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A Brave New World – But Not for the Unwary Advanced Valuation Issues in Oncology Transactions Adria WarrenJason Ruchaber Foley & Lardner, LLPBerkeley.

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Presentation on theme: "A Brave New World – But Not for the Unwary Advanced Valuation Issues in Oncology Transactions Adria WarrenJason Ruchaber Foley & Lardner, LLPBerkeley."— Presentation transcript:

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2 A Brave New World – But Not for the Unwary Advanced Valuation Issues in Oncology Transactions Adria WarrenJason Ruchaber Foley & Lardner, LLPBerkeley Research Group Curtis BernsteinAndrea Ferrari Pinnacle Healthcare HealthCare Appraisers, Inc. Consulting

3 FMV – Why it Matters Regulatory Framework Federal Anti-Kickback Statute Federal Stark Law False Claims Act Civil Monetary Penalty Law Tax Exemption Issues – Private Benefit and Private Inurement – Intermediate Sanctions State Laws

4 FMV – Why it Matters Anti-Kickback Statute Prohibits knowing and willful offer or receipt of remuneration intended to induce or arrange for referrals of business paid for by Medicare/Medicaid programs Civil monetary and criminal penalties – CMP of $50,000 per violation – Criminal penalties: $25,000 per violation and/or up to five years in jail – Exclusion

5 FMV – Why it Matters Anti-Kickback Statute Any purpose test and problem of mixed motives – ACA § 6402(f)(2): violation does not require actual knowledge of AKS or specific intent to commit a violation – ACA § 6402(f)(1): claim for items or services resulting from AKS violation constitutes a false claim under the False Claims Act Safe Harbors provide immunity – Safe harbors are not required – Many safe harbors require FMV and commercially reasonable remuneration

6 FMV – Why it Matters Anti-Kickback Statute Is the purchase price a disguised kickback from the buyer (overpayment) or seller (underpayment) to induce post-deal referrals? Valuation may help negate an adverse inference of improper intent – To the extent that a payment exceeds FMV, it can be inferred that the excess amount over FMV is intended as payment for the referral of health-program business. U.S. v. Lipkis, 770 F.2d 1447, 1449 (9th Cir. 1985)

7 FMV – Why it Matters Stark Law In general, if a physician has a direct or indirect financial relationship with a DHS entity : The physician may not make a referral to that entity for the furnishing of designated health services" (“DHS”) for which payment otherwise may be made under Medicare, and the entity may not bill Medicare, an individual or another payor for the DHS performed pursuant to the prohibited referral – "Designated health services" includes all inpatient and outpatient hospital services, lab, imaging, pharmacy, DME, radiation therapy, PT, occupational and speech therapy, perenteral and enteral drugs, nutrients, and supplies, prosthetics, orthodics, and home health services … unless a specific exception applies

8 FMV – Why it Matters Stark Law – $15,000 civil monetary penalty assessed against physician for each prohibited referral – DHS entity must refund DHS billed pursuant to a prohibited referral – $15,000 civil monetary penalty assessed against DHS entity for billing for service rendered pursuant to a prohibited referral, unless it can show that it did not have actual knowledge and did not act in reckless disregard or deliberate ignorance of the prohibited referral – $100,000 civil monetary penalty for circumvention schemes – Requirement to report to HHS financial relationships with physicians upon request; $10,000 penalty for failure to report – Potential exclusion

9 FMV – Why it Matters Stark Law Strict liability/zero tolerance law Burden of proof is on defendant – Violations are not remedied until referring physician/DHS entity repays excess compensation or arrangement is terminated Exceptions: – Isolated Transactions – Personal Services Arrangements – Bona Fide Employment – Rental of Space, Equipment – Fair Market Value Compensation – Indirect Compensation Arrangements Multiple exceptions have fair market value requirement

10 FMV – Why it Matters False Claims Act Permits private persons -- “relators” or “whistleblowers”, to recover damages on behalf of the United States from, any person who: – knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval; – knowingly makes, uses or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim; – conspires to [defraud the government]; or – knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the government or knowingly conceals… avoids or decreases an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the government. Violations of the FCA are punishable by up to $10,000, plus treble damages.

