U S PHYSICAL THERAPY INC /NV Revenue Disclosure

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are recognized in the period in which services are rendered. Net patient revenues (patient revenues less estimated contractual adjustments) are reported at the estimated net realizable amounts from third-party payors, patients and others for services rendered. The Company has agreements with third-party payors that provide for payments to the Company at amounts different from its established rates. The allowance for estimated contractual adjustments is based on terms of payor contracts and historical collection and write-off experience.

 

The Company determines allowances for doubtful accounts based on the specific agings and payor classifications at each clinic. The provision for doubtful accounts is included in clinic operating costs in the statements of net income. Patient accounts receivable, which are stated at the historical carrying amount net of contractual allowances, write-offs and allowance for doubtful accounts, includes only those amounts the Company estimates to be collectible.

Medicare Reimbursement

The Medicare program reimburses outpatient rehabilitation providers based on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (‘‘MPFS’’). For services provided in 2018, a 0.5% increase has been applied to the fee schedule payment rates; for services provided in 2019, a 0.25% increase will be applied to the fee schedule payment rates, subject to an adjustment beginning in 2019 under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (“MIPS”).    For services provided in 2020 through 2025, a 0.0% percent update will be applied each year to the fee schedule payment rates, subject to adjustments under MIPS and any alternative payment models (“APMs”).   Beginning in 2019, payments to individual therapists (Physical/Occupational Therapist in Private Practice) under the fee schedule may be subject to adjustment based on performance in MIPS, which measures performance based on certain quality metrics, resource use, and meaningful use of electronic health records. Under the MIPS requirements, a provider's performance is assessed according to established performance standards and used to determine an adjustment factor that is then applied to the professional's payment for a year. Each year from 2019 through 2024 professionals who receive a significant share of their revenues through an APM (such as accountable care organizations or bundled payment arrangements) that involves risk of financial losses and a quality measurement component will receive a 5% bonus. The bonus payment for APM participation is intended to encourage participation and testing of new APMs and to promote the alignment of incentives across payors. The specifics of the MIPS and APM adjustments beginning in 2019 and 2020, respectively, will be subject to future notice and comment rule-making.

The Budget Control Act of 2011 increased the federal debt ceiling in connection with deficit reductions over the next ten years, and requires automatic reductions in federal spending by approximately $1.2 trillion. Payments to Medicare providers are subject to these automatic spending reductions, subject to a 2% cap. On April 1, 2013, a 2% reduction to Medicare payments was implemented. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, enacted on November 2, 2015, extended the 2% reductions to Medicare payments through fiscal year 2025. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, enacted on February 9, 2018, extends the 2% reductions to Medicare payments through fiscal year 2027.

 

Historically, the total amount paid by Medicare in any one year for outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and/or speech-language pathology services provided to any Medicare beneficiary was subject to an annual dollar limit (i.e., the ‘‘Therapy Cap’’ or ‘‘Limit’’). For 2017, the annual Limit on outpatient therapy services was $1,980 for combined Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology services and $1,980 for Occupational Therapy services. As a result of Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, the Therapy Caps have been eliminated, effective as of January 1, 2018.

 

Under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (‘‘MCTRA’’), since October 1, 2012, patients who met or exceeded $3,700 in therapy expenditures during a calendar year have been subject to a manual medical review to determine whether applicable payment criteria are satisfied. The $3,700 threshold is applied to Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology Services; a separate $3,700 threshold is applied to the Occupational Therapy. The MACRA directed CMS to modify the manual medical review process such that those reviews will no longer apply to all claims exceeding the $3,700 threshold and instead will be determined on a targeted basis based on a variety of factors that CMS considers appropriate The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 extends the targeted medical review indefinitely, but reduces the threshold to $3,000 through December 31, 2027.  For 2028, the threshold amount will be increased by the percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index (“MEI”) for 2028 and in subsequent years the threshold amount will increase based on the corresponding percentage increase in the MEI for such subsequent year.

CMS adopted a multiple procedure payment reduction (‘‘MPPR’’) for therapy services in the final update to the MPFS for calendar year 2011. The MPPR applied to all outpatient therapy services paid under Medicare Part B — occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology. Under the policy, the Medicare program pays 100% of the practice expense component of the Relative Value Unit (‘‘RVU’’) for the therapy procedure with the highest practice expense RVU, then reduces the payment for the practice expense component for the second and subsequent therapy procedures or units of service furnished during the same day for the same patient, regardless of whether those therapy services are furnished in separate sessions. Since 2013, the practice expense component for the second and subsequent therapy service furnished during the same day for the same patient was reduced by 50%. In addition, the MCTRA directed CMS to implement a claims-based data collection program to gather additional data on patient function during the course of therapy in order to better understand patient conditions and outcomes. All practice settings that provide outpatient therapy services are required to include this data on the claim form. Since 2013, therapists have been required to report new codes and modifiers on the claim form that reflect a patient’s functional limitations and goals at initial evaluation, periodically throughout care, and at discharge. Reporting of these functional limitation codes and modifiers are required on the claim for payment.

Medicare claims for outpatient therapy services furnished by therapy assistants on or after January 1, 2022 must include a modifier indicating the service was furnished by a therapy assistant. CMS is required to develop a modifier to mark services provided by a therapy assistant by January 1, 2019, and then submitted claims have to report the modifier mark starting January 1, 2020. Outpatient therapy services furnished on or after January 1, 2022 in whole or part by a therapy assistant will be paid at an amount equal to 85% of the payment amount otherwise applicable for the service.

Statutes, regulations, and payment rules governing the delivery of therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries are complex and subject to interpretation. We believe that we are in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable laws and regulations and are not aware of any pending or threatened investigations involving allegations of potential wrongdoing that would have a material effect on the our financial statements as of December 31, 2017. Compliance with such laws and regulations can be subject to future government review and interpretation, as well as significant regulatory action including fines, penalties, and exclusion from the Medicare program. Net patient revenue from Medicare were approximately $92.6 million, $81.8 million and $73.2 million, respectively, for 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Management Contract Revenues

Management contract revenues, which are included in other revenues, are derived from contractual arrangements whereby the Company manages a clinic for third party owners. The Company does not have any ownership interest in these clinics. Typically, revenues are determined based on the number of visits conducted at the clinic and recognized when services are performed. Costs, typically salaries for the Company’s employees, are recorded when incurred.

Workforce Performance Solutions Revenue

Revenue from the workforce performance solutions business, which are also included in other revenues, are derived from onsite services provided to clients’ employees including injury prevention, rehabilitation, ergonomic assessments and performance optimization. Revenues are determined based on the number of hours and respective rate for services provided.