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Item 1A. Risk Factors.
For a detailed description of certain risk factors that could affect our business, operations and financial condition, see Part I, Item 1A., Risk Factors, included in the Annual Report, as supplemented and modified by the risk factors set forth below in this Item 1A. The risk factors described in the Annual Report and this Quarterly Report (collectively, the Risk Factors) do not describe all risks applicable to our business, and we intend it only as a summary of certain material factors. The Risk Factors should be considered in connection with evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report because the Risk Factors could cause the actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. If any of the risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be negatively affected. In that case, the trading price of the common stock, no par value per share (the "common stock"), the Series A Redeemable Preferred Shares, no par value per share (the "Series A Preferred Stock"), and the 12.5% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, no par value per share (the "Series B Preferred Stock"), could decline.
There are no material changes to the risk factors set forth in Part I, Item 1A, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024 other than as set forth below.
Healthcare reform legislation impacts cannot accurately be predicted and could adversely affect our results of operations.
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We and the healthcare operators leasing our properties depend on the healthcare industry and are susceptible to risks associated with healthcare reform. Legislative proposals are introduced each year that would introduce major changes in the healthcare system, both nationally and at the state level. For example, we believe that efforts may be made to, among other things, transition Federal payment programs further in the direction of value based care, but we cannot predict whether or in what form any of these measures may be enacted, or what effect they would have on our business or the businesses of our tenants if enacted. Efforts may also be made to reduce the age at which individuals become eligible for Medicare, which could have an adverse impact on our tenants because Medicare sometimes reimburses long term care providers at rates lower than those paid by commercial payors. In addition, the Biden Administration announced a focus on implementing minimum staffing requirements and increased inspections as part of nursing home reforms announced in the 2022 State of the Union Address. On April 22, 2024, CMS issued a final rule regarding minimum staffing requirements and increased inspections at nursing homes in order to establish comprehensive nurse staffing requirements. The rule consists of three core staffing requirements: (1) overall minimum standard of 3.48 total nurse staff hours per resident day; (2) minimum nurse staffing standards of 0.55 hours per resident day for registered nurses and 2.45 hours of care from a certified nurses aid per resident per day; and (3) a requirement to have a registered nurse onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The rule includes a staggered implementation approach for which CMS will publish additional details on compliance as the implementation dates approach. The rule also includes possible waivers and temporary hardship exemptions for select facilities, however no funding for the additional staff will be provided. We are currently evaluating the impact of the rule, but believe the unfunded mandate to increase staff may have a material and adverse impact on the financial condition of our tenants. We cannot predict whether any future legislation related to staffing will be adopted or, if adopted, the impact such legislation may have on our tenants or our business.
Our tenants are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting the healthcare industry that include those relating to, among other things, licensure, conduct of operations, ownership of facilities, addition of facilities and equipment, allowable costs, services, prices for services, qualified beneficiaries, quality of care, patient rights and insurance, fraudulent or abusive behavior, labor and employment issues and financial and other arrangements that may be entered into by healthcare providers. See Government Regulation in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024, for more information. If our tenants or operators fail to comply with the laws, regulations and other requirements applicable to their businesses and the operation of our properties, they could become ineligible to receive reimbursement from governmental and private third-party payor programs, face bans on admissions of new patients or residents, suffer civil or criminal penalties or be required to make significant operational changes. The cost to comply with these laws, regulations and other requirements results in increased costs of doing business for our tenants and operators. If our tenants are unable to offset these increased costs, the operating results and financial condition of our tenants will be adversely impacted and they may be unable to satisfy their rent obligations to us.
We believe that additional resources may be dedicated to regulatory enforcement, which could further increase our tenants costs of doing business and negatively impact their ability to pay their rent obligations to us. Changes in enforcement policies by federal and state governments have also resulted in a significant increase in inspection rates, citations of regulatory deficiencies and sanctions, including terminations from Medicare and Medicaid programs, bars on Medicare and Medicaid payments for new admissions, civil monetary penalties and criminal penalties. Our tenants and operators could be forced to expend considerable resources responding to an investigation, lawsuit or other enforcement action under applicable laws or regulations. Additionally, if our tenants residents do not have insurance, it could adversely impact the tenants ability to satisfy their obligation to us.