Company: THC
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000070318-25-000009
Chunk: 82

Company: TENET HEALTHCARE CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-18
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 82
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 abuse activities. Many states have also passed self‑referral legislation similar to the Stark law. Often these state laws are broader in scope in terms of the providers and services regulated, and certain of the laws apply regardless of the source of payment for care. These statutes typically provide for criminal and civil penalties, as well as loss of licensure.

Application to Our Operations—We regularly enter into financial arrangements with physicians and other providers in a manner we believe complies with the Anti‑kickback Statute, the Stark law, and other applicable antifraud and abuse laws. At December 31, 2024, the majority of the surgical hospitals and ASCs in our Ambulatory Care segment were owned by joint ventures with physicians and/or health systems. In addition, we have contracts with physicians and non‑physician referral sources providing for a variety of financial arrangements, including employment agreements, leases and professional service contracts, such as medical director agreements. We also provide financial incentives to recruit physicians to relocate to communities served by our hospitals, including income and collection guarantees and reimbursement of relocation costs.

As described below, the primary focus of our quality, compliance and ethics program is compliance with the requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded healthcare programs. However, if our arrangements are found to fail to comply with applicable antifraud and abuse laws, our operations could be adversely affected. In addition, any determination by a federal or state agency or court that we or one of our subsidiaries has violated any of these laws could give certain of our joint venture partners or business process solutions clients a right to terminate their relationships with us. Moreover, any violations by and resulting penalties or exclusions imposed upon USPI’s joint venture partners could adversely affect their financial condition and, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Government Enforcement Efforts and Qui Tam Lawsuits—The healthcare industry is subject to heightened and coordinated civil and criminal enforcement efforts from both federal and state government agencies. The U.S. Office of Inspector General, which is an independent and objective oversight unit of HHS, conducts audits, evaluations and investigations relating to HHS programs and operations and, when appropriate, imposes civil monetary penalties, assessments and administrative sanctions.

Healthcare providers are also subject to qui tam or “whistleblower” lawsuits under the FCA, which allows private individuals to bring actions on behalf of the government, alleging that a hospital or healthcare provider has defrauded a government program, such as Medicare or Medicaid. If the government intervenes