lawsuits, claims, governmental investigations and audits and other legal proceedings to which the Company is subject.

Certain Governmental Inquiries and Related Proceedings

2017 U.S. Attorney Colorado Investigation: In November 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado informed the Company of an investigation it was conducting into possible federal healthcare offenses involving DaVita Kidney Care, as well as several of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition to DaVita Kidney Care, the matter included an investigation into DaVita Rx, DaVita Laboratory Services, Inc. (DaVita Labs), and RMS Lifeline Inc. (Lifeline). In each of August 2018, May 2019, and July 2021, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) pursuant to the FCA from the U.S. Attorney's Office relating to this investigation. In May 2020, the Company sold its interest in Lifeline, but the Company retained certain liabilities of the Lifeline business, including those related to this investigation. On May 6, 2024, the Company finalized and executed a settlement agreement with the government and the relator in a qui tam matter that included a settlement amount of $34,487 for this matter. On May 7, 2024, the government notified the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado of its decision to intervene for purposes of settlement in the matter of U.S. ex rel. Kogod v. DaVita Inc., et al. The

government and the relator agreed to voluntarily dismiss all substantive claims in the matter, and, on July 18, 2024, the District Court dismissed all claims except for the relator’s statutory claim for expenses, attorney’s fees, and costs. The Company disputes the relator’s request for expenses, attorney’s fees, and costs, and intends to defend accordingly.

2020 U.S. Attorney New Jersey Investigation: In March 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey served the Company with a subpoena and a CID relating to an investigation being conducted by that office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The subpoena and CID request information on several topics, including certain of the Company’s joint venture arrangements with physicians and physician groups, medical director agreements, and compliance with its five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement, the term of which expired October 22, 2019. In November 2022, the Company learned that, on April 1, 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey notified the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey of its decision not to elect to intervene in the matter of U.S. ex rel. Doe v. DaVita Inc. and filed a Stipulation of Dismissal. On April 13, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey dismissed the case without prejudice. On October 12, 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania notified the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, of its decision not to elect to intervene at this time in the matter of U.S. ex rel. Bayne v. DaVita Inc., et al. The court then unsealed an amended complaint, which alleges violations of federal and state False Claims Acts, by order dated October 14, 2022. On November 8, 2023, the private party relator filed a fourth amended complaint. On November 29, 2023, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the fourth amended complaint.

2020 California Department of Insurance Investigation: In April 2020, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) sent the Company an Investigative Subpoena relating to an investigation being conducted by that office. CDI issued a superseding subpoena in September 2020 and an additional subpoena in September 2021. Those subpoenas request information on a number of topics, including but not limited to the Company’s communications with patients about insurance plans and financial assistance from the American Kidney Fund (AKF), analyses of the potential impact of patients’ decisions to change insurance providers, and documents relating to donations or contributions to the AKF. The Company is continuing to cooperate with CDI in this investigation.

2023 District of Columbia Office of Attorney General Investigation: In January 2023, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia issued a CID to the Company in connection with an antitrust investigation into the AKF. The CID covers the period from January 1, 2016 to the present. The CID requests information on a number of topics, including but not limited to the Company’s communications with AKF, documents relating to donations to the AKF, and communications with patients, providers, and insurers regarding the AKF. The Company is cooperating with the government in this investigation.

2024 Federal Trade Commission Investigation: In April 2024, the Company received from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) two CIDs in connection with an industry investigation under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act regarding the acquisition of Medical Director services and provision of dialysis services. The CIDs cover the period from January 1, 2016 to the present and generally seek information relating to restrictive covenants, such as non-competes, with physicians. The Company is cooperating with the government in this investigation.

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Although the Company cannot predict whether or when proceedings might be initiated or when these matters may be resolved (other than as may be described above), it is not unusual for inquiries such as these to continue for a considerable period of time through the various phases of document and witness requests and ongoing discussions with regulators and to develop over the course of time. In addition to the inquiries and proceedings specifically identified above, the Company frequently is subject to other inquiries by state or federal government agencies, many of which relate to qui tam complaints filed by relators. Negative findings or terms and conditions that the Company might agree to accept as part of a negotiated resolution of pending or future government inquiries or relator proceedings could result in, among other things, substantial financial penalties or awards against the Company, substantial payments made by the Company, harm to the Company’s reputation, required changes to the Company’s business practices, an impact on the Company's various relationships and/or contracts related to the Company's business, exclusion from future participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs and, if criminal proceedings were initiated against the Company, members of its board of directors or management, possible criminal penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Other Proceedings

2021 Antitrust Indictment and Putative Class Action Suit: On July 14, 2021, an indictment was returned by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado against the Company and its former chief executive officer in the matter of U.S. v. DaVita Inc., et al. alleging that purported agreements entered into by DaVita's former chief executive officer not to solicit senior-level employees violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act. On April 15, 2022, a jury returned a verdict in the Company’s favor, acquitting both the Company and its former chief executive officer on all counts. On April 20, 2022, the court entered judgments of acquittal and closed the case. On August 9, 2021, DaVita Inc. and its former chief executive officer were added as defendants in a consolidated putative class action complaint in the matter of In re Outpatient Medical Center Employee Antitrust Litigation in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. This class action complaint asserts that the defendants violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act and seeks to bring an action on behalf of certain groups of individuals employed by the Company between February 1, 2012 and January 5, 2021. On September 26, 2022, the court denied the Company's motion to dismiss. The Company disputes the allegations in the class action complaint, as well as the asserted violations of the Sherman Act, and intends to defend this action accordingly.

Additionally, from time to time the Company is subject to other lawsuits, demands, claims, governmental investigations and audits and legal proceedings that arise due to the nature of its business, including, without limitation, contractual disputes, such as with payors, suppliers and others, employee-related matters and professional and general liability claims. From time to time, the Company also initiates litigation or other legal proceedings as a plaintiff arising out of contracts or other matters.

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Other than as may be described above, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcomes of the various legal proceedings and regulatory matters to which the Company is or may be subject from time to time, including those described in this Note 8, or the timing of their resolution or the ultimate losses or impact of developments in those matters, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s revenues, earnings and cash flows. Further, any legal proceedings or regulatory matters involving the Company, whether meritorious or not, are time consuming, and often require management’s attention and result in significant legal expense, and may result in the diversion of significant operational resources, may impact the Company's various relationships and/or contracts related to the Company's business or otherwise harm the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows or reputation.

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Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions and other commitments

Other Commitments

The Company also has certain potential commitments to provide working capital funding, if necessary, to certain nonconsolidated dialysis businesses that the Company manages and in which the Company owns a noncontrolling equity interest or which are wholly-owned by third parties of approximately $7,992.