AdaptHealth (AHCO) Risk Factors

AdaptHealth is required to maintain a significant number of state and/or federal licenses for its operations and facilities. Certain employees are required to maintain licenses in the states in which they practice. AdaptHealth manages the facility licensing function centrally. In addition, individual clinical employees are responsible for obtaining, maintaining and renewing their professional licenses, and AdaptHealth has processes in place designed to notify branch or pharmacy managers of renewal dates for the clinical employees under their supervision. State and federal licensing requirements are complex and often open to subjective interpretation by various regulatory agencies. Accurate licensure is also a critical threshold issue for the Medicare enrollment and the Medicare competitive bidding program. From time to time, AdaptHealth may also become subject to new or different licensing requirements due to legislative or regulatory requirements developments or changes in its business, and such developments may cause AdaptHealth to make further changes in its business, the results of which may be material. Although AdaptHealth believes it has appropriate systems in place to monitor licensure, violations of licensing requirements may occur and failure by AdaptHealth to acquire or maintain appropriate licensure for its operations, facilities and clinicians could result in interruptions in its operations, refunds to state and/or federal payors, sanctions or fines or the inability to serve Medicare beneficiaries in competitive bidding markets which could adversely impact AdaptHealth's financial condition and results of operations. Accreditation is required by most of AdaptHealth's managed care payors and is a mandatory requirement for all Medicare DMEPOS providers. If AdaptHealth or any of its branches lose accreditation, or if any of its new branches are unable to become accredited, such failure to maintain accreditation or become accredited could adversely impact AdaptHealth's financial condition and results of operations.

AdaptHealth, f/k/a DFB Healthcare Acquisitions Corp. ("DFB"), was originally formed in November 2017 as a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination involving one or more businesses. On July 8, 2019, AdaptHealth Holdings LLC ("AdaptHealth Holdings") entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), as amended on October 15, 2019, with DFB, pursuant to which AdaptHealth Holdings combined with DFB (the "Business Combination"). The Business Combination closed on November 8, 2019. In connection with the Business Combination, the name of the combined company was changed to AdaptHealth Corp. The Tax Receivable Agreement, which we entered into at the closing of the Business Combination with certain pre-Business Combination owners of AdaptHealth Units (collectively, the "TRA Holders"), generally provides for the payment by us of 85% of the net cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that we actually realize (or are deemed to realize in certain circumstances) in periods after the closing as a result of: (i) certain tax attributes of Access Point Medical, Inc. existing prior to the Business Combination; (ii) certain increases in tax basis resulting from exchanges of AdaptHealth Units; (iii) imputed interest deemed to be paid by us as a result of payments we make under the Tax Receivable Agreement; and (iv) certain increases in tax basis resulting from payments we make under the Tax Receivable Agreement. We will retain the benefit of the remaining 15% of these cash savings. The amount of the cash payments that we may be required to make under the Tax Receivable Agreement could be significant and is dependent upon significant future events and assumptions, including the timing of the exchanges of AdaptHealth Units, the price of our Common Stock at the time of each exchange, the extent to which such exchanges are taxable transactions and the amount of the exchanging TRA Holder's tax basis in its AdaptHealth Units at the time of the relevant exchange. The amount of such cash payments is also based on assumptions as to the amount and timing of taxable income we generate in the future, the U.S. federal income tax rate then applicable and the portion of our payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement that constitute interest or give rise to depreciable or amortizable tax basis. Moreover, payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine, which tax reporting positions are subject to challenge by taxing authorities. We are dependent on distributions from AdaptHealth Holdings to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and we cannot guarantee that such distributions will be made in sufficient amounts or at the times needed to enable us to make our required payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, or at all. Any payments made by us to the TRA Holders under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flow that might have otherwise been available to us. To the extent that we are unable to make timely payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. Nonpayment for a specified period may constitute a breach of a material obligation under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and therefore, may accelerate payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement. The payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement are also not conditioned upon the TRA Holders maintaining a continued ownership interest in AdaptHealth Holdings or us.

