Forward-Looking Statements





References throughout this document to the Company include National HealthCare
Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries. In accordance with the Securities
and Exchange Commissions "Plain English" guidelines, this Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q has been written in the first person. In this document, the words
"we", "our", "ours" and "us" refer only to National HealthCare Corporation and
its wholly-owned subsidiaries and not any other person.



This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other information we provide from time to
time, contains certain "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined by
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding
our expected future financial position, results of operations or cash flows,
continued performance improvements, ability to service and refinance our debt
obligations, ability to finance growth opportunities, ability to control our
patient care liability costs, ability to respond to changes in government
regulations, ability to execute our three-year strategic plan, and similar
statements including, without limitations, those containing words such as
"believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "estimates", "plans", and other
similar expressions are forward-looking statements.



Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties
that may cause our actual results in future periods to differ materially from
those projected or contemplated in the forward-looking statements as a result
of, but not limited to, the following factors:



  ? national and local economic conditions, including their effect on the
    availability and cost of labor, utilities and materials;

? the effect of government regulations and changes in regulations governing the

healthcare industry, including our compliance with such regulations;

? changes in Medicare and Medicaid payment levels and methodologies and the

application of such methodologies by the government and its fiscal

intermediaries;

? liabilities and other claims asserted against us, including patient care

liabilities, as well as the resolution of current litigation (see Note 16:

Contingencies and Commitments);

? the uncertainty of the extent, duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic


    and the response of governments

  ? the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;

  ? the availability and terms of capital to fund acquisitions and capital
    improvements;

  ? the ability to refinance existing debt on favorable terms;

  ? the competitive environment in which we operate;

  ? the ability to maintain and increase census levels; and

  ? demographic changes.




See the notes to the quarterly financial statements, and "Item 1. Business" in
our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of various governmental
regulations and other operating factors relating to the healthcare industry and
the risk factors inherent in them. This may be found on our web site at
www.nhccare.com. You should carefully consider these risks before making any
investment in the Company. These risks and uncertainties are not the only ones
facing us. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know of or
that we currently deem immaterial. If any of the risks occur, our business,
financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely
affected. In that case, the trading price of our shares of stock could decline,
and you may lose all or part of your investment. Given these risks and
uncertainties, we can give no assurances that these forward-looking statements
will, in fact, transpire and, therefore, caution investors not to place undue
reliance on them.





Overview



National HealthCare Corporation ("NHC" or the "Company") is a leading provider
of senior health care services. We operate or manage, through certain
affiliates, 76 skilled nursing facilities with a total of 9,633 licensed beds,
24 assisted living facilities, five independent living facilities, one
behavioral health hospital and 35 homecare programs. We operate specialized care
units within certain of our healthcare centers such as Alzheimer's disease care
units and sub-acute nursing units. We also have a non-controlling ownership
interest in a hospice care business that services NHC owned health care centers
and others. In addition, we provide insurance services, management and
accounting services, and we lease properties to operators of skilled nursing and
assisted living facilities. We operate in 10 states and are located primarily in
the southeastern United States.



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Impact of COVID-19



In early March 2020, COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel strain of the
coronavirus, was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
The COVID-19 virus has spread rapidly, with every state in the United States
("U.S.") having confirmed cases. The rapid spread has resulted in authorities
around the U.S. implementing various measures to contain the virus, such as
quarantines, shelter-in-place orders and business shutdowns. The pandemic and
these containment measures have had, and are expected to continue to have, an
adverse impact on the Company's results of operations.



As a provider of healthcare services, we are significantly exposed to the public
health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  NHC's primary objective
has remained the same throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: that is to protect the
health and safety of our patients, residents, and partners (employees). We
continue to follow all guidance from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
("CMS"), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC"), and state and
local health departments to prevent the spread of the disease within our
operations. The financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were
significantly impacted by COVID-19 with census in our skilled nursing facilities
dropping to 84.3%, while we also incurred significantly increased operating
expenses. Since the first week of March, our census has declined due to the lack
of new admissions from our acute care providers and referral partners. Our
operating expenses have also increased with incentive compensation being paid to
our frontline partners, as well as increased costs of personal protective
equipment ("PPE"), sanitizers and cleaning supplies, COVID-19 testing of our
patients and partners, and food and dietary products. Besides the incentive
compensation being paid to our tireless partners on the frontlines, we continue
to take every possible action to support our partners with free meals on their
shifts, a one-month health insurance premium holiday in April, as well as
extended paid sick leave days. Despite COVID-19 disrupting operations, our
capital and financial resources, including our overall liquidity, remain strong.
Our liquidity and low debt levels provide us with significant flexibility to
maintain the strength of our balance sheet in periods of uncertainty or stress.