11 FMV – Why it Matters Tax Exemption IRC § 501(c)(3) Entities tax-exempt under this section must operate exclusively for tax exempt purposes and not engage in compensation practices that result in private inurement Penalties for non-compliance – Intermediate sanctions – Loss of tax exemption Many hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers are tax exempt General guidelines – Compensation to physicians should be FMV for services provided – Total compensation paid should be reasonable for the market and responsibilities – IRC § 162 – “reasonable” compensation is the amount that would ordinarily be paid for like services by like enterprises under like circumstances

12 FMV – Why it Matters State Laws State Law Issues State self-referral laws – May apply to a broader scope of relationships than Stark (not just physician financial relationships) – May apply to a broader scope of services than “DHS” State anti-kickback issues – May apply with respect to all services, not just those payable by Medicare or other Federal healthcare programs – May include “fee splitting” prohibitions

13 FMV – Why it Matters In the health care context, --FMV is generally defined to mean FMV for actual and necessary items furnished or services rendered, based upon an arm’s length transaction, and without taking into account, directly or indirectly, the value of volume of any past or future referrals or the ability to influence the flow of business generated between the parties. (70 Fed. Reg., 4858, 4866 (2005)) -- Commercial Reasonableness is generally defined to mean a sensible, prudent business arrangement from the perspective of the particular parties involved, even in the absence of referrals (69 Fed. Reg. 16093 (2004))

14 FMV – Why it Matters 2005 OIG Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Hospitals Arrangements under which hospitals (1) provide physicians with items or services for free or less than fair market value, (2) relieve physicians of financial obligations they otherwise would incur, or (3) inflate compensation paid to physicians for items or services pose significant risk. In such circumstances, an inference arises that the remuneration may be in exchange for generating business. (70 Fed. Reg., 4858, 4866 (Jan. 31, 2005))

15 FMV – Why it Matters 2015 OIG Fraud Alert: Physician Compensation Arrangements May Result in Significant Liability Physicians who enter into compensation arrangements, such as medical directorships, must ensure those arrangements reflect FMV for bona fide services the physicians actually provide Arrangement may violate AKS if even one purpose is to compensate the physician for referrals Government recently reached settlements with 12 individual physicians who entered into questionable medical directorship and office staff arrangements OIG believed it took into account referrals and did not reflect FMV because the physicians did not actually provide the services contemplated

16 FMV – Why it Matters Enforcement Enforcement through qui tam suits is on the rise – 700+ qui tam actions filed in each of FY2013 and FY2014, 638 filed in FY2015 (source: DOJ press releases) – $16.5 billion in Federal health care fraud recoveries since 2009, $1.9 billion of that amount was in 2015 Focus on physician compensation arrangements The “Yates Memo” – Individual accountability in the eyes of the DOJ? Select 2015 enforcement actions: – Tuomey Healthcare – $237.5M judgment; settled for $72.4M – Columbus Regional Healthcare System –$35M – Citizen’s Medical Center - $21.74M – North Broward Hospital District – $69.5M – Adventist Health System - $118M

17 FMV – Why it Matters Fair Market Value is central to the compliance analysis; payments must be FMV, commercially reasonable, and cannot vary with anticipated referrals.

18 ONCOLOGY BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS JASON RUCHABER BERKELEY RESEARCH GROUP Valuation Challenges in

19 Emerging Trends and Challenges Reimbursement environment continues to be uncertain – RT negative impact in 2016 MFPS – Transition to Value Based Reimbursement – New restrictions on HOPD conversions in the Budget Act Transactions are becoming more complex and multi- faceted – Fewer straight equity acquisitions or joint ventures – Increase in Service Line Joint Venture and contractual affiliation arrangements – Increase in intellectual property commercialization and licensing

20 Impact of Reimbursement Uncertainty Valuation is a function of the expectations for future economic benefits adjusted for the uncertainty (risk) of realizing those benefits. Reimbursement uncertainty impacts value by lowering expectations for growth (lower growth = lower value) and increasing the risk that a change could materially impact the business. – Note: The risk profile for reimbursement is asymmetric, with little to no change of a material increase, and a higher likelihood of a material decrease.