Numerous federal and state laws and regulations addressing patient privacy and consumer privacy, including HIPAA and the HITECH Act, govern the collection, dissemination, security, use and confidentiality of patient-identifiable health information or personal information. Such laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, marketing and advertising, and consumer protection are evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations. These requirements may be interpreted and applied in a manner that varies from one jurisdiction to another and/or may conflict with other laws or regulations. As a result, AdaptHealth's practices may not have complied or may not comply in the future with all such laws, regulations, requirements and obligations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by AdaptHealth or any of its third-party partners or service providers to comply with privacy policies or federal or state privacy or consumer protection-related laws, regulations, industry self-regulatory principles, industry standards or codes of conduct, regulatory guidance, orders to which they may be subject, or other legal obligations relating to privacy or consumer protection, could adversely affect AdaptHealth's reputation, brand and business, and may result in claims, proceedings or actions against AdaptHealth by governmental entities, consumers, users, suppliers or others. These proceedings may result in financial liabilities or may require AdaptHealth to change its operations, including ceasing the use or sharing of certain data sets. HIPAA and the HITECH Act, and their implementing regulations, require AdaptHealth to comply with standards for the use and disclosure of health information within AdaptHealth and with third parties. HIPAA and the HITECH Act also include standards for common healthcare electronic transactions and code sets, such as claims information, plan eligibility, payment information, and privacy and security of individually identifiable health information. HIPAA requires healthcare providers, including AdaptHealth, in addition to health plans and clearinghouses, to develop and maintain policies and procedures with respect to protected health information that is used or disclosed. The HITECH Act included notification requirement for breaches of patient-identifiable health information, restricts certain disclosures and sales of patient-identifiable health information and provides a tiered system for civil monetary penalties for HIPAA violations. HIPAA also provides for criminal penalties. In addition, various federal and state legislative and regulatory bodies, or self-regulatory organizations, may expand current laws or regulations, enact new laws or regulations or issue revised rules or guidance regarding privacy, data protection and consumer protection. For instance, the CCPA became effective on January 1, 2020. The CCPA gives California residents expanded rights to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used by requiring covered companies to provide new disclosures to California consumers (as that term is broadly defined) and provide such consumers new ways to opt-out of certain sales of personal information. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches that is expected to increase data breach litigation. Although there are limited exemptions for protected health information and the CCPA's implementation standards and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future, the CCPA may increase AdaptHealth's compliance costs and potential liability. Many similar privacy laws have been proposed at the federal level and in other states. Additionally, the FTC and many state attorneys general are interpreting existing federal and state consumer protection laws to impose evolving standards for the online collection, use, dissemination and security of health-related and other personal information. Courts may also adopt the standards for fair information practices promulgated by the FTC, which concern consumer notice, choice, security and access. Consumer protection laws require AdaptHealth to publish statements that describe how it handles personal information and choices individuals may have about the way AdaptHealth handles their personal information. If such information that AdaptHealth publishes is considered untrue, it may be subject to government claims of unfair or deceptive trade practices, which could lead to significant liabilities and consequences. Furthermore, according to the FTC, violating consumers' privacy rights or failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers' personal information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act. Under the Federal CAN-SPAM Act, the TCPA and the Telemarketing Sales Rule and Medicare regulations, AdaptHealth is limited in the ways in which it can market and service its products and services by use of email, text or telephone marketing. The actual or perceived improper sending of text messages may subject us to potential risks, including liabilities or claims relating to consumer protection laws. Numerous class-action suits under federal and state laws have been filed in recent years against companies who conduct SMS texting programs, with many resulting in multi-million-dollar settlements to the plaintiffs. Any future such litigation against us could be costly and time-consuming to defend. For example, the TCPA, a federal statute that protects consumers from unwanted telephone calls, faxes and text messages, restricts telemarketing and the use of automated SMS text messages without proper consent. On April 1, 2021, in Facebook, Inc. v. Duguid, 141 S. Ct. 1163 (2021), the U.S. Supreme Court adopted a narrow definition of the type of automated dialers that are subject to the TCPA, thereby removing some automated text messages from the scope of the TCPA consent requirements. As a result, there may be an increase in litigation under state laws and new legislation at the federal and state level in an effort to ensure that consent is required for calls and text messages that are now outside the scope of the TCPA. For example, in May 2021, the Florida legislature passed a bill that expands restrictions for telephonic sales calls, including text messages, made using automated selection and dialing systems and creates a private right of action for violations of the law. Additionally, state regulators may determine that telephone calls to patients of AdaptHealth are subject to state telemarketing regulations. If AdaptHealth does not comply with existing or new laws and regulations related to telephone contacts or patient health information, it could be subject to criminal or civil sanctions. New health information standards, whether implemented pursuant to HIPAA, the HITECH Act, congressional action or otherwise, could have a significant effect on the manner in which AdaptHealth handles healthcare-related data and communicates with payors, and the cost of complying with these standards could be significant. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to the delivery of consumer phone calls, emails and text messages are continuously evolving and developing. If AdaptHealth does not comply with these laws or regulations or if it becomes liable under these laws or regulations, it could face direct liability, could be required to change some portions of its business model, could face negative publicity and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Even an unsuccessful challenge of AdaptHealth's phone, email or SMS text practices by its consumers, regulatory authorities or other third parties could result in negative publicity and could require a costly response from and defense by AdaptHealth.

