Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Legal Proceedings — On May 30, 2018, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Somerset County (the “Chancery Court”) denied the Company’s and MTBC Acquisition Corp.’s (“MAC’s”) request to enjoin an arbitration proceeding demanded by Randolph Pain Relief and Wellness Center (“RPRWC”) related to RCM services provided by parties unaffiliated with the Company and MAC. On June 15, 2018, the Company and MAC filed an appeal of the Chancery Court’s decision with the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. On July 19, 2018, the Chancery Court ordered that the arbitration be stayed pending the Company’s and MAC’s appeal. On appeal, the Company and MAC contended they were never party to the billing services agreement giving rise to the arbitration claim, did not assume the obligations of Millennium Practice Management Associates, Inc. (“MPMA”) under such agreement, and any agreement to arbitrate disputes arising under such agreement did not apply to the Company or MAC as RPRWC terminated the agreement before the APA took effect. On January 30, 2019, the parties conducted oral arguments before the Appellate Court.

 

On April 23, 2019, the Appellate Division affirmed in part and reversed in part the trial court’s order. The Appellate Division upheld the portion of the trial court’s order requiring MAC to participate in the arbitration based on the trial court’s finding that MAC had assumed MPMA’s contractual responsibilities. The Appellate Division reversed the trial court’s order requiring the Company to participate in the arbitration on the grounds that insufficient facts had been provided by RPRWC from which the court could conclude the Company was required to participate in the arbitration. As a result, the Appellate Division remanded the issue of whether Company is required to participate in the arbitration back to the trial court for further proceedings.

 

 

The parties completed discovery in the remanded matter on November 29, 2019, and thereafter both the Company and RPRWC filed cross-motions for summary judgment in their favor. On February 6, 2020, the Chancery Court denied RPRWC’s motion for summary judgment and granted the Company’s cross-motion for summary judgment. The Chancery Court held that the Company cannot be compelled to participate in the Arbitration. RPRWC has informed the Company that it does not intend to appeal the Chancery Court’s ruling and that it intends to move forward solely against MAC. On March 25, 2020, the Chancery Court lifted the stay of arbitration relative to RPRWC and MAC. In its arbitration demand RPRWC alleges that MPMA, a subsidiary of MediGain, LLC, breached the terms of the billing services agreement the parties had entered into and sought compensatory damages of $6.6 million and costs.

 

On May 28, 2020, the arbitrator handling the matter conducted a scheduling conference with the parties in order to establish deadlines for the parties to exchange discovery requests and responses. During the conference, the arbitrator directed RPRWC to produce statement of damages on which it bases its claim. RPRWC disclosed its statement of damages to MAC on June 12, 2020. RPRWC’s June 12, 2020 statement of damages increased its alleged damages from $6.6 million and costs to $20 million and costs. On July 24, 2020, RPRWC disclosed a declaration to MAC, in which RPRWC estimates its damages to be approximately $11 million plus costs. RPRWC then served expert reports in November 2021, whereby RPRWC’s expert alleged that damages were estimated to be in the range of $9.8 million to $10.8 million. MAC has served an expert report refuting the alleged damages. A hearing was held in this matter over four days in June 2022. The parties may submit written closing arguments to the arbitrator. The arbitrator has not yet set a deadline to submit written closing arguments.

 

While the allegations of breach of contract made by RPRWC are the subject of the ongoing legal proceedings, MAC believes RPRWC’s allegations lack merit on numerous grounds. The Company and MAC continue to vigorously defend against RPRWC’s claim and in the event of a loss, if any, they anticipate the loss will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

 

Through the CCH transaction, we acquired its software technology and related business, of which certain elements were, at the time of the acquisition, subject to a civil investigation to determine pre-acquisition compliance with certain federal regulatory requirements. This element was considered as part of the transaction as $4 million of the transaction’s consideration was held in escrow for the resolution of this investigation. Following the closing of the transaction, the Company continued to cooperate with the inquiry as CCH had historically done since the commencement of the investigation in July of 2018. The Company accrued $4.2 million to resolve this investigation, including the $4 million in escrow, which was recorded as an indemnification asset which is included in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2020 in prepaid expenses and other current assets with an offsetting amount in accrued expenses. The Company settled the obligation in April 2021 substantially within the range covered by the escrowed funds.

 

From time to time, we may become involved in other legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. Including the proceedings described above, we are not presently a party to any legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, would individually or taken together have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows of the Company.