21 Service Line Joint Ventures Often structured as contractual joint ventures where no equity ownership is involved Critical to understand the contract terms to value the arrangement, including: – Governance and oversight – Measurement of initial contributions – Ongoing measurement of income and expenses – Financial treatment of future capital expenditures and ownership upon termination – Payments between parties upon dissolution – Use of gained knowledge outside of SLJV – Restrictive covenants

22 Service Line JV Valuation Considerations Should not be valued as if an equity investment, but should consider the characteristics of the contract: – Duration of arrangement – Measurement of income – Taxation – Executive oversight, control – Ownership rights on exit/dissolution Appraisal should consider FMV of both entity’s service line independent of the JV Appraisal should also consider changes in rights, obligations and benefits that may result from the JV structure

23 Intellectual Property Types of IP – Marketing related IP (Brand Names, logos, etc.) – Clinical Protocols, Pathways – “Franchise Models” Licensing Considerations Geography, Duration, Exclusivity Incremental benefits obtained through use of IP Availability and prevalence of acceptable alternatives Rate of technological advancement / obsolescence Inclusion of services / know-how Cross-licenses

24 Employment of Physicians Curtis Bernstein Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting

25 25 Observation and investigation of business processes with a goal of identifying and observing the best practices from one or more benchmark firms Process Financial analysis and comparing the results in an effort to assess your overall competitiveness * Financial Assessing competitive position by comparing products and services with those of target entities *Performance Designing new products or upgrades to current ones. Can sometimes involve reverse engineering which is taking apart competitors products to find strengths and weaknesses Product Observing how others compete. This type is usually not industry specific meaning it is best to look at other industries Strategic Focusing on a single function to improve the operation of that particular function. Complex functions not likely to be directly comparable in cost and efficiency terms, may need to be disaggregated for valid comparison Functional Benchmarking »Comparison to a known standard * Most common for compensation valuation purposes Overview of Benchmarking Process

26 26 Market Approach Detail Benchmarking »Three sub-methodologies under the Market Approach all rely upon different types of benchmark data  Published Compensation Method ‒ Published surveys report total annual compensation by physician specialty ‒ Often normalized to hourly rates  Productivity Method ‒ Published surveys report annual productivity (typically WRVUs) per FTE physician ‒ Production matched with compensation ratios ($/WRVU) to match compensation to work effort  Market Comparable Method ‒ Compensation arrangements identified through Pinnacle’s internal database and primary research

27 27 Prevalence of Published Data in Valuation Analysis Benchmarking »Though not perfect, survey-based methodologies often relied upon heavily in valuation analysis StrengthsWeaknesses Large sample sizes reported across broad array of specialties Survey participation voluntary (samples may not be representative) Industry-accepted methodology understood by administration and physicians Error (survey design, reporting errors, incorrect application of data) Data reported on multiple arrangement types allows for flexibility (annual compensation, $/WRVU, etc.) Bias

28 28 In-Depth Analysis of Primary Published Sources Benchmarking SourceSample Observed Population Key MetricsNotes AMGA73,006 Large Multispecialty Groups and Integrated Systems Physicians, NPPs, Departmental Hay Group 34,093 + 79,200 RN and NPPs Integrated Systems Academic Medical Centers Compensation, Production, Specialties, NPPs, Medical Directors Mainly larger systems. List their participants. Mix academics. Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service 42,700 Hospitals and Integrated Systems Physicians, PAs, Residents MGMA69,860 Independent Practices and Integrated Health Systems Compensation, Production, Cost Specialties, NPPs, New Physicians, Medical Directors, Call Separate resources for academics and management. Tends to have a larger sample of independent physician practices. Sullivan Cotter & Associates 98,960Integrated Systems Compensation, Production, Call – Separate Survey Includes administrative positions. * Additional sources (BLS, specialty societies, etc.) utilized when necessary