At this time, we are not able to quantify the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic
will have on our financial results during 2020 and beyond, but we expect the
developments related to COVID-19 to adversely affect our financial performance
in 2020.  The ultimate impact of the pandemic on our financial results will
depend on, among other factors, the duration and severity of the pandemic, the
volume of acute and post-acute healthcare patients cared for across the broader
health care systems, the timing and availability of effective medical treatments
and vaccines, and the impact of government actions and administrative
regulations on our industry and broader economy, including future government
stimulus efforts.  We have received and may continue to receive payments and
advances from the various federal and state initiatives. These legislative
initiatives have been beneficial to partially mitigate the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on our results of operations and financial position to date.
The federal and state governments may consider additional stimulus and relief
efforts, but we are unable to predict whether any of the additional stimulus
measures will be enacted or their impact.



Legislation and Government Stimulus Due to COVID-19





The U.S. government enacted several laws beginning in March 2020 designed to
help the nation respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new laws impact healthcare
providers in a variety of ways, but the largest legislation from a monetary
relief perspective is the CARES Act.  The CARES Act provided $2.2 trillion of
economy-wide financial stimulus in the form of financial aid to individuals,
businesses, nonprofits, states and municipalities. The CARES Act originally
appropriated $100 billion to establish the Public Health and Social Services
Emergency Fund, which is referred to as the Provider Relief Fund. The Provider
Relief Fund is administered through grants and other mechanisms to skilled
nursing providers, home health providers, hospitals, and other Medicare and
Medicaid enrolled providers to cover any unreimbursed health care related
expenses or lost revenue attributable to the public health emergency resulting
from COVID-19.  On April 24, 2020, another $75 billion was added to the Provider
Relief Fund by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enactment Act,
bringing the total amount appropriated in the fund to $175 billion.



During the second quarter of 2020, we received three disbursements from the
Provider Relief Fund which totaled $43,942,000. These funds came with terms and
condition certifications in which all providers are required to submit documents
to ensure the funds will be used for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenue
attributable to COVID-19. Of the $43,942,000 of funds received, the Company
recorded $24,648,000 of income related to these funds during the three months
ended June 30, 2020. This $24,648,000 is reflected within government stimulus
income in the interim condensed consolidated statements of operations.  As of
June 30, 2020, amounts not recognized as income are approximately
$19,294,000 and are reflected in the current liability section of our interim
condensed consolidated balance sheet (provider relief funds). We anticipate
incurring additional COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenues in the future;
therefore, at this time, we believe that we will fully utilize the remaining
$19,294,000 million of provider relief funds before the end of the pandemic.



As part of the CARES Act, the legislation included an expansion of the Medicare
Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. The expanded Medicare Accelerated and
Advance Payment Program is a streamlined version of existing policy that allows
the Medicare Administrative Contractors ("MAC's") to issue up to three months of
advance Medicare payments to help increase cash flow and liquidity to Medicare
Part A and Part B providers in certain circumstances that include national
emergencies. We received approximately $51 million as part of this program.
These funds will begin to be applied against claims for services provided to
Medicare patients after approximately 120 days from the date we received the
funds. The payback period will be for approximately 90 days; therefore, any
remaining unapplied accelerated payment proceeds will be repaid within 210
days.  Application to claims of the accelerated payments received by the Company
is currently expected to begin in August 2020.  As of June 30, 2020, the
accelerated payments are reflected within contract liabilities in the interim
condensed consolidated balance sheets as the related performance obligations
have not been completed.



The CARES Act temporarily suspended Medicare sequestration beginning May 1, 2020
through December 31, 2020. The Medicare sequestration policy reduces
fee-for-service Medicare payments by 2 percent. The CARES Act extends the
sequestration policy through 2030 in exchange for this temporary suspension. We
expect our net patient revenues to increase by approximately $2,600,000 in 2020
(2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter impact) due to sequestration being temporarily
suspended for the eight-month period.



