DAVITA INC. - Annual Report: 2016 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2016

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 1-14106

DAVITA INC.

2000 16^th Street

Denver, Colorado 80202

Telephone number (303) 405-2100

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

As of June 30, 2016, the number of shares of the Registrant’s common stock outstanding was approximately 206.9 million shares and the aggregate market value of the common stock outstanding held by non-affiliates based upon the closing price of these shares on the New York Stock Exchange was approximately $16.0 billion.

As of January 31, 2017, the number of shares of the Registrant’s common stock outstanding held by non-affiliates was approximately 194.6 million shares.

Documents incorporated by reference

Portions of the Registrant’s proxy statement for its 2017 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K.

PART I

We were incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1994. Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are made available free of charge through our website, located at http://www.davita.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after the reports are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC also maintains a website at http://www.sec.gov where these reports and other information about us can be obtained. The contents of our website are not incorporated by reference into this report.

Overview of DaVita Inc.

The Company consists of two major divisions, DaVita Kidney Care (Kidney Care) and DaVita Medical Group (DMG, formerly known as HealthCare Partners or HCP). Kidney Care is comprised of our U.S. dialysis and related lab services, our ancillary services and strategic initiatives, including our international operations and our corporate administrative support. Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business is our largest line of business, which is a leading provider of kidney dialysis services in the U.S. for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). Our DMG division is a patient- and physician-focused integrated healthcare delivery and management company with over two decades of providing coordinated, outcomes-based medical care in a cost-effective manner.

For financial information about our reportable segments see Note 25 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report.

Kidney Care Division

U.S. dialysis and related lab services business overview

Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business is a leading provider of kidney dialysis services for patients suffering from ESRD. As of December 31, 2016, we provided dialysis and administrative services in the U.S. through a network of 2,350 outpatient dialysis centers in 46 states and the District of Columbia, serving a total of approximately 187,700 patients. We also provide acute inpatient dialysis services in approximately 900 hospitals and related laboratory services throughout the U.S. All references in this document to dialysis and related lab services refer only to our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business.

The loss of kidney function is normally irreversible. Kidney failure is typically caused by Type I and Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic kidney disease, long-term autoimmune attack on the kidney and prolonged urinary tract obstruction. ESRD is the stage of advanced kidney impairment that requires continued dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant to sustain life. Dialysis is the removal of toxins, fluids and salt from the blood of patients by artificial means. Patients suffering from ESRD generally require dialysis at least three times a week for the rest of their lives.

According to the United States Renal Data System, there were approximately 477,000 ESRD dialysis patients in the U.S. in 2014. The underlying ESRD dialysis patient population has grown at an approximate compound rate of 3.8% from 2000 to 2014, the latest period for which such data is available. The growth rate is attributable to the aging of the U.S. population, increased incidence rates for diseases that cause kidney failure such as diabetes and hypertension, lower mortality rates for dialysis patients and growth rates of minority populations with higher than average incidence rates of ESRD.

Since 1972, the federal government has provided healthcare coverage for ESRD patients under the Medicare ESRD program regardless of age or financial circumstances. ESRD is the first and only disease state eligible for Medicare coverage both for dialysis and dialysis-related services and for all benefits available under the Medicare program. For patients with Medicare coverage, all ESRD payments for dialysis treatments are made under a single bundled payment rate. See page 5 for further details.

Although Medicare reimbursement limits the allowable charge per treatment, it provides industry participants with a relatively predictable and recurring revenue stream for dialysis services provided to patients without commercial insurance. For the year ended December 31, 2016, approximately 88% of our total dialysis patients were covered under some form of government-based programs, with approximately 75% of our dialysis patients covered under Medicare and Medicare-assigned plans.

Treatment options for ESRD

Treatment options for ESRD are dialysis and kidney transplantation.

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Dialysis options

Hemodialysis, the most common form of ESRD treatment, is usually performed at a freestanding outpatient dialysis center, at a hospital-based outpatient center, or at the patient’s home. The hemodialysis machine uses an artificial kidney, called a dialyzer, to remove toxins, fluids and salt from the patient’s blood. The dialysis process occurs across a semi-permeable membrane that divides the dialyzer into two distinct chambers. While blood is circulated through one chamber, a pre-mixed fluid is circulated through the other chamber. The toxins, salt and excess fluids from the blood cross the membrane into the fluid, allowing cleansed blood to return back into the patient’s body. Each hemodialysis treatment that occurs in the outpatient dialysis centers typically lasts approximately three and one-half hours and is usually performed three times per week.

Hospital inpatient hemodialysis services are required for patients with acute kidney failure primarily resulting from trauma, patients in early stages of ESRD and ESRD patients who require hospitalization for other reasons. Hospital inpatient hemodialysis is generally performed at the patient’s bedside or in a dedicated treatment room in the hospital, as needed.

Some ESRD patients who are healthier and more independent may perform home-based hemodialysis in their home or residence through the use of a hemodialysis machine designed specifically for home therapy that is portable, smaller and easier to use. Patients receive training, support and monitoring from registered nurses, usually in our outpatient dialysis centers, in connection with their dialysis treatment. Home-based hemodialysis is typically performed with greater frequency than dialysis treatments performed in outpatient dialysis centers and on varying schedules.

Peritoneal dialysis uses the patient’s peritoneal or abdominal cavity to eliminate fluid and toxins and is typically performed at home. The most common methods of peritoneal dialysis are continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD). Because it does not involve going to an outpatient dialysis center three times a week for treatment, peritoneal dialysis is an alternative to hemodialysis for patients who are healthier, more independent and desire more flexibility in their lifestyle. However, peritoneal dialysis is not a suitable method of treatment for many patients, including patients who are unable to perform the necessary procedures and those at greater risk of peritoneal infection.

CAPD introduces dialysis solution into the patient’s peritoneal cavity through a surgically placed catheter. Toxins in the blood continuously cross the peritoneal membrane into the dialysis solution. After several hours, the patient drains the used dialysis solution and replaces it with fresh solution. This procedure is usually repeated four times per day.

CCPD is performed in a manner similar to CAPD, but uses a mechanical device to cycle dialysis solution through the patient’s peritoneal cavity while the patient is sleeping or at rest.

Kidney transplantation

Although kidney transplantation, when successful, is generally the most desirable form of therapeutic intervention, the shortage of suitable donors, side effects of immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals given to transplant recipients and dangers associated with transplant surgery for some patient populations limit the use of this treatment option.

Dialysis and related lab services we provide

Outpatient hemodialysis services

As of December 31, 2016, we operated or provided administrative services through a network of 2,350 outpatient dialysis centers in the U.S. that are designed specifically for outpatient hemodialysis. In 2016, our overall network of U.S. outpatient dialysis centers increased by 99 primarily as a result of the opening of new dialysis centers, net of center closures and divestitures, and acquisitions, representing a total increase of approximately 4.4% from 2015.

As a condition of our enrollment in Medicare for the provision of dialysis services, we contract with a nephrologist or a group of associated nephrologists to provide medical director services at each of our dialysis centers. In addition, other nephrologists may apply for practice privileges to treat their patients at our centers. Each center has an administrator, typically a registered nurse, who supervises the day-to-day operations of the center and its staff. The staff of each center typically consists of registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, patient care technicians, a social worker, a registered dietician, biomedical technician support and other administrative and support personnel.

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Under Medicare regulations, we cannot promote, develop or maintain any kind of contractual relationship with our patients that would directly or indirectly obligate a patient to use or continue to use our dialysis services, or that would give us any preferential rights other than those related to collecting payments for our dialysis services. Our total patient turnover, which is based upon all causes, averaged approximately 25% in both 2016 and 2015. However, in 2016, the overall number of patients to whom we provided services in the U.S. increased by approximately 4.5% from 2015, primarily from the opening of new dialysis centers and acquisitions, and continued growth within the industry.

Hospital inpatient hemodialysis services

As of December 31, 2016, we provided hospital inpatient hemodialysis services, excluding physician services, to patients in approximately 900 hospitals throughout the U.S. We render these services based on a contracted per-treatment fee that is individually negotiated with each hospital. When a hospital requests our services, we typically administer the dialysis treatment at the patient’s bedside or in a dedicated treatment room in the hospital, as needed. In 2016, hospital inpatient hemodialysis services accounted for approximately 4.7% of our U.S. dialysis revenues and 4.0% of our total U.S. dialysis treatments.

Home-based hemodialysis services

Many of our outpatient dialysis centers offer certain support services for dialysis patients who prefer and are able to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in their homes. Home-based hemodialysis support services consist of providing equipment and supplies, training, patient monitoring, on-call support services and follow-up assistance. Registered nurses train patients and their families or other caregivers to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

ESRD laboratory services

We own two separately incorporated, licensed, clinical laboratories which specialize in ESRD patient testing. These specialized laboratories provide routine laboratory tests for dialysis and other physician-prescribed laboratory tests for ESRD patients and are an integral component of overall dialysis services that we provide. Our laboratories provide these tests predominantly for our network of ESRD patients throughout the U.S. These tests are performed to monitor a patient’s ESRD condition, including the adequacy of dialysis, as well as other medical conditions of the patient. Our laboratories utilize information systems which provide information to certain members of the dialysis centers’ staff and medical directors regarding critical outcome indicators.

Management services

We currently operate or provide management and administrative services pursuant to management and administrative services agreements to 34 outpatient dialysis centers located in the U.S. in which we either own a noncontrolling interest or are wholly-owned by third parties. Management fees are established by contract and are recognized as earned typically based on a percentage of revenues or cash collections generated by the outpatient dialysis centers.

Quality care

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Five-Star Quality Rating system, is a rating system that assigns one to five stars to rate the quality of outcomes for dialysis facilities. The rating system provides patients reported information about any given dialysis facility and identifies differences in quality between facilities so that patients can make more informed decisions about where to receive treatment. For the third consecutive year, we are a leader in the industry under the CMS Five-Star Quality Rating system.

In addition, CMS promotes high quality services in outpatient dialysis facilities treating patients with ESRD through its Quality Incentive Program (QIP). QIP associates a portion of payment directly with a facility’s performance on quality of care measures. Payment reductions result when a facility’s overall score on applicable measures does not meet established standards. For the fourth year in a row, we are an industry leader in QIP standards.

Our facilities employ registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, patient care technicians, social workers, registered dieticians, biomedical technicians and other administrative and support teammates whom aim to achieve superior clinical outcomes at our centers.

Our physician leadership in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) for our dialysis and related lab services business includes 13 senior nephrologists, led by our Chief Medical Officer, with a variety of academic, clinical practice, and clinical research backgrounds. Our Physician Council is an advisory body to senior management composed of nine physicians with extensive experience in clinical practice. In addition, we currently have nine Group Medical Directors.

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Sources of revenue—concentrations and risks

Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business net revenues represent approximately 62% of our consolidated net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016. Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services revenues are derived primarily from our core business of providing dialysis services and related laboratory services and, to a lesser extent, the administration of pharmaceuticals and management fees generated from providing management and administrative services to certain outpatient dialysis centers, as discussed above.

The sources of our dialysis and related lab services revenues are principally from government-based programs, including Medicare and Medicare-assigned plans, Medicaid and Medicaid-assigned plans and commercial insurance plans.

The following graph summarizes our U.S. dialysis services revenues by source for the year ended December 31, 2016:

Medicare and Medicare-assigned plans 55%, Medicaid and Medicaid-assigned plans 5%, Other government-based programs 4%, Commercial (including hospital inpatient dialysis services) 36%

The following graph summarizes our U.S. dialysis services revenues by modality for the year ended December 31, 2016:

Outpatient hemodialysis 79%, Peritoneal dialysis and home-based hemodialysis 16%, Hospital inpatient hemodialysis 5%

Medicare revenue

Government dialysis related payment rates in the U.S. are principally determined by federal Medicare and state Medicaid policy. For patients with Medicare coverage, all ESRD payments for dialysis treatments are made under a single bundled payment rate which provides a fixed payment rate to encompass all goods and services provided during the dialysis treatment, including certain pharmaceuticals, such as Epogen^® (EPO), vitamin D analogs and iron supplements, irrespective of the level of pharmaceuticals administered to the patient or additional services performed. Most lab services are also included in the bundled payment. Under the ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS), the bundled payments to a dialysis facility may be reduced by as much as 2% based on the facility’s performance in specified quality measures set annually by CMS through QIP, which was established by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. The bundled payment rate is also adjusted for certain patient characteristics, a geographic usage index and certain other factors.

An important provision in the law is an annual adjustment, or market basket update, to the PPS base rate. Absent action by Congress, the PPS base rate is automatically updated annually by a formulaic inflation adjustment. In December 2013, CMS issued the 2014 final rule for the ESRD PPS, which phases in the payment reductions mandated by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), as modified by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, which reduced our market basket inflation adjustment by

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1.25% in 2016 and will reduce our market basket inflation adjustment by 1.25% in 2017 and by 1% in 2018. In November 2016, CMS published the 2017 final rule for the ESRD PPS, which increased dialysis facilities’ bundled payment rate for 2017 relative to prior years. In particular, CMS projects that the 2017 final rule for the ESRD PPS will (i) increase the total payments to all ESRD facilities by 0.73% in 2017 compared to 2016; (ii) increase total payments to hospital-based ESRD facilities by 0.9% in 2017 compared to 2016; and (iii) increase total payments for freestanding facilities by 0.7% in 2017 compared to 2016. The 2017 final rule for the ESRD PPS also implements the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 provisions regarding the coverage and payment of renal dialysis services furnished by ESRD facilities to individuals with acute kidney injury.

As a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) and subsequent activity in Congress, a $1.2 trillion sequester (across-the-board spending cuts) in discretionary programs took effect in 2013 reducing Medicare payments by 2%, which was subsequently extended through fiscal year 2025. These across-the-board spending cuts have affected and will continue to adversely affect our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

The CMS Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Center (Innovation Center) is currently working with various healthcare providers to develop, refine and implement Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other innovative models of care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. We are currently uncertain of the extent to which the long-term operation and evolution of these models of care, including ACOs, Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative, Comprehensive ESRD Care (CEC) Model (which includes the development of ESRD Seamless Care Organizations (ESCOs)), the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, the Duals Demonstration, or other models, will impact the healthcare market over time. Our U.S. dialysis business may choose to participate in one or several of these models either as a partner with other providers or independently. We currently participate in the CEC Model with the Innovation Center, including the ESCO organizations in the Arizona, Florida, and adjacent New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets. In areas where our U.S. dialysis business is not directly participating in this or other Innovation Center models, some of our patients may be assigned to an ACO, another ESRD Care Model, or another program, in which case the quality and cost of care that we furnish will be included in an ACO’s, another ESRD Care Model’s or other program’s calculations.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has also pledged to tie 50% of Medicare payments to quality or alternate payment models by the end of 2018. As new models of care emerge and evolve, we may be at risk for losing our Medicare patient base, which would have a materially adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flow. Other initiatives in the government or private sector may also arise, including the development of models similar to ACOs, independent practice associations (IPAs) and integrated delivery systems or evolutions of those concepts which could adversely impact our business.

We anticipate that we will continue to experience increases in our operating costs in 2017 that will outpace any net Medicare rate increases that we may receive, which could significantly impact our operating results. In addition, we expect to continue experiencing increases in operating costs that are subject to inflation, such as labor and supply costs, regardless of whether there is a compensating inflation-based increase in Medicare payment rates or in payments under the bundled payment rate system.

ESRD patients receiving dialysis services become eligible for primary Medicare coverage at various times, depending on their age or disability status, as well as whether they are covered by a commercial insurance plan. Generally, for a patient not covered by a commercial insurance plan, Medicare becomes the primary payor for ESRD patients receiving dialysis services either immediately or after a three-month waiting period. For a patient covered by a commercial insurance plan, Medicare generally becomes the primary payor after 33 months, which includes the three-month waiting period, or earlier if the patient’s commercial insurance plan coverage terminates. When Medicare becomes the primary payor, the payment rates we receive for that patient shift from the commercial insurance plan rates to Medicare payment rates, which are significantly lower than commercial insurance rates.

Medicare pays 80% of the amount set by the Medicare system for each covered dialysis treatment. The patient is responsible for the remaining 20%. In most cases, a secondary payor, such as Medicare supplemental insurance, a state Medicaid program or a commercial health plan, covers all or part of these balances. Some patients who do not qualify for Medicaid, but otherwise cannot afford secondary insurance, can apply for premium payment assistance from charitable organizations through a program offered by the American Kidney Fund. If a patient does not have secondary insurance coverage, we are generally unsuccessful in our efforts to collect from the patient the remaining 20% portion of the ESRD composite rate that Medicare does not pay. However, we are able to recover some portion of this unpaid patient balance from Medicare through an established cost reporting process by identifying these Medicare bad debts on each center’s Medicare cost report.

The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in December 2016, included a provision that will allow Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD to choose a Medicare Advantage plan. Until the effective date of this law, this choice is available only to Medicare beneficiaries without ESRD. The ESRD related provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act are scheduled to take effect in 2021.

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Medicaid revenue

Medicaid programs are state-administered programs partially funded by the federal government. These programs are intended to provide health coverage for patients whose income and assets fall below state-defined levels and who are otherwise uninsured. These programs also serve as supplemental insurance programs for co-insurance payments due from Medicaid-eligible patients with primary coverage under the Medicare program. Some Medicaid programs also pay for additional services, including some oral medications that are not covered by Medicare. We are enrolled in the Medicaid programs in the states in which we conduct our business.

Commercial revenue

Before a patient becomes eligible to have Medicare as their primary payor for dialysis services, a patient’s commercial insurance plan, if any, is responsible for payment of such dialysis services for the first 33 months, as discussed above. Although commercial payment rates vary, average commercial payment rates established under commercial contracts are generally significantly higher than Medicare rates. The payments we receive from commercial payors generate nearly all of our profits. Payment methods from commercial payors can include a single lump-sum per treatment, referred to as bundled rates, or in other cases separate payments for dialysis treatments and pharmaceuticals, if used as part of the treatment, referred to as Fee-for-Service (FFS) rates. Commercial payment rates are the result of negotiations between us and insurers or third-party administrators. Our out-of-network payment rates are on average higher than in-network commercial contract payment rates. We continue to enter into some commercial contracts, covering certain patients that will primarily pay us under a single bundled payment rate for all dialysis services provided to these patients. However, some contracts will pay us for certain other services and pharmaceuticals in addition to the bundled payment. These contracts typically contain annual price escalator provisions. We are continuously in the process of negotiating agreements with our commercial payors and if our negotiations result in overall commercial contract payment rate reductions in excess of our commercial contract payment rate increases, our revenues and operating results could be negatively impacted. In addition, if there is an increase in job losses in the U.S., or depending upon changes to the healthcare regulatory system by CMS and/or the impact of healthcare insurance exchanges, we could experience a decrease in the number of patients covered under traditional commercial insurance plans. Patients with commercial insurance who cannot otherwise maintain coverage frequently rely on financial assistance from charitable organizations, such as the American Kidney Fund. If these patients are unable to obtain or continue to receive such financial assistance, our revenues, earnings, and cash flow could be substantially reduced.

Approximately 31% of our dialysis services revenues and approximately 12% of our dialysis treatments and patients are associated with non-acute commercial payors for the year ended December 31, 2016. Non-acute commercial patients as a percentage of our total dialysis patients increased 1% as compared to 2015. Less than 1% of our dialysis and related lab services revenues are due directly from patients. There is no single commercial payor that accounted for more than 10% of total dialysis and related lab services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016. See Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report for disclosure on our concentration related to our commercial payors on a total consolidated net revenue basis.

The healthcare reform legislation enacted in 2010 introduced healthcare insurance exchanges which provide a marketplace for eligible individuals and small employers to purchase healthcare insurance. The business and regulatory environment continues to evolve as the exchanges mature, and regulations are challenged, changed and enforced. If commercial payor participation in the exchanges continues to decrease, our revenues, earnings and cash flows could be adversely affected. Although we cannot predict the short- or long-term effects of these factors, we believe the healthcare insurance exchanges could result in a reduction in ESRD patients covered by traditional commercial insurance policies and an increase in the number of patients covered through the exchanges under more restrictive commercial plans with lower reimbursement rates or higher deductibles and co-payments that patients may not be able to pay. To the extent that the ongoing implementation of such exchanges or changes in regulations or enforcement of regulations regarding the exchanges results in a reduction in reimbursement rates for our services from commercial and/or government payors, our revenues, earnings and cash flows could be adversely affected.

In addition, CMS published an interim final rule that establishes new Conditions for Coverage standards for dialysis facilities that require any facility making payments of premiums for individual market health plans to notify patients of potential coverage options and educate them about the benefits of each option. The interim final rule requires facilities to ensure that insurers are informed of and have agreed to accept the payments. On January 25, 2017, the federal court issued a preliminary injunction on CMS’s interim final rule. At this time CMS has not appealed the court’s ruling and we await the final decision from the court. This and any other guidance or rule issued that limits or prohibits the use of charitable premium assistance and/or the ability of patients with access to alternative coverage from selecting a marketplace plan on or off exchange could have a material adverse effect on our revenue, earnings and cash flows.

Revenue from other pharmaceuticals and EPO

The impact of physician-prescribed pharmaceuticals on our overall revenues that are separately billable has significantly decreased since Medicare’s single bundled payment system went into effect beginning in January 2011, as well as some additional

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commercial contracts that pay us a single bundled payment rate. Approximately 2% of our total dialysis and related lab services revenues for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, are associated with the administration of separately-billable physician-prescribed pharmaceuticals. Of this, the administration of EPO that was separately billable, accounted for approximately half of our separately billable pharmaceuticals of our dialysis and related lab services revenues for both years. EPO is produced by a single manufacturer, Amgen USA Inc. (Amgen). In January 2017, we entered into a six year Sourcing and Supply Agreement with Amgen that expires on December 31, 2022, replacing our prior agreement that was to expire in 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, we will purchase EPO in amounts necessary to meet no less than 90% of our requirements for ESAs. The actual amount of EPO that we will purchase from Amgen will depend upon the amount of EPO administered during dialysis as prescribed by physicians and the overall number of patients that we serve. Any interruption in the supply of EPO or product cost increases could impact our operations.

Evaluations on the utilization and reimbursement for erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), like EPO, which have occurred in the past and may occur in the future, and related actions by the U.S. Congress and federal agencies, could result in further restrictions on the utilization and reimbursement for ESAs. Additionally, commercial payors have also increasingly examined their administration policies for EPO and, in some cases, have modified those policies. Changes in labeling of EPO and other pharmaceuticals in a manner that alters physician practice patterns or accepted clinical practices, changes in private and governmental payment criteria, including the introduction of EPO administration policies or the conversion to alternate types of administration of EPO or other pharmaceuticals that result in further decreases in utilization of EPO for patients covered by commercial payors, which pay for pharmaceuticals separately, could have a material impact on our operating results. Further increased utilization of EPO for patients for whom the cost of EPO is included in a bundled reimbursement rate could also have a material impact on our operating results.

Physician relationships

An ESRD patient generally seeks treatment at an outpatient dialysis center near his or her home where his or her treating nephrologist has practice privileges. Our relationships with local nephrologists and our ability to meet their needs and the needs of their patients are key factors in the success of our dialysis operations. Approximately 5,100 nephrologists currently refer patients to our outpatient dialysis centers. As is typical in the dialysis industry, one or a few physicians, including the outpatient dialysis center’s medical director, usually account for all or a significant portion of an outpatient dialysis center’s patient base.

Participation in the Medicare ESRD program requires that dialysis services at an outpatient dialysis center be under the general supervision of a medical director who is a licensed physician. We have engaged physicians or groups of physicians to serve as medical directors for each of our outpatient dialysis centers. At some outpatient dialysis centers, we also separately contract with one or more other physicians to serve as assistant or associate medical directors or to direct specific programs, such as home dialysis training programs. We have approximately 970 individual physicians and physician groups under contract to provide medical director services.

Medical directors for our dialysis centers enter into written contracts with us that specify their duties and fix their compensation generally for periods of ten years. The compensation of our medical directors is the result of arm’s length negotiations and generally depends upon an analysis of various factors such as the physician’s duties, responsibilities, professional qualifications and experience, among others.

Our medical director contracts for our dialysis centers generally include covenants not to compete. Also, except as described below, when we acquire an outpatient dialysis center from one or more physicians or where one or more physicians own minority interests in our outpatient dialysis centers, these physicians have agreed to refrain from owning interests in other competing outpatient dialysis centers within a defined geographic area for various time periods. These non-compete agreements restrict the physicians from owning or providing medical director services to other outpatient dialysis centers, but do not prohibit the physicians from referring patients to any outpatient dialysis center, including competing centers. Many of these non-compete agreements continue for a period of time beyond expiration of the corresponding medical director agreements, although some expire at the same time as the medical director agreement. Occasionally, we experience competition from a new outpatient dialysis center established by a former medical director following the termination of his or her relationship with us. As part of our Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA), as described below, we also have agreed not to enforce investment non-compete restrictions relating to dialysis clinics or programs that were established pursuant to a partial divestiture joint venture transaction. Therefore, to the extent a joint venture partner or medical director has a contract(s) with us covering dialysis clinics or programs that were established pursuant to a partial divestiture, we will not enforce the investment non-compete provision relating to those clinics and/or programs.

If a significant number of physicians, including an outpatient dialysis center’s medical directors, were to cease referring patients to our outpatient dialysis centers, our business could be adversely affected.

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Government regulation

Our dialysis operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local governmental regulations. These regulations require us to meet various standards relating to, among other things, government payment programs, dialysis facilities and equipment, management of centers, personnel qualifications, maintenance of proper records, and quality assurance programs and patient care.

Because we are subject to a number of governmental regulations, our business could be adversely impacted by any of the following:

We expect that our industry will continue to be subject to substantial regulation, the scope and effect of which are difficult to predict. Our activities could be reviewed or challenged by regulatory authorities at any time in the future. This regulation and scrutiny could have a material adverse impact on us.

Licensure and certification

Our dialysis centers are certified by CMS, as is required for the receipt of Medicare payments. In some states, our outpatient dialysis centers also are required to secure additional state licenses and permits. Governmental authorities, primarily state departments of health, periodically inspect our centers to determine if we satisfy applicable federal and state standards and requirements, including the conditions of participation in the Medicare ESRD program.

To date, we have not experienced significant difficulty in maintaining our licenses or enrolling in state Medicaid programs. However, we have experienced some delays in obtaining Medicare certifications from CMS.