29 29 Factors to Consider when Utilizing Benchmark Data Benchmarking »Physician / Arrangement Specific Factors  FTE status  Historical compensation and productivity  Unique training or sub-specialization »Market Specific Factors  Community Need / Demand for Services  Supply / Demand of Key Specialties  Payer Mix and Reimbursement  Practice Efficiency / Expense  Community Expectations  Remoteness / Access to Other Services  Competition

30 30 Common Pitfalls in Use of Benchmark Data Benchmarking »Inconsistent application of data (“Cherry Picking”) »Failure to normalize data to match survey definitions  E.g., including malpractice premium in calculation of compensation »Matching annual compensation / productivity percentiles to ratios

31 31 Data Year 201220132014 COMPENSATION MGMA Hematology/Oncology $479,991 $421,093 $441,507 -4.36% Radiation Oncology $567,947 $506,023 $499,337 -6.87% AMGA Hematology and Medical Oncology $350,268 $367,404 $407,000 6.97% Radiation Therapy (MD Only) $473,975 $470,000 $508,250 3.37% SCA Hematology/Oncology $328,943 $331,090 $341,651 1.86% Radiation Therapy $425,940 $417,719 $448,608 2.53% Recent Trends in Benchmarks

32 32 Data Year 201220132014 wRVUs MGMA Hematology/Oncology 4,975 4,234 4,707 -2.85% Radiation Oncology 7,747 7,746 8,445 4.13% AMGA Hematology and Medical Oncology 4,630 4,652 4,679 0.52% Radiation Therapy (MD Only) 8,379 8,872 8,770 2.23% SCA Hematology/Oncology 4,166 4,183 4,093 -0.89% Radiation Therapy 8,548 8,697 9,089 2.98% Recent Trends in Benchmarks

33 33 Application of the 90 th Percentile Benchmarking »Discussion within valuation industry around when / if it is appropriate to apply the 90 th percentile of survey data »Although it can be viewed as an aggressive approach by some, it is Pinnacle’s opinion that there are a number of situations where the 90 th percentile of data is a valid comparison »Specific instances where 90 th percentile is applicable  WRVUs that exceed the 90 th percentile  Sub-specialty data not available, broader specialty data applied as a proxy (e.g., hematology / oncology vs. bone marrow transplant)  Significant training, sub-specialization and / or leadership responsibilities (“KOL” status)  Calculation of premium for PRN coverage  Additional circumstances, analyzed case-by-case »Additional documentation is advised when the 90 th percentile is selected

34 34 $/WRVU and Highly Productive Physicians Benchmarking » Employed physicians consistently exceeding 90 th percentile WRVUs » Pinnacle’s stance is that physicians should be rewarded for more work…to a point » Safeguards should be in place to validate production at these levels (coding audits, financial analysis of professional collections, etc.) » The organization takes on risk with respect to quality / patient satisfaction as productivity moves farther above 90 th percentile (what resources can be deployed to support?)

35 35 Compensation Valuation Examples Compensation Valuation » Step-by-step walkthrough of valuation process for relevant arrangement types (medical directorship, physician employment arrangement) » Discussion of how components of a given arrangement fit together from an FMV perspective and when it is / is not appropriate to “stack” compensation

36 36 Compensation Valuation Examples Compensation Valuation » At a high level, the goal of compensation is to match the expectations of the hospital to the physician’s duties and responsibilities while considering market factors and regulatory requirements Can Be Assigned ValueCan’t Be Assigned Value Personally performed clinical servicesACP incident-to WRVUs Administrative / medical director svcs.Profits from ancillary services On-call coverage (varies by situation)Other non-personally performed services Mid-level provider supervision Clinical oversight (e.g., infusion therapy)

37 37 Anticipated Burden FTE level, call schedules, etc. Scope of Duties / Services Specialty, clinical vs. administrative commitments, program leadership, etc. Special Qualification Requirements Certifications, special training, experience, etc. Level of Income Risk Guaranteed compensation vs. incentive compensation Organizational Strategy Objectives Business Purpose Achievement of explicit organizational goals, performance outcomes, etc. 1. Service Expectations Compensation Valuation – Drivers of Value Compensation Valuation