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The CARES Act also temporarily permits employers to defer the deposit and
payment of the employer's portion of the social security taxes (6.2% of employee
wages) that otherwise would be due between March 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
The provision requires that the deferred taxes be paid over a two-year period
with half the amount required to be paid by December 31, 2021, and the other
half by December 31, 2022. Currently, we expect the deferral of these payroll
taxes to improve our liquidity and cash available for operations during 2020 by
approximately $21 million to $26 million, or $7 million to $8.5 million per
quarter (2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter impact). At June 30, 2020, we have deferred
$7.7 million of social security taxes.



We have also received from many of the states in which we operate a supplemental
Medicaid payment to help mitigate the incremental costs resulting from the
COVID-19 public health emergency. At this time, we expect our net patient
revenues to increase by approximately $11,000,000 in 2020 due to these
supplemental Medicaid payments.  For the three months and six months ended June
30, 2020, we have recorded $3,859,000 and $5,532,000, respectively, in net
patient revenues in our interim condensed consolidated statements of
operations for these supplemental Medicaid payments.





Summary of Goals and Areas of Focus





Occupancy



A primary area of management focus continues to be the rates of occupancy within
our skilled nursing facilities. The overall census in owned and leased skilled
nursing facilities for the six months ending June 30, 2020 was 87.9% compared to
90.4% for the same period a year ago. Although our census was strong for most of
the first quarter of 2020, during the second half of March, our census began to
decline due to COVID-19 and the lack of new admissions from our acute care
providers and referral partners.  For the three months ended June 30, 2020,
overall census in our owned and leased skilled nursing facilities was 84.3%
compared to 90.5% in the second quarter of 2019.



With the average length of stay decreasing for a skilled nursing patient, as
well as the increased availability of assisted living facilities and home and
community-based services, the challenge of maintaining desirable patient census
levels has been amplified. Management has undertaken a number of steps in order
to best position our current and future health care facilities. This includes
working internally to examine and improve systems to be most responsive to
referral sources and payors. Additionally, NHC is in various stages of
partnerships with hospital systems, payors, and other post-acute alliances to
better position ourselves so we are an active participant in the delivery of
post-acute healthcare services.



Quality of Patient Care



CMS introduced the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help consumers, their
families and caregivers compare skilled nursing facilities more easily. The
Five-Star Quality Rating System gives each skilled nursing operation a rating
ranging between one and five stars in various categories (five stars being the
best). The Company has always strived for patient-centered care and quality
outcomes as precursors to outstanding financial performance.



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The tables below summarize NHC's overall performance in these Five-Star ratings versus the skilled nursing industry as of June 30, 2020:





                                                            NHC Ratings     

Industry Ratings Total number of skilled nursing facilities, end of period

                                                            76
Number of 4 and 5-star rated skilled nursing facilities           53
Percentage of 4 and 5-star rated skilled nursing
facilities                                                        70%                  45%
Average rating for all skilled nursing facilities, end
of period                                                        4.00                 3.16




Development and Growth


We are undertaking to expand our senior care operations while protecting our existing operations and markets. The following table lists our recent development activities.





    Type of
   Operation      Description      Size        Location      Placed in Service
  Memory Care     New Facility   60 beds     Farragut, TN      January, 2019
  Memory Care     Acquisition    60 beds    St. Peters, MO       June, 2019
Skilled Nursing   Acquisition    166 beds   Knoxville, TN      February, 2020
Assisted Living   Bed Addition   20 beds     Gallatin, TN    Under Construction
Skilled Nursing   Bed Addition   30 beds    Kingsport, TN    Under Construction




Accrued Risk Reserves



Our accrued professional liability and workers' compensation reserves totaled
$105,008,000 at June 30, 2020 and are a primary area of management focus. We
have set aside restricted cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities to
fund our estimated professional liability and workers' compensation liabilities.



As to exposure for professional liability claims, we have developed performance
certification criteria to measure and bring focus to the patient care issues
most likely to produce professional liability exposure, including in-house
acquired pressure ulcers, significant weight loss and numbers of falls. These
programs for certification, which we regularly modify and improve, have produced
measurable improvements in reducing these incidents. Our experience is that
achieving goals in these patient care areas improves both patient and employee
satisfaction.


Government Reimbursement Programs

Medicare - Skilled Nursing Facilities





On October 1, 2019, the new case-mix reimbursement model of Patient Driven
Payment Model ("PDPM") became effective. Under PDPM, the payment to skilled
nursing facilities is based heavily on the patient's condition rather than
specific services provided by each skilled nursing facility. CMS' fiscal year
2020 final rule provided for an approximate net 2.4% increase, or $851 million,
compared to the fiscal year 2019 levels.