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Federal Anti-Kickback Statute

The federal anti-kickback statute contained in the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended (Anti-Kickback Statute), prohibits, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, or order or recommendation of, any good or service, for which payment may be made under federal and state healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Federal criminal penalties for the violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute include imprisonment, fines and exclusion of the provider from future participation in the federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute are punishable by imprisonment for up to five years and fines of up to $25,000 or both. Larger fines can be imposed upon corporations under the provisions of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the Alternate Fines Statute. Individuals and entities convicted of violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute are subject to mandatory exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs for a minimum of five years. Civil penalties for violation of this law include up to $50,000 in monetary penalties per violation, repayments of up to three times the total payments between the parties and suspension from future participation in Medicare and Medicaid. Court decisions have held that the statute may be violated even if only one purpose of remuneration is to induce referrals. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Affordable Care Act (ACA)) amended the federal Anti-Kickback Statute to clarify the intent that is required to prove a violation. Under the statute as amended, the defendant does not need to have actual knowledge of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or have the specific intent to violate it. In addition, the ACA amended the federal Anti-Kickback Statute to provide that any claims for items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute are considered false or fraudulent for purposes of the FCA.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute includes statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors that protect certain arrangements. Business transactions and arrangements that are structured to comply fully with an applicable safe harbor do not violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. However, transactions and arrangements that do not satisfy all elements of a relevant safe harbor do not necessarily violate the law. When an arrangement does not satisfy a safe harbor, the arrangement must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in light of the parties’ intent and the arrangement’s potential for abuse. Arrangements that do not satisfy a safe harbor may be subject to greater scrutiny by enforcement agencies.

We enter into several arrangements with physicians that potentially implicate the Anti-Kickback Statute, such as:

Medical Director Agreements. Because our medical directors refer patients to our dialysis centers, our arrangements with these physicians are designed to substantially comply with the safe harbor for personal service arrangements. Although the Medical Director Agreements we enter into with physicians substantially comply with the safe harbor for personal service arrangements, including the requirement that compensation be consistent with fair market value, the safe harbor requires that when services are provided on a part-time basis, the agreement must specify the schedule of intervals of services, and their precise length and the exact charge for such services. Because of the nature of our medical directors’ duties, it is impossible to fully satisfy this technical element of the safe harbor. We believe that our fair market value arrangements with physicians who serve as medical directors do not violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute; however, these arrangements could be subject to scrutiny since they do not expressly describe the schedule of part-time services to be provided under the arrangement.

Joint Ventures. We own a controlling interest in numerous U.S. dialysis related joint ventures. For the year ended December 31, 2016, these joint ventures represented approximately 24% of our dialysis and related lab services revenues. We may continue to increase the number of our joint ventures. Our relationships with physicians and other referral sources relating to these joint ventures do not fully satisfy the safe harbor for investments in small entities. Although failure to comply with a safe harbor does not render an arrangement illegal under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, an arrangement that does not operate within a safe harbor may be subject to scrutiny and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) has warned in the past that certain joint venture relationships have a potential for abuse. Based upon the foregoing, physician joint ventures that fall outside the safe harbors are not, by definition, prohibited by law. Instead, such joint ventures require case-by-case evaluation under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

In this regard, we have structured our joint ventures to satisfy as many elements of the safe harbor for investments in small entities as we believe are commercially reasonable. For example, we believe that these investments are offered and made by us on a fair market value basis and provide returns to the investors in proportion to their actual investment in the venture. We believe that our joint venture arrangements do not violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute; however, since the arrangements do not satisfy all of the requirements of an applicable safe harbor, these arrangements could be subject to challenge on the ground that they are intended to induce patient referrals. In that regard, we were subject to investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the OIG related to our relationships with physicians, including our joint ventures, and whether those relationships and joint ventures comply with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the FCA. In October 2014, we entered into a Settlement Agreement with the United States and relator David Barbetta to

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resolve the then pending 2010 and 2011 U.S. Attorney physician relationship investigations. In connection with the resolution of this matter, and in exchange for the OIG’s agreement not to exclude us from participating in the federal healthcare programs, we have entered into a five-year CIA with the OIG. The CIA (i) requires that we maintain certain elements of our compliance programs; (ii) imposes certain expanded compliance-related requirements during the term of the CIA; (iii) requires ongoing monitoring and reporting by an independent monitor, imposes certain reporting, certification, records retention and training obligations, allocates certain oversight responsibility to the Board’s Compliance Committee, and necessitates the creation of a Management Compliance Committee and the retention of an independent compliance advisor to the Board; and (iv) contains certain business restrictions related to a subset of our joint venture arrangement. The costs associated with compliance with the CIA could be substantial and may be greater than we currently anticipate. In addition, in the event of a breach of the CIA, we could become liable for payment of certain stipulated penalties, and could be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs.

Lease Arrangements. We lease space for numerous dialysis centers from entities in which physicians, hospitals or medical groups hold ownership interests, and we sublease space to referring physicians at approximately 250 of our dialysis centers as of December 31, 2016. These arrangements comply with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute safe harbor for space rentals in all material respects. Therefore, we believe that these lease arrangements should not be subject to challenge under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

Common Stock. Some medical directors and other referring physicians may own our common stock. We believe that these interests materially satisfy the requirements of the Anti-Kickback Statute safe harbor for investments in large publicly traded companies. Therefore, we believe that these investments should not be subject to challenge under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

Discounts. Our dialysis centers sometimes acquire certain items and services that may be reimbursed by a federal healthcare program at a discount. We believe that our vendor contracts that include discount or rebate provisions are in compliance with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute safe harbor for discounts, and accordingly, we believe that our discounted vendor contracts should not be subject to challenge under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

If any of our business transactions or arrangements, including those described above, were found to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, we could face criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other state and federal healthcare programs. Any findings that we have violated these laws could have a material adverse impact on our operations.

Stark Law

The Stark Law prohibits a physician who has a financial relationship, or who has an immediate family member who has a financial relationship, with entities providing Designated Health Services (DHS), from referring Medicare and Medicaid patients to such entities for the furnishing DHS, unless an exception applies. DHS includes enumerated items and services, including home health services, outpatient prescription drugs, inpatient and outpatient hospital services and clinical laboratory services. The types of financial arrangements between a physician and a DHS entity that trigger the self-referral prohibitions of the Stark Law are broad and include direct and indirect ownership and investment interests and compensation arrangements. The Stark Law also prohibits the DHS entity receiving a prohibited referral from presenting, or causing to be presented, a claim or billing for the services arising out of the prohibited referral. The prohibition applies regardless of the reasons for the financial relationship and the referral; unlike the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, intent to induce referrals is not required. Sanctions for violation of the Stark Law include denial of payment for claims for services provided in violation of the prohibition, refunds of amounts collected in violation of the prohibition, a civil penalty of up to $15,000 for each service arising out of the prohibited referral, a civil penalty of up to $100,000 against parties that enter into a scheme to circumvent the Stark Law prohibition, civil assessment of up to three times the amount claimed, and potential exclusion from the federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Amounts collected for prohibited claims must be reported and refunded generally within 60 days after the date on which the overpayment was identified. Furthermore, Stark Law violations and failure to return overpayments timely can form the basis for FCA liability as discussed below.

The definition of DHS under the Stark Law excludes services paid under a composite rate, even if some of the components bundled in the composite rate are DHS, unless the DHS services are themselves payable through a composite rate. Although the ESRD bundled payment system is no longer titled a composite rate, we believe that the former composite rate payment system and the current bundled system are both composite systems excluded from the Stark Law. Since most services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries provided in our dialysis centers are reimbursed through a composite or bundled rate, the services performed in our facilities generally are not DHS, and the Stark Law referral prohibition does not apply to those services. Likewise, the definition of inpatient hospital services, for purposes of the Stark Law, also excludes inpatient dialysis performed in hospitals that are not certified to provide ESRD services. Consequently, our arrangements with such hospitals for the provision of dialysis services to hospital inpatients do not trigger the Stark Law referral prohibition.

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In addition, although prescription drugs are DHS, there is an exception in the Stark Law for EPO and other specifically enumerated dialysis drugs when furnished in or by an ESRD facility such that the arrangement for the furnishing of the drugs does not violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, and all billing and claims submission for the drugs does not violate any laws or regulations governing billing or claims submission. The exception is available only for drugs included on a list of Current Procedural Terminology/Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (CPT/HCPCS) codes published by CMS, and for EPO, Aranesp^® and equivalent drugs dispensed by the ESRD facility for use at home. While we believe that most drugs furnished by our dialysis centers are covered by the exception, dialysis centers may administer drugs that are not on the list of CPT/HCPCS codes and therefore do not meet this exception. In order for a physician who has a financial relationship with a dialysis center to order one of these drugs from the center and for the center to obtain Medicare reimbursement, another exception must apply.

We have entered into several types of financial relationships with referring physicians, including compensation arrangements. If an arrangement does not meet a Stark Law exception, we could in the future be required to change our practices, face civil penalties, pay substantial fines, return certain payments received from Medicare and beneficiaries or otherwise experience a material adverse effect as a result of a challenge to payments made pursuant to referrals from these physicians under the Stark Law.

Medical Director Agreements. We believe that our medical director agreements satisfy the personal services arrangement exception to the Stark Law. While we believe that the compensation provisions included in our medical director agreements are the result of arm’s length negotiations and result in fair market value payments for medical director services, an enforcement agency could nevertheless challenge the level of compensation that we pay our medical directors.

Lease Agreements. Some of our dialysis centers are leased from entities in which referring physicians hold interests and we sublease space to referring physicians at some of our dialysis centers. The Stark Law provides an exception for lease arrangements if specific requirements are met. We believe that our leases and subleases with referring physicians satisfy the requirements for this exception.

Common Stock. Some medical directors and other referring physicians may own our common stock. We believe that these interests satisfy the Stark Law exception for investments in large publicly traded companies.

Joint Ventures. Some of our referring physicians also own equity interests in entities that operate our dialysis centers. None of the Stark Law exceptions applicable to physician ownership interests in entities to which they make DHS referrals apply to the kinds of ownership arrangements that referring physicians hold in several of our subsidiaries that operate dialysis centers. Accordingly, these dialysis centers do not bill Medicare for DHS referrals from physician owners. If the dialysis centers bill for DHS referred by physician owners, the dialysis center would be subject to the Stark Law penalties described above.

While we believe that most of our operations do not implicate the Stark Law, particularly under the ESRD bundled payment system, and that to the extent that our dialysis centers furnish DHS, they either meet an exception or do not bill for services that do not meet a Stark Law exception, if CMS determined that we have submitted claims in violation to the Stark Law, we would be subject to the penalties described above. In addition, it might be necessary to restructure existing compensation agreements with our medical directors and to repurchase or to request the sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries and partnerships held by referring physicians or, alternatively, to refuse to accept referrals for DHS from these physicians. Any such penalties and restructuring could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

Fraud and abuse under state law

Many states in which we operate dialysis centers have statutes prohibiting physicians from holding financial interests in various types of medical facilities to which they refer patients. Some of these statutes could potentially be interpreted broadly as prohibiting physicians who hold shares of our publicly traded stock from referring patients to our dialysis centers if the centers use our laboratory subsidiary to perform laboratory services for their patients. States also have laws similar to or stricter than the federal Anti-Kickback Statute that may affect our ability to receive referrals from physicians with whom we have financial relationships, such as our medical directors. Some state anti-kickback statutes also include civil and criminal penalties. Some of these statutes include exemptions that may be applicable to our medical directors and other physician relationships or for financial interests limited to shares of publicly traded stock. Some, however, include no explicit exemption for medical director services or other services for which we contract with and compensate referring physicians or for joint ownership interests of the type held by some of our referring physicians or for financial interests limited to shares of publicly traded stock. If these statutes are interpreted to apply to referring physicians with whom we contract for medical director and similar services, to referring physicians with whom we hold joint ownership interests or to physicians who hold interests in DaVita Inc. limited solely to our publicly traded stock, we may be required to terminate or restructure some or all of our relationships with or refuse referrals from these referring physicians and could be subject to criminal, civil and administrative sanctions, refund requirements and exclusions from government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Such events could negatively affect the decision of referring physicians to refer patients to our centers.

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The False Claims Act

The federal FCA is a means of policing false bills or false requests for payment in the healthcare delivery system. In part, the FCA authorizes the imposition of up to three times the government’s damages and civil penalties on any person who, among other acts:

In addition, amendments to the FCA impose severe penalties for the knowing and improper retention of overpayments collected from government payors. Under these provisions, within 60 days of identifying an overpayment, a provider is required to notify CMS or the Medicare Administrative Contractor of the overpayment and the reason for it and return the overpayment. An overpayment impermissibly retained could subject us to liability under the FCA, exclusion, and penalties under the federal Civil Monetary Penalty statute. As a result of these provisions, our procedures for identifying and processing overpayments may be subject to greater scrutiny. We have made significant investments to accelerate the time it takes us to identify and process overpayments and we may be required to make additional investments in the future. Acceleration in our ability to identify and process overpayments could result in us refunding overpayments to government or other payors sooner than we have in the past. A significant acceleration of these refunds could have a material adverse effect on our operating cash flows.

The penalties for a violation of the FCA range from $5,500 to $11,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each false claim, plus up to three times the amount of damages caused by each false claim, which can be as much as the amounts received directly or indirectly from the government for each such false claim. On February 3, 2017, the DOJ issued a final rule announcing adjustments to FCA penalties, under which the per claim penalty range increases to $10,957 to $21,916 for penalties assessed after February 3, 2017, so long as the underlying conduct occurred after November 2, 2015. The federal government has used the FCA to prosecute a wide variety of alleged false claims and fraud allegedly perpetrated against Medicare and state healthcare programs, including coding errors, billing for services not rendered, the submission of false cost reports, billing for services at a higher payment rate than appropriate, billing under a comprehensive code as well as under one or more component codes included in the comprehensive code and billing for care that is not considered medically necessary. The ACA provides that claims tainted by a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute are false for purposes of the FCA. Some courts have held that filing claims or failing to refund amounts collected in violation of the Stark Law can form the basis for liability under the FCA. In addition to the provisions of the FCA, which provide for civil enforcement, the federal government can use several criminal statutes to prosecute persons who are alleged to have submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government.

Privacy and Security

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing privacy and security regulations, as amended by the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), (collectively referred to as HIPAA), require us to provide certain protections to patients and their health information. The HIPAA privacy and security regulations extensively regulate the use and disclosure of PHI and require covered entities, which include healthcare providers, to implement and maintain administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect the security of such information. Additional security requirements apply to electronic PHI. These regulations also provide patients with substantive rights with respect to their health information.

The HIPAA privacy and security regulations also require us to enter into written agreements with certain contractors, known as business associates, to whom they disclose PHI. Covered entities may be subject to penalties as a result of a business associate violating HIPAA if the business associate is found to be an agent of the covered entity and acting within the scope of the agency. Business associates are also directly subject to liability under the HIPAA privacy and security regulations. In instances where our centers act as a business associate to a covered entity, there is the potential for additional liability beyond the center’s covered entity status.

Covered entities must report breaches of unsecured PHI to affected individuals without unreasonable delay but not to exceed 60 days of discovery of the breach by a covered entity or its agents. Notification must also be made to the HHS, and, for breaches of unsecured PHI involving more than 500 residents of a state or jurisdiction, to the media. All non-permitted uses or disclosures of

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unsecured PHI are presumed to be breaches unless the covered entity or business associate establishes that there is a low probability the information has been compromised. Various state laws and regulations may also require us to notify affected individuals in the event of a data breach involving individually identifiable information without regard to whether there is a low probability of the information being compromised.

Penalties for impermissible use or disclosure of PHI were increased by the HITECH Act by imposing tiered penalties of more than $50,000 per violation and up to $1.5 million per year for identical violations. In addition, HIPAA provides for criminal penalties of up to $250,000 and ten years in prison, with the severest penalties for obtaining and disclosing PHI with the intent to sell, transfer or use such information for commercial advantage, personal gain or malicious harm. Further, state attorneys general may bring civil actions seeking either injunction or damages in response to violations of the HIPAA privacy and security regulations that threaten the privacy of state residents. We believe our HIPAA Privacy and Security Program sufficiently addresses HIPAA and state privacy law requirements.

Healthcare reform

In March 2010, broad healthcare reform legislation was enacted in the U.S. Although many of the provisions of the legislation did not take effect immediately and continue to be implemented, and some have been and may be modified before or during their implementation, the reforms could have an impact on our business in a number of ways. We cannot predict how employers, private payors or persons buying insurance might react to these changes or what form many of these regulations will take before implementation.

The law requires that all non-grandfathered individual and small group health plans sold in a state, including plans sold through the state-based exchanges created pursuant to the healthcare reform laws, cover essential health benefits (EHBs) in ten general categories. The scope of the benefits is intended to equal the scope of benefits under a typical employer plan.

In December 2011, the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight published an Essential Health Benefits Bulletin (EHB Bulletin) describing the approach it was taking regarding the implementation of the EHB Bulletin requirement. For the two year transition period (from 2014 through 2015) the law required states to define an EHB benchmark plan that would set the general standards for the EHB that must be covered by plans in the state, subject to certain overarching federal requirements. States that did not define an EHB benchmark plan must use the small group plan with the largest enrollment in the state.

On February 25, 2013, for example, HHS issued the final rule governing the standards applicable to EHB benchmark plans, new definitions, actuarial value requirements and methodology, and published a list of plan benchmark options that states can use to develop EHBs. The rule describes specific coverage requirements that (i) prohibit discrimination against individuals because of pre-existing or chronic conditions on health plans applicable to EHBs, (ii) ensure network adequacy of essential health providers, and (iii) prohibit benefit designs that limit enrollment and that prohibit access to care for enrollees. Subsequent regulations relevant to the EHB have continued the benchmark plan approach for 2016 and future years and have implemented clarifications and modifications to the existing EHB regulations, including the prohibition on discrimination, network adequacy standards and other requirements. In recent years, CMS has issued an annual Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters rulemaking and related guidance setting for standards for insurance plans provided through the exchanges.

Other aspects of the 2010 healthcare reform laws may affect our business, as well, including changes affecting the Medicare and Medicaid programs. We note, however, that the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the exchanges and other ACA reforms to be very unclear. The Republicans, who now control the Administration and Congress, have repeatedly expressed a desire to repeal and replace the ACA. As a result, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the future with respect to the exchanges, and, indeed, many core aspects of the current health care marketplace. While specific changes and their timing are not yet apparent, it does appear likely that there will be significant changes to the healthcare environment in the near and short term. The enacted reforms as well as future legislative changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, including lowering our reimbursement rates and increasing our expenses.

Other regulations

Our dialysis and related lab services operations are subject to various state hazardous waste and non-hazardous medical waste disposal laws. These laws do not classify as hazardous most of the waste produced from dialysis services. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations require employers to provide workers who are occupationally subject to blood or other potentially infectious materials with prescribed protections. These regulatory requirements apply to all healthcare facilities, including dialysis centers, and require employers to make a determination as to which employees may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials and to have in effect a written exposure control plan. In addition, employers are required to provide or employ hepatitis B vaccinations, personal protective equipment and other safety devices, infection control training, post-exposure evaluation and follow-

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up, waste disposal techniques and procedures and work practice controls. Employers are also required to comply with various record-keeping requirements. We believe that we are in material compliance with these laws and regulations.

A few states have certificate of need programs regulating the establishment or expansion of healthcare facilities, including dialysis centers. We believe that we are in material compliance with all applicable state certificate of need laws.

Capacity and location of our U.S. dialysis centers

Typically we are able to increase our capacity by extending hours at our existing dialysis centers, expanding our existing dialysis centers, relocating our dialysis centers, developing new dialysis centers and by acquiring dialysis centers. The development of a typical outpatient dialysis center by us generally requires approximately $2.8 million for leasehold improvements, equipment and first-year working capital. Based on our experience, a new outpatient dialysis center typically opens within a year after the property lease is signed, normally achieves operating profitability in the second year after Medicare certification and normally reaches maturity within three to five years. Acquiring an existing outpatient dialysis center requires a substantially greater initial investment, but profitability and cash flows are generally accelerated and more predictable. To a limited extent, we enter into agreements to provide management and administrative services to outpatient dialysis centers in which we either own a noncontrolling equity investment, or are wholly-owned by third parties in return for management fees, which are typically based on a percentage of revenues or cash collections of the managed center’s operations.

The table below shows the growth of our U.S. dialysis operations by number of dialysis centers.

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As of December 31, 2016, we operated or provided administrative services to a total of 2,350 U.S. outpatient dialysis centers. A total of 2,316 of such centers are consolidated in our financial statements. Of the remaining 34 unconsolidated U.S. outpatient dialysis centers, we own a noncontrolling interest in 27 centers and provide management and administrative services to seven centers that are wholly-owned by third parties. The locations of the 2,316 U.S. outpatient dialysis centers consolidated in our financial statements at December 31, 2016 were as follows:

California 269, Texas 217, Florida 175, Georgia 127, Ohio 123, Pennsylvania 104, Illinois 89, Michigan 83, North Carolina 72, Virginia 71, Maryland 61, Indiana 60, New Jersey 57, Missouri 56, Tennessee 56,  Alabama 55, New York 54, Minnesota 51, Wisconsin 43, Washington 40, Oklahoma 38, Colorado 37, Louisiana 36, Kentucky 35, South Carolina 35, Arkansas 33, Arizona 27, Kansas 27, Iowa 26 Connecticut 25, Oregon 24, Nevada 19, Nebraska 15, Massachusetts 12, Mississippi 11, District of Columbia 10, Idaho 9 West Virginia 9, New Mexico 6, New Hampshire 4, Utah 4, South Dakota 4, Maine 3, North Dakota 2, Montana 1 and Rhode Island 1

Ancillary services and strategic initiatives businesses, including our international operations

As of December 31, 2016, our ancillary services and strategic initiatives consisted primarily of pharmacy services, disease management services, vascular access services, clinical research, physician services, direct primary care and our international dialysis operations and relate primarily to our core business of providing kidney care services.

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Ancillary services and strategic initiatives consist primarily of the following as of December 31, 2016:

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International dialysis operations

As of December 31, 2016, we operated or provided administrative services to a total of 154 outpatient dialysis centers, which includes consolidated and nonconsolidated centers, located in 11 countries outside of the U.S., serving approximately 15,100 patients. Our international dialysis operations continue to grow steadily and expand as a result of developing and acquiring outpatient dialysis centers in various strategic markets. Our international operations are included as a component of our ancillary services and strategic initiatives. The table below summarizes the number and locations of our international outpatient dialysis centers.

The locations of our international outpatient dialysis centers are as follows:

Corporate Administrative Support

Corporate administrative support consists primarily of labor, benefits and long-term incentive compensation costs for departments which provide support to all of our different operating lines of business. These expenses are included in our consolidated general and administrative expenses and are partially offset by the allocation of management fees.

DaVita Medical Group (DMG) Division

DMG business overview

DMG is a patient- and physician-focused integrated healthcare delivery and management company with over two decades of experience providing coordinated, outcomes-based medical care in a cost-effective manner. As of December 31, 2016, DMG served approximately 749,300 members under its care in southern California, central and south Florida, southern Nevada and central New Mexico through capitation contracts with some of the nation’s leading health plans. Of these members, approximately 305,200 individuals were patients enrolled in Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and the remaining approximately 444,100 individuals were managed care members whose health coverage is provided through their employer or who have individually acquired health coverage directly from a health plan or as a result of their eligibility for Medicaid benefits. In addition to its managed care business, during the year ended December 31, 2016, DMG provided care across all markets to over 896,200 patients whose health coverage is structured on a FFS basis, including patients enrolled through traditional Medicare and Medicaid programs, preferred provider organizations and other third party payors.

DMG patients as well as the patients of DMG’s associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs benefit from an integrated approach to medical care that places the physician at the center of patient care. As of December 31, 2016, DMG delivered services to its members via a network of approximately 700 primary care physicians, over 2,500 associated group and other network primary care physicians, approximately 200 network hospitals, and several thousand associated group and network specialists. Together with hundreds of case managers, registered nurses and other care coordinators, these medical professionals utilize a comprehensive

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information technology system, sophisticated risk management techniques and clinical protocols to provide high-quality, cost-effective care to DMG’s members.

U.S. healthcare spending has increased steadily over the past twenty years. These increases have been driven, in part, by the aging of the baby boomer generation, lack of healthy lifestyle both in terms of exercise and diet, rapidly increasing costs in medical technology and pharmaceutical research, and provider reimbursement structures that may promote volume over quality in a FFS environment. These factors, as well as the steady growth of the U.S. population, have made the healthcare industry a growing market. In 2015, CMS reported that healthcare accounted for 17.8% of the U.S. gross domestic product and that healthcare spending increased 5.8% to reach $3.2 trillion. Medicare spending grew 4.5% to $646 billion in 2015 or 20% of National Health Expenditures, according to CMS. Medicare’s share of the federal budget was 14.8% in 2015 according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Medicare is frequently the focus of discussions on how to moderate the growth of both federal spending and healthcare spending in the U.S.

Growth in Medicare spending is expected to continue due to population demographics. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population aged 65 and over is expected to be 83.7 million in 2050 — almost double its estimated population of 43.1 million in 2012.

Medicare Advantage is an alternative to the traditional FFS Medicare program, which permits Medicare beneficiaries to receive benefits from a managed care health plan. Medicare Advantage plans contract with CMS to provide benefits that are at least comparable to those offered under the traditional FFS Medicare program in exchange for a fixed monthly premium payment per member from CMS. The monthly premium varies based on the county in which the member resides, as adjusted to reflect the plan members’ demographics and the members’ risk scores. Individuals who elect to participate in the Medicare Advantage program typically receive greater benefits than traditional FFS Medicare Part B beneficiaries, including additional preventive services, vision, dental and prescription drug benefits, and often have lower deductibles and co-payments than traditional FFS Medicare.

CMS pays Medicare Advantage health plans under a bidding process. Plans bid against county-level benchmarks. If a plan’s bid is higher than the benchmark, enrollees pay the difference in the form of a monthly premium. If the bid is lower than the benchmark, the plan receives the difference between its payment amount and its bid as a rebate, which must be returned to enrollees in the form of additional benefits, reduced premiums, or lower cost sharing.

Managed care health plans were developed, primarily during the 1980s, in an attempt to mitigate the rising cost of providing healthcare benefits to populations covered by traditional health insurance. These managed care health plans often enroll members through their employers. As a result of the prevalence of these health plans, many seniors now becoming eligible for Medicare have been interacting with managed care companies through their employers for the last 30 years. Individuals turning 65 now are likely to be far more familiar with the managed care setting than previous Medicare populations. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2016, Medicare Advantage represented 31% of total Medicare members, creating a significant opportunity for additional Medicare Advantage penetration of newly eligible seniors.