38 38 Prevailing Compensation Trends and Available Data Statistics from recognized surveys, insights from comparable arrangements, etc. Recruitment and Retention Challenges Supply and demand, turnover rates, locums utilization, etc. Competitive Environment- supply and demand Health Plan Reimbursement Levels / Methods Unique Environmental Factors, such as Demonstrated community needs, cost of living, desirability of location or position, physician- population ratios, patient insurance mix, etc. 2. Market Conditions Compensation Valuation – Drivers of Value Compensation Valuation

39 39 Compensation Valuation – Drivers of Value Compensation Valuation Fiscal Conditions Hospital / Service Line Financial State Independent Viability of Physician Practices Payer / Reimbursement Climate Payer Mix Compliance – Medicare and IRS rules, State Laws FMV Commercial Reasonableness 3. Financial and Regulatory Constraints

40 40 Compensation Valuation – Drivers of Value Compensation Valuation Volume of Work Collections, hours, shifts, WRVUs, etc. Value of Work Reimbursement per unit of work, etc. Quality of Work Clinical outcomes, observance of standards of care, value-based payment – accountable care, etc. Formal Administrative Duties, Leadership / Citizenship Program oversight, management duties, patient satisfaction, etc. Other Contributions 4. Performance

41 Let’s Ride in the Time Machine: Assessing Value Then, Now and in the Future Andrea Ferrari, JD, MPH Healthcare Appraisers, Inc.

42 The World in 2011 Notable increase in practice acquisitions and physician employment by hospitals Belief that employment could reduced risks – Referral and sharing of ancillaries without violating fraud and abuse laws – Hiring for competitive purposes

43 The World in 2011 PSA arrangements gaining in popularity – Group physicians paid compensation on an aggregate fixed fee or wRVU basis May eliminate risk of reimbursement reductions and collections Purchase of equipment, management services, staff through employee lease – Hospital establishes new satellite sites or facility and new book of oncology business Good contribution margin due to combination of hospital rates and physician office cost structure Potential for 340B pricing

44 The World in 2011 Compensation Stacking: If you label compensation layers by different names, you can stack them higher and higher! Sign-on bonus Productivity bonus Medical directorship Retention bonus Call pay Tail insurance Excess vacation Relocation costs Additional Benefits Co-management Quality bonus

45 (Fast Forward) The World in 2016 U.S. ex rel. Schaengold v. Memorial Health, Inc. – Settled December 2015 Filed: 2011 Settlement amount: $9.8 million Relator: Former hospital CEO Allegations: Hospital’s payments to purchase physician practice and employ practice’s physicians exceeded fair market value, were not commercially reasonable and took into consideration the volume and value of the physician’s referrals; key evidence related to alleged lack of need for the physicians’ services to support the hospital, and known and persistent hospital losses from the payments to the physicians if one did not take into consideration hospital revenue from referrals U.S. ex rel. Drakeford v. Tuomey Health System– Settled October 2015 Filed: 2006 (nearly a decade of investigation and litigation) Settlement amount: $79.5 million (after $237.5 million judgement was issued by trial court and upheld by appeals court) Relator: Staff physician who declined to enter the arrangement offered to him Allegations: Employment arrangements with 19 physicians were not fair market value, not commercially reasonable, and took into account the physicians’ volume and value of referrals; evidence included known and persistent losses from physician compensation in excess of collections, and physician compensation that varied with technical revenues; defendant’s 3 page fair market value report, which indicated that agreements were fair market value, unpersuasive in the trial