The CARES Act temporarily suspended Medicare sequestration beginning May 1, 2020
through December 31, 2020. The Medicare sequestration policy reduces
fee-for-service Medicare payments by 2 percent. The CARES Act extends the
sequestration policy through 2030 in exchange for this temporary suspension. We
expect our net patient revenues to increase by approximately $2,600,000 in 2020
(2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter impact) due to sequestration being temporarily
suspended for the eight-month period.



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For the first six months of 2020, our average Medicare per diem rate for skilled nursing facilities increased 10.9% as compared to the same period in 2019.





On July 31, 2020, CMS released its final rule outlining fiscal year 2021
Medicare payment rates and policy changes for skilled nursing facilities, which
will begin October 1, 2020. The fiscal year 2021 final rule provided for an
approximate 2.2% increase, or $750 million, compared to fiscal year 2020 levels.
This included a 2.2% market-basket update, adjusted by a 0.0% productivity
adjustment.  The final rule continues to reflect the commitment to shifting
Medicare payments from volume to value, with the continued implementation
of PDPM and value-based purchasing to improve interoperability, operational
quality, and safety.



Medicaid - Skilled Nursing Facilities





Effective July 1, 2020 and for the fiscal year 2021, the state of Tennessee
implemented specific individual nursing facility increases. We estimate the
resulting increase in revenue for the 2021 fiscal year will be approximately
$2,000,000, or $500,000 per quarter. Effective July 1, 2019 and for the fiscal
year 2020, the state of Tennessee implemented specific individual nursing
facility rate increases. The resulting increase in revenue for the 2020 fiscal
year was approximately $1,280,000 annually, or $320,000 per quarter.



Effective October 1, 2019 and for the fiscal year 2020, South Carolina implemented specific individual nursing facility rate changes. The resulting increase in revenue for the 2020 fiscal year was approximately $2,012,000 annually, or $503,000 per quarter.





We have also received from many of the states in which we operate a supplemental
Medicaid payment to help mitigate the incremental costs resulting from the
COVID-19 public health emergency. At this time, we expect our net patient
revenues to increase by approximately $11,000,000 in 2020 due to these
supplemental Medicaid payments.  For the three months and six months ended June
30, 2020, we have recorded $3,859,000 and $5,532,000, respectively, in net
patient revenues in our interim condensed consolidated statements of
operations for these supplemental Medicaid payments.



For the first six months of 2020, our average Medicaid per diem increased 4.6% compared to the same period in 2019.





We face challenges with respect to states' Medicaid payments, because many
currently do not cover the total costs incurred in providing care to those
patients. States will continue to control Medicaid expenditures and also look
for adequate funding sources, including provider assessments. There are several
pieces of legislation that include provisions designed to reduce Medicaid
spending. These provisions include, among others, provisions strengthening the
Medicaid asset transfer restrictions for persons seeking to qualify for Medicaid
long-term care coverage, which could, due to the timing of the penalty period,
increase facilities' exposure to uncompensated care. Other provisions could
increase state funding for home and community-based services, potentially having
an impact on funding for nursing facilities.



Medicare - Homecare Programs



In November 2019, CMS released a final rule that sets forth the implementation
of the PDGM and a 30-day unit of payment as mandated by the Bipartisan Budget
Act of 2018 ("BBA"). CMS projects payments to home health agencies in fiscal
year 2020 will increase in aggregate by 1.3%, or $250 million, based on proposed
policies. The increase reflects the 1.5% home health payment update percentage
as mandated by the BBA and a 0.2% decrease in aggregate payments due to
reductions made by the new rural add-on policy, also mandated by the BBA.



In June 2020, CMS released its proposed rule outlining fiscal year 2021 Medicare
payment rates. CMS projects payments to home health agencies in fiscal year 2021
will increase in aggregate by 2.6%, or $540 million, based on proposed policies.
The increase reflects the effects of the 2.7% home health payment update
percentage and a 0.1% decrease due to reductions made by the rural add-on
policy. This Rule also includes a provision to make permanent the regulatory
changes related to telecommunication technologies in providing care under the
Medicare home health benefit beyond the expiration of the COVID-19 public health
emergency.