In an effort to reduce the number of uninsured and to begin to control healthcare expenditures, President Obama signed the ACA into law in March 2010, which was affirmed, in substantial part, by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2012. As of the end of 2015, the number of uninsured nonelderly Americans was 28.5 million, a decrease of nearly 13 million since 2013. These previously uninsured Americans and potentially newly eligible Medicaid beneficiaries represent a significant new market opportunity for health plans. We believe that health plans looking to cover these newly eligible individuals under fixed premium arrangements will seek provider arrangements that can effectively manage the cost and quality of the care being provided to these newly eligible individuals, although the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the ACA to be unclear.

One of the primary ways in which the ACA funded increased health insurance coverage is through cuts in Medicare Advantage reimbursement. County benchmarks are transitioning to a system in which each county’s benchmark in 2017 will be a certain percentage (ranging from 95% to 115%) of FFS. In a March 2016 report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) estimated that 2016 Medicare Advantage benchmarks (including the average 4% for quality bonuses), bids, and payments would average 107%, 94%, and 102% of FFS spending, respectively.

Despite the fact that the plan bids average less than FFS spending, payments for enrollees in these plans usually exceed FFS spending because the benchmarks are high relative to FFS spending. For example, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) as a group bid an average of 90% of FFS spending, yet 2016 payments for HMO enrollees are estimated to average 101% of FFS spending because the benchmarks, including the quality bonuses, average 106% of FFS spending.

Nonetheless, changes in benchmarks and/or bids that lower payments to Medicare Advantage plans could adversely affect DMG’s operating results.

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Many health plans recognize both the opportunity for growth from senior members as well as the potential risks and costs associated with managing additional senior members. In regions operated by DMG and numerous other markets, many health plans subcontract a significant portion of the responsibility for managing patient care to integrated medical networks such as DMG. These integrated healthcare networks, whether medical groups or IPAs, offer a comprehensive medical delivery system and sophisticated care management know-how and infrastructure to more efficiently provide for the healthcare needs of the population enrolled with that health plan. While reimbursement models for these arrangements vary around the country, health plans in California, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico often prospectively pay the integrated healthcare network a fixed Per Member Per Month (PMPM) amount, or capitation payment, which is often based on a percentage of the amount received by the health plan. The capitation payment is for much—and sometimes virtually all—of the care needs of the applicable membership. Capitation payments to integrated healthcare networks, in the aggregate, represent a prospective budget from which the network manages care-related expenses on behalf of the population enrolled with that network. To the extent that these networks manage care-related expenses under the capitated levels, the network realizes an operating profit. On the other hand, if care-related expenses exceed projected levels, the network will realize an operating deficit. Since premiums paid represent a significant amount per person, there is a significant revenue opportunity for an integrated medical network like DMG that is able to effectively manage its costs under a capitated arrangement.

Integrated medical networks, such as DMG, that have scale are positioned to spread an individual member’s cost experience across a wider population and realize the benefits of pooling medical risk among large numbers of patients. In addition, integrated medical networks with years of managed care experience can utilize their sizeable medical experience data to identify specific medical care and quality management strategies and interventions for potential high cost cases and aggressively manage them to improve the health of its population base and, thus, lower cost. Many integrated medical networks, like DMG, have also established physician performance metrics that allow them to monitor quality and service outcomes achieved by participating physicians in order to reward efficient, high quality care delivered to members and initiate improvement efforts for physicians whose results can be enhanced.

Brand name

In 2016, we started the transition of the medical group brand name from HealthCare Partners (HCP) and several other names to DaVita Medical Group (DMG). The marketing plan as it relates to the transition will be a phased approach and will occur over the course of one to two years with the exception of the Washington market which is still in the planning stages. Coming together under one name is part of DMG’s vision to strive to be the leading independent medical group in the U.S.

Healthcare reform

The U.S. healthcare system, including the Medicare Advantage program, is subject to a broad array of new laws and regulations as a result of the ACA. This legislation made significant changes to the Medicare program and to the health insurance market overall. The ACA is considered by some to be the most dramatic change to the U.S. healthcare system in decades. The U.S. Supreme Court found that the individual mandate to obtain health insurance coverage under this legislation is constitutional and also found that the expanded Medicaid benefit included in the legislation is constitutional if states can opt out of the expanded Medicaid benefit without losing their funding under the pre-reform Medicaid program. In a separate, subsequent case, the U.S. Supreme Court also upheld the use of subsidies to individuals in federally-facilitated healthcare exchanges, rejecting an argument that such subsidies would apply only in the state-run healthcare exchanges.

The ACA reflects sweeping legislation that, once fully implemented, may have a significant impact on the U.S. healthcare system generally and the operations of DMG’s business. There are numerous steps required to implement the ACA, and implementation remains ongoing. Congress also has enacted, and may continue to seek, legislative changes that alter, delay, or eliminate some of their provisions. For example, under the 2016 Omnibus budget agreement, Congress voted to delay certain new taxes that the ACA had enacted, including the excise tax on certain high-cost health plans, the medical device tax, and the tax on health insurers. In addition, the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the ACA to be unclear. While specific changes and their timing are not yet apparent, the enacted reforms as well as future legislative changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, including lowering our reimbursement rates and increasing our expenses.

One provision of the ACA required CMS to establish a Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) that promotes accountability and coordination of care through the creation of ACOs. The program allows certain providers and suppliers (including hospitals, physicians and other designated professionals) to voluntarily form ACOs and work together along with other ACO participants to invest in infrastructure and redesign delivery processes to achieve high quality and efficient delivery of services. In 2014, DMG entered into an agreement with CMS to participate in the MSSP in California, Florida and Nevada. Under this program, which ran through 2016, DMG strove to attain improved clinical outcomes to its Medicare FFS patients in a more cost-effective manner, and had the opportunity to share with CMS in any financial savings created. To date, DMG has not received a shared savings payment associated with this program, with one final measurement period still remaining. As part of our commitment to the Medicare ACO space, DMG applied for and was selected to participate in the CMS Innovation Center’s Next Generation ACO in our California market, which begins in 2017.

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Payor environment

Government programs

DMG derives a significant portion of its revenues from services rendered to beneficiaries of Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), Medicaid, and other governmental healthcare programs.

Medicare. The Medicare program was established in 1965 and became effective in 1967 as a federally funded U.S. health insurance program for persons aged 65 and older, and it was later expanded to include individuals with ESRD and certain disabled persons, regardless of income or age. Since its formation, Medicare has grown to an approximately $646 billion program in 2015, covering approximately 57 million Americans and, based on the growing number of eligible beneficiaries and increases in the cost of healthcare, CBO projects that net Medicare spending will increase from $592 billion in 2016 to $1.1 trillion in 2026.

Initially, Medicare was offered only on a FFS basis. Under the Medicare FFS payment system, an individual can choose any licensed physician enrolled in Medicare and use the services of any hospital, healthcare provider or facility certified by Medicare. CMS reimburses providers for covered services if CMS considers them medically necessary.

FFS Medicare pays for physician services according to a physician fee schedule (PFS) set each year by CMS in accordance with formulas mandated by Congress. Historically, CMS annually adjusted the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (Medicare PFS) payment rates based on an updated formula that included application of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). On April 16, 2015, President Obama signed and enacted into law H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which, among other things, repealed the SGR and instituted a 0% update to the single conversion factor under the Medicare PFS from January 1 through June 30, 2015, a 0.5% update for July 2015 through the end of 2019, and a 0% update for 2020 through 2025. For 2026 and subsequent years, the update will be either 0.75% or 0.25%, depending on which Alternate Payment Model (APM) the physician participates. On October 14, 2016, CMS released a final rule implementing, among other changes, the Advanced APM incentive applicable to the physician fee schedule, under which physicians may receive bonus payments for participating in an Advanced APM. Among other things, the final rule identifies the criteria an APM must satisfy to be considered an Advanced APM, which could include some MSSP ACOs or providers participating in the CEC Model. Whether DMG’s subsidiary ACO or dialysis providers participating in CEC are considered to be Advanced APMs could potentially affect physicians’ willingness to participate in such entities, which may indirectly impact the operations of DMG’s subsidiary ACO or its providers participating in the CEC Model. In addition, under the final rule, DMG’s subsidiary ACO may also be required to submit certain quality data to CMS on behalf of its Merit-Based Incentive Payment System MIPS-eligible clinicians, which could result in an increase in operational costs. Given that the payment updates for APMs have yet to take effect, we cannot determine the impact of such payment models on our business at this time.

In addition, in recent years, Congress has enacted various laws seeking to reduce the federal debt level and contain healthcare expenditures. For example, the BCA called for the establishment of a Joint Select Committee (the Committee) on Deficit Reduction, tasked with reducing the federal debt level. However, because the Committee did not draft a proposal by the BCA’s deadline, President Obama issued an initial sequestration order that imposed automatic spending cuts on various federal programs. In particular, a 2% reduction to Medicare payments took effect on April 1, 2013, which was subsequently extended through 2025.

The instability of the federal budget may lead to legislation that could result in further cuts in Medicare and Medicaid payments to providers. In recent years, the government has enacted a patchwork of appropriations legislation to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and continue government operations. The Medicare program is frequently mentioned as a target for spending cuts. Spending cuts to the Medicare program could adversely affect our operating results.

Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage is a Medicare health plan program developed and administered by CMS as an alternative to the original FFS Medicare program. Under the Medicare Advantage program, Medicare beneficiaries may choose to receive benefits under a managed care health plan that provides benefits at least comparable to those offered under the original Medicare FFS payment system in exchange for which the health plan receives a monthly per patient premium payment from CMS. The Medicare Advantage monthly premium varies based on the county in which the member resides, and is adjusted to reflect the demographics and estimated risk profile of the members that enroll. Once a person is authorized by CMS to participate in Medicare Advantage, health plans compete for enrollment based on benefit design differences such as co-payments or deductibles, availability of preventive care, attractiveness of and access to a network of hospitals, physicians and ancillary providers and premium contribution or, most often in Medicare Advantage plans, the absence of any monthly premium. In certain parts of the country, many health plans that provide Medicare Advantage benefits subcontract with integrated medical networks such as DMG to transfer the responsibility for managing patient care.

In 2004, CMS adopted a risk adjustment payment system for Medicare Advantage health plans in which the participating health plans’ premiums are adjusted based on the actual illness burden of the members that enroll. The model bases a portion of the total CMS reimbursement payments on various clinical and demographic factors, including hospital inpatient diagnoses, additional

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diagnosis data from ambulatory treatment settings, hospital outpatient department and physician visits, gender, age and Medicaid eligibility. CMS requires that all managed care companies capture, collect and submit the necessary diagnosis code information to CMS twice a year for reconciliation with CMS’s internal database. Medical providers, such as DMG, provide this diagnosis code information to health plan customers for submission to CMS. Under this system, the risk-adjusted portion of the total CMS payment to the Medicare Advantage plans will equal the local rate set forth in the traditional demographic rate book, adjusted to reflect the plan members’ gender, age and morbidity.

Most Medicare beneficiaries have the option to enroll in private health insurance plans that contract with Medicare under the Medicare Advantage program. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the share of Medicare beneficiaries in such plans has risen rapidly in recent years; it reached approximately 31% in 2016 from approximately 13% in 2004. Plan costs for the standard benefit package can be significantly lower or higher than the corresponding cost for beneficiaries in the traditional Medicare FFS payment program, but prior to the ACA, private plans were generally paid a higher average amount, and they used the additional payments to reduce enrollee cost-sharing requirements, provide extra benefits, and/or reduce Medicare premiums. These enhancements were valuable to enrollees, but also resulted in higher Medicare costs overall and higher premiums for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries and not just those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. The ACA requires that future payments to plans be based on benchmarks in a range of 95% to 115% of local FFS Medicare costs, with bonus amounts payable to plans meeting high quality-of-care standards. In addition, health plans offering Medicare Advantage are required to spend at least 85% of their premium dollars on medical care, the so-called medical loss ratio (MLR). Since DMG is not a health plan, except for DaVita Health Plan of California, Inc. (DHPC), it is not subject to the 85% MLR requirement. See “DaVita Medical Group Division (DMG)—Knox-Keene” below. However, payments that health plans make to DMG will apply in full towards the health plans’ 85% MLR requirement. If a health plan does not meet the 85% MLR requirement, it must provide a rebate to its customers. Any such shortfalls would not impact amounts paid by health plans to DMG.

Medicaid. Medicaid is a federal entitlement program administered by the states that provides healthcare and long-term care services and support to low-income Americans. Medicaid is funded jointly by the states and the federal government. The federal government guarantees matching funds to states for qualifying Medicaid expenditures based on each state’s federal medical assistance percentage, which is calculated annually and varies inversely with average personal income in the state. Subject to federal rules, each state establishes its own eligibility standards, benefit packages, payment rates and program administration within broad federal statutory and regulatory guidelines. Every state Medicaid program must balance a number of potentially competing demands, including the need for quality care, adequate provider access, and cost-effectiveness. In an effort to improve quality and provide more uniform and cost-effective care, many states have implemented Medicaid managed care programs to improve access to coordinated healthcare services, including preventative care, and to control healthcare costs. Under Medicaid managed care programs, a health plan receives capitation payments from the state. The health plan, in turn, arranges for the provision of healthcare services by contracting with a network of medical providers, such as DMG. DMG has entered into capitation agreements with health plans to manage approximately 105,800 Medicaid managed care members in its southern California market.

Commercial payors

According to the 2016 Annual Survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 150 million non-elderly people in the U.S. received their health insurance through their employers, which contracted with health plans to administer these healthcare benefits. Patients enrolled in health plans offered through an employment setting are generally referred to as commercial members. According to the survey, the percentage of workers covered was 55% in 2016, similar to the 56% covered in 2015. Under the ACA, many uninsured individuals and many individuals who receive their health insurance benefits through small employers may purchase their healthcare benefits through insurance exchanges in which health plans compete directly for individual or small group members’ enrollment. DMG derives a significant amount of its enrollment from commercial members; however, these members represent a disproportionately small share of DMG’s operating profits.

Whether in the Medicare Advantage, commercial or Medicaid market, managed care health plans seek to provide a coordinated and efficient approach to managing the healthcare needs of their enrolled populations. By negotiating with providers, such as pharmacies, hospitals and physicians, and implementing various quality programs, managed care companies attempt to enhance their profitability by limiting their medical costs. These health plans have shown success in mitigating certain components of medical cost, but we believe they are limited by their indirect relationship with physicians, who in the aggregate direct most of their patients’ healthcare costs. We believe that physician-led and professionally-managed integrated medical networks such as DMG’s have a greater opportunity to influence cost and improve quality due to the close coordination of care at the most effective point of contact with the patient—the primary care physician.

Capitation and FFS revenue

There are a number of different models under which an integrated medical network receives payment for managing and providing healthcare services to its members.

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Fee-for-service structure. Under traditional FFS reimbursement, physicians are paid a specified FFS that they provide during a patient visit. Under this structure, physician compensation is based on the volume of patient visits and procedures performed, thus offering limited financial incentive to focus on cost containment and preventative care. FFS revenues are derived primarily from DMG’s physician services.

Capitation structure. Under capitation, payors pay a fixed amount per enrolled member, thereby subcontracting a significant portion of the responsibility and risks for managing patient care to physicians. Global capitation represents a prospective budget from which the provider network then manages care-related expenses including payments to associated providers outside the group, such as hospitals and specialists. Compared to traditional FFS models, we believe that capitation arrangements better align provider incentives with both quality and efficiency of care for a population of patients. We believe that this approach improves the quality of the experience for patients and the potential profitability for efficient care providers.

Since premiums paid represent a significant amount per person, the revenue and, when costs are effectively managed, profit opportunity available to an integrated medical network under a capitated arrangement can be significant. This is particularly the case for patients with multiple diseases and senior members. We believe that the advantages, savings and efficiencies made possible by the capitated model are most pronounced when the care demands of the population are the most severe and require the most coordination, such as for the senior population or patients with chronic, complex and follow-on diseases. While organized coordination of care is central to the capitated model, it is also well suited to the implementation of preventative care and disease management over the long-term since physicians have a financial incentive to improve the overall health of their patient population.

The inherent risk in assumption of global care risk relates to potential losses if a number of individual patients’ medical costs exceed the expected amount. This risk is especially significant to individual practitioners or smaller physician groups who lack the scale required to spread the risk over a broad population. DMG has the scale, comprehensive medical delivery resources, significant infrastructure to support practicing physicians, and demonstrated care management know-how to spread the risk of losses over a large patient population.

Global model. In Florida, DMG may contract directly with health plans under global capitation arrangements that include hospital services, because state law permits DMG to assume financial responsibility for both professional and institutional services. In New Mexico, DMG assumed financial responsibility for professional services only.

In Nevada, DMG enters into global capitation arrangements to assume financial responsibility for both professional and institutional services. However, the Nevada Division of Insurance (NDI) has not opined on whether it is appropriate for an entity like DMG to enter into global capitation arrangements and assume financial responsibility for the provision of both professional and institutional services to either Medicare Advantage enrollees or enrollees of commercial health plans. In order to avoid an adverse finding by the NDI with respect to DMG’s global capitation arrangements in Nevada, DMG applied for an insurance license from the NDI and obtained the license in 2015. DMG is currently evaluating its ability to assign any of its existing contracts to the NDI license holder. Because of the current global capitation to DMG, and DMG’s assumption of nearly the entire professional and institutional risk in Nevada and Florida, DMG’s health plan customers function primarily to support DMG in undertaking marketing and sales efforts to enroll members and processing claims in these states.

In California, entities that maintain full or restricted licenses under the California Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Knox-Keene) are permitted to assume financial responsibility for both professional and institutional services. As described below, in December 2013, DMG obtained a restricted Knox-Keene license and therefore may enter into global capitation arrangements with health plans through which DMG will assume financial responsibility for both professional and institutional services.

Risk-sharing model. In California, DMG currently utilizes a capitation model in several different forms. While there are variations specific to each arrangement, HealthCare Partners Affiliates Medical Group and DaVita Medical Group Associates California, Inc. (collectively AMG), which are medical groups that have entered into management services agreements with DMG, have historically contracted with health plans to receive a PMPM or percentage of premium (POP) capitation payment for professional (physician) services and assumed the financial responsibility for professional services. In some cases, the health plans separately enter into capitation contracts with third parties (typically hospitals) who directly receive a capitation payment and assume contractual financial responsibility for institutional (hospital) services. In other cases, the health plan does not pay a capitation payment to the hospital, but rather administers and pays fee-for-service claims for hospital expenses. In both cases, AMG has been responsible under its health plan agreements for managing the care dollars associated with both the professional and institutional services provided for in the AMG capitation payment. In the case of institutional services and as a result of its managed care-related administrative services agreements with hospitals, AMG has recognized a percentage of the surplus of institutional revenues less institutional expense as AMG net revenues and has also been responsible for some percentage of any short-fall in the event that institutional expenses exceed institutional revenues. In connection with DMG’s obtaining a restricted Knox-Keene license in California, substantially all of the California health plan contracts, along with the revenues received under such contracts, have been assigned from AMG to DHPC. In

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addition, DMG now has the legal authority to transition these health plan contracts to global capitation arrangements in which DMG is responsible for arranging professional and institutional services in exchange for a single capitation payment. DMG has evaluated its various risk sharing arrangements, and is working with the Department of Managed Health Care and several health plans to accept global capitation. DMG has converted three separate contracts covering approximately 3% of total DHPC membership to global risk and is in the approval and implementation process to convert additional contracts to global risk in 2017. Completion of evaluation of possible additional conversions is expected to continue over time.

Government regulation

In addition to the laws and regulations to which our dialysis and related lab services business are subject to, the internal operations of DMG and its contractual relationships with healthcare providers such as hospitals, other healthcare facilities, and healthcare professionals are subject to extensive and increasing regulation by numerous federal, state, and local government entities. These laws and regulations often are interpreted broadly and enforced aggressively by multiple government agencies, including the OIG, the DOJ, and various state authorities. Many of these laws and regulations are the same as those that impact our dialysis and related lab services business. For example:

A finding that claims for services were not covered or not payable, or the imposition of sanctions associated with a violation of any of these healthcare laws and regulations, could result in criminal and/or civil penalties and exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal and state healthcare programs and could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot guarantee that the arrangements or business practices of DMG will not be subject to government scrutiny or be found to violate certain healthcare laws. Government audits, investigations and prosecutions, even if we are ultimately found to be without fault, can be costly and disruptive to DMG’s business. Moreover, changes in healthcare legislation or government regulation may restrict DMG’s existing operations, limit their expansion or impose additional compliance requirements and costs, any of which could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

The following includes brief descriptions of some, but not all, of the laws and regulations that, in addition to those described in relation to our dialysis and related lab services business, affect DMG. DMG is also subject to the laws and regulations that apply to our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business. See “Kidney Care Division—Government regulation” above.

Licensing, certification, accreditation and related laws and guidelines. DMG clinical personnel are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations, relating to, among other things, licensing, professional credentialing and professional ethics. Since DMG clinical personnel perform services in medical office settings, hospitals and other types of healthcare facilities, DMG may indirectly be subject to laws applicable to those entities as well as ethical guidelines and operating standards of professional trade associations and private accreditation commissions, such as the American Medical Association and the Joint Commission. There are penalties for non-compliance with these laws, including discipline or loss of professional license, civil and/or criminal fines and penalties, loss of hospital admitting privileges, federal healthcare program disenrollment, loss of billing privileges, and exclusion from participation in various governmental and other third-party healthcare programs.

Professional licensing requirements. DMG’s clinical personnel, including physicians, must satisfy and maintain their professional licensing in the states where they practice medicine. Activities that qualify as professional misconduct under state law may subject them to sanctions, including the loss of their licenses and could subject DMG to sanctions as well. Many state boards of medicine impose reciprocal discipline, that is, if a physician is disciplined for having committed professional misconduct in one state where he or she is licensed, another state where he or she is also licensed may impose the same discipline even though the conduct did

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not occur in that state. Therefore, if a DMG-associated physician is licensed in multiple states, sanctions or loss of licensure in one state may result in sanction or the loss of licensure in other states. Professional licensing sanctions may also result in exclusion from participation in governmental healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as other third-party programs.

Corporate practice of medicine and fee splitting. California, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington are states in which DMG operates that have laws that prohibit business entities, such as our Company and our subsidiaries, from practicing medicine, employing physicians to practice medicine or exercising control over medical decisions by physicians (known collectively as the corporate practice of medicine). These states also prohibit entities from engaging in certain financial arrangements, such as fee-splitting, with physicians. In some states these prohibitions are expressly stated in a statute or regulation, while in other states the prohibition is a matter of judicial or regulatory interpretation.

Violations of the corporate practice of medicine vary by state and may result in physicians being subject to disciplinary action, as well as to forfeiture of revenues from payors for services rendered. For lay entities, violations may also bring both civil and, in more extreme cases, criminal liability for engaging in medical practice without a license.

In California, a violation of the corporate practice of medicine prohibition constitutes the unlawful practice of medicine, which is a public offense punishable by fines and other criminal penalties. In addition, any person who conspires with or aids and abets another in the unlawful practice of medicine is similarly guilty of a public offense and may be subject to comparable fines and criminal penalties. In Nevada, engaging in the corporate practice of medicine where not provided by a specific statute may also constitute the unlawful practice of medicine. This violation is a felony punishable by fines and other civil and criminal penalties. Physicians in Nevada can similarly be punished for aiding or assisting in the unlicensed practice of medicine.

In Colorado, any physician found to have abetted or assisted or conspired to engage in unprofessional conduct with respect to the practice of medicine is subject to disciplinary action, including the loss of licensure. Corporate entities or lay persons who are found to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of medicine may be subject to injunctive action and other criminal penalties. In Washington, the Secretary of Health is responsible for investigating complaints concerning the unlicensed practice of medicine and violations may be subject to a cease and desist order, civil fines, injunctive action, and other criminal penalties. In our markets where the corporate practice of medicine is prohibited, DMG has historically operated by maintaining long-term management contracts with multiple associated professional organizations which, in turn, employ or contract with physicians to provide those professional medical services required by the enrollees of the payors with which the professional organizations contract. Under these management agreements, DMG performs only non-medical administrative services, does not represent that it offers medical services, and does not exercise influence or control over the practice of medicine by the physicians or the associated physician groups with which it contracts. For example, in California, DMG has full-service management contracts with AMG. The AMG entities are owned by California-licensed physicians and professional medical corporations and contract with physicians to provide professional medical services. In Nevada and Washington, DMG’s Nevada and Washington subsidiaries have similar management agreements with Nevada and Washington professional corporations, as applicable, that employ and contract with physicians to provide professional medical services. In Colorado, the physician groups contract through a provider network to include a pharmacy and ambulatory surgery center.

Some of the relevant laws, regulations, and agency interpretations in states with corporate practice of medicine restrictions have been subject to limited judicial and regulatory interpretation. Moreover, state laws are subject to change. Regulatory authorities and other parties, including DMG’s associated physicians, may assert that, despite the management agreements and other arrangements through which DMG operates, we are engaged in the prohibited corporate practice of medicine or that DMG’s arrangements constitute unlawful fee-splitting. If this were to occur, we could be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties, DMG’s agreements could be found legally invalid and unenforceable (in whole or in part), or we could be required to restructure its contractual arrangements.

If we were required to restructure DMG’s operating structures in our markets due to determination that a corporate practice of medicine violation existed, such a restructuring might include revisions of the California, Colorado, Nevada or Washington management services agreements, which might include a modification of the management fee, and/or establishing an alternative structure. For example, our subsidiaries in those states might have to obtain the equivalent of a California Knox-Keene license in such state in order to comply with the corporate practice of medicine rules while contracting directly with payors and, in turn, physicians, to provide physician services to the payors’ enrollees. In California, DMG’s restricted Knox-Keene license has created potential flexibility for DMG in the event regulatory authorities seek to enforce corporate practice of medicine or fee splitting laws based upon current management services relationships with AMG. DMG’s restricted Knox-Keene license allows DHPC to contract with or employ physicians as a result of an exemption from California’s corporate practice of medicine laws applicable to Knox-Keene licensees.