46 The World in 2016 U.S. ex rel. Payne/Dorsey, et al. v Adventist Health – Settled September 2015 Filed: 2010 Settlement amount: $118 million! ($115 million to Feds, balance to state governments) Relators: Included Compliance Officer, Risk Manager, and Chief Operating Officer of physician enterprise Allegations: Compensation to employed physicians and midlevel providers was above fair market value, not commercially reasonable and based on volume or value of referrals; evidence included substantial and consistent losses by the employer and inflated RVUs used as the basis for the compensation; allegation that inpatient and ancillary services contribution margins from referrals were internally tracked and included in methodology for calculating bonuses; alleged strategy to pay excessive compensation to employed physicians in order to draw them away from competitor hospitals and control referrals U.S. ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional Healthcare Sys.– Settled Sept 2015 Filed: 2013 Settlement amount: up to $35 million for hospital, $425,000 for physician defendant Relator: Administrator of cancer center Allegations: Among other allegations, allegation that compensation to employed physicians (oncologists) was in excess of fair market value and based on inflated wRVUs, improper billings and consideration for hospital contribution margins from referrals

47 The World in 2016 U.S. ex rel. Reilly v. North Broward Hospital District– Settled September 2015 Filed: 2011 Settlement amount: $69.5 million Relator: Staff physician Allegations: Hospital entered into physician employment arrangements with above fair market value compensation in order to induce referrals; evidence included employment compensation that was in excess of the physician’s pre-employment collections for their services, inflated RVUs used to establish compensation; and persistent employer losses from professional services while secretly tracking contribution margin from referral of hospital services ETC., ETC. (only going back to September here due to space and time limits)

48 The World in 2016 – Oncology Arrangements Challenged United States ex rel. Baklid-Kunz v. Halifax Hospital Med. Ctr., et al. – Settled March 2014 Filed: 2009 Relator: Halifax’s Director of Physician Services Government intervened: 2011 Allegations: Halifax knowingly violated the Stark Law by executing contracts with six employed medical oncologists that provided above fair market value compensation, including an incentive bonus that improperly included the value of prescription drugs and tests that the oncologists ordered and that Halifax billed to Medicare; also, Halifax knowingly violated the Stark Law by paying three employed neurosurgeons more than the fair market value of their personally performed services. November 2013 - court rules that arrangements with medical oncologists violated the Stark Law via the improper bonuses  Case was set for trial in 2014 to adjudicate the government’s remaining claims against Halifax  Potential damages and penalties estimated at $1 billion(!)  Case settled on the eve of trial for $85 million, a record-setting amount  Halifax’s legal fees from the case reported as $21 million

49 U.S. ex rel. State of Georgia ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional Healthcare System et al. - Oncology Transactions Challenged First filed under seal in 2012, amended complaint filed in 2013 DOJ announced settlement in September 2015 – $26 to $35 million owed by hospital, depending on contingencies – $425,000 owed by physician defendant, Dr. Pippas – Legal fees unknown Detail of Allegations: – Purchase transaction for a radiation oncology center was not a commercially reasonable transaction because: (i) there was no hospital need for the purchased assets: and (ii) the price paid was not fair market value and far exceeded value of the “worthless” tangible assets. – Non-FMV, non-commercially reasonable salaries and medical director payments for physicians staffing the radiation oncology center, including payments for duplicative services and payments for work performed by others rather than personally performed – Questioned validity of valuation opinions

50 U.S. ex rel. State of Georgia ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional Healthcare System et al. - Practice Purchase “The purchase of [the radiation therapy center] was not commercially reasonable because the purchase was not designed to meet a commercially reasonable need (such as additional capacity or needed new equipment) but [instead] to ensure that no competitors to JCACC/CRHS entered the market for radiation oncology therapy services. Second, the purchase price did not reflect fair market value, but reflected the price CRHS believed it would have to pay to keep competitors out for the market... In fact, as [hospital] Defendants determined in December 2012 after Dr. Tidwell retired, the equipment they purchased was essentially worthless.”

51 U.S. ex rel. State of Georgia ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional Healthcare System et al. – Practice Purchase “CRHS’s purchase was not commercially reasonable for the further reason that CRHS paid well in excess of fair market value for aging, out-dated equipment. A “Tidwell Cancer Treatment Center Radiation Oncology Equipment Configuration” prepared January 2, 2013… notes that “the radiation therapy equipment and configuration at [radiation therapy center]” was, as of September 21, 2012, “not capable of supporting radiation treatment of cancer patients to meet minimum acceptable standards of care.” The report noted that the equipment ranged in age from 15 to 30 years of age in some cases, lacked “record and verify” functions, suffered from recurring malfunction, had not been continuously maintained, and were, in some cases, so old that the manufacturers could not guarantee spare parts and would not provide service contracts because some of the equipment had reached the “end of life many years ago.” The $10.5 million that CRHS paid …was not commercially reasonable in light of the condition and capabilities of the equipment…In fact, most of it was booked as goodwill by CRHS.”