Segment Reporting



The Company has two reportable operating segments: (1) inpatient services, which
includes the operation of skilled nursing facilities, assisted and independent
living facilities, and our behavioral health hospital; and (2) homecare
services. These reportable operating segments are consistent with information
used by the Company's Chief Executive Officer, as chief operating decision maker
("CODM"), to assess performance and allocate resources.



The Company also reports an "all other" category that includes revenues from
rental income, management and accounting services fees, insurance services, and
costs of the corporate office. For additional information on these reportable
segments see Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.



The Company's CODM evaluates performance and allocates capital resources to each
segment based on an operating model that is designed to improve the quality of
patient care and profitability of the Company while enhancing long-term
shareholder value. The CODM does not review assets by segment in his resource
allocation and therefore, assets by segment are not disclosed below.



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The following table sets forth the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated statements of operations by business segment (in thousands):





                                                     Three Months Ended June 30, 2020
                                         Inpatient
                                         Services        Homecare        All Other        Total
Revenues and grant income:
Net patient revenues                    $   214,387     $    11,284     $         -     $  225,671
Other revenues                                  127               -          11,196         11,323
Government stimulus income                   22,622           2,026               -         24,648
Net operating revenues and grant
income                                      237,136          13,310         

11,196 261,642



Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits               136,380           7,963          12,571        156,914
Other operating                              63,999           4,342           2,520         70,861
Rent                                          8,380             446           1,494         10,320
Depreciation and amortization                 9,626             106             813         10,545
Interest                                        366               -              87            453
Total costs and expenses                    218,751          12,857          17,485        249,093

Income (loss) from operations                18,385             453          (6,289 )       12,549
Non-operating income                              -               -           5,954          5,954
Unrealized gains on marketable equity
securities                                        -               -          20,053         20,053

Income before income taxes              $    18,385     $       453     $    19,718     $   38,556






                                                     Three Months Ended June 30, 2019
                                         Inpatient
                                         Services        Homecare        All Other        Total
Revenues:
Net patient revenues                    $   220,887     $    14,377     $         -     $  235,264
Other revenues                                  242               -          11,645         11,887
Net operating revenues                      221,129          14,377          11,645        247,151

Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits               130,720           8,480           8,678        147,878
Other operating                              60,172           4,674           2,752         67,598
Rent                                          8,229             489           1,479         10,197
Depreciation and amortization                 9,471              61             803         10,335
Interest                                        319               -             635            954
Total costs and expenses                    208,911          13,704          14,347        236,962

Income (loss) from operations                12,218             673          (2,702 )       10,189
Non-operating income                              -               -           8,272          8,272
Unrealized losses on marketable
equity securities                                 -               -             (54 )          (54 )

Income before income taxes              $    12,218     $       673     $     5,516     $   18,407




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                                                      Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
                                         Inpatient
                                         Services        Homecare        All Other        Total
Revenues and grant income:
Net patient revenues                    $   445,374     $    24,392     $         -     $  469,766
Other revenues                                  561               -          22,791         23,352
Government stimulus income                   22,622           2,026               -         24,648
Net operating revenues and grant
income                                      468,557          26,418          22,791        517,766

Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits               271,595          16,279          16,509        304,383
Other operating                             129,104           8,161           5,264        142,529
Rent                                         16,757             903           2,992         20,652
Depreciation and amortization                19,197             160           1,626         20,983
Interest                                        748               -             117            865
Total costs and expenses                    437,401          25,503          26,508        489,412

Income (loss) from operations                31,156             915          (3,717 )       28,354
Non-operating income                              -               -          14,100         14,100
Unrealized losses on marketable
equity securities                                 -               -         

(40,339 ) (40,339 )



Income (loss) before income taxes       $    31,156     $       915     $   (29,956 )   $    2,115






                                                      Six Months Ended June 30, 2019
                                         Inpatient
(As Adjusted)                            Services        Homecare        All Other        Total
Revenues:
Net patient revenues                    $   442,521     $    28,854     $         -     $  471,375
Other revenues                                  473               -          23,588         24,061
Net operating revenues                      442,994          28,854          23,588        495,436

Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits               259,778          16,880          12,608        289,266
Other operating                             122,801           8,926           5,303        137,030
Rent                                         16,520             951           2,964         20,435
Depreciation and amortization                19,124             122           1,606         20,852
Interest                                        668               -           1,212          1,880
Total costs and expenses                    418,891          26,879          23,693        469,463