Knox-Keene. The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) licenses and regulates Health Care Service Plans (HCSPs) pursuant to the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, as amended. In addition to regulating Knox-Keene’s various patient’s rights protections for HCSP-enrolled individuals, the DMHC is responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability over time of HCSPs and other regulated entities. As such, the DMHC is charged with continually monitoring the financial health of

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regulated entities. The DMHC’s Division of Financial Oversight conducts examinations of the fiscal and administrative affairs of licensed HCSPs to protect consumers and providers from potential insolvencies. Financial examination reviews include examinations of cash flow, premium receivables, intercompany transactions and medical liabilities. The examination also ensures that there is adequate tangible net equity (TNE), as determined according to calculations included in Knox-Keene. The TNE regulations for organizations holding a Knox-Keene license, like DMG, vary depending on circumstances, but generally require any licensee to have on hand in cash or cash equivalents a minimum of the greater of (i) $1 million, (ii) the sum of 2% of the first $150 million of annualized premium revenues plus 1% of annualized premium revenues in excess of $150 million, or (iii) the sum of 8% of the first $150 million of annualized healthcare expenditures (except those paid on a capitated basis or managed hospital payment basis) plus 4% of the annualized healthcare expenditures, except those paid on a capitated basis or managed hospital payment basis, which are in excess of $150 million; plus 4% of annualized hospital expenditures paid on a managed hospital payment basis. In its sole discretion, the DMHC may require, as a condition to obtaining or maintaining an HCSP license, that a licensee accept certain contractual undertakings such that the licensee is obligated to maintain TNE in amounts greater than the minimum amount described above. Such contractual undertakings may require 130% or more of TNE to be maintained by a licensee. During the 2016 financial examination, DaVita Health Plan of California, Inc. (DHPC, formerly known as DaVita HealthCare Partners Plan, Inc.) was required to provide evidence of exclusive fidelity bond coverage in the amount of at least $2 million, with a deductible amount not in excess of $100,000 with a requirement to notify the Director of DMHC 30 days prior to cancellation.

The DMHC interprets Knox-Keene to apply to both HCSPs and downstream contracting entities, including provider groups that enter into global risk contracts with licensed HCSPs. A global risk contract is a healthcare services contract in which a downstream contracting entity agrees to provide both professional (physician) services and institutional (hospital) services subject to an at-risk or capitated reimbursement methodology. According to the DMHC, entities that accept global risk must obtain a restricted Knox-Keene license. Under a restricted Knox-Keene license, entities may enter into global risk contracts with other licensed HCSPs. Holders of restricted Knox-Keene licenses must comply with the same financial requirements as HCSPs with full licenses, including demonstrating specific levels of TNE, but are granted waivers from meeting marketing and other terms of full Knox-Keene licensure requirements. The consequences of operating without a license include civil penalties, criminal penalties and the issuance of cease and desist orders.

DHPC holds a restricted Knox-Keene license, which was approved by the DMHC on December 31, 2013. This allows DMG, under its DHPC plan to contract directly with HCSPs to simplify its historic contractual and financial structure and to facilitate expansion into new markets in California. However, this also subjects DMG and DHPC to additional regulatory obligations, including (i) regulatory oversight of operations, (ii) the need to seek approval for all material business changes, (iii) significant requirements to maintain certain TNE levels, and (iv) other operating limitations imposed by Knox-Keene and its regulations. Under its restricted Knox-Keene license, DHPC is prohibited from declaring or paying any dividends or making any distribution of cash or property to its parent, affiliates, or shareholders, if such a distribution would cause it to fail to maintain the minimum applicable TNE, have insufficient working capital or cash flow as required by DMHC regulation or otherwise be unable to provide or arrange healthcare services. In addition, DHPC is subject to DMHC oversight and must seek approval before incurring any debt or guaranteeing any debt relating to its parent, affiliates, or shareholders. DHPC must also submit proposed global capitation contracts to the DMHC for approval.

DMG services

Approximately 83% of DMG’s operating revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 were derived from multi-year capitation contracts with health plans. Under these contracts, DMG’s health plan customers delegate full responsibility for member care to physicians and healthcare facilities that are part of DMG’s provider network. In return, DMG receives a PMPM fee for each DMG member. As a result, DMG has financial and clinical accountability for a population of members. In California, DMG does not assume direct financial risk for institutional (hospital) services in most cases, but is responsible for managing the care dollars associated with both the professional (physician) and institutional services being provided for the PMPM fee attributable to both professional and institutional services. In those cases and as a result of its managed care-related administrative services agreements with hospitals, DMG recognizes the surplus of institutional revenues less institutional expense as DMG net revenues and is also responsible for any short-fall in the event that institutional expenses exceed institutional revenues. In addition to revenues recognized for financial reporting purposes, DMG measures its total care dollars under management. This includes the PMPM fee payable to third parties for institutional (hospital) services where DMG manages the care provided to its members by hospitals and other institutional services. These fees are not included in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) revenues.

DMG provides comprehensive and quality medical care through a network of participating physicians and other healthcare professionals. Through its group model, DMG employs, directly (where permitted by state law) and through its associated physician groups, approximately 700 primary care physicians. Through its IPA model, DMG contracts with a network of over 2,500 associated groups and other network primary care physicians who provide care for DMG’s members in an independent office setting. These physicians are complemented by several thousand network specialists and approximately 200 network hospitals that provide specialty or institutional care to the patients of DMG’s associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs.

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In order to comply with local regulations prohibiting the corporate practice of medicine, many of DMG’s group physicians are employed by associated medical groups with which DMG has entered into long-term management agreements. The largest of these DMG managed medical groups is AMG, which employs, directly or indirectly, over 700 primary care physicians, specialists and hospitalists. See “Government Regulation—Corporate practice of medicine and fee splitting” above.

DMG does not own hospitals, although hospitals are an essential part of its provider network. In most cases, DMG contracts or otherwise aligns with hospitals to manage the utilization, readmission and cost of hospital services. Most DMG patients receive specialty care through DMG’s network based on referrals made by their primary care physician. These specialists may be reimbursed based on capitation, case rates or on a discounted FFS rate.

DMG group physicians typically see 15 to 20 patients per day, which we believe is an appropriate benchmark to ensure there is sufficient time to understand all of the patients’ clinical needs. DMG care teams, including nurses, engage in outreach to patients in order help monitor fragile and high risk patients, and help improve adherence to physicians’ care plans. During these visits, DMG’s physicians, nurses and educators use the time to educate patients and manage their healthcare needs. The goal of this preventative care delivery model is to keep patients healthy. Education improves self-management and compliance which allows the patient to recognize early signs of their disease and seek appropriate care. We believe this translates into earlier intervention, which in turn leads to fewer emergency room visits, fewer hospital admissions and fewer hospital bed days (the most expensive location for healthcare). This clinical model seeks to provide early diagnosis of disease or deterioration in a chronic and complex condition and provide preventive care to maintain optimal health and avert unnecessary hospitalization. Clinic-based case managers and hospitalists coordinate with the primary care physicians to ensure that patients are receiving proper care whether they are in the clinic, in the hospital or are not regularly accessing healthcare. Physicians and case managers encourage patients to regularly visit the clinics in order to enhance their day-to-day health and diagnose any illness or deterioration in condition as early as possible.

DMG’s information technology system, including DMG’s electronic health record and data warehouse, is designed to support the DMG delivery model with data-driven opportunities to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of the care received by its members. Using informatics technology, DMG has created disease registries that track large numbers of patients with defined medical conditions. DMG applies the data from these registries to manage the care for patients with similar medical conditions which we believe leads to a better medical outcome. We believe this approach to using data is effective because the information is communicated by the patient’s physician rather than the health plan or disease management companies.

DMG employs a wide variety of other information applications to service IPA and network providers using web connectivity. The HCP Connect! on-line portal provides web-based eligibility, referrals, electronic claims submission and explanation of benefits, and other communication vehicles for individual physician offices. The success of this suite of applications has enhanced DMG’s ability to manage its IPA networks, and has resulted in significant back-office efficiencies for DMG and its associated physician groups. DMG has further expanded its ability to share key utilization and clinical data with its internal and contracted physicians and specialists through the Physician Information Portal and the Clinical Viewer. Through these secure web portals, a physician is able to obtain web-based, point of care information regarding a patient, including diagnosis history, provide quality indicators, historical risk-adjustment coding information, pharmacy medication history, and other key information. In addition to its web-portals geared towards physicians, DMG has recently introduced a patient on-line portal to enable DMG’s patients to securely view their own clinical information, schedule physician appointments and interact electronically with their physicians. DMG believes these tools help lead to high quality clinical outcomes, create internal efficiencies, and enhance the satisfaction of its associated physicians and patients.

In addition, DMG uses its data to carefully track high utilizing patients through robust data warehousing and data mining technologies. DMG filters the data warehouse to identify and reach out to patients with high-utilization patterns who are inefficiently using resources, such as visiting an emergency room when either a same-day appointment or urgent care center would be more appropriate and satisfactory for the member. High utilizing patients are identified and tracked as part of DMG’s electronic health record by their physician and DMG’s care management staff. Specific care plans are attached to each of these patients and tracked carefully for full compliance. The objective is to proactively manage their care at times when these patients are either not compliant with the care plan or when changing circumstances require care managers to develop new and more suitable care plans. By using these resources, DMG has achieved improvements in quality of care, satisfaction and cost.

We believe DMG is well positioned to effectively leverage marketplace demands for greater provider accountability, measurable quality results and cost efficient medical care. We believe that DMG’s business model is likely to continue to be an attractive alternative for health plans looking for high quality, cost effective delivery networks, physicians seeking an attractive practice environment and patients interested in a highly integrated approach to managing their medical care. Additionally, we believe that the scale of DMG’s business allows it to spread capitation risk over a large population of members, invest in comprehensive analytic and healthcare information tools as well as clinical and quality measurement infrastructure, and recognize administrative and operating efficiencies. For these reasons, we believe that DMG offers patients, physicians and health plans a proven platform for addressing many of the most pressing challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system, including rising medical costs.

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We also believe DMG has the ability to demonstrably improve medical outcomes and patient satisfaction while effectively managing costs through the following unique competitive strategies and internal progress and systems:

Locations of DMG clinics

As of December 31, 2016, DMG managed a total of 247 medical clinics, of which 59 clinics were located in California, 13 clinics were located in Colorado, 85 clinics were located in Florida, 52 clinics were located in Nevada, 15 clinics were located in New Mexico, two clinics were located in Georgia and 21 clinics were located in Washington.

Competition

U.S. and International dialysis competition

The U.S. dialysis industry has consolidated significantly over time but still remains highly competitive, particularly in terms of acquiring existing outpatient dialysis centers. We continue to face a high degree of competition in the U.S. dialysis industry from large and medium-sized providers who compete directly with us for the acquisition of dialysis businesses, relationships with physicians to act as medical directors and skilled clinical personnel, as well as for individual patients. In addition, as we continue our international dialysis expansion into various international markets, we face competition from large and medium-sized providers for acquisition targets as well as physician relationships. Because of the ease of entry into the dialysis business and the ability of physicians to own dialysis centers and/or also be medical directors for their own centers, competition for growth in existing and expanding markets is not limited to large competitors with substantial financial resources. Acquisitions, developing new outpatient dialysis centers, patient retention and physician relationships are a critical component of our growth strategy and our business could be adversely affected if we are not able to continue to make dialysis acquisitions on reasonable and acceptable terms, continue to develop new outpatient dialysis centers, maintain or establish new relationships with physicians or if we experience significant patient attrition to our competitors. Competition for qualified physicians to act as medical directors and for inpatient dialysis services agreements with hospitals is also intense. Occasionally, we have also experienced competition from former medical directors or referring physicians who have opened their own outpatient dialysis centers. We also experience competitive pressures from other dialysis providers in connection with negotiating contracts with commercial healthcare payors and in recruiting and retaining qualified skilled clinical personnel.

The two largest dialysis companies, Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) and our Company, account for approximately 72% of outpatient dialysis patients in the U.S. with our Company serving approximately 36% of the total outpatient dialysis patients. Approximately 44% of the centers not owned by us or FMC are owned or controlled by hospitals or non-profit organizations. Hospital-based and non-profit dialysis units typically are more difficult to acquire than physician-owned dialysis centers.

FMC also manufactures a full line of dialysis supplies and equipment in addition to owning and operating outpatient dialysis centers worldwide. This may give FMC cost advantages over us because of its ability to manufacture its own products. Additionally, FMC has been one of our largest suppliers of dialysis products and equipment over the last several years. In January 2010, we entered into and subsequently extended an agreement with FMC to purchase a certain amount of dialysis equipment, parts and supplies from FMC through December 31, 2017. In addition, we entered in to a product supply agreement with Baxter Healthcare Corporation (Baxter) that commits us to purchase a certain amount of dialysis supplies through 2018. Our purchases of products in these categories generally offered by both FMC and Baxter represent approximately 4% of our total U.S. dialysis and related lab services operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2016. In 2016, we purchased hemodialysis products and supplies from both FMC and Baxter that each represented approximately 2% of our total U.S. dialysis operating expenses. The amount of purchases in future years

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from FMC will depend upon a number of factors, including the operating requirements of our centers, the number of centers we acquire, and growth of our existing centers.

DMG’s competition

DMG’s business is highly competitive. DMG competes with managed care organizations, hospitals, medical groups and individual physicians in its markets. DMG competes with other primary care physician groups or physicians who contract with health plans for membership. Health plans contract with care providers on the basis of costs, reputation, scope, efficiency and stability. Individual members select a primary care physician at the time of membership with the health plan. Location, name recognition, quality indicators and other factors go into that decision. For example, in California, DMG competes with both Permanente Medical Group, which is the exclusive provider for Kaiser, and Heritage Provider Network. However, DMG’s principal competitors for members and health plan contracts vary by market.

Corporate compliance program

Our businesses are subject to extensive federal, state and local government regulations. Management has designed and implemented a corporate compliance program as part of our commitment to comply fully with all applicable laws and regulations and to maintain the high standards of conduct we expect from all of our teammates. We continuously review this program and enhance it as necessary. The primary purposes of the program include:

We have a code of conduct that each of our teammates and affiliated professionals must follow and we have a confidential toll-free hotline for teammates and patients to report potential instances of noncompliance. Our Chief Compliance Officer administers the compliance program. The Chief Compliance Officer reports directly to our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Executive Officer of Kidney Care and Chair of the Compliance Committee of our Board of Directors (Board Compliance Committee). On October 22, 2014, DaVita signed a CIA with HHS and the OIG. The CIA:

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The costs associated with compliance with the CIA could be substantial and may be greater than we currently anticipate. In addition, in the event of a breach of the CIA, we may become liable for payment of certain stipulated penalties, and/or be excluded from participation on federal healthcare programs. The OIG notified us that it considered us to be in breach of the CIA because of three implementation deficiencies. We have remediated the deficiencies and have paid certain stipulated penalties. The costs associated with compliance with the CIA or any liability, or consequences associated with breach thereof, could have an adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Insurance

We maintain insurance for property and general liability, professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, workers compensation and other coverage in amounts and on terms deemed adequate by management, based on our actual claims experience and expectations for future claims. Future claims could, however, exceed our applicable insurance coverage. Physicians practicing at our dialysis centers are required to maintain their own malpractice insurance, and our medical directors are required to maintain coverage for their individual private medical practices. Our liability policies cover our medical directors for the performance of their duties as medical directors at our outpatient dialysis centers. DMG also maintains general and professional liability insurance through various independent and related parties. DMG has purchased its primary general and professional liability insurance from California Medical Group Insurance (CMGI) in which DMG owns a 67% equity interest.

Teammates

As of December 31, 2016, we employed approximately 70,300 teammates, including our international teammates:

Our businesses require skilled healthcare professionals with specialized training for treating patients with complex care needs. Recruitment and retention of nurses are continuing concerns for healthcare providers due to short supply. We have an active program of investing in our professional healthcare teammates to help ensure we meet our recruitment and retention targets, including expanded training opportunities, tuition reimbursements and other incentives.

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This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties including the risks discussed below. The risks discussed below are not the only ones facing our business. Please read the cautionary notice regarding forward-looking statements in Item 7 of this Part 1 under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Risk factors related to our overall business:

If we fail to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to our business, we could suffer severe consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock price.

Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state and local government regulations, including Medicare and Medicaid payment rules and regulations, federal and state anti-kickback laws, the Stark Law and analogous state self-referral prohibition statutes, Federal Acquisition Regulations, the False Claims Act (FCA), the Civil Monetary Penalty statute, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and federal and state laws regarding the collection, use and disclosure of patient health information (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)) and the storage, handling and administration of pharmaceuticals. The Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rules related to claims submission, enrollment and licensing requirements, cost reporting, and payment processes impose complex and extensive requirements upon dialysis providers as well. Moreover, additional laws and regulations potentially affecting providers continue to be promulgated. For example, on December 13, 2016, the 21^st Century Cures Act was signed into law and, among other provisions, authorizes the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to impose penalties on providers that engage in information blocking where there is knowledge that such practice is unreasonable and likely to interfere with, prevent, or materially discourage access, exchange, or use of electronic health information.

We endeavor to comply with all legal requirements; however, there is no guarantee that we will be able to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to our business. We further endeavor to structure all of our relationships with physicians to comply with state and federal anti-kickback and physician self-referral laws. We utilize considerable resources to monitor the laws and implement necessary changes. However, the laws and regulations in these areas are complex and often subject to varying interpretations. For example, if an enforcement agency were to challenge the level of compensation that we pay our medical directors or the number of medical directors whom we engage, we could be required to change our practices, face criminal or civil penalties, pay substantial fines or otherwise experience a material adverse effect as a result of a challenge to these arrangements.

In addition, failure to report and return overpayments within 60 days of when the overpayment was identified can lead to a violation of the FCA and associated penalties, as described in further detail below, and exclusion and penalties under the federal Civil Monetary Penalty statute, including civil monetary penalties of up to $10,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each item or service for which a person received an identified overpayment and failed to report and return such overpayment. These obligations to report and return overpayments could subject our procedures for identifying and processing overpayments to greater scrutiny. We have made significant investments in resources to decrease the time it takes to identify and process overpayments, and we may be required to make additional investments in the future. From time to time we may conduct internal compliance reviews, the results of which may involve the identification of overpayments or other liabilities. An acceleration in our ability to identify and process overpayments could result in us refunding overpayments to government and other payors more rapidly than we have in the past which could have a material adverse effect on our operating cash flows. As of December 31, 2016, we recorded an estimated accrual of $38 million for potential damages and liabilities associated with write-offs and discounts of patient co-payment obligations, and credits to payors for returns of prescriptions drugs related to our pharmacy business that were identified during the course of an internally-initiated compliance review. We have disclosed the results of this ongoing review to the government. We may accrue additional reserves for refunds and related damages and potential liabilities arising out of this review.

Additionally, the federal government has used the FCA to prosecute a wide variety of alleged false claims and fraud allegedly perpetrated against Medicare and state health care programs, including coding errors, billing for services not rendered, submitting false cost reports, billing for services at a higher payment rate than appropriate, billing under a comprehensive code as well as under one or more component codes included in the comprehensive code, and billing for care that is not considered medically necessary. Moreover, amendments to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute in the health reform law make claims tainted by anti-kickback violations potentially subject to liability under the FCA, including qui tam or whistleblower suits. The penalties for a violation of the FCA range from $5,500 to $11,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each false claim plus three times the amount of damages caused by each such claim which generally means the amount received directly or indirectly from the government. On February 3, 2017, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule announcing adjustments to FCA penalties, under which the per claim penalty range increases to $10,957 to $21,916 for penalties assessed after February 3, 2017, so long as the underlying conduct occurred after November 2, 2015. Given the high volume of claims processed by our various operating units, the potential is high for substantial penalties in connection with any alleged FCA violations.

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In addition to the provisions of the FCA, which provide for civil enforcement, the federal government can use several criminal statutes to prosecute persons who are alleged to have submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government.

The civil investigative demand received by our wholly-owned pharmacy services subsidiary, DaVita Rx, LLC, specifically references that it is in connection with an FCA investigation concerning allegations that this subsidiary presented or caused to be presented false claims for payment to the government for prescription medications, as well as into our relationship with pharmaceutical manufacturers. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” and Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report for further details.

We are subject to a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) which, for our domestic dialysis business, requires us to report probable violations of criminal, civil or administrative laws applicable to any federal health care program for which penalties or exclusions may be authorized under applicable healthcare laws and regulations. See “If we fail to comply with our Corporate Integrity Agreement, we could be subject to substantial penalties and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs that may adversely impact our revenues, earnings and cash flows”.

If any of our operations are found to violate these or other government regulations, we could suffer severe consequences that would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock price, including:

We are, and may in the future be, a party to various lawsuits, claims, governmental investigations and audits (including investigations resulting from our obligation to self-report suspected violations of law) and other legal proceedings, any of which could result in, among other things, substantial financial penalties or awards against us, substantial payments made by us, harm to our reputation, required changes to our business practices, exclusion from future participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs and possible criminal penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on us.

We are the subject of a number of investigations and audits by the federal government. We have received subpoenas or other requests for documents from the federal government in connection with the Swoben private civil suit, the 2015 U.S. Attorney Transportation Investigation, the investigations underlying the two subpoenas regarding patient diagnosis coding received by DMG and its JSA subsidiary, the 2015 DOJ Vascular Access Investigation, the 2016 U.S. Attorney Prescription Drug Investigation and the 2017 U.S. Attorney American Kidney Fund Investigation. In addition to the foregoing inquiries and proceedings, we are frequently subject to other investigations and audits by state or federal government agencies and/or private civil qui tam complaints filed by relators and other lawsuits, claims and legal proceedings.

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Responding to subpoenas, investigations and other lawsuits, claims and legal proceedings as well as defending ourselves in such matters will continue to require management’s attention and cause us to incur significant legal expense. Negative findings or terms and conditions that we might agree to accept as part of a negotiated resolution of pending or future government inquiries or relator proceedings could result in, among other things, substantial financial penalties or awards against us, substantial payments made by us, harm to our reputation, required changes to our business practices, exclusion from future participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs and, in certain cases, criminal penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on us. It is possible that criminal proceedings may be initiated against us in connection with investigations by the federal government. To our knowledge, no such proceedings have been initiated by the federal government against us at this time. Other than as described in “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” and Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report, we cannot predict the ultimate outcomes of the various legal proceedings and regulatory matters to which we are or may be subject from time to time, including those described in the aforementioned sections of this report, or the timing of their resolution or the ultimate losses or impact of developments in those matters, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings, and cash flows. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” and Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report for further details regarding these and other matters.

Disruptions in federal government operations and funding create uncertainty in our industry and could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows and otherwise adversely affect our financial condition.

A substantial portion of our revenues is dependent on federal healthcare program reimbursement, and any disruptions in federal government operations could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. If the U.S. government defaults on its debt, there could be broad macroeconomic effects that could raise our cost of borrowing funds, and delay or prevent our future growth and expansion. Any future federal government shutdown, U.S. government default on its debt and/or failure of the U.S. government to enact annual appropriations could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. Additionally, disruptions in federal government operations may negatively impact regulatory approvals and guidance that are important to our operations, and create uncertainty about the pace of upcoming healthcare regulatory developments.

Healthcare reform could substantially reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

We cannot predict how employers, private payors or persons buying insurance might react to the changes brought on by federal and state healthcare reform legislation or what form many of these regulations will take before implementation.

The federal healthcare reform legislation, enacted in 2010, introduced healthcare insurance exchanges which provide a marketplace for eligible individuals and small employers to purchase healthcare insurance. The business and regulatory environment continues to evolve as the exchanges mature, and regulations are challenged, changed and enforced. If commercial payor participation in the exchanges continues to decrease, our revenues, earnings and cash flows could be adversely affected. Although we cannot predict the short- or long-term effects of these factors, we believe the healthcare insurance exchanges could result in a reduction in ESRD patients covered by traditional commercial insurance policies and an increase in the number of patients covered through the exchanges under more restrictive commercial plans with lower reimbursement rates or higher deductibles and co-payments that patients may not be able to pay. To the extent that the ongoing implementation of such exchanges or changes in regulations or enforcement of regulations regarding the exchanges results in a reduction in reimbursement rates for our services from commercial and/or government payors, our revenues, earnings and cash flows could be adversely affected.

The healthcare reform legislation also added several new tax provisions that, among other things, impose various fees and excise taxes, and limit compensation deductions for health insurance providers and their affiliates. These rules could negatively impact our cash flow and tax liabilities. In addition, the healthcare reform legislation broadened the potential for penalties under the FCA for the knowing and improper retention of overpayments collected from government payors and reduced the timeline to file Medicare claims. As a result, we made significant investments in new resources to accelerate the time it takes us to identify and process overpayments and we deployed significant resources to reduce our timeline and improve our claims processing methods to ensure that our Medicare claims are filed in a timely fashion. However, we may be required to make additional investments in the future. Failure to timely identify and return overpayments may result in significant penalties, which may have a negative impact on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. Failure to file a claim within the one year window could result in payment denials, adversely affecting our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

With the healthcare reform legislation, new models of care emerge and evolve and other initiatives in the government or private sector may arise, which could adversely impact our business. For example, the CMS Innovation Center (Innovation Center) is currently working with various healthcare providers to develop, refine and implement Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other innovative models of care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, including Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative, CEC Model (which includes the development of ESRD Seamless Care Organizations), the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, the Duals Demonstration, and other models. We are currently participating in the CEC Model with the Innovation Center, including with organizations in Arizona, Florida, and adjacent New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets. Our U.S. dialysis business may

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choose to participate in additional models either as a partner with other providers or independently. Even in areas where we are not directly participating in this or other Innovation Center models, some of our patients may be assigned to an ACO, another ESRD Care Model, or another program, in which case the quality and cost of care that we furnish will be included in an ACO’s, another ESRD Care Model’s, or other program’s calculations. Additionally, CMS instituted new screening procedures which we expect will delay the Medicare contractor approval process, potentially causing a delay in reimbursement. We anticipate the new screening and enrollment requirements will require additional personnel and financial resources and will potentially delay the enrollment and revalidation of our centers which in turn will delay payment. These delays may negatively impact our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Other reform measures allow CMS to place a moratorium on new enrollment of providers and to suspend payment to providers upon a credible allegation of fraud from any source. These types of reform measures, as well as other measures, could adversely impact our revenues, earnings and cash flows depending upon the scope and breadth of the implementing regulations.

There is also a considerable amount of uncertainty as to the prospective implementation of the federal healthcare reform legislation and what similar measures might be enacted at the state level. There have been multiple attempts through legislative action and legal challenges to repeal or amend the ACA. In addition, the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the exchanges and other ACA reforms to be unclear. As a result, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the future with respect to the exchanges, and, indeed, many core aspects of the current health care marketplace. While specific changes and their timing are not yet apparent, it does appear likely that there will be significant changes to the healthcare environment in the near and short term. The enacted reforms as well as future legislative changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, including lowering our reimbursement rates and increasing our expenses.