In March 2019, CMS announced that it would consolidate all rounds and areas of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program into a single round of competition effective January 1, 2021 named "Round 2021", to consolidate prior CBAs. Round 2021 contracts became effective on January 1, 2021 and extend through December 31, 2023. CMS included 16 product categories in the Round 2021. On April 10, 2020, CMS announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it removed the non-invasive ventilators product category from the Round 2021 DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. On October 27, 2020, CMS announced that it would not award competitive bid contracts in 13 of the 15 remaining product categories due to a failure to achieve expected savings, and that Round 2021 contract awards would only be made for off-the-shelf (OTS) knee and back braces. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, net revenue generated with respect to providing OTS knee and back braces (excluding amounts generated in non-rural and rural non-bid areas) were not material. AdaptHealth has obtained contracts for OTS knee and back braces, and does not expect the single payment amounts imposed by CMS under such contracts to have a material impact on the Company. On May 25, 2023, CMS announced a temporary gap period for the CBP starting January 1, 2024, following the expiration of all Round 2021 contracts for OTS knee and back braces on December 31, 2023. The gap period commenced as anticipated and CMS has yet to announce when the temporary gap period for the CBP would end, but indicated that it would start bidding for the next CBP round after it completes the formal notice and comment rulemaking process and implements necessary changes to the CBP to establish sustainable process, save money for Medicare patients and taxpayers, help limit fraud, waste, and abuse, and ensure patient access to quality items and services. During the temporary gap period, any Medicare-enrolled DMEPOS supplier may furnish DMEPOS items and services to patients, with payment in former CBAs based on 100% of the single payment amount for that CBA (increased by the projected percentage change in Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers), and payment in non-CBAs based on fully adjusted rates per the applicable methodology under 42 C.F.R. § 414.210(g). The competitive bidding process (which is expected to be re-bid every three years) has historically put pressure on the amount AdaptHealth is reimbursed in the markets in which it exists, as well as in areas that are not subject to the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. The rates required to win future competitive bids could continue to depress reimbursement rates. AdaptHealth will continue to monitor developments regarding the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. While AdaptHealth cannot predict the outcome of the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program on its business in the future nor the Medicare payment rates that will be in effect in future years for the items subjected to competitive bidding, the program may materially adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations.

Many companies, including AdaptHealth, recently have experienced increased supply chain and labor challenges. Materials, equipment and labor shortages, shipping, logistics and other delays and other supply chain and related disruptions have made it more difficult and costly for AdaptHealth to obtain products or services from third parties. If these types of disruptions continue to occur, it would have a material adverse effect on AdaptHealth's business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Continued labor shortages have driven a significant increase in competition throughout the industry to attract and retain talent and have also led to increased labor costs. Union activity is another factor that may contribute to increased labor costs. AdaptHealth currently has a minimal number of union employees, so an increase in labor union activity could have a significant impact on AdaptHealth's labor costs. AdaptHealth's failure to recruit and retain qualified employees, or to control its labor costs, could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. While AdaptHealth seeks to mitigate any cost increases, labor impacts and supply chain delays and shortages, these efforts may not be successful and AdaptHealth may experience adverse impacts due to such factors. AdaptHealth cannot predict the extent of these current trends or other future increases in operating costs. To the extent such costs continue to increase, AdaptHealth may be prevented, in whole or in part, from passing such cost increases through to its existing and prospective customers, or AdaptHealth's customers may seek other competitive sources due to supply chain delays, which could have a material adverse impact on AdaptHealth's business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In recent years, there has been a continuing trend of health insurers merging or increasing efforts to consolidate with other non-governmental payors. Insurers are also increasingly pursuing alignment initiatives with healthcare providers. Consolidation within the health insurance industry may result in insurers having increased negotiating leverage and competitive advantages, such as greater access to performance and pricing data. AdaptHealth's ability to negotiate prices and favorable terms with health insurers in certain markets could be affected negatively as a result of this consolidation. In addition, the shift toward value-based payment models could be accelerated if larger insurers, including those engaging in consolidation activities, find these models to be financially beneficial. There can be no assurance that AdaptHealth will be able to negotiate favorable terms with payors and otherwise respond effectively to the impact of increased consolidation in the payor industry or vertical integration efforts.

AdaptHealth evaluates changes in home medical equipment technology and treatments on an ongoing basis for purposes of determining the feasibility of replacing or supplementing items currently included in the patient service equipment inventory and services that AdaptHealth offers patients. AdaptHealth's selection of medical equipment and services is formulated on the basis of a variety of factors, including overall quality, functional reliability, availability of supply, payor reimbursement policies, product features, labor costs associated with the technology, acquisition, repair and ownership costs and overall patient and referral source demand, as well as patient therapeutic and lifestyle benefits. Manufacturers continue to invest in research and development to introduce new products to the marketplace. It is possible that major changes in available technology, payor benefit or coverage policies related to those changes or the preferences of patients and referral sources may cause AdaptHealth's current product offerings to become less competitive or obsolete, and it will be necessary to adapt to those changes. Unanticipated changes could cause AdaptHealth to incur increased capital expenditures and accelerated equipment write-offs, and could force AdaptHealth to alter its sales, operations and marketing strategies. In addition, the development and commercialization of new drugs to address obesity and type 2 diabetes may limit the prospects for AdaptHealth's current equipment or services. A number of new glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, including Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic, have entered the market. The long-term effect of these drugs on AdaptHealth's business is uncertain. However, these drugs may have a significant impact on obesity rates over time, which may result in reduced demand for our current equipment or services and we may not be able to adapt to those changes to stay competitive.