Income (loss) from operations                24,103           1,975            (105 )       25,973
Non-operating income                              -               -          14,273         14,273
Unrealized gains on marketable equity
securities                                        -               -           6,784          6,784

Income before income taxes              $    24,103     $     1,975     $    20,952     $   47,030




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Non-GAAP Financial Presentation





The Company is providing certain non-GAAP financial measures as the Company
believes that these figures are helpful in allowing investors to more accurately
assess the ongoing nature of the Company's operations and measure the Company's
performance more consistently across periods. Therefore, the Company believes
this information is meaningful in addition to the information contained in the
GAAP presentation of financial information. The presentation of this additional
non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or
as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in
accordance with GAAP.



Specifically, the Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial information that excludes the unrealized gains or losses on our marketable equity securities, operating results for the newly constructed healthcare facilities not at full capacity, share-based compensation expense, and any gains on the acquisitions of equity method investments is helpful in allowing investors to more accurately access the Company's operations.





The operating results for the newly constructed healthcare facilities not at
full capacity for the six months ended June 30, 2020 include facilities that
began operations from 2018 to 2020, which is one memory care facility. For the
six months ended June 30, 2019, included are facilities that began operations
from 2017 to 2019, which is one skilled nursing facility, two assisted living
facilities, and one memory care facility.



The tables below provide reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP items (dollars in thousands, except per share data):





                                           Three Months Ended             Six Months Ended
                                                June 30                        June 30
                                          2020            2019           2020           2019

Net income attributable to National
Healthcare Corporation                 $    28,324     $   13,711     $    1,472     $   34,980
Non-GAAP adjustments
Unrealized (gains)/losses on
marketable equity securities               (20,053 )           54         40,339         (6,784 )
Gain on acquisition of equity method
investment                                       -         (1,975 )       (1,708 )       (1,975 )
Operating results for newly opened
facilities not at full capacity                112            137            314            731
Share-based compensation expense               823            684          1,289          1,108
Provision (benefit) of income taxes
on non-GAAP adjustments                      4,971            284        (10,461 )        1,785
Non-GAAP Net income                    $    14,177     $   12,895     $   31,245     $   29,845


GAAP diluted earnings per share        $      1.84     $     0.89     $     0.10     $     2.28
Non-GAAP adjustments
Unrealized (gains)/losses on
marketable equity securities                 (0.97 )            -           1.94          (0.34 )
Gain on acquisition of equity method
investment                                       -          (0.09 )        (0.08 )        (0.09 )
Operating results for newly opened
facilities not at full capacity               0.01           0.01           0.02           0.04
Share-based compensation expense              0.04           0.03           0.05           0.05

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 0.92 $ 0.84 $ 2.03 $ 1.94






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Results of Operations



The following table and discussion set forth items from the interim condensed
consolidated statements of operations as a percentage of net operating revenues
and grant income for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2020 and
2019.



             Percentage of Net Operating Revenues and Grant Income



                                            Three Months Ended               Six Months Ended
                                                  June 30                         June 30
                                           2020             2019           2020             2019
Net operating revenues and grant
income:                                       100.0 %         100.0 %           100 %           100 %
Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits                  60.0            59.8            58.8            58.4
Other operating                                27.1            27.4            27.5            27.7
Facility rent                                   3.9             4.1             4.0             4.1
Depreciation and amortization                   4.0             4.2             4.0             4.2
Interest                                        0.2             0.4             0.2             0.4
Total costs and expenses                       95.2            95.9            94.5            94.8
Income from operations                          4.8             4.1             5.5             5.2
Non-operating income                            2.2             3.3             2.7             2.9
Unrealized gains/(losses) on
marketable equity securities                    7.7             0.0            (7.8 )           1.4
Income before income taxes                     14.7             7.4             0.4             9.5
Income tax provision                           (3.8 )          (1.9 )          (0.1 )          (2.4 )
Net income                                     10.9             5.5             0.3             7.1
Net (income)/loss attributable to
noncontrolling interest                        (0.1 )           0.0             0.0             0.0
Net income attributable to
stockholders of NHC                            10.8             5.5             0.3             7.1





Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 Compared to Three Months Ended June 30, 2019





Results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 compared to the second quarter of
2019 include a 5.9% increase in net operating revenues and grant income and a
23.2% increase in income from operations. Excluding the grant income recorded
during the second quarter of 2020, net operating revenues decreased 4.1%
compared to the second quarter of 2019.  Excluding the unrealized gains in our
marketable equity securities portfolio and the other non-GAAP adjustments,
non-GAAP net income for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was $14,177,000
compared to $12,895,000 for the second quarter of 2019, which is an increase of
9.9%.