In addition, CMS published an interim final rule that establishes new Conditions for Coverage standards for dialysis facilities that require any facility making payments of premiums for individual market health plans to notify patients of potential coverage options and educate them about the benefits of each option. The interim final rule requires facilities to ensure that insurers are informed of and have agreed to accept the payments. On January 25, 2017, the federal court issued a preliminary injunction on CMS’ interim final rule. At this time CMS has not appealed the court’s ruling and we await the final decision from the court. This and any other law, rule or guidance or rule issued by CMS limiting or prohibiting the use of charitable premium assistance and/or the ability of patients with access to alternative coverage from selecting a marketplace plan on or off exchange could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Federal and state privacy and information security laws are complex, and if we fail to comply with applicable laws, regulations and standards, including with respect to third-party service providers that utilize sensitive personal information on our behalf, or if we fail to properly maintain the integrity of our data, protect our proprietary rights to our systems or defend against cybersecurity attacks, we may be subject to government or private actions due to privacy and security breaches, and our business, reputation, results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.

We must comply with numerous federal and state laws and regulations governing the collection, dissemination, access, use, security and privacy of PHI, including HIPAA and its implementing privacy and security regulations, as amended by the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and collectively referred to as HIPAA. If we fail to comply with applicable privacy and security laws, regulations and standards, including with respect to third-party service providers that utilize sensitive personal information, including PHI, on our behalf, properly maintain the integrity of our data, protect our proprietary rights to our systems, or defend against cybersecurity attacks, our business, reputation, results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.

Information security risks have significantly increased in recent years in part because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct our operations, and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists and other external parties, including foreign state agents. Our operations rely on the secure processing, transmission and storage of confidential, proprietary and other information in our computer systems and networks.

We are continuously implementing multiple layers of security measures through technology, processes, and our people. We utilize current security technologies and our defenses are monitored and routinely tested internally and by external parties. Despite these efforts, our facilities and systems and those of our third-party service providers may be vulnerable to privacy and security incidents; security attacks and breaches; acts of vandalism or theft; computer viruses and other malicious code; coordinated attacks by activist entities; emerging cybersecurity risks; misplaced or lost data; programming and/or human errors; or other similar events that could impact the security, reliability, and availability of our systems. Emerging and advanced security threats, including coordinated attacks, require additional layers of security which may disrupt or impact efficiency of operations. Cybersecurity requires ongoing investment and diligence against evolving threats.

Any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential information, including PHI, financial data, competitively sensitive information, or other proprietary data, whether by us or a third party, could have

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a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows, or results of operations. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures, to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures, or to make required notifications. The occurrence of any of these events could result in interruptions, delays, the loss or corruption of data, cessations in the availability of systems or liability under privacy and security laws, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations and harm our business reputation and trigger regulatory actions and private party litigation. If we are unable to protect the physical and electronic security and privacy of our databases and transactions, we could be subject to potential liability and regulatory action, our reputation and relationships with our patients and vendors would be harmed, and our business, operations, and financial results may be materially adversely affected. Failure to adequately protect and maintain the integrity of our information systems (including our networks) and data, or to defend against cybersecurity attacks, could subject us to monetary fines, civil suits, civil penalties or criminal sanctions and requirements to disclose the breach publicly, and may further result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. As malicious cyber activity escalates, including activity that originates outside of the United States, the risks we face relating to transmission of data and our use of service providers outside of our network, as well as the storing or processing of data within our network, intensify. There have been increased federal and state HIPAA and other privacy and security enforcement efforts and we expect this trend to continue. While we maintain cyber liability insurance, this insurance may not cover us for all losses and may not be sufficient to protect us against all losses.

We may engage in acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures or dispositions, which may affect our results of operations, debt-to-capital ratio, capital expenditures or other aspects of our business, and if businesses we acquire have liabilities we are not aware of, we could suffer severe consequences that would materially and adversely affect our business.

Our business strategy includes growth through acquisitions of dialysis centers and other businesses, as well as entry into joint ventures. We may engage in acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, dispositions or new business models, which may affect our results of operations, debt-to-capital ratio, capital expenditures or other aspects of our business. There can be no assurance that we will be able to identify suitable acquisition targets or merger partners or that, if identified, we will be able to acquire these targets on acceptable terms or agree to terms with merger partners. There can also be no assurance that we will be successful in completing any acquisitions, mergers or dispositions that we announce, executing new business models or integrating any acquired business into our overall operations. There is no guarantee that we will be able to operate acquired businesses successfully as stand-alone businesses, or that any such acquired business will operate profitably or will not otherwise adversely impact our results of operations. Further, we cannot be certain that key talented individuals at the business being acquired will continue to work for us after the acquisition or that they will be able to continue to successfully manage or have adequate resources to successfully operate any acquired business.

Businesses we acquire may have unknown or contingent liabilities or liabilities that are in excess of the amounts that we originally estimated, and may have other issues, including those related to internal controls over financial reporting or issues that could affect our ability to comply with healthcare laws and regulations and other laws applicable to our expanded business. As a result, we cannot make any assurances that the acquisitions we consummate will be successful. Although we generally seek indemnification from the sellers of businesses we acquire for matters that are not properly disclosed to us, we are not always successful. In addition, even in cases where we are able to obtain indemnification, we may discover liabilities greater than the contractual limits, the amounts held in escrow for our benefit (if any), or the financial resources of the indemnifying party. In the event that we are responsible for liabilities substantially in excess of any amounts recovered through rights to indemnification or alternative remedies that might be available to us, or any applicable insurance, we could suffer severe consequences that would substantially reduce our earnings and cash flows or otherwise materially and adversely affect our business.

Additionally, joint ventures, including our Asia Pacific Joint Venture (APAC JV), and minority investments inherently involve a lesser degree of control over business operations, thereby potentially increasing the financial, legal, operational and/or compliance risks associated with the joint venture or minority investment. In addition, we may be dependent on joint venture partners, controlling shareholders or management who may have business interests, strategies or goals that are inconsistent with ours. Business decisions or other actions or omissions of the joint venture partner, controlling shareholders or management may adversely affect the value of our investment, result in litigation or regulatory action against us, result in reputational harm to us or adversely affect the value of our investment or partnership.

If we are not able to continue to make acquisitions, or maintain an acceptable level of non-acquired growth, or if we face significant patient attrition to our competitors or a reduction in the number of our medical directors or associated physicians, it could adversely affect our business.

Acquisitions, patient retention and medical director and physician retention are an important part of our growth strategy. We face intense competition from other companies for acquisition targets. In our U.S. dialysis business, we continue to face increased competition from large and medium-sized providers, which compete directly with us for acquisition targets as well as for individual patients and medical directors. In addition, as we continue our international dialysis expansion into various international markets, we will face competition from large and medium-sized providers for these acquisition targets as well. Because of the ease of entry into the

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dialysis business and the ability of physicians to be medical directors for their own centers, competition for growth in existing and expanding markets is not limited to large competitors with substantial financial resources. Occasionally, we have experienced competition from former medical directors or referring physicians who have opened their own dialysis centers. In addition, FMC, our largest competitor, manufactures a full line of dialysis supplies and equipment in addition to owning and operating dialysis centers. This may give it cost advantages over us because of its ability to manufacture its own products. If we are not able to continue to make acquisitions, continue to maintain acceptable levels of non-acquired growth, or if we face significant patient attrition to our competitors or a reduction in the number of our medical directors or associated physicians, it could adversely affect our business.

Our ability to effectively provide the services we offer could be negatively impacted if certain of our suppliers do not meet our needs, if there are material price increases, or if we are unable to effectively access new technology, which could substantially reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

We have significant suppliers that are either the sole or primary source of products critical to the services we provide, including Amgen, Baxter, FMC, NxStage Medical, Inc. and others or to which we have committed obligations to make purchases. If any of these suppliers do not meet our needs for the products they supply, including in the event of a product recall, shortage or dispute, and we are not able to find adequate alternative sources, if we experience material price increases from these suppliers that we are unable to mitigate, or if some of the drugs that we purchase are not reimbursed or not adequately reimbursed by commercial payors or through the bundled payment rate by Medicare, our revenues, earnings and cash flows could be substantially reduced. In addition, the technology related to the products critical to the services we provide is subject to new developments and may result in superior products. If we are not able to access superior products on a cost-effective basis or if suppliers are not able to fulfill our requirements for such products, we could face patient attrition which could substantially reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

DMG operates in a different line of business from our historical business, and we face challenges managing DMG and may not realize anticipated benefits.

DMG operates in a different line of business from our historical business. We may not have the expertise, experience and resources to pursue all of our businesses at once, and we may be unable to successfully operate all businesses in the combined company. The administration of DMG requires implementation of appropriate operations, management, and financial reporting systems and controls. We experience difficulties in effectively implementing these and other systems. The management of DMG requires and will continue to require the focused attention of our management team, including a significant commitment of its time and resources. The need for management to focus on these matters could have a material and adverse impact on our revenues and operating results. If the DMG operations are less profitable than we currently anticipate or we do not have the experience, the appropriate expertise or the resources to pursue all businesses in the combined company, the results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected, and in that regard, we have taken goodwill impairment charges of $189 million, $77 million and $176 million in December 2015, March 2016 and June 2016, respectively, and may continue incurring additional impairment charges.

The level of our current and future debt could have an adverse impact on our business and our ability to generate cash to service our indebtedness depends on many factors beyond our control.

We have substantial debt outstanding, we incurred a substantial amount of additional debt in connection with the DMG transaction and we may incur additional indebtedness in the future. Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to you, for example, it could:

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In addition, we may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. The terms of the indentures governing our senior notes and the agreement governing our senior secured credit facilities will allow us to incur substantial additional debt. If new debt is added to current debt levels, the related risks described above could intensify.

Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness and to fund planned capital expenditures and expansion efforts, including any strategic acquisitions we may make in the future, will depend on our ability to generate cash. This, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.

We cannot provide assurance that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations in the future or that future borrowings will be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable us to service our indebtedness or to fund other liquidity needs. If we are unable to generate sufficient funds to service our outstanding indebtedness, we may be required to refinance, restructure, or otherwise amend some or all of such obligations, sell assets, or raise additional cash through the sale of our equity. We cannot make any assurances that we would be able to obtain such refinancing on terms as favorable as our existing financing terms or that such restructuring activities, sales of assets, or issuances of equity can be accomplished or, if accomplished, would raise sufficient funds to meet these obligations.

The borrowings under our senior secured credit facilities are guaranteed by a substantial portion of our direct and indirect wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries and are secured by a substantial portion of DaVita Inc.’s and its subsidiaries’ assets.

We may be subject to liability claims for damages and other expenses that are not covered by insurance or exceed our existing insurance coverage that could reduce our earnings and cash flows.

Our operations and how we manage our Company may subject us, as well as our officers and directors to whom we owe certain defense and indemnity obligations, to litigation and liability for damages. Our business, profitability and growth prospects could suffer if we face negative publicity or we pay damages or defense costs in connection with a claim that is outside the scope or limits of coverage of any applicable insurance coverage, including claims related to adverse patient events, contractual disputes, professional and general liability and directors’ and officers’ duties. In addition, we have received several notices of claims from commercial payors and other third parties, as well as subpoenas and CIDs from the federal government, related to our business practices, including our historical billing practices and the historical billing practices of acquired businesses. Although the ultimate outcome of these claims cannot be predicted, an adverse result with respect to one or more of these claims could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We currently maintain insurance coverage for those risks we deem are appropriate to insure against and make determinations about whether to self-insure as to other risks or layers of coverage. However, a successful claim, including a professional liability, malpractice or negligence claim which is in excess of any applicable insurance coverage, or that is subject to our self-insurance retentions, could have a material adverse effect on our earnings and cash flows. Additionally, as a result of the broad scope of our DMG division’s medical practice, we are exposed to medical malpractice claims, as well as claims for damages and other expenses, that may not be covered by insurance or for which adequate limits of insurance coverage may not be available.

In addition, if our costs of insurance and claims increase, then our earnings could decline. Market rates for insurance premiums and deductibles have been steadily increasing. Our earnings and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected by any of the following:

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If we fail to successfully maintain an effective internal control over financial reporting, the integrity of our financial reporting could be compromised, which could result in a material adverse effect on our reported financial results.

The integration of DMG into our internal control over financial reporting has required and will continue to require significant time and resources from our management and other personnel and will increase our compliance costs. Failure to maintain an effective internal control environment could have a material adverse effect on our ability to accurately report our financial results and the market’s perception of our business and our stock price.

Deterioration in economic conditions and further disruptions in the financial markets could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows and otherwise adversely affect our financial condition.

Deterioration in economic conditions could adversely affect our business and our profitability. Among other things, the potential decline in federal and state revenues that may result from such conditions may create additional pressures to contain or reduce reimbursements for our services from Medicare, Medicaid and other government sponsored programs. Increases in job losses in the U.S. as a result of adverse economic conditions has and may continue to result in a smaller percentage of our patients being covered by an employer group health plan and a larger percentage being covered by lower paying Medicare and Medicaid programs. Employers may also select more restrictive commercial plans with lower reimbursement rates. To the extent that payors are negatively impacted by a decline in the economy, we may experience further pressure on commercial rates, a further slowdown in collections and a reduction in the amounts we expect to collect. In addition, uncertainty in the financial markets could adversely affect the variable interest rates payable under our credit facilities or could make it more difficult to obtain or renew such facilities or to obtain other forms of financing in the future, if at all. Any or all of these factors, as well as other consequences of a deterioration in economic conditions which cannot currently be anticipated, could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows and otherwise adversely affect our financial condition.

Expansion of our operations to and offering our services in markets outside of the U.S. subjects us to political, economic, legal, operational and other risks that could adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flows.

We are continuing to expand our operations by offering our services outside of the U.S., which increases our exposure to the inherent risks of doing business in international markets. Depending on the market, these risks include those relating to:

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Issues relating to the failure to comply with any of the above may impact our domestic business and/or raise scrutiny on our domestic practices.

Additionally, some factors that will be critical to the success of our international business and operations will be different than those affecting our domestic business and operations. For example, conducting international operations requires us to devote significant management resources to implement our controls and systems in new markets, to comply with local laws and regulations and to overcome the numerous new challenges inherent in managing international operations, including those based on differing languages, cultures and regulatory environments, and those related to the timely hiring, integration and retention of a sufficient number of skilled personnel to carry out operations in an environment with which we are not familiar.

We anticipate expanding our international operations through acquisitions of varying sizes or through organic growth, which could increase these risks. Additionally, though we might invest material amounts of capital and incur significant costs in connection with the growth and development of our international operations, there is no assurance that we will be able to operate them profitably anytime soon, if at all. As a result, we would expect these costs to be dilutive to our earnings over the next several years as we start-up or acquire new operations.

These risks could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Risk factors related to our U.S. dialysis and related lab services, ancillary services and strategic initiatives:

If patients in commercial plans are subject to restriction in plan designs or the average rates that commercial payors pay us decline significantly, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Approximately 36% of our dialysis services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 were generated from patients who have commercial payors (including hospital dialysis services) as their primary payor. The majority of these patients have insurance policies that pay us on terms and at rates that are generally significantly higher than Medicare rates. The payments we receive from commercial payors generate nearly all of our profit and all of our nonacute dialysis profits come from commercial payors. We continue to experience downward pressure on some of our commercial payment rates as a result of general conditions in the market, including as employers shift to less expensive options for medical services, recent and future consolidations among commercial payors, increased focus on dialysis services and other factors. In addition, many commercial payors that sell individual plans both on and off exchange have publicly announced losses in the marketplace. These payors may seek discounts on rates for marketplace plans on and off exchange. There is no guarantee that commercial payment rates will not be materially lower in the future.

We are continuously in the process of negotiating existing and potential new agreements with commercial payors who aggressively negotiate terms with us. Sometimes many significant agreements are being renegotiated at the same time. In the event that our continual negotiations result in overall commercial rate reductions in excess of overall commercial rate increases, the cumulative effect could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. Consolidations have significantly increased the negotiating leverage of commercial payors. Our negotiations with payors are also influenced by competitive pressures, and we may experience decreased contracted rates with commercial payors or experience decreases in patient volume as our negotiations with commercial payors continue. In addition to downward pressure on contracted commercial payor rates, payors have been attempting to design and implement plans to restrict access to coverage, and the duration and/or the breadth of benefits, which may result in decreased payments. In addition, payors have been attempting to impose restrictions and limitations on patient access to commercial exchange plans and non-contracted or out-of-network providers, and in some circumstances designate our centers as out-of-network providers. Rates for commercial exchange products and out-of-network providers are on average higher than rates for government products and in-network providers, respectively. In 2017, a number of commercial payors have incorporated policies into their provider manuals refusing to accept charitable premium assistance from bona fide non-profit organizations, such as the American Kidney Fund, which may impact the number of patients who are able to afford commercial exchange plans. We also believe commercial payors have or will begin to restructure their benefits to create disincentives for patients to select or remain with out-of-network providers and to decrease payment rates for out-of-network providers. Decreases in the number of patients with commercial exchange plans, decreases in out-of-network rates and restrictions on out-of-network access, our turning away new patients in instances where we are unable to come to agreement on rates, or decreases in contracted rates could result in a significant decrease in our overall revenues derived from commercial payors. If the average rates that commercial payors pay us decline significantly, or if we see a decline in commercial patients, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. For additional details regarding specific risks we face regarding regulatory changes that could result in fewer patients covered under commercial plans or an increase of patients covered under more restrictive commercial plans with lower reimbursement rates, see the discussion in the risk factor under the heading “Healthcare reform could substantially reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.”

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If the number of patients with higher-paying commercial insurance declines, then our revenues, earnings and cash flows would be substantially reduced.

Our revenue levels are sensitive to the percentage of our patients with higher-paying commercial insurance coverage. A patient’s insurance coverage may change for a number of reasons, including changes in the patient’s or a family member’s employment status. Currently, for a patient covered by an employer group health plan, Medicare generally becomes the primary payor after 33 months, or earlier, if the patient’s employer group health plan coverage terminates. Patients with commercial insurance frequently rely on financial assistance from charitable organizations, such as the American Kidney Fund. However, certain payors are challenging our patients’ and other providers’ patients’ ability to utilize assistance from charitable organizations for the payment of premiums, including through litigation and other legal proceedings. Regulators have also questioned the use of charitable premium assistance for ESRD patients, including CMS, which had issued an interim final rule on charitable premium assistance in December 2016. Although CMS’ interim final rule is currently subject to a preliminary injunction issued by a federal court judge, CMS or a regulatory agency may issue a new rule to challenge charitable premium assistance. If any of these challenges to kidney patients’ use of premium assistance are successful or regulators impose restrictions on the use of financial assistance from such charitable organizations such that these patients are unable to obtain, or continue to receive or receive for a limited duration, such financial assistance, our revenues, earnings, and cash flow could be substantially reduced.

When Medicare becomes the primary payor, the payment rate we receive for that patient decreases from the employer group health plan rate to the lower Medicare payment rate. The number of our patients who have government-based programs as their primary payors could increase and the percentage of our patients covered under commercial insurance plans could be negatively impacted as a result of improved mortality or declining macroeconomic conditions. To the extent there are sustained or increased job losses in the U.S., independent of whether general economic conditions improve, we could experience a decrease in the number of patients covered under commercial plans. We could also experience a further decrease in the payments we receive for services if changes to the healthcare regulatory system result in fewer patients covered under commercial plans or an increase of patients covered under more restrictive commercial plans with lower reimbursement rates. In addition, our continual negotiations with commercial payors under existing and potential new agreements could result in a decrease in the number of our patients covered by commercial plans to the extent that we cannot reach agreement with commercial payors on rates and other terms, resulting in termination or non-renewals of existing agreements and our inability to enter into new agreements. Commercial payors have taken and may continue to take steps to control the cost of and/or the eligibility for access to healthcare services, including relative to products on and off the healthcare exchanges. These efforts could impact the number of our patients who are eligible to enroll in commercial insurance plans, and remain on the plans, including plans offered through healthcare exchanges. If there is a significant reduction in the number of patients under higher-paying commercial plans relative to government-based programs that pay at lower rates, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Changes in the structure of and payment rates under the Medicare ESRD program could substantially reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Approximately 42% of our dialysis services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 were generated from patients who have Medicare as their primary payor. For patients with Medicare coverage, all ESRD payments for dialysis treatments are made under a single bundled payment rate which provides a fixed payment rate to encompass all goods and services provided during the dialysis treatment, including pharmaceuticals that were historically separately reimbursed to the dialysis providers, such as EPO, vitamin D analogs and iron supplements, irrespective of the level of pharmaceuticals administered or additional services performed. Most lab services are also included in the bundled payment. Under the ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS), the bundled payments to a dialysis facility may be reduced by as much as 2% based on the facility’s performance in specified quality measures set annually by CMS through the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, which was established by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. The bundled payment rate is also adjusted for certain patient characteristics, a geographic usage index and certain other factors.

The current bundled payment system presents certain operating, clinical and financial risks, which include:

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For additional details regarding the risks we face for failing to adhere to our Medicare and Medicaid regulatory compliance obligations, see the risk factor below under the heading “If we fail to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to our business, we could suffer severe consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock price.”

Changes in state Medicaid or other non-Medicare government-based programs or payment rates could reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Approximately 22% of our dialysis services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 were generated from patients who have state Medicaid or other non-Medicare government-based programs, such as coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as their primary coverage. As state governments and other governmental organizations face increasing budgetary pressure, we may in turn face reductions in payment rates, delays in the receipt of payments, limitations on enrollee eligibility or other changes to the applicable programs. For example, certain state Medicaid programs and the VA have recently considered, proposed or implemented payment rate reductions.

The VA adopted Medicare’s bundled PPS pricing methodology for any veterans receiving treatment from non-VA providers under a national contracting initiative. Since we are a non-VA provider, these reimbursements are tied to a percentage of Medicare reimbursement, and we have exposure to any dialysis reimbursement changes made by CMS. Approximately 2% of our dialysis services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 were generated by the VA.

In 2013, we entered into a five-year Nationwide Dialysis Services contract with the VA which is subject to one-year renewal periods, consistent with all provider agreements with the VA under this contract. During the length of the contract, the VA has elected not to make adjustments to reimbursement percentages that are tied to a percentage of Medicare reimbursement rates. These agreements provide the VA with the right to terminate the agreements without cause on short notice. Should the VA not renew or cancel these agreements for any reason, we may cease accepting patients under this program and may be forced to close centers, which could adversely affect our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

State Medicaid programs are increasingly adopting Medicare-like bundled payment systems, but sometimes these payment systems are poorly defined and are implemented without any claims processing infrastructure, or patient or facility adjusters. If these payment systems are implemented without any adjusters and claims processing changes, Medicaid payments will be substantially reduced and the costs to submit such claims may increase, which will have a negative impact on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. In addition, some state Medicaid program eligibility requirements mandate that citizen enrollees in such programs provide documented proof of citizenship. If our patients cannot meet these proof of citizenship documentation requirements, they may be denied coverage under these programs, resulting in decreased patient volumes and revenue. These Medicaid payment and enrollment changes, along with similar changes to other non-Medicare government programs could reduce the rates paid by these programs for dialysis and related services, delay the receipt of payment for services provided and further limit eligibility for coverage which could adversely affect our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Changes in clinical practices, payment rates or regulations impacting EPO and other pharmaceuticals could adversely affect our operating results, reduce our revenues, earnings and cash flows and negatively impact our ability to care for patients.

Medicare bundles EPO into the PPS such that dosing variations do not change the amount paid to a dialysis facility. Although some Medicaid programs and other payors suggest movement towards a bundled payment system inclusive of EPO, some non-Medicare payors continue to pay for EPO separately from the treatment rate.

Additionally, evaluations on the utilization and reimbursement for ESAs, which have occurred in the past and may occur in the future, and related actions by the U.S. Congress and federal agencies, could result in further restrictions on the utilization and

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reimbursement for ESAs. Commercial payors have increasingly examined their administration policies for EPO and, in some cases, have modified those policies. Changes in labeling of EPO and other pharmaceuticals in a manner that alters physician practice patterns or accepted clinical practices, and/or changes in private and governmental payment criteria, including the introduction of EPO administration policies could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. Further increased utilization of EPO for patients for whom the cost of EPO is included in a bundled reimbursement rate, or further decreases in reimbursement for EPO and other pharmaceuticals that are not included in a bundled reimbursement rate, could also have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Additionally, as a result of the current high level of scrutiny and controversy, we may be subject to increased inquiries or audits from a variety of governmental bodies or claims by third parties. Although we believe our anemia management practices and other pharmaceutical administration practices have been compliant with existing laws and regulations, increased inquiries or audits from governmental bodies or claims by third parties would require management’s attention, and could result in significant legal expense. Any negative findings could result in substantial financial penalties or repayment obligations, the imposition of certain obligations on and changes to our practices and procedures as well as the attendant financial burden on us to comply with the obligations, or exclusion from future participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

If we fail to comply with our Corporate Integrity Agreement, we could be subject to substantial penalties and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs that may adversely impact our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

In October 2014, we entered into a Settlement Agreement with the United States and relator David Barbetta to resolve the then pending 2010 and 2011 U.S. Attorney physician relationship investigations and paid $406 million in settlement amounts, civil forfeiture, and interest to the United States and certain states. In connection with the resolution of these matters, and in exchange for the OIG’s agreement not to exclude us from participating in the federal healthcare programs, we have entered into a five-year CIA with the OIG. The CIA (i) requires that we maintain certain elements of our compliance programs; (ii) imposes certain expanded compliance-related requirements during the term of the CIA; (iii) requires ongoing monitoring and reporting by an independent monitor, imposes certain reporting, certification, records retention and training obligations, allocates certain oversight responsibility to the Board’s Compliance Committee, and necessitates the creation of a Management Compliance Committee and the retention of an independent compliance advisor to the Board; and (iv) contains certain business restrictions related to a subset of our joint venture arrangements, including our agreeing to (1) unwind 11 joint venture transactions that were created through partial divestitures to, or partial acquisitions from, nephrologists, and that cover 26 of our 2,119 clinics that existed at the time we entered into the Settlement Agreement, all of which have been completed, (2) not enter into certain types of partial divestiture joint venture transactions with nephrologists during the term of the CIA, (3) non-enforcement of certain patient-related non-solicitation restrictions, and (4) certain other restrictions. The costs associated with compliance with the CIA could be substantial and may be greater than we currently anticipate. In addition, in the event of a breach of the CIA, we could become liable for payment of certain stipulated penalties, and could be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs. The OIG notified us that it considered us to be previously in breach of the CIA because of three implementation deficiencies. While we have remediated the deficiencies and have paid certain stipulated penalties, we cannot provide any assurances that we may not be found in breach of the CIA in the future. In general, the costs associated with compliance with the CIA, or any liability or consequences associated with a breach, could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. For our domestic dialysis business, we are required under the CIA to report to the OIG (i) probable violations of criminal, civil or administrative laws applicable to any federal health care program for which penalties or exclusions may be authorized under applicable laws and regulations; (ii) substantial overpayments of amounts of money we have received in excess of the amounts due and payable under the federal healthcare program requirements; and (iii) employment of or contracting with individuals ineligible from participating in the federal healthcare programs (we refer to these collectively as Reportable Events). We have provided the OIG notice of Reportable Events, and we may identify and report additional events in the future. If any of our operations are found to violate government laws and regulations, we could suffer severe consequences that would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock price, including those consequences described under the risk factor “If we fail to adhere to all of the complex government regulations that apply to our business, we could suffer severe consequences that would substantially reduce our revenues, earnings, cash flows and stock price.”

