Company: THC
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000070318-25-000009
Chunk: 58

Company: TENET HEALTHCARE CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 58
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 of these payments often takes many years to resolve because of audits by the program representatives, providers’ rights of appeal, and the application of numerous technical reimbursement provisions. We therefore record accruals to reflect the expected final settlements on our cost reports. For filed cost reports, we adjust the accrual for estimated cost report settlements based on those cost reports and subsequent activity, and we consider the necessity of recording a valuation allowance based on historical settlement results. The accrual for estimated cost report settlements for periods for which a cost report is yet to be filed is recorded based on estimates of what we expect to report on the filed cost reports, and a corresponding valuation allowance is recorded, if necessary, based on the method previously described. Cost reports must generally be filed within five months after the end of the annual cost report reporting period. After the cost report is filed, the accrual and corresponding valuation allowance may need to be adjusted. In addition, because the laws, regulations, instructions and rule interpretations governing Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement are complex and change frequently, the estimates we record could change by material amounts.

Revenues under managed care plans are based primarily on payment terms involving predetermined rates per diagnosis, per‑diem rates, discounted FFS rates and/or other similar contractual arrangements. These revenues are also subject to review and possible audit by the payers, which can take several years before they are completely resolved. The payers are billed for patient services on an individual patient basis. An individual patient’s bill is subject to adjustment on a patient‑by‑patient basis in the ordinary course of business by the payers following their review and adjudication of each particular bill. We estimate the discounts for contractual allowances at the individual hospital level utilizing billing data on an individual patient basis. At the end of each month, on an individual hospital basis, we estimate our expected reimbursement for patients of managed care plans based on the applicable contract terms. We believe it is reasonably likely for there to be an approximately 3% increase or decrease in the estimated contractual allowances related to managed care plans. Based on reserves at December 31, 2024, a 3% increase or decrease in the estimated contractual allowance would impact the estimated reserves by approximately $29 million. Some of the factors that can contribute to changes in the contractual allowance estimates include: (1) changes in reimbursement levels for procedures, supplies and drugs when threshold levels are triggered; (2) changes in reimbursement levels when stop‑loss or outlier limits are reached; (3) changes in the admission status of