Net operating revenues and grant income

Net patient revenues decreased $9,593,000, or 4.1%, compared to the same period last year.





The total census at owned and leased skilled nursing facilities for the quarter
averaged 84.3%, compared to an average of 90.5% for the same quarter a year ago.
The decline in census is due to COVID-19 and the lack of new admissions from our
acute care providers and referral partners. Our Medicare per diem rates
increased 12.3% and managed care per diem rates increased 3.0% compared to the
same quarter a year ago. Medicaid and private pay per diem rates increased 6.6%
and 0.8%, respectively, compared to the same quarter a year ago. Overall, the
composite skilled nursing facility per diem at our owned and leased skilled
nursing facilities increased 3.1% compared to the same quarter a year ago.



Our Medicare per diem rates have benefited from the new case-mix reimbursement
model of PDPM, which was implemented on October 1, 2019. The CARES Act also
temporarily suspended Medicare sequestration beginning May 1, 2020 through
December 31, 2020. The Medicare sequestration policy reduces fee-for-service
Medicare payments by 2 percent. Our Medicaid per diem rates have benefited
from many of the states paying a supplemental Medicaid payment to help mitigate
the incremental costs resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency. For
the three months ended June 30, 2020, we have recorded $3,859,000 due to these
supplemental Medicaid payments.



In February 2020, the Company acquired the remaining 75% ownership interest in a
166-bed skilled nursing facility in Knoxville, Tennessee. For the three months
ended June 30, 2020, this skilled nursing facility increased net patient
revenues approximately $2,958,000 compared to the second quarter of 2019.



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Our homecare operations had a decline in net patient revenues of approximately
$3,093,000 in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the second quarter of 2019.
Our homecare net patient revenue decline was primarily due to volume declines
related to COVID-19.


Other revenues decreased $564,000, or 4.7%, compared to the same quarter last year, as further detailed in Note 5 to our interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

During the three months ended June 30, 2020, we recorded $24.6 million in government stimulus income related to funds received from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund. See Note 3 - Coronavirus Pandemic for additional information.





Total costs and expenses



Total costs and expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to
the same period of 2019 increased $12,131,000, or 5.1%, to $249,093,000 from
$236,962,000.



Salaries, wages, and benefits increased $9,036,000, or 6.1%, to $156,914,000
from $147,878,000. Salaries, wages, and benefits as a percentage of net
operating revenues and grant income was 60.0% compared to 59.8% for the three
months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The primary reason for
salaries and wages increasing is due to the incentive compensation, or "combat
pay", paid to our frontline partners in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
We incurred approximately $5,895,000 in incentive compensation related to
COVID-19 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the second quarter
of 2019. For the three months ended June 30, 2020, we also incurred
approximately $1,882,000 in salaries and wages from the skilled nursing facility
that we acquired in February 2020, compared to the second quarter of 2019.



Other operating expenses increased $3,263,000, or 4.8%, to $70,861,000 for the
2020 period compared to $67,598,000 for the 2019 period. Other operating
expenses as a percentage of net operating revenues and grant income was 27.1%
and 27.4% for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
During the second quarter of 2020, we incurred approximately $5,682,000 in
COVID-19 related expenses in purchasing personal protective equipment, nursing
supplies, lab and testing supplies, food, and dietary supplies.  Due to the
impact of COVID-19 and our census declining, we have implemented, and continue
to implement, a plan to minimize and control expenses within every department of
our operations.  These expense controlling efforts have helped mitigate the
increase in other operating expenses due to COVID-19.



The decrease in interest expense is due from our long-term debt being paid off
in the second quarter of 2020. At June 30, 2020, we have no outstanding balance
on our credit facility.



Other income



Non-operating income decreased by $2,318,000 compared to the same period last
year, as further detailed in Note 6 to our interim condensed consolidated
financial statements. The decrease in non-operating income is primarily due from
the gain on the acquisition of an equity method investment made in the second
quarter of 2019. In the prior year period, a gain of $1,975,000 was recorded on
the acquisition of the remaining financial interest in a 60-bed memory care
facility in St. Peters, Missouri. We previously held a 25% noncontrolling
ownership interest and equity method investment in the facility. Upon acquiring
the remaining 75% financial interest, we fair valued the business and our
previously held equity position based upon the facility's fair value.