Delays in state Medicare and Medicaid certification of our dialysis centers could adversely affect our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Before we can begin billing for patients treated in our outpatient dialysis centers who are enrolled in government-based programs, we are required to obtain state and federal certification for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. As state agencies responsible for surveying dialysis centers on behalf of the state and Medicare program face increasing budgetary pressure, certain states are having difficulty keeping up with certifying dialysis centers in the normal course resulting in significant delays in certification. If state governments continue to have difficulty keeping up with certifying new centers in the normal course and we continue to experience significant delays in our ability to treat and bill for services provided to patients covered under government programs, it could cause us to incur write-offs of investments or accelerate the recognition of lease obligations in the event we have to

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close centers or our centers’ operating performance deteriorates, and it could have an adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

If our joint ventures were found to violate the law, we could suffer severe consequences that would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

As of December 31, 2016, we owned a controlling interest in numerous dialysis-related joint ventures, which represented approximately 24% of our dialysis and related lab services revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016. In addition, we also owned noncontrolling equity investments in several other dialysis related joint ventures. We may continue to increase the number of our joint ventures. Many of our joint ventures with physicians or physician groups also have certain physician owners providing medical director services to centers we own and operate. Because our relationships with physicians are governed by the federal and state anti-kickback statutes, we have sought to structure our joint venture arrangements to satisfy as many federal safe harbor requirements as we believe are commercially reasonable. However, although our joint venture arrangements do not satisfy all of the elements of any safe harbor under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, they are not automatically prohibited under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute but are susceptible to government scrutiny. For example, in October 2014, we entered into a Settlement Agreement with the United States and relator David Barbetta to resolve the then pending 2010 and 2011 U.S. Attorney physician relationship investigations regarding certain of our joint ventures and paid $406 million in settlement amounts, civil forfeiture, and interest to the United States and certain states. For further details, see “If we fail to comply with our Corporate Integrity Agreement, we could be subject to substantial penalties and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs that could have a material effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows”.

There are significant estimating risks associated with the amount of dialysis revenues and related refund liabilities that we recognize, and if we are unable to accurately estimate our revenues and related refund liabilities, it could impact the timing and the amount of our revenues recognition or have a significant impact on our operating results.

There are significant estimating risks associated with the amount of dialysis and related lab services revenues and related refund liabilities that we recognize in a reporting period. The billing and collection process is complex due to ongoing insurance coverage changes, geographic coverage differences, differing interpretations of contract coverage and other payor issues. Determining applicable primary and secondary coverage for approximately 187,700 U.S. patients at any point in time, together with the changes in patient coverage that occur each month, requires complex, resource-intensive processes. Errors in determining the correct coordination of benefits may result in refunds to payors. Revenues associated with Medicare and Medicaid programs are also subject to estimating risk related to the amounts not paid by the primary government payor that will ultimately be collectible from other government programs paying secondary coverage, the patient’s commercial health plan secondary coverage or the patient. Collections, refunds and payor retractions typically continue to occur for up to three years and longer after services are provided. We generally expect our range of dialysis and related lab services revenues estimating risk to be within 1% of net revenues for the segment. If our estimates of dialysis and related lab services revenues and related refund liabilities are materially inaccurate, it could impact the timing and the amount of our revenues recognition and have a significant impact on our operating results.

Our ancillary services and strategic initiatives, including our pharmacy services and our international dialysis operations, that we invest in now or in the future may generate losses and may ultimately be unsuccessful. In the event that one or more of these activities is unsuccessful, our revenues, earnings and cash flows may be negatively impacted and we may have to write off our investment and incur other exit costs.

Our ancillary services and strategic initiatives currently include pharmacy services, disease management services, vascular access services, ESRD clinical research programs, physician services, physician practice management services, direct primary care and our international dialysis operations. We expect to add additional service offerings and pursue additional strategic initiatives in the future as circumstances warrant, which could include healthcare services not related to dialysis. Many of these initiatives require or would require investments of both management and financial resources and can generate significant losses for a substantial period of time and may not become profitable. There can be no assurance that any such strategic initiative will ultimately be successful. Any significant change in market conditions, or business performance, or in the political, legislative or regulatory environment, may impact the economic viability of any of these strategic initiatives.

If any of our ancillary services or strategic initiatives, including our pharmacy services and our international dialysis operations, do not perform as planned, our revenues, earnings and cash flows may be negatively impacted, we may incur a material write-off or an impairment of our investment, including goodwill, in one or more of these activities, or we could incur significant termination costs if we were to exit a certain line of business.

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If a significant number of physicians were to cease referring patients to our dialysis centers, whether due to regulatory or other reasons, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

We believe that physicians prefer to have their patients treated at dialysis centers where they or other members of their practice supervise the overall care provided as medical director of the center. As a result, the primary referral source for most of our centers is often the physician or physician group providing medical director services to the center.

Our medical director contracts are for fixed periods, generally ten years, and at any given time a large number of them could be up for renewal at the same time. Medical directors have no obligation to extend their agreements with us and if we are unable to enforce noncompetition provisions contained in terminated medical director agreements, our former medical directors may choose to provide medical director services for competing providers or establish their own dialysis centers in competition with ours. Neither our current nor former medical directors have an obligation to refer their patients to our centers.

Opportunities presented by our competitors or different affiliation models in the changing healthcare environment, such as an increase in the number of physicians becoming employed by hospitals or a perceived decrease in the quality of service levels at our centers, may negatively impact a medical director’s decision to enter into or extend his or her agreement with us, refer patients to our centers or otherwise negatively impact treatment volumes.

In addition, we may take actions to restructure existing relationships or take positions in negotiating extensions of relationships to assure compliance with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law and other similar laws. If the terms of any existing agreement are found to violate applicable laws, we may not be successful in restructuring the relationship, which could lead to the early termination of the agreement, or cause the physician to stop referring patients to our dialysis centers. These actions, in an effort to comply with applicable laws and regulations, could negatively impact the decision of physicians to extend their medical director agreements with us or to refer their patients to us. If a significant number of physicians were to cease referring patients to our dialysis centers, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

If there are shortages of skilled clinical personnel or if we experience a higher than normal turnover rate, we may experience disruptions in our business operations and increases in operating expenses.

We are experiencing increased labor costs and difficulties in hiring nurses due to a nationwide shortage of skilled clinical personnel. We compete for nurses with hospitals and other healthcare providers. This nursing shortage may limit our ability to expand our operations. In addition, changes in certification requirements or increases in the required staffing levels for skilled clinical personnel can impact our ability to maintain sufficient staff levels to the extent our teammates are not able to meet new requirements, or we experience a higher than normal turnover rate due to increased competition for qualified clinical personnel. If we are unable to hire skilled clinical personnel when needed, or if we experience a higher than normal turnover rate for our skilled clinical personnel, our operations and treatment growth will be negatively impacted, which would result in reduced revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Our business is labor intensive and could be adversely affected if we are unable to maintain satisfactory relations with our employees or if union organizing activities result in significant increases in our operating costs or decreases in productivity.

Our business is labor intensive, and our results are subject to variations in labor-related costs, productivity and the number of pending or potential claims against us related to labor and employment practices. If political efforts at the national and local level result in actions or proposals that increase the likelihood of union organizing activities at our facilities or if union organizing activities increase for other reasons, or if labor and employment claims, including the filing of class action suits, or work stoppages, trend upwards, our operating costs could increase and our employee relations, productivity, earnings and cash flows could be adversely affected.

Complications associated with our billing and collections system could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, cash flows and operating results.

Our billing system is critical to our billing operations. If there are defects in the billing system, we may experience difficulties in our ability to successfully bill and collect for services rendered, including a delay in collections, a reduction in the amounts collected, increased risk of retractions from and refunds to commercial and government payors, an increase in our provision for uncollectible accounts receivable and noncompliance with reimbursement regulations, any or all of which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, cash flows and operating results.

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Risk factors related to DMG:

DMG is subject to many of the same risks to which our dialysis business is subject.

As a participant in the healthcare industry, DMG is subject to many of the same risks as our dialysis business is, as described in the risk factors set forth above in this Part I, Item 1A, any of which could materially and adversely affect DMG’s revenues, earnings or cash flows.

Under most of DMG’s agreements with health plans, DMG assumes some or all of the risk that the cost of providing services will exceed its compensation.

Over 83% of DMG’s revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016 is derived from fixed per member per month (PMPM) fees paid by health plans under capitation agreements with DMG or its associated physician groups. While there are variations specific to each arrangement, DMG, through DaVita Health Plan of California, Inc. (DHPC), a subsidiary of HealthCare Partners Holdings, LLC and a restricted Knox-Keene licensed entity, and, in certain instances, DMG’s associated physician groups generally contract with health plans to receive a PMPM fee for professional services and assume the financial responsibility for professional services only. In some cases, the health plans separately enter into capitation contracts with third parties (typically hospitals) who receive directly a PMPM fee and assume contractual financial responsibility for hospital services. In other cases, the health plan does not pay any portion of the PMPM fee to the hospital, but rather administers claims for hospital expenses itself. In both scenarios, DMG enters into managed care-related administrative services agreements or similar arrangements with those third parties (typically hospitals) under which DMG agrees to be responsible for utilization review, quality assurance, and other managed care-related administrative functions and claim payments. As compensation for such administrative services, DMG is entitled to receive a percentage of the amount by which the institutional capitation revenue received from health plans exceeds institutional expenses; any such risk-share amount to which DMG is entitled is recorded as medical revenues, and DMG is also responsible for a percentage of any short-fall in the event that institutional expenses exceed institutional revenues. To the extent that members require more care than is anticipated, aggregate fixed PMPM amounts, or capitation payments, may be insufficient to cover the costs associated with treatment. If medical expenses exceed estimates, except in very limited circumstances, DMG will not be able to increase the PMPM fee received under these risk agreements during their then-current terms and could, directly or indirectly through its contracts with its associated physician groups, suffer losses with respect to such agreements.

Changes in DMG’s or its associated physician groups’ anticipated ratio of medical expense to revenue can significantly impact DMG’s financial results. Accordingly, the failure to adequately predict and control medical expenses and to make reasonable estimates and maintain adequate accruals for incurred but not reported claims, may have a material adverse effect on DMG’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Historically, DMG’s and its associated physician groups’ medical expenses as a percentage of revenue have fluctuated. Factors that may cause medical expenses to exceed estimates include:

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Risk-sharing arrangements that DMG and its associated physician groups have with health plans and hospitals could result in their costs exceeding the corresponding revenues, which could reduce or eliminate any shared risk profitability.

Most of the agreements between health plans and DMG and its associated physician groups contain risk-sharing arrangements under which the physician groups can earn additional compensation from the health plans by coordinating the provision of quality, cost-effective healthcare to members. However, such arrangements may require the physician group to assume a portion of any loss sustained from these arrangements, thereby reducing DMG’s net income. Under these risk-sharing arrangements, DMG and its associated physician groups are responsible for a portion of the cost of hospital services or other services that are not capitated. The terms of the particular risk-sharing arrangement allocate responsibility to the respective parties when the cost of services exceeds the related revenue, which results in a deficit, or permit the parties to share in any surplus amounts when actual costs are less than the related revenue. The amount of non-capitated medical and hospital costs in any period could be affected by factors beyond the control of DMG, such as changes in treatment protocols, new technologies, longer lengths of stay by the patient and inflation. Certain of DMG’s agreements with health plans stipulate that risk-sharing pool deficit amounts are carried forward to offset any future years’ surplus amounts DMG would otherwise be entitled to receive. DMG accrues for any such risk-sharing deficits. To the extent that such non-capitated medical and hospital costs are higher than anticipated, revenue may not be sufficient to cover the risk-sharing deficits the health plans and DMG are responsible for, which could reduce DMG’s revenues and profitability.

Renegotiation, renewal or termination of capitation agreements with health plans could have a significant impact on DMG’s future profitability.

Under most of DMG’s and its associated physician groups’ capitation agreements with health plans, the health plan is generally permitted to modify the benefit and risk obligations and compensation rights from time to time during the terms of the agreements. If a health plan exercises its right to amend its benefit and risk obligations and compensation rights, DMG and its associated physician groups are generally allowed a period of time to object to such amendment. If DMG or its associated physician group so objects, under some of the risk agreements, the relevant health plan may terminate the applicable agreement upon 90 to 180 days written notice. If DMG or its associated physician groups enter into capitation contracts or other risk sharing arrangements with unfavorable economic terms, or a capitation contract is amended to include unfavorable terms, DMG could, directly or indirectly through its contracts with its associated physician groups, suffer losses with respect to such contract. Since DMG does not negotiate with CMS or any health plan regarding the benefits to be provided under their Medicare Advantage plans, DMG often has just a few months to familiarize itself with each new annual package of benefits it is expected to offer. Depending on the health plan at issue and the amount of revenue associated with the health plan’s risk agreement, the renegotiated terms or termination may have a material adverse effect on our DMG division and the Company’s future revenues and profitability.

Laws regulating the corporate practice of medicine could restrict the manner in which DMG is permitted to conduct its business, and the failure to comply with such laws could subject DMG to penalties or require a restructuring of DMG.

Some states have laws that prohibit business entities, such as DMG, from practicing medicine, employing physicians to practice medicine, exercising control over medical decisions by physicians (also known collectively as the corporate practice of medicine) or engaging in certain arrangements, such as fee-splitting, with physicians. In some states these prohibitions are expressly stated in a statute or regulation, while in other states the prohibition is a matter of judicial or regulatory interpretation. Of the states in which DMG currently operates, California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington generally prohibit the corporate practice of medicine, and other states may as well.

In California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington, DMG operates by maintaining long-term contracts with its associated physician groups which are each owned and operated by physicians and which employ or contract with additional physicians to provide physician services. Under these arrangements, DMG provides management services and, receives a management fee for providing non-medical management services; however, DMG does not represent that it offers medical services, and does not exercise influence or control over the practice of medicine by the physicians or the associated physician groups.

In addition to the above management arrangements, DMG has certain contractual rights relating to the orderly transfer of equity interests in certain of its associated California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington physician groups through succession agreements and other arrangements with their physician equity holders. However, such equity interests cannot be transferred to or held by DMG or by any non-professional organization. Accordingly, neither DMG nor DMG’s subsidiaries directly own any equity interests in any physician groups in California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington. In the event that any of these associated physician groups fail to comply with the management arrangement or any management arrangement is terminated and/or DMG is unable to enforce its contractual rights over the orderly transfer of equity interests in its associated physician groups, such events could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

It is possible that a state regulatory agency or a court could determine that DMG’s agreements with physician equity holders of certain managed California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington associated physician groups as described above, either independently

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or coupled with the management services agreements with such associated physician groups, are in violation of the corporate practice of medicine doctrine. As a result, these arrangements could be deemed invalid, potentially resulting in a loss of revenues and an adverse effect on results of operations derived from such associated physician groups. Such a determination could force a restructuring of DMG’s management arrangements with associated physician groups in California, Colorado, Nevada and/or Washington, which might include revisions of the management services agreements, including a modification of the management fee and/or establishing an alternative structure that would permit DMG to contract with a physician network without violating the corporate practice of medicine prohibition. There can be no assurance that such a restructuring would be feasible, or that it could be accomplished within a reasonable time frame without a material adverse effect on DMG’s operations and financial results. In December 2013, DHPC obtained a restricted Knox-Keene license in California, which permits DHPC to contract with health plans in California to accept global risk without violating the corporate practice of medicine prohibition. However, DMG and DMG’s Colorado, Nevada and Washington associated physician groups, as well as those physician equity holders of associated physician groups who are subject to succession agreements with DMG, could be subject to criminal or civil penalties or an injunction for practicing medicine without a license or aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine.

If DMG’s agreements or arrangements with any physician equity holder(s) of associated physicians, physician groups or IPAs are deemed invalid under state law, including laws against the corporate practice of medicine, or federal law, or are terminated as a result of changes in state law, or if there is a change in accounting standards by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) or the interpretation thereof affecting consolidation of entities, it could impact DMG’s consolidation of total revenues derived from such associated physician groups.

DMG’s financial statements are consolidated in accordance with applicable accounting standards and include the accounts of its majority-owned subsidiaries and certain non-owned DMG-associated and managed physician groups. Such consolidation for accounting and/or tax purposes does not, is not intended to, and should not be deemed to, imply or provide to DMG any control over the medical or clinical affairs of such physician groups. In the event of a change in accounting standards promulgated by FASB or in interpretation of its standards, or if there is an adverse determination by a regulatory agency or a court, or a change in state or federal law relating to the ability to maintain present agreements or arrangements with such physician groups, DMG may not be permitted to continue to consolidate the total revenues of such organizations. A change in accounting for consolidation with respect to DMG’s present agreement or arrangements would diminish DMG’s reported revenues but would not be expected to materially adversely affect its reported results of operations, while regulatory or legal rulings or changes in law interfering with DMG’s ability to maintain its present agreements or arrangements could materially diminish both revenues and results of operations.

If DHPC is not able to satisfy financial solvency or other regulatory requirements, we could become subject to sanctions and its license to do business in California could be limited, suspended or terminated.

Knox-Keene requires healthcare service plans operating in California to comply with financial solvency and other requirements overseen by the California Department of Managed HealthCare (DMHC). Under Knox-Keene, DHPC is required to, among other things:

In the event that DHPC is not in compliance with the provisions of Knox-Keene, we could be subject to sanctions, or limitations on, or suspension of its license to do business in California.

If DMG’s associated physician group is not able to satisfy the California DMHC’s financial solvency requirements, DMG’s associated physician group could become subject to sanctions and DMG’s ability to do business in California could be limited or terminated.

The California DMHC has instituted financial solvency regulations to monitor the financial solvency of capitated physician groups. Under these regulations, DMG’s associated physician group is required to, among other things:

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In the event that DMG’s associated physician group is not in compliance with any of the above criteria, DMG’s associated physician group could be subject to sanctions, or limitations on, or removal of, its ability to do business in California.

Reductions in Medicare Advantage health plan reimbursement rates stemming from recent healthcare reforms and any future related regulations may negatively impact DMG’s business, revenue and profitability.

A significant portion of DMG’s revenue is directly or indirectly derived from the monthly premium payments paid by CMS to health plans for medical services provided to Medicare Advantage enrollees. As a result, DMG’s results of operations are, in part, dependent on government funding levels for Medicare Advantage programs. Any changes that limit or reduce Medicare Advantage reimbursement levels, such as reductions in or limitations of reimbursement amounts or rates under programs, reductions in funding of programs, expansion of benefits without adequate funding, elimination of coverage for certain benefits, or elimination of coverage for certain individuals or treatments under programs, could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s revenues, earnings and cash flows.

Each year, CMS issues a final rule to establish the Medicare Advantage benchmark payment rates for the following calendar year. Any reduction to Medicare Advantage rates to DMG that is greater compared to the industry average rate may have material adverse effect on DMG’s operations and cash flows. The final impact of the Medicare Advantage rates can vary from any estimate we may have and may be further impacted by the relative growth of DMG’s Medicare Advantage patient volumes across markets as well as by the benefit plan designs submitted. It is possible that we may underestimate the impact of the Medicare Advantage rates on our business, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operation or cash flows.

We have taken impairment charges against the goodwill of three of our DMG reporting units in the fourth quarter of 2015 and the first and second quarters of 2016 based on continuing developments at our DMG reporting units, including the Medicare Advantage final benchmark rates for 2017 announced on April 4, 2016, further changes in our expectations concerning future government reimbursement rates and our expected ability to mitigate them, as well as medical cost and utilization trends, underperformance of certain at-risk units in recent quarters and other market conditions. We may also need to take additional goodwill impairment charges against earnings in a future period, depending on the impact of continuing changes on the value of our DMG reporting units. A goodwill impairment occurs when the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill is in excess of its implied fair value, and the amount of such non-cash charge, if any, could be significant. In estimating the fair value of our DMG reporting units, we update our forecasts for our at-risk DMG reporting units to reflect the expected future cash flows that we believe market participants would use in determining fair values of our DMG reporting units if they were to acquire these businesses. We and our independent advisors also use certain estimates and key assumptions in determining the estimate of these fair values, including applicable market multiples, discount and long-term growth rates, market data and future reimbursement rates. Our estimates of the fair value of our DMG reporting units could differ from the actual values that a market participant would pay for these reporting units.

DMG’s Medicare Advantage revenues may continue to be volatile in the future, which could have a material impact on DMG’s ongoing financial performance.

The Health Reform Acts contain a number of provisions that negatively impact Medicare Advantage plans, which may each have an adverse effect on DMG’s revenues, earnings and cash flows. These provisions include the following:

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However, the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the Health Reform Acts to be unclear. While specific changes and their timing are not yet apparent, enacted reforms and future legislative changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

There is also uncertainty regarding both Medicare Advantage payment rates and beneficiary enrollment, which, if reduced, would reduce DMG’s overall revenues and net income. For example, although the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted in 2010 that Medicare Advantage participation would drop substantially by 2020, the CBO now predicts that enrollment in Medicare Advantage (and other contracts covering Medicare Parts A and B) could reach 30 million by 2026. Although Medicare Advantage enrollment increased by approximately 5.6 million, or by 50%, between the enactment of the ACA in 2010 and 2015, there can be no assurance that this trend will continue. Further, fluctuation in Medicare Advantage payment rates are evidenced by CMS’s annual announcement of the expected average change in revenue from the prior year: for 2015, CMS announced an average increase of 0.4%; for 2016, 1.25%; and for 2017, 0.85%. Uncertainty over Medicare Advantage enrollment and payment rates present a continuing risk to DMG’s business.

Medicare Advantage enrollment continues to be highly concentrated among a few payors, both nationally and in local markets. In 2017, in 439 counties in 26 states, only one company will offer Medicare Advantage plans– an indicator that those markets may lack competition. Consolidation among Medicare Advantage plans, or the Medicare program’s failure to attract additional plans to participate in the Medicare Advantage program, could have a negative impact of DMG’s revenues, earnings, and/or cash flows.

DMG’s operations are dependent on competing health plans and, at times, a health plan’s and DMG’s economic interests may diverge.

For the year ended December 31, 2016, 63% of DMG’s consolidated capitated medical revenues were earned through contracts with three health plans.

DMG expects that, going forward, substantially all of its revenue will continue to be derived from its contracts with health plans. Each health plan may immediately terminate any of DMG’s contracts and/or any individual credentialed physician upon the occurrence of certain events. They may also amend the material terms of the contracts under certain circumstances. Failure to maintain the contracts on favorable terms, for any reason, would materially and adversely affect DMG’s results of operations and financial condition. A material decline in the number of members could also have a material adverse effect on DMG’s results of operations.

Notwithstanding each health plan’s and DMG’s current shared interest in providing service to DMG’s members who are enrolled in the subject health plans, the health plans may have different and, at times, opposing economic interests from those of DMG. The health plans provide a wide range of health insurance services across a wide range of geographic regions, utilizing a vast network of providers. As a result, they and DMG may have different views regarding the proper pricing of services and/or the proper pricing of the various service providers in their provider networks, the cost of which DMG bears to the extent that the services of such service providers are utilized. These health plans may also have different views than DMG regarding the efforts and expenditures that they, DMG, and/or other service providers should make to achieve and/or maintain various quality ratings. In addition, several health plans have acquired or announced their intent to acquire provider organizations. If health plans with which DMG contracts acquire a significant number of provider organizations, they may not continue to contract with DMG or contract on less favorable terms or seek to prevent DMG from acquiring or entering into arrangements with certain providers. Similarly, as a result of changes in laws, regulations, consumer preferences, or other factors, the health plans may find it in their best interest to provide health insurance services pursuant to another payment or reimbursement structure. In the event DMG’s interests diverge from the interests of the health plans, DMG may have limited

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recourse or alternative options in light of its dependence on these health plans. There can be no assurances that DMG will continue to find it mutually beneficial to work with these health plans. As a result of various restrictive provisions that appear in some of the managed care agreements with health plans, DMG may at times have limitations on its ability to cancel an agreement with a particular health plan and immediately thereafter contract with a competing health plan with respect to the same service area.

DMG and its associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs and other physicians may be required to continue providing services following termination or renegotiation of certain agreements with health plans.

There are circumstances under federal and state law pursuant to which DMG and its associated physician groups, IPAs and other physicians could be obligated to continue to provide medical services to DMG members in their care following a termination of their applicable risk agreement with health plans and termination of the receipt of payments thereunder. In certain cases, this obligation could require the physician group or IPA to provide care to such member following the bankruptcy or insolvency of a health plan. Accordingly, the obligations to provide medical services to DMG members (and the associated costs) may not terminate at the time the applicable agreement with the health plan terminates, and DMG may not be able to recover its cost of providing those services from the health plan, which could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows.

DMG operates primarily in California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Colorado and may not be able to successfully establish a presence in new geographic regions.

DMG derives substantially all of its revenue from operations in California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Colorado (which we refer to as the Existing Geographic Regions). As a result, DMG’s exposure to many of the risks described herein is not mitigated by a greater diversification of geographic focus. Furthermore, due to the concentration of DMG’s operations in the Existing Geographic Regions, it may be adversely affected by economic conditions, natural disasters (such as earthquakes or hurricanes), or acts of war or terrorism that disproportionately affect the Existing Geographic Regions as compared to other states and geographic markets.

To expand the operations of its network outside of the Existing Geographic Regions, DMG must devote resources to identify and explore perceived opportunities. Thereafter, DMG must, among other things, recruit and retain qualified personnel, develop new offices, establish potential new relationships with one or more health plans, and establish new relationships with physicians and other healthcare providers. The ability to establish such new relationships may be significantly inhibited by competition for such relationships and personnel in the healthcare marketplace in the targeted new geographic regions. Additionally, DMG may face the risk that a substantial portion of the patients served in a new geographic area may be enrolled in a Medicare FFS program and will not desire to transition to a Medicare Advantage program, such as those offered through the health plans that DMG serves, or they may enroll with other health plans with whom DMG does not contract to receive services, which could reduce substantially DMG’s perceived opportunity in such geographic area. In addition, if DMG were to seek to expand outside of the Existing Geographic Regions, DMG would be required to comply with laws and regulations of states that may differ from the ones in which it currently operates, and could face competitors with greater knowledge of such local markets. DMG anticipates that any geographic expansion may require it to make a substantial investment of management time, capital and/or other resources. There can be no assurance that DMG will be able to establish profitable operations or relationships in any new geographic markets.