52 U.S. ex rel. State of Georgia ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional Healthcare System et al. – Oncology Valuation Analysis Challenged Complaint alleged that CRHS obtained multiple valuation opinions, but none ultimately supported the compensation paid to cancer center medical director, Dr. Pippas – Opinion obtained in 2008 was based on the assumption that Dr. Pippas was paid only for services he personally performed, and concluded that the compensation was reasonable because it was based on Dr. Pippas’ historical productivity – Second opinion obtained in 2009 called into question the reasonableness of the compensation (upcoding? NP services?) – Third opinion obtained in 2013 concluded that Dr. Pippas’ total wRVU productivity could not be solely attributed to his personally performed services Prior valuations improperly included work of other physicians? Improperly credited split/shared visits?

53 The World in 2016 Physician employment is regarded as a regulatory risk area – Buzz from high $$ government judgements and settlements is changing the way that hospitals, physicians, their lawyers and valuation analysts are approaching transactions Physician compensation in general, and physician employment in particular, has high potential to be the focus of regulatory scrutiny Any evidence of hiring for competitive purposes may be a focal point for scrutiny – Lack of hospital/community need + above FMV compensation + expressed intent to eliminate or hire away from competition = relator/government formula for a commercial reasonableness problem

54 The World in 2016 Common fair market value issues in False Claims Act cases that settled or proceeded to a decision in favor of the government Poor understanding of the Stark Law definition of fair market value Poor understanding (or lack of awareness) of the need for and/or concept of commercial reasonableness Related to the above: Challenges to selected valuation approach(es) Challenges to the benchmark data used to establish fair market value or commercial reasonableness

55 The World in 2016 Lessons From False Claims Act Cases  Lack of fair market value analysis can be bad  Bad fair market value analysis can be worse  Bad fair market value analysis can result from bad information, bad methodology, bad documentation, or any combination of the above  Can’t ignore or “gloss over” commercial reasonableness questions  The “whys” and “hows” of an arrangement are just as important as the who, what and when  Details matter!

56 2015 Sets the Stage for Increased Physician Liability for Financial Arrangements OIG issued “Fraud Alert” in June – Physicians who enter into compensation arrangements, such as medical directorships, must ensure that those arrangements reflect fair market value for bona fide services actually provided – Government will and has pursued actions against physicians – government recently reached settlements with 12 individual physicians who entered into questionable medical directorship and office staff arrangements DOJ issued the “Yates” Memo in October – DOJ will seek individual responsibility and accountability when investigating and settling claims of corporate wrongdoing; no individuals are necessarily “immune” Civil monetary penalties and/or criminal charges pursued against various physicians who were alleged to be receiving improper compensation throughout the year – U.S. ex rel. Barker v. Columbus Regional (settled 2015) – U.S. ex rel. Parikh v. Citizens Medical Center (settled 2015) – Settlement with 12 physicians cited in June 2015 Fraud Alert

57 (Back to) The World in 2016 Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA)  Passed in 2015 as a permanent SGR fix, but does not ensure annual growth in clinical services compensation  MIPS/APMs will radically change physician reimbursements starting in 2019  Changes to gainsharing CMP to open the door to more value-based hospital/physician arrangements  Changes to hospital reimbursements, GME payments, funding for community health centers, NHSC may affect the economics of various transactions  HHS goal: tie 50% of traditional Medicare payments to alternative payment models such as ACOs by the end of 2018; tie 90% of traditional Medicare payments to quality and value by the end of 2018 through programs such as the Readmissions Reductions Program (RRP) and Inpatient Value-Based Purchasing Program (IVBPP)