Income taxes



The income tax provision for the three months ended June 30, 2020 is $10,034,000
(an effective income tax rate of 26.0%). Excluding nondeductible expenses, we
expect our corporate income tax rate for 2020 to be approximately 26.0%.



Noncontrolling interest



The noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries is presented within total equity of
the Company's consolidated balance sheets. The company presents the
noncontrolling interest and the amount of consolidated net income attributable
to NHC in its consolidated statements of operations. The Company's earnings per
share is calculated based on net income attributable to NHC's stockholders. The
carrying amount of the noncontrolling interest is adjusted based on an
allocation of subsidiary earnings based on ownership interest.





Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2019





Results for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the first six months
of 2019 include a 4.5% increase in net operating revenues and grant income and a
9.2% increase in income from operations. Excluding the grant income recorded for
the six months ended June 30,2020, net operating revenues would have decreased
0.5% compared to the same six-month period in 2019. Excluding the unrealized
gains in our marketable equity securities portfolio and the other non-GAAP
adjustments, non-GAAP net income for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was
$31,245,000 compared to $29,845,000 for the same period of 2019, which is an
increase of 5.2%.


Net operating revenues and grant income

Net patient revenues decreased $1,609,000, or 0.3%, compared to the same period last year.





The total census at owned and leased skilled nursing facilities for the first
six months of 2020 averaged 87.9% compared to an average of 90.4% for the same
period a year ago. The decline in census is due to COVID-19 and the lack of new
admissions from our acute care providers and referral partners. Our Medicare per
diem rates increased 10.9% and managed care per diem rates increased 2.4%
compared to the same period a year ago. Medicaid and private pay per diem rates
increased 4.6% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the same period a year ago.
Overall, the composite skilled nursing facility per diem at our owned and leased
skilled nursing facilities increased 2.8% compared to the same period a year
ago.



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Our Medicare per diem rates have benefited from the new case-mix reimbursement
model of PDPM, which was implemented on October 1, 2019. The CARES Act also
temporarily suspended Medicare sequestration beginning May 1, 2020 through
December 31, 2020. The Medicare sequestration policy reduces fee-for-service
Medicare payments by 2 percent. Since March 2020, our Medicaid per diem
rates benefited from many of the states paying a supplemental Medicaid payment
to help mitigate the incremental costs resulting from the COVID-19 public health
emergency. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, we have recorded
$5,532,000 due to these supplemental Medicaid payments.



In February 2020, the Company acquired the remaining 75% ownership interest in a
166-bed skilled nursing facility in Knoxville, Tennessee. For the six months
ended June 30, 2020, this skilled nursing facility increased net patient
revenues approximately $4,393,000 compared to the same period in the prior year.



Our homecare operations had a decline in net patient revenues of approximately
$4,462,000 in the first six months of 2020 compared to the same period of 2019.
Our homecare net patient revenue decline was primarily due to volume declines
due to COVID-19.


Other revenues decreased $709,000, or 2.9%, compared to the same period last year, as further detailed in Note 5 to our interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

During the six months ended June 30, 2020, we recorded $24.6 million in government stimulus income related to funds received from the Provider Relief Fund. See Note 3 - Coronavirus Pandemic for additional information.





Total costs and expenses


Total costs and expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 increased $19,949,000 or 4.2%, to $489,412,000 from $469,463,000.





Salaries, wages, and benefits increased $15,117,000, or 5.2%, to $304,383,000
from $289,266,000. Salaries, wages, and benefits as a percentage of net
operating revenues and grant income was 58.8% compared to 58.4% for the six
months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The primary reason for
salaries and wages increasing is due to the incentive compensation, or "combat
pay", paid to our frontline partners in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
We incurred approximately $6,714,000 in incentive compensation related to
COVID-19 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to the same period of
2019.  For the six months ended June 30, 2020, we also incurred approximately
$2,396,000 in salaries and wages from the skilled nursing facility that we
acquired in February 2020, compared to the same period of 2019.



Other operating expenses increased $5,499,000, or 4.0%, to $142,529,000 for the
2020 period compared to $137,030,000 for the 2019 period. Other operating
expenses as a percentage of net operating revenue was 27.5% and 27.7% for the
six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. During the first six months of 2020, we
incurred $6,630