Reductions in the quality ratings of the health plans DMG serves could have an adverse effect on its results of operations, financial condition and/or cash flow.

As a result of the Health Reform Acts, the level of reimbursement each health plan receives from CMS is dependent, in part, upon the quality rating of the Medicare plan. Such ratings impact the percentage of any cost savings rebate and any bonuses earned by such health plan. Since a significant portion of DMG’s revenue is expected to be calculated as a percentage of CMS reimbursements received by these health plans with respect to DMG members, reductions in the quality ratings of a health plan that DMG serves could have an adverse effect on its results of operations, financial condition, and/or cash flows.

Given each health plan’s control of its plans and the many other providers that serve such plans, DMG believes that it will have limited ability to influence the overall quality rating of any such plan. In addition, CMS has begun terminating plans that have had a rating of less than three stars for three consecutive years, whereas Medicare Advantage plans with five stars are permitted to conduct enrollment throughout almost the entire year. Accordingly, since low quality ratings can potentially lead to the termination of a plan that DMG serves, DMG may not be able to prevent the potential termination of a contracting plan or a shift of patients to other plans based upon quality issues which could, in turn, have an adverse effect on DMG’s results of operations, financial condition and/or cash flows.

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DMG’s records and submissions to a health plan may contain inaccurate or unsupportable information regarding risk adjustment scores of members, which could cause DMG to overstate or understate its revenue and subject it to various penalties.

DMG, on behalf of itself and its associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs, submits to health plans claims and encounter data that support the Medicare Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) scores attributable to members. These RAF scores determine, in part, the revenue to which the health plans and, in turn, DMG is entitled for the provision of medical care to such members. The data submitted to CMS by each health plan is based, in part, on medical charts and diagnosis codes prepared and submitted by DMG. Each health plan generally relies on DMG and its employed or affiliated physicians to appropriately document and support such RAF data in DMG’s medical records. Each health plan also relies on DMG and its employed or affiliated physicians to appropriately code claims for medical services provided to members. Erroneous claims and erroneous encounter records and submissions could result in inaccurate PMPM fee revenue and risk adjustment payments, which may be subject to correction or retroactive adjustment in later periods. This corrected or adjusted information may be reflected in financial statements for periods subsequent to the period in which the revenue was recorded. DMG might also need to refund a portion of the revenue that it received, which refund, depending on its magnitude, could damage its relationship with the applicable health plan and could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

In June 2015, we received a subpoena from the OIG requesting information relating to our and our subsidiaries’ (including DMG’s and its subsidiary JSA’s) provision of services to Medicare Advantage plans and related patient diagnosis coding and risk adjustment submissions and payments. See “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” and Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report for further details.

Additionally, CMS audits Medicare Advantage plans for documentation to support RAF-related payments for members chosen at random. The Medicare Advantage plans ask providers to submit the underlying documentation for members that they serve. It is possible that claims associated with members with higher RAF scores could be subject to more scrutiny in a CMS or plan audit. There is a possibility that a Medicare Advantage plan may seek repayment from DMG should CMS make any payment adjustments to the Medicare Advantage plan as a result of its audits. The plans also may hold DMG liable for any penalties owed to CMS for inaccurate or unsupportable RAF scores provided by DMG. In addition, DMG could be liable for penalties to the government under the FCA that range from $5,500 to $11,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each false claim, plus up to three times the amount of damages caused by each false claim, which can be as much as the amounts received directly or indirectly from the government for each such false claim. On February 3, 2017, the DOJ issued a final rule announcing adjustments to FCA penalties, under which the per claim penalty range increases to $10,957 to $21,916 for penalties assessed after February 3, 2017, so long as the underlying conduct occurred after November 2, 2015.

CMS has indicated that payment adjustments will not be limited to RAF scores for the specific Medicare Advantage enrollees for which errors are found but may also be extrapolated to the entire Medicare Advantage plan subject to a particular CMS contract. CMS has described its audit process as plan-year specific and stated that it will not extrapolate audit results for plan years prior to 2011. Because CMS has not stated otherwise, there is a risk that payment adjustments made as a result of one plan year’s audit would be extrapolated to prior plan years after 2011.

There can be no assurance that a health plan will not be randomly selected or targeted for review by CMS or that the outcome of such a review will not result in a material adjustment in DMG’s revenue and profitability, even if the information DMG submitted to the plan is accurate and supportable.

Separately, as described in further detail in “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” and Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report, on March 13, 2015, JSA, a subsidiary of DMG, received a subpoena from the OIG that relates, in part, to risk adjustment practices and data.

A failure to accurately estimate incurred but not reported medical expense could adversely affect DMG’s profitability.

Patient care costs include estimates of future medical claims that have been incurred by the patient but for which the provider has not yet billed DMG. These claim estimates are made utilizing actuarial methods and are continually evaluated and adjusted by management, based upon DMG’s historical claims experience and other factors, including an independent assessment by a nationally recognized actuarial firm. Adjustments, if necessary, are made to medical claims expense and capitated revenues when the assumptions used to determine DMG’s claims liability changes and when actual claim costs are ultimately determined.

Due to the inherent uncertainties associated with the factors used in these estimates and changes in the patterns and rates of medical utilization, materially different amounts could be reported in DMG’s financial statements for a particular period under different conditions or using different, but still reasonable, assumptions. It is possible that DMG’s estimates of this type of claim may be inadequate in the future. In such event, DMG’s results of operations could be adversely impacted. Further, the inability to estimate

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these claims accurately may also affect DMG’s ability to take timely corrective actions, further exacerbating the extent of any adverse effect on DMG’s results.

DMG faces certain competitive threats which could reduce DMG’s profitability and increase competition for patients.

DMG faces certain competitive threats based on certain features of the Medicare programs, including the following:

In addition to the competitive threats intrinsic to the Medicare programs, competition among health plans and among healthcare providers may also have a negative impact on DMG’s profitability. For example, due to the large population of Medicare beneficiaries, DMG’s Existing Geographic Regions have become increasingly attractive to health plans that may compete with DMG. DMG may not be able to continue to compete profitably in the healthcare industry if additional competitors enter the same market. If DMG cannot compete profitably, the ability of DMG to compete with other service providers that contract with competing health plans may be substantially impaired. Furthermore, if DMG is unable to obtain new members or experiences a loss of existing members to competitors during the open enrollment period for Medicare it could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s financial condition and results of operations.

DMG competes directly with various regional and local companies that provide similar services in DMG’s Existing Geographic Regions. DMG’s competitors vary in size and scope and in terms of products and services offered. DMG believes that some of its competitors and potential competitors may be significantly larger than DMG and have greater financial, sales, marketing and other resources. Furthermore, it is DMG’s belief that some of its competitors may make strategic acquisitions or establish cooperative relationships among themselves.

A disruption in DMG’s healthcare provider networks could have an adverse effect on DMG’s operations and profitability.

In any particular service area, healthcare providers or provider networks could refuse to contract with DMG, demand higher payments, or take other actions that could result in higher healthcare costs, disruption of benefits to DMG’s members, or difficulty in meeting applicable regulatory or accreditation requirements. In some service areas, healthcare providers or provider networks may have significant market positions. If healthcare providers or provider networks refuse to contract with DMG, use their market position to negotiate favorable contracts, or place DMG at a competitive disadvantage, then DMG’s ability to market or to be profitable in those service areas could be adversely affected. DMG’s provider networks could also be disrupted by the financial insolvency of a large provider group. Any disruption in DMG’s provider networks could result in a loss of members or higher healthcare costs.

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DMG’s revenues and profits could be diminished if DMG fails to retain and attract the services of key primary care physicians.

Key primary care physicians with large patient enrollment could retire, become disabled, terminate their provider contracts, get lured away by a competing independent physician association or medical group, or otherwise become unable or unwilling to continue practicing medicine or contracting with DMG or its associated physicians, physician groups or IPAs. In addition, DMG’s associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs could view the business model as unfavorable or unattractive to such providers, which could cause such associated physicians, physician groups or IPAs to terminate their relationships with DMG. Moreover, given limitations relating to the enforcement of post-termination noncompetition covenants in California, it would be difficult to restrict a primary care physician from competing with DMG’s associated physicians, physician groups or IPAs. As a result, members who have been served by such physicians could choose to enroll with competitors’ physician organizations or could seek medical care elsewhere, which could reduce DMG’s revenues and profits. Moreover, DMG may not be able to attract new physicians to replace the services of terminating physicians or to service its growing membership.

Participation in ACO programs is subject to federal regulation, supervision, and evolving regulatory developments that may result in financial liability.

The Health Reform Acts established Medicare Shared Savings Programs (MSSP) for ACOs, which took effect in January 2012. Under the MSSP, eligible organizations are accountable for the quality, cost and overall care of Medicare beneficiaries assigned to an ACO and may be eligible to share in any savings below a specified benchmark amount. The Secretary of HHS is also authorized, but not required, to use capitation payment models with ACOs. DMG has formed an MSSP ACO through a subsidiary, which operates in California, Florida, and Nevada and is evaluating whether to participate in more ACOs in the future. The continued development and expansion of ACOs will have an uncertain impact on DMG’s revenue and profitability. We also are participating as a dialysis provider in Arizona, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania for the Innovation Center’s CEC Model.

The ACO programs are relatively new and therefore operational and regulatory guidance is limited. It is possible that the operations of DMG’s subsidiary ACO may not fully comply with current or future regulations and guidelines applicable to ACOs, may not achieve quality targets or cost savings, or may not attract or retain sufficient physicians or patients to allow DMG to meet its objectives. Additionally, poor performance could put the DMG ACO at financial risk with a potential obligation to CMS. Traditionally, other than FFS billing by the medical clinics and healthcare facilities operated by DMG, DMG has not directly contracted with CMS and has not operated any health plans or provider sponsored networks. Therefore, DMG may not have the necessary experience, systems or compliance to successfully achieve a positive return on its investment in the ACO or to avoid financial or regulatory liability. DMG believes that its historical experience with fully delegated managed care will be applicable to operation of its subsidiary ACO, but there can be no such assurance.

California hospitals may terminate their agreements with HealthCare Partners Affiliates Medical Group and DaVita Health Plan of California, Inc. (formerly HealthCare Partners Plan, Inc., and, together with HealthCare Partners Affiliates Medical Group, AMG) or reduce the fees they pay to DMG.

In California, AMG maintains significant hospital arrangements designed to facilitate the provision of coordinated hospital care with those services provided to members by AMG and its associated physicians, physician groups and IPAs. Through contractual arrangements with certain key hospitals, AMG provides utilization review, quality assurance and other management services related to the provision of patient care services to members by the contracted hospitals and downstream hospital contractors. In the event that any one of these key hospital agreements is amended in a financially unfavorable manner or is otherwise terminated, such events could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s financial condition, and results of operations.

DMG’s professional liability and other insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover DMG’s potential liabilities.

DMG maintains primary professional liability insurance and other insurance coverage through California Medical Group Insurance Company, Risk Retention Group, an Arizona corporation in which DMG is the majority owner, and through excess coverage contracted through third-party insurers. DMG believes such insurance is adequate based on its review of what it believes to be all applicable factors, including industry standards. Nonetheless, potential liabilities may not be covered by insurance, insurers may dispute coverage or may be unable to meet their obligations, the amount of insurance coverage and/or related reserves may be inadequate, or the amount of any DMG self-insured retention may be substantial. There can be no assurances that DMG will be able to obtain insurance coverage in the future, or that insurance will continue to be available on a cost-effective basis, if at all. Moreover, even if claims brought against DMG are unsuccessful or without merit, DMG would have to defend itself against such claims. The defense of any such actions may be time-consuming and costly and may distract DMG management’s attention. As a result, DMG may incur significant expenses and may be unable to effectively operate its business.

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Changes in the rates or methods of third-party reimbursements may adversely affect DMG operations.

Any negative changes in governmental capitation or FFS rates or methods of reimbursement for the services DMG provides could have a significant adverse impact on DMG’s revenue and financial results. Since governmental healthcare programs generally reimburse on a fee schedule basis rather than on a charge-related basis, DMG generally cannot increase its revenues from these programs by increasing the amount it charges for its services. Moreover, if DMG’s costs increase, DMG may not be able to recover its increased costs from these programs. Government and private payors have taken and may continue to take steps to control the cost, eligibility for, use, and delivery of healthcare services due to budgetary constraints, and cost containment pressures as well as other financial issues. DMG believes that these trends in cost containment will continue. These cost containment measures, and other market changes in non-governmental insurance plans have generally restricted DMG’s ability to recover, or shift to non-governmental payors, any increased costs that DMG experiences. DMG’s business and financial operations may be materially affected by these cost containment measures, and other market changes.

DMG’s business model depends on numerous complex management information systems and any failure to successfully maintain these systems or implement new systems could materially harm DMG’s operations and result in potential violations of healthcare laws and regulations.

DMG depends on a complex, specialized, and integrated management information system and standardized procedures for operational and financial information, as well as for DMG’s billing operations. DMG may experience unanticipated delays, complications or expenses in implementing, integrating, and operating these integrated systems. Moreover, DMG may be unable to enhance its existing management information system or implement new management information systems where necessary. DMG’s management information system may require modifications, improvements or replacements that may require both substantial expenditures as well as interruptions in operations. DMG’s ability to implement and operate its integrated systems is subject to the availability of information technology and skilled personnel to assist DMG in creating and maintaining these systems.

DMG’s failure to successfully implement and maintain all of its systems could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations. For example, DMG’s failure to successfully operate its billing systems could lead to potential violations of healthcare laws and regulations. If DMG is unable to handle its claims volume, or if DMG is unable to pay claims timely, DMG may become subject to a health plan’s corrective action plan or de-delegation until the problem is corrected, and/or termination of the health plan’s agreement with DMG. This could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s operations and profitability. In addition, if DMG’s claims processing system is unable to process claims accurately, the data DMG uses for its incurred but not reported (IBNR) estimates could be incomplete and DMG’s ability to accurately estimate claims liabilities and establish adequate reserves could be adversely affected. Finally, if DMG’s management information systems are unable to function in compliance with applicable state or federal rules and regulations, including medical information confidentiality laws such as HIPAA, possible penalties and fines due to this lack of compliance could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s financial condition, and results of operations.

DMG may be impacted by eligibility changes to government and private insurance programs.

Due to potential decreased availability of healthcare through private employers, the number of patients who are uninsured or participate in governmental programs may increase. The Health Reform Acts have increased the participation of individuals in the Medicaid program in states that elected to participate in the expanded Medicaid coverage. A shift in payor mix from managed care and other private payors to government payors as well as an increase in the number of uninsured patients may result in a reduction in the rates of reimbursement to DMG or an increase in uncollectible receivables or uncompensated care, with a corresponding decrease in net revenue. Changes in the eligibility requirements for governmental programs such as the Medicaid program under the Health Reform Acts and state decisions on whether to participate in the expansion of such programs also could increase the number of patients who participate in such programs and the number of uninsured patients. Even for those patients who remain in private insurance plans, changes to those plans could increase patient financial responsibility, resulting in a greater risk of uncollectible receivables. These factors and events could have a material adverse effect on DMG’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Negative publicity regarding the managed healthcare industry generally or DMG in particular could adversely affect DMG’s results of operations or business.

Negative publicity regarding the managed healthcare industry generally, the Medicare Advantage program or DMG in particular, may result in increased regulation and legislative review of industry practices that further increase DMG’s costs of doing business and adversely affect DMG’s results of operations or business by:

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Risk factors related to ownership of our common stock:

Provisions in our charter documents, compensation programs and Delaware law may deter a change of control that our stockholders would otherwise determine to be in their best interests.

Our charter documents include provisions that may deter hostile takeovers, delay or prevent changes of control or changes in our management, or limit the ability of our stockholders to approve transactions that they may otherwise determine to be in their best interests. These include provisions prohibiting our stockholders from acting by written consent; requiring 90 days advance notice of stockholder proposals or nominations to our Board of Directors (or 120 days for nominations made using proxy access); and granting our Board of Directors the authority to issue preferred stock and to determine the rights and preferences of the preferred stock without the need for further stockholder approval.

Most of our outstanding employee stock-based compensation awards include a provision accelerating the vesting of the awards in the event of a change of control. We also maintain a change of control protection program for our employees who do not have a significant number of stock awards, which has been in place since 2001, and which provides for cash bonuses to the employees in the event of a change of control. Based on the market price of our common stock and shares outstanding on December 31, 2016, these cash bonuses would total approximately $493 million if a change of control transaction occurred at that price and our Board of Directors did not modify this program. These change of control provisions may affect the price an acquirer would be willing to pay for our Company.

We are also subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law that, subject to exceptions, would prohibit us from engaging in any business combinations with any interested stockholder, as defined in that section, for a period of three years following the date on which that stockholder became an interested stockholder.

These provisions may discourage, delay or prevent an acquisition of our Company at a price that our stockholders may find attractive. These provisions could also make it more difficult for our stockholders to elect directors and take other corporate actions and could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock.

None.

Our corporate headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado, consisting of one owned 240,000 square foot building and one leased 116,000 square foot building. Our headquarters are occupied by teammates engaged in management, finance, marketing, strategy, legal, compliance and other administrative functions. We lease six business offices located in California, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington for our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business. For our DMG business we lease nine business offices located in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Washington. Our laboratories are based in Florida where we operate our lab services out of five buildings, one owned and four leased. DaVita Rx leases four buildings located in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas. We also own four administrative offices and lease administrative offices worldwide. Our leases on the properties listed above expire at various dates through the year 2031.

For our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business we own the land and buildings for 16 of our outpatient dialysis centers. We also own eight separate land and buildings and nine land parcels for development. We lease a total of three owned properties to third-party tenants. Our remaining outpatient dialysis centers are located on premises that we lease.

For DMG, we own the land and buildings for 18 of our clinics. We also own the building for one other clinic and we own one separate land parcel. Our remaining clinics are located on premises that we lease.

Our leases for our U.S. dialysis and related lab services and for DMG generally cover periods from five to 20 years and typically contain renewal options of five to ten years at the fair rental value at the time of renewal. Our leases are generally subject to periodic

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consumer price index increases, or contain fixed escalation clauses. Our outpatient dialysis centers range in size from approximately 600 to 33,000 square feet, with an average size of approximately 7,500 square feet. DMG’s clinics range in size from approximately 800 to 86,000 square feet, with an average size of approximately 10,500 square feet. Our international leases generally range from one to ten years.

Some of our outpatient dialysis centers are operating at or near capacity. However, we believe that we have adequate capacity within most of our existing dialysis centers to accommodate additional patient volume through increased hours and/or days of operation, or, if additional space is available within an existing facility, by adding dialysis stations. We can usually relocate existing centers to larger facilities or open new centers if existing centers reach capacity. With respect to relocating centers or building new centers, we believe that we can generally lease space at economically reasonable rates in the areas planned for each of these centers, although there can be no assurances in this regard. Expansion of existing centers or relocation of our dialysis centers is subject to review for compliance with conditions relating to participation in the Medicare ESRD program. In states that require a certificate of need or center license, additional approvals would generally be necessary for expansion or relocation.

We operate in a highly regulated industry and are a party to various lawsuits, claims, governmental investigations and audits (including investigations resulting from our obligation to self-report suspected violations of law) and other legal proceedings. We record accruals for certain legal proceedings and regulatory matters to the extent that we determine an unfavorable outcome is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. While these accruals reflect our best estimate of the probable loss for those matters as the dates of those accruals, the recorded amounts may differ materially from the actual amount of the losses for those matters. Additionally, in some cases, no estimate of the possible loss or range of loss in excess of amounts accrued, if any, can be made because of the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings and regulatory matters, which may be exacerbated by various factors, including that they may involve indeterminate claims for monetary damages or may involve fines, penalties or non-monetary remedies; present novel legal theories or legal uncertainties; involve disputed facts; represent a shift in regulatory policy; are in the early stages of the proceedings; or result in a change of business practices. Further, there may be various levels of judicial review available to us in connection with any such proceeding.

The following is a description of certain lawsuits, claims, governmental investigations and audits and other legal proceedings to which we are subject.

Swoben Private Civil Suit: In April 2013, HealthCare Partners (HCP), now known as our DaVita Medical Group (DMG) subsidiary, was one of several defendants served with a civil complaint filed by a former employee of SCAN Health Plan (SCAN), an HMO. On July 13, 2009, pursuant to the qui tam provisions of the federal False Claims Act (FCA) and the California False Claims Act, James M. Swoben, as relator, filed his initial qui tam action in the United States District Court for the Central District of California purportedly on behalf of the United States of America and the State of California against SCAN, and certain other defendants whose identities were under seal. The allegations in the complaint relate to alleged overpayments received from government healthcare programs. In 2009 and 2010, the relator twice amended his complaint and added additional defendants, and in November 2011, he filed his Third Amended Complaint under seal alleging violations of the federal FCA and the California False Claims Act, and added additional defendants, including HCP and certain health insurance companies (the defendant HMOs). The allegations in the complaint against HCP relate to patient diagnosis coding to determine reimbursement in the Medicare Advantage program, referred to as HCC and RAF scores. The complaint sought monetary damages and civil penalties as well as costs and expenses. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reviewed these allegations and in January 2013 declined to intervene in the case. HCP and the other defendants filed motions to dismiss the Third Amended Complaint, and the court dismissed with prejudice the claims and judgment was entered in September 2013. Upon the plaintiff’s appeal, a panel of the Ninth Circuit overturned the trial court’s ruling and vacated the dismissal of the case. Together with certain defendants, we petitioned the Ninth Circuit for a rehearing, but in December 2016, the Ninth Circuit rejected the petition and determined the relator should be given an opportunity to amend the complaint, and remanded the case back to district court.

2015 U.S. Attorney Transportation Investigation: In February 2015, we announced that we received six administrative subpoenas from the OIG for medical records from six different dialysis centers in southern California operated by us. Specifically, each subpoena sought the medical records of a single patient of each respective dialysis center. In February 2016, we received four additional subpoenas for four additional dialysis centers in southern California. The subpoenas were similarly limited in scope to the subpoenas received in 2015. On February 8, 2017, we were served with a qui tam complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. We have been advised by an attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California that the qui tam is related to the investigation concerning the medical necessity of patient transportation, which was the basis for the subpoenas. The relator alleges that an ambulance company submitted false claims for patient transportation. Although we do not provide transportation ourselves nor do we bill for the transport of our dialysis patients, the relator alleges that two of our purported clinical staff caused the submission of a small number of those claims through improper certifications of medical necessity. We are investigating these allegations and intend to defend accordingly. The DOJ has declined to intervene.

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2015 U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) Medicare Advantage Civil Investigation: In March 2015, JSA HealthCare Corporation (JSA), a subsidiary of DMG, received a subpoena from the OIG. We have been advised by an attorney with the Civil Division of the DOJ in Washington, D.C. that the subpoena relates to an ongoing civil investigation concerning Medicare Advantage service providers’ risk adjustment practices and data, including identification and verification of patient diagnoses and factors used in making the diagnoses. The subpoena requests documents and information for the period from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2013, for certain Medicare Advantage plans for which JSA provided services. It also requests information regarding JSA’s communications about patient diagnoses as they relate to certain Medicare Advantage plans generally, and more specifically as related to two Florida physicians with whom JSA previously contracted. We are producing the requested information and are cooperating with the government’s investigation.

In addition to the subpoena described above, in June 2015, we received a subpoena from the OIG. This civil subpoena covers the period from January 1, 2008 through the present and seeks production of a wide range of documents relating to our and our subsidiaries’ (including DMG’s and its subsidiary JSA’s) provision of services to Medicare Advantage plans and related patient diagnosis coding and risk adjustment submissions and payments. We believe that the request is part of a broader industry investigation into Medicare Advantage patient diagnosis coding and risk adjustment practices and potential overpayments by the government. The information requested includes information relating to patient diagnosis coding practices for a number of conditions, including potentially improper historical DMG coding for a particular condition. With respect to that condition, the guidance related to that coding issue was discontinued following our November 1, 2012 acquisition of DMG, and we notified CMS in April 2015 of the coding practice and potential overpayments. In that regard, we have identified certain additional coding practices which may have been problematic and are in discussions with the DOJ about the scope and nature of a review of claims relating to those practices. We are cooperating with the government and are producing the requested information. In addition, we are continuing to review other DMG coding practices to determine whether there were any improper coding issues. In connection with the DMG merger, we have certain indemnification rights against the sellers and an escrow was established as security for the indemnification. We have submitted an indemnification claim against the sellers secured by the escrow for any and all liabilities incurred relating to these matters and intend to pursue recovery from the escrow. However, we can make no assurances that the indemnification and escrow will cover the full amount of our potential losses related to these matters.

2015 U.S. Department of Justice Vascular Access Investigation and Related Qui Tam Litigation: In November 2015, we announced that RMS Lifeline, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours that operates under the name Lifeline Vascular Access (Lifeline), received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the DOJ. The CID relates to two vascular access centers in Florida that are part of Lifeline’s vascular access business. The CID covers the period from January 1, 2008 through the present. We acquired these two centers in December 2012. Based on the language of the CID, the DOJ appeared to be looking at whether angiograms performed at the two centers were medically unnecessary and therefore whether related claims filed with federal healthcare programs possibly violated the FCA. Lifeline does not perform dialysis services but instead provides vascular access management services for dialysis patients. We cooperated with the government and produced the requested information. The DOJ investigation was initiated pursuant to a complaint brought under the qui tam provisions of the FCA (the Complaint). The Complaint was originally filed under seal in August 2014 in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, United States ex. rel James Spafford v. DaVita HealthCare Partners, Inc., et al., Case Number 6:14-cv-1251-Orl-41DAB, naming several doctors with us as defendants. In December 2015, a First Amended Complaint was filed under seal. In May 2016, the First Amended Complaint was unsealed. The First Amended Complaint alleges violations of the FCA due to the submission of claims to the government for allegedly medically unnecessary angiograms and angiography procedures at the two vascular access centers as well as employment-related claims. The Complaint covers alleged conduct dating from July 2008, prior to our acquisition of the centers, to the present. The DOJ declined to intervene. In the third quarter of 2016 we recorded an accrual of a non-material amount for potential damages and liabilities. In January 2017, we finalized and executed a settlement agreement with the relator and the government for an immaterial amount.