58 The World in 2016 PPACA’s “Value-Based” Payment Initiatives Implemented – HIVBPP, RRP, MSSP, BPCI, PQRS, non-payment for HACs continue – Oncology Care Model (OCM) announced Feb 2015 – accountability for episodes of chemotherapy care begging spring 2016 – Private payors and Medicaid programs are following in the footsteps of the Medicare program with respect to value based payment policies – Hospital/ cancer center priorities shifting: Cost containment Being competitive based on publicly available measures of “quality” and “value” – “Hospital Compare” website – Center of Excellence designation – NCI Cancer Center designation, and related requirements – Access to research and analytics, capacity for coordinated care

59 The World in 2016 Sunshine Law implemented – Payments from Manufacturers, including for consulting and clinical research activities, are subject to disclosure and potential scrutiny – Generates concern in the current hyperactive regulatory enforcement environment – For oncology providers, relationships, access and input to Manufacturer products and clinical trials remain important

60 The World in 2016 Stacking: If you label compensation layers by different names, you can stack them higher and higher! Sign-on bonus Productivity bonus Medical directorship Retention bonus Call pay _______________ Teaching services Clinical research/ Investigator/consulting services Midlevel supervision Quality committee Thought leader Tail insurance Excess vacation Relocation costs Additional Benefits Co-management Quality bonus _____________________________ Gainsharing agreement Incentives and distributions from ACO/clinically integrated network Hospital quality and efficiency program (HQEP)

61 The World in 2016 Newer Valuation Challenge: Addressing stacked compensation that is not “productivity” based compensation (quality incentives, shared savings/gainsharing payments, etc.) What is commercially reasonable based on: – practical considerations? – business considerations? – legal considerations? – available benchmark data? (understanding the nature and limits of that data) What are the effects on: – Effective compensation per hour or wRVU? – Expectations or reasonableness of compensation to collections ratio (losses)? – Fair market value aggregate compensation in a transaction or overall?

62 The World in 2016 and Beyond Introduction of HHS Oncology Care Model (OCM) Practices will enter into payment arrangements that include financial and performance accountability for episodes of chemotherapy care Goals: Improve care coordination, ensure appropriateness of care, increase access for beneficiaries receiving chemotherapy Requirements to participate: Provide patient navigation (core functions) Document care plan with 13 components outlined by IOM Provide 24-hour per day access to a clinician who has real-time access to patient records Use data to drive quality improvement Use approved electronic health record and attest to stage 2 meaningful use by 3 rd performance year

63 The World in 2016 and Beyond Introduction of HHS Oncology Care Model (OCM) Fair Market Value Impact? Business/practice valuation – depends Employment/PSA valuation – depends Co-management, gainsharing, affiliation and other aligning transactions - probably

64 The World in 2016 and Beyond Predictions (warning: no time machine or crystal ball to verify!) Oncologist hospital employment Continues to be an important means of aligning providers and promoting high quality, economically viable care, but Employment arrangements will become more complex, and increasingly value-driven Fair market value and other regulatory compliance questions will become more difficult Educated analysis will become more important

65 The World in 2016 and Beyond Predictions (warning: no time machine or crystal ball to verify!) Oncology asset/ practice acquisitions May slow in the coming years based on market changes that favor other aligning transactions (formation of and participation in clinically integrated networks, etc.) There will be new questions to address with respect to the value associated with: Information systems and other indications of capacity for clinical integration; and Achievement of quality/value indications and related payment adjustments.

66 The World in 2016 and Beyond Predictions (warning: no time machine or crystal ball to verify!) Co-management and other aligning transactions Will continue to evolve based on changing market forces and priorities, the prevalence of other aligning arrangements in the marketplace, and lessons learned from prior experience New types of performance measures Value adjustments based on changing cost structures and reimbursement rules Fair market value becomes a more complicated concept as arrangements overlap and regulations, market practices and regulatory enforcement environment changes

67 Discussion What do you foresee as the fair market value impact of the: – Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 – New 340B Regulations – Introduction of HHS Oncology Care Model (OCM)

68 QUESTIONS??


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