2016 U.S. Attorney Prescription Drug Investigation: In early February 2016, we announced that our pharmacy services’ wholly-owned subsidiary, DaVita Rx, received a CID from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. It appears the government is conducting an FCA investigation concerning allegations that DaVita Rx presented or caused to be presented false claims for payment to the government for prescription medications, as well as into our relationship with pharmaceutical manufacturers. The CID covers the period from January 1, 2006 through the present. In the spring of 2015, we initiated an internal compliance review of DaVita Rx during which we identified potential billing and operational issues. We notified the government in September 2015 that we were conducting this review of DaVita Rx and began providing regular updates of our review. Through the fourth quarter of 2016, we recorded estimated accruals totaling $38 million for potential damages and liabilities associated with write-offs and discounts of patient co-payment obligations, and credits to payors for returns of prescriptions drugs, related to DaVita Rx that were identified during the course of this internal compliance review. Upon completion of our review, we filed a self-disclosure with the OIG in early February 2016 and we have been working to address and update the practices we identified in the self-disclosure, some of which overlap with information requested by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We may accrue additional reserves for refunds and related damages and potential liabilities arising out of this review. We do not know if the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is part of the DOJ, knew when it served the CID on us that we were already in the process of developing a self-disclosure to the OIG. The OIG

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informed us in February 2016 that our submission was not accepted. They indicated that the OIG is not expressing an opinion regarding the conduct disclosed or our legal positions. We are cooperating with the government and are producing the requested information.

2017 U.S. Attorney American Kidney Fund Investigation. On January 4, 2017, we were served with an administrative subpoena for records by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, relating to an investigation into possible federal health care offenses. The subpoena covers the period from January 1, 2007 through the present, and seeks documents relevant to charitable patient assistance organizations, particularly the American Kidney Fund, including documents related to efforts to provide patients with information concerning the availability of charitable assistance. We intend to cooperate with the government in this investigation.

Although we cannot predict whether or when proceedings might be initiated or when these matters may be resolved (other than as described above), it is not unusual for inquiries such as these to continue for a considerable period of time through the various phases of document and witness requests and on-going discussions with regulators. In addition to the inquiries and proceedings specifically identified above, we are frequently subject to other inquiries by state or federal government agencies and/or private civil qui tam complaints filed by relators. Negative findings or terms and conditions that we might agree to accept as part of a negotiated resolution of pending or future government inquiries or relator proceedings could result in, among other things, substantial financial penalties or awards against us, substantial payments made by us, harm to our reputation, required changes to our business practices, exclusion from future participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health care programs and, if criminal proceedings were initiated against us, possible criminal penalties, any of which could have a material adverse effect on us.

Shareholder Claims

Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit of Georgia Securities Laws Class Action Civil Suit: On February 1, 2017, the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Georgia filed a putative federal securities class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado against us and certain executives. The complaint covers the time period of August 2015 to October 2016 and alleges, generally, that we and our executives violated federal securities laws concerning our financial results and revenue derived from patients who received charitable premium assistance from an industry-funded non-profit organization. The complaint further alleges that the process by which patients obtained commercial insurance and received charitable premium assistance was improper and “created a false impression of DaVita’s business and operational status and future growth prospects.” We dispute these allegations and intend to defend this action accordingly.

Blackburn Shareholder Derivative Civil Suit: On February 10, 2017, Charles Blackburn filed a derivative shareholder lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against us, as nominal defendant, the Board of Directors and certain executives. The complaint covers the time period from 2015 to present and alleges, generally, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and misrepresentations and/or failures to disclose certain information in violation of the federal securities laws in our 2016 proxy statement in connection with an alleged practice to direct patients with government-subsidized health insurance into private health insurance plans to maximize our profits. We dispute these allegations and intend to defend this action accordingly.

Other Proceedings

In addition to the foregoing, from time to time we are subject to other lawsuits, claims, governmental investigations and audits and legal proceedings that arise due to the nature of our business, including contractual disputes, such as with payors, suppliers and others, employee-related matters and professional and general liability claims.

From time to time, we initiate litigation or other legal proceedings as a plaintiff arising out of contracts or other matters. In that regard, we had a pending lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the federal government which was originally filed in May 2011. The lawsuit related to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) underpayment of dialysis services that we provided from 2005 through 2011 to veterans pursuant to VA regulations. In January 2017, we reached a resolution of our claims with the government for $538 million, which we expect to recognize in our first quarter 2017 financial statements.

*  *  *

Other than as described above, we cannot predict the ultimate outcomes of the various legal proceedings and regulatory matters to which we are or may be subject from time to time, including those described in this “Item 3. Legal Proceedings,” or the timing of their resolution or the ultimate losses or impact of developments in those matters, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows. Further, any legal proceedings or regulatory matters we are involved in, whether meritorious or not, are time consuming, and often require management’s attention and result in significant legal expense, and may result in the diversion of significant operational resources, or otherwise harm our business or reputation.

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Not applicable.

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PART II

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DVA. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales prices for our common stock as reported by the New York Stock Exchange.

The closing price of our common stock on January 31, 2017 was $63.75 per share. According to Computershare, our registrar and transfer agent, as of January 31, 2017, there were 9,853 holders of record of our common stock. We have not declared or paid cash dividends to holders of our common stock since 1994. We have no current plans to pay cash dividends and we are restricted from paying dividends under the terms of our senior secured credit facilities and the indentures governing our senior notes. See “Liquidity and capital resources” under “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the notes to our consolidated financial statements.

Stock Repurchases

The following table summarizes our repurchases of our common stock during the fourth quarter of 2016:

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The following financial and operating data should be read in conjunction with “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements filed as part of this report. The following table presents selected consolidated financial and operating data for the periods indicated. These selected consolidated financial results have been recast for all prior periods presented to reflect the retrospective application of these new presentation and disclosure requirements for patient service revenues.

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Forward-looking statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K, including this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements that do not concern historical facts are forward-looking statements and include, among other things, statements about our expectations, beliefs, intentions and/or strategies for the future. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding our future operations, financial condition and prospects, including the expected impact of the policy change for Medicaid patients seeking Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, including on our future operating income and other impacts of this policy change, expectations for treatment growth rates, revenue per treatment, expense growth, levels of the provision for uncollectible accounts receivable, operating income, cash flow, operating cash flow, estimated tax rates, estimated charges and accruals, capital expenditures, the development of new dialysis centers and dialysis center acquisitions, government and commercial payment rates, revenue estimating risk and the impact of our level of indebtedness on our financial performance, and including earnings per share. These statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, including risks resulting from the concentration of profits generated by higher-paying commercial payor plans for which there is continued downward pressure on average realized payment rates, and a reduction in the number of patients under such plans, which may result in the loss of revenues or patients, and the extent to which the ongoing implementation of healthcare exchanges or changes in regulations or enforcement of regulations regarding the exchanges results in a reduction in reimbursement rates for our services from and/or the number of patients enrolled in higher-paying commercial plans, a reduction in government payment rates under the Medicare ESRD program or other government-based programs, the impact of the CMS Medicare Advantage benchmark structure, risks arising from potential federal and/or state legislation that could have an adverse effect on our operations and profitability, the impact of the 2016 Congressional and Presidential elections on the current health care marketplace and on our business, including with respect to the future of the ACA, the exchanges, and many other core aspects of the current health care marketplace, changes in pharmaceutical or anemia management practice patterns, payment policies, or pharmaceutical pricing, legal compliance risks, including our continued compliance with complex government regulations and the provisions of our current Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA), and current or potential investigations by various government entities and related government or private-party proceedings, the restrictions on our business and operations required by the CIA and other settlement terms, and the financial impact thereof, continued increased competition from large- and medium-sized dialysis providers that compete directly with us, our ability to maintain contracts with physician medical directors, changing affiliation models for physicians, and the emergence of new models of care introduced by the government or private sector that may erode our patient base and reimbursement rates such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), independent practice associations (IPAs) and integrated delivery networks, our ability to complete acquisitions, mergers or dispositions that we might be considering or announce, or to integrate and successfully operate any business we may acquire or have acquired, including DaVita Medical Group (DMG), or to expand our operations and services to markets outside the U.S., or to businesses outside of dialysis and DMG’s business, the variability of our cash flows, the risk that we might invest material amounts of capital and incur significant costs in connection with the growth and development of our international operations, yet we might not be able to operate them profitably anytime soon, if at all, risks arising from the use of accounting estimates, judgments and interpretations in our financial statements, the risk that laws regulating the corporate practice of medicine could restrict the manner in which DMG conducts its business, the risk that the cost of providing services under DMG’s agreements may exceed our compensation, the risk that reductions in reimbursement rates, including Medicare Advantage rates, and future regulations may negatively impact DMG’s business, revenue and profitability, the risk that DMG may not be able to successfully establish a presence in new geographic regions or successfully address competitive threats that could reduce its profitability, the risk that a disruption in DMG’s healthcare provider networks could have an adverse effect on DMG’s business operations and profitability, the risk that reductions in the quality ratings of health maintenance organization plan customers of DMG could have an adverse effect on DMG’s business, or the risk that health plans that acquire health maintenance organizations may not be willing to contract with DMG or may be willing to contract only on less favorable terms, and the other risk factors set forth in Part II, Item 1A. of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We base our forward-looking statements on information currently available to us at the time of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and except as required by law we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in underlying factors, new information, future events or otherwise.

The following should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and “Item 1. Business”.

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Company overview

The Company consists of two major divisions, DaVita Kidney Care (Kidney Care) and DaVita Medical Group (DMG). Kidney Care is comprised of our U.S. dialysis and related lab services, our ancillary services and strategic initiatives, including our international operations, and our corporate administrative support. Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business is our largest line of business, which is a leading provider of kidney dialysis services in the U.S. for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). DMG is a patient- and physician-focused integrated healthcare delivery and management company with over two decades of providing coordinated, outcomes-based medical care in a cost-effective manner.

Our overall financial performance for 2016 in U.S. dialysis and related lab services benefited from increased treatment volume, primarily from non-acquired growth at existing and new dialysis centers, cost control initiatives, and payor mix improvements in our dialysis business. This was partially offset by an increase in labor costs and other center related costs. DMG experienced a decrease in adjusted operating income primarily due to a reduction in Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates and an increase in medical costs.

Some of our major accomplishments and financial operating performance indicators in 2016 and year over year were as follows:

We believe that 2017 will be challenging due to the uncertainty around the ACA and the ability of our patients to utilize charitable premium assistance, average commercial rate pressure, increases in clinical costs due to inflation, employee turnover and other factors affecting U.S. dialysis and related lab services. In addition, the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections have caused the future state of the exchanges and other ACA reforms and the healthcare landscape in general to be very unclear. DMG continues to face challenges due to announced decreases in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid reimbursement rates as the government continues to modify the rate structure. We also remain committed to our international expansion plans that will continue to require investment.

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Following is a summary of our consolidated operating results for reference in the discussion that follows.

The following table summarizes our consolidated net revenues:

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The following table summarizes consolidated operating income and adjusted consolidated operating income:

Consolidated net revenues

Consolidated net revenues for 2016 increased by approximately $963 million, or 7.0%, from 2015. This increase in consolidated net revenues was due to an increase in dialysis and related lab services net revenues of approximately $496 million, principally due to solid volume growth from additional treatments from non-acquired growth, one additional treatment day in 2016, and an increase of $4 in the average dialysis revenue per treatment, as discussed below. Consolidated net revenues also increased due to an increase in DMG’s net revenues of $277 million, primarily due to an increase in FFS revenues from acquisitions and an increase in senior capitated revenues, as described below. In addition, revenue increased by approximately $239 million in our ancillary services and strategic initiatives driven primarily from growth in our pharmacy services and an increase in net revenues from our expansion in our international business and other strategic initiatives.

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Consolidated net revenues for 2015 increased by approximately $987 million, or 7.7%, from 2014. This increase in consolidated net revenues was due to an increase in dialysis and related lab services net revenues of approximately $431 million, principally due to solid volume growth from additional treatments from non-acquired growth and from an increase of $6 in the average dialysis revenue per treatment, primarily from an increase in our average commercial payment rates and improvement in our commercial payor mix. Consolidated net revenues also increased by $335 million as a result of DMG’s growth from acquisitions and timing of the recognition of additional Medicaid risk sharing revenue, as described below. In addition, revenue increased by approximately $243 million in our ancillary services and strategic initiatives driven primarily from growth in our pharmacy services and our disease management services, as well as expansion in our international operations. These increases were partially offset by an increase in reserves for refunds of prior period pharmacy reimbursements.

Consolidated operating income

Consolidated operating income of $1.895 billion for 2016, which includes impairment charges of $296 million, estimated accruals for damages and liabilities associated with our pharmacy and DMG Nevada hospice businesses of $32 million, an adjustment to reduce receivables associated with the DMG acquisition escrow provision of $31 million, and the net gain on the APAC JV, Tandigm and DMG Arizona ownership changes of $404 million, increased by approximately $724 million from 2015, which included estimated impairment charges of approximately $210 million, an estimated pharmacy accrual of $22 million and a private litigation settlement charge of $495 million. Excluding these items from their respective periods, adjusted consolidated operating income for 2016 would have decreased by $49 million. Adjusted consolidated operating income decreased primarily as a result of a decrease in adjusted operating income related to DMG of $105 million, partially offset by an increase in adjusted operating income for the dialysis and related lab services of $22 million and a decrease in adjusted operating losses in our ancillary services and strategic initiatives of $30 million, each discussed in detail below.

Consolidated operating income of $1.171 billion for 2015, which included estimated impairment charges of approximately $210 million, an estimated pharmacy accrual of $22 million and a private litigation settlement charge of $495 million, decreased by approximately $644 million from 2014, which included a $17 million loss contingency accrual. Excluding these items from their respective periods, adjusted consolidated operating income for 2015 would have increased by $66 million, or 3.6%. Adjusted consolidated operating income increased primarily as a result of an increase in adjusted operating income in dialysis and related lab services of $100 million and an increase in adjusted operating income at DMG of $25 million, partially offset by an increase in the amount of adjusted operating losses in our ancillary services and strategic initiatives of $53 million, each discussed in detail below.

U.S. dialysis and related lab services business

Our U.S. dialysis and related lab services business is a leading provider of kidney dialysis services through a network of 2,350 outpatient dialysis centers which we own and manage through management services agreements, in 46 states and the District of Columbia, serving a total of approximately 187,700 patients. We also provide acute inpatient dialysis services in approximately 900 hospitals. We estimate that we have approximately a 36% market share in the U.S. based upon the number of patients that we serve. In 2016, our overall network of U.S. outpatient dialysis centers increased by 99 dialysis centers primarily as a result of opening new dialysis centers and from acquisitions of existing dialysis centers. In addition, the overall number of patients that we serve in the U.S. increased by approximately 4.5% in 2016 as compared to 2015.

Our dialysis and related lab services stated mission is to be the provider, partner and employer of choice. We believe our attention to these three stakeholders—our patients, our business partners, and our teammates—represents the major driver of our long-term performance, although we are subject to the impact of several external factors such as government policy, physician practice patterns, commercial payor payment rates and the mix of commercial and government patients. Two principal non-financial metrics we track are quality clinical outcomes and teammate turnover. We have developed our own composite index for measuring improvements in our clinical outcomes, which we refer to as the DaVita Quality Index (DQI). Our clinical outcomes as measured by DQI have improved over each of the past several years which we believe directly decreases patient mortalities. Our patient mortality percentages have decreased from 19.0% in 2001 to 13.8% in 2015. For the third consecutive year, we continue to be a leader in the industry under both the CMS QIP and Five-Star quality Rating systems. Over the last two years our clinical teammate turnover has increased slightly, causing productivity to slightly decrease; however, despite this, we have continued to improve our clinical performance. We will continue to focus on these three stakeholders and our clinical outcomes as we believe these are fundamental long-term value drivers.

We believe our national scale, size and commitment to our patients, among other things, allows us to provide industry-leading quality care with superior clinical outcomes that attracts patients, referring physicians, and qualified medical directors to our network, which provides our dialysis patient base with a large number of out-patient dialysis centers to choose from with convenient locations and access to a full range of other integrated services which provides us the ability to effectively and efficiently manage a patient’s care and certain costs while still maintaining strong legal and compliance programs.

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The following graph summarizes our dialysis services revenues by modality for the year ended December 31, 2016:

Outpatient hemodialysis 79%, Peritoneal dialysis and home-based hemodialysis 16%, Hospital inpatient hemodialysis 5%

Approximately 62% of our 2016 consolidated net revenues were derived directly from our dialysis and related lab services business. Approximately 79% of our 2016 dialysis and related lab services revenues were derived from outpatient hemodialysis services in the 2,316 U.S. dialysis centers that we consolidate. Other dialysis services, which are operationally integrated with our dialysis operations, are peritoneal dialysis, home-based hemodialysis, hospital inpatient hemodialysis services and management and administrative services provided to dialysis centers in which we own a noncontrolling interest or which are wholly owned by third parties. These services collectively accounted for the balance of our 2016 dialysis and related lab services revenues.

The principal drivers of our dialysis and related lab services revenues are:

The total patient base is a relatively stable factor, which we believe is influenced by a demographically growing need for dialysis services as indicated by the United States Renal Data System which reported an approximate compound growth rate of 3.8% from 2000 to 2014 for the dialysis patient population, our relationships with referring physicians, together with the quality of our clinical care which can lead to reduced patient mortality rates as indicated above, and our ability to open and acquire new dialysis centers.

Our average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment is driven by changes in our mix of commercial and government (principally Medicare and Medicaid) patients, commercial and government payment rates, and our billing and collecting operations performance.

On average, dialysis-related payment rates from contracted commercial payors are significantly higher than Medicare, Medicaid and other government program payment rates, and therefore the percentage of commercial patients in relation to total patients represents a major driver of our total average dialysis revenue per treatment. The percentage of commercial patients covered under contracted plans as compared to commercial patients with out-of-network providers continued to increase, which can significantly affect our average dialysis revenue per treatment since commercial payment rates for patients with out-of-network providers are on average higher than in-network payment rates that are covered under commercial contracted plans. For the last two years, the growth of our commercial patients slightly outpaced the growth of our government-based patients as more of our patients are covered by commercial contracted plans.

Government dialysis-related payment rates in the U.S. are principally determined by federal Medicare and state Medicaid policy. For patients with Medicare coverage, all ESRD payments for dialysis treatments are made under a single bundled payment rate which provides a fixed payment rate encompassing all goods and services provided during the dialysis treatment, including certain pharmaceuticals, such as Epogen^® (EPO), vitamin D analogs and iron supplements, irrespective of the level of pharmaceuticals administered to the patient or additional services performed. Most lab services are also included in the bundled payment. The bundled payment rate is also adjusted for certain patient characteristics, a geographic usage index and certain other factors.

The bundled payment system presents operating, clinical and financial risks. For example, with regard to the expanded list of case-mix adjustors, there is a risk that our dialysis centers or billing and other systems may not accurately document and track the

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appropriate patient-specific characteristics, resulting in a reduction or overpayment in the amounts of the payments that we would otherwise be entitled to receive.

An important provision in the law is an annual adjustment, or market basket update, to the ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) base rate. Absent action by Congress, the PPS base rate is automatically updated annually by a formulaic inflation adjustment.

In December 2013, CMS issued the 2014 final rule for the ESRD PPS, which phases in the payment reductions mandated by ATRA, as modified by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 which reduced our market basket inflation adjustment by 1.25% in 2016 and will reduce our market basket inflation adjustment by 1.25% in 2017 and 1% in 2018. CMS recently published the 2017 final rule for the ESRD PPS and projects it will (i) increase the total payments to all ESRD facilities by 0.73% in 2017 compared to 2016; (ii) increase total payments to hospital-based ESRD facilities by 0.9% in 2017 compared to 2016; and (iii) increase total payments for freestanding facilities by 0.7% in 2017 compared to 2016. The 2017 final rule for the ESRD PPS also implements the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 provisions regarding the coverage and payment for renal dialysis services furnished by ESRD facilities to individuals with acute kidney injury.

As a result of the BCA and subsequent activity in Congress, a $1.2 trillion sequester (across-the-board spending cuts) in discretionary programs took effect on March 1, 2013. In particular, a 2% reduction to Medicare payments took effect on April 1, 2013, which was subsequently extended through 2014 and 2015. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 extended the BCA’s annual 2% reduction to Medicare payments through fiscal year 2025. These across-the-board spending cuts have affected and will continue to adversely affect our revenues, earnings and cash flows.

The CMS Innovation Center is currently working with various healthcare providers to develop, refine and implement ACOs and other innovative models of care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. We are currently uncertain of the extent to which the long-term operation and evolution of these models of care, including ACOs, Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative, the CEC Model (which includes the development of ESCOs), the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, the Duals Demonstration, or other models, will impact the healthcare market over time. Our U.S. dialysis business may choose to participate in one or several of these models either as a partner with other providers or independently. We currently participate in the CEC Model with the Innovation Center, including with the ESCO organizations in the Arizona, Florida, and adjacent New Jersey and Pennsylvania markets. In areas where DaVita is not directly participating in this or other Innovation Center models, some of our patients may be assigned to an ACO, another ESRD Care Model, or another program, in which case the quality and cost of care that we furnish will be included in an ACO’s, another ESRD Care Model’s or other programs’ calculations. As new models of care emerge and evolve, we may be at risk of losing our Medicare patient base, which would have a materially adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flow. Other initiatives in the government or private sector may also arise, including the development of models similar to ACOs, IPAs and integrated delivery networks or evolutions of those concepts which could adversely impact our business.

We anticipate that we will continue to experience increases in our operating costs in 2017 that will outpace any net Medicare rate increases that we may receive, which could significantly impact our operating results. In addition, we expect to continue experiencing increases in operating costs that are subject to inflation, such as labor and supply costs, regardless of whether there is a compensating inflation-based increase in Medicare payment rates or in payments under the bundled payment rate system.

Dialysis payment rates from commercial payors can vary and a major portion of our commercial rates are set at contracted amounts with payors and are subject to intense negotiation pressure. Our commercial payment rates also include payments for out-of-network patients that on average are higher than our in-network commercial contract rates. We continue to enter into some commercial contracts covering certain patients that will primarily pay us a single bundled payment rate for all dialysis services provided to these patients. However, some contracts will pay us for certain other services and pharmaceuticals in addition to the bundled payment. We are continuously in the process of negotiating agreements with our commercial payors, and if our negotiations result in overall commercial contract payment rate reductions in excess of our commercial contract payment rate increases, our revenues and operating results could be negatively impacted. In addition, if there is an increase in job losses in the U.S., or depending upon changes to the healthcare regulatory system by CMS and/or the impact of healthcare insurance exchanges, we could experience a decrease in the number of patients covered under traditional commercial insurance plans. Patients with commercial insurance who cannot otherwise maintain coverage frequently rely on financial assistance from charitable organizations, such as the American Kidney Fund. If these patients are unable to obtain or continue to receive such financial assistance, our revenues, earnings, and cash flows could be substantially reduced. For further details, see the risk factor in Item 1A Risk Factors under the heading “If patients in commercial plans are subject to restriction in plan designs or the average rates that commercial payors pay us decline significantly, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues, earnings and cash flows.”

Our operating performance with respect to dialysis services billing and collection can also be a significant factor in the average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment we recognize and are able to collect. Over the past several years we have invested heavily in upgrades to our systems and internal processes that we believe have helped improve our operating performance and reduced our regulatory compliance risks, and we expect to continue to improve these systems and processes. We continue to

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upgrade our billing and other systems and modify our processes to improve our ability to capture the necessary patient characteristics, co-morbidities and certain other factors under Medicare’s bundled payment system. We believe this will potentially enable us to capture additional reimbursement amounts from Medicare and enhance our overall billing and collection performance. However, as we continue to make upgrades to our systems and processes, or as payors change their systems and requirements, such as changes to Medicare’s billing codes, we could experience a negative impact to our cash collection performance, which would affect our average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment.

Our dialysis and related lab services revenue recognition involves significant estimation risks. Our estimates are developed based on the best information available to us and our best judgment as to the reasonably assured collectability of our billings as of the reporting date based upon our actual historical collection experience. Changes in estimates are reflected in the then-current period financial statements based upon on-going actual experience trends, or subsequent settlements and realizations depending on the nature and predictability of the estimates and contingencies.

Our annual average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment was approximately $352, $348 and $342 for 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. In 2016, the average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment increased by approximately $4 per treatment due to an increase in our average commercial payment rates and improvements in our commercial payor mix. In 2015, the average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment increased by approximately $6 per treatment due to an increase in our average commercial payment rates and improvements in our commercial payor mix, partially offset by an increase in our provision for uncollectible accounts.

Our average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment can be significantly impacted by several major factors, including our commercial payment rates; government payment policies regarding reimbursement amounts for dialysis treatments covered under Medicare’s bundled payment rate system, including our ability to capture certain patient characteristics; and changes in the mix of government and commercial patients and the number of commercial patients that are either covered under commercial contracts or are out of network.

The principal drivers of our dialysis and related lab services patient care costs are clinical hours per treatment, labor rates, vendor pricing of pharmaceuticals, utilization levels of pharmaceuticals, business infrastructure costs, which include the operating costs of our dialysis centers, and certain professional fees. However, other cost categories can also represent significant cost variability, such as employee benefit costs, payroll taxes, insurance costs and medical supply costs. Our average clinical hours per treatment, or productivity levels, declined slightly in 2016 compared to 2015. We are always striving for improved productivity levels, however, changes in federal and state policies or regulatory billing requirements can lead to increased labor costs in order to implement these new requirements, which can adversely impact our ability to achieve optimal productivity levels. In addition, improvements in the U.S. economy have stimulated additional competition for skilled clinical personnel resulting in slightly higher teammate turnover in 2016, which we believe negatively affected productivity levels. In 2016 and 2015, we experienced an increase in our clinical labor rates of approximately 2.8% and 0.9%, respectively, as clinical labor rates have increased, consistent with general industry trends, mainly due to the high demand for skilled clinical personnel, along with general inflation increases. We also continue to experience increases in our infrastructure and operating costs of our dialysis centers, primarily due to the number of new dialysis centers opened, and general increases in rent, utilities and repairs and maintenance. In 2016, we continued to implement certain cost control initiatives to manage our overall operating costs, including labor productivity.

Our dialysis and related lab services general and administrative expenses represented 8.2% of our dialysis and related lab services net revenues in both 2016 and 2015. Although relatively flat as a percentage of net revenue, general and administrative expenses increased by $42 million, primarily due to an increase in labor and benefit costs and legal costs, partially offset by lower long-term incentive compensation. Increases in general and administrative expenses over the last several years primarily related to strengthening our dialysis business, improving our regulatory compliance and other operational processes, responding to certain legal and compliance matters, and professional fees associated with enhancing our information technology systems. We expect that these levels of expenditures on our dialysis and related lab services general and administrative expenses will continue in 2017 and could possibly increase as we seek out new business opportunities within the dialysis industry and continue to invest in improving our information technology infrastructure and the level of support required for our regulatory compliance and legal matters.

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Results of Operations

The following table reflects the results of operations for the U.S. dialysis and related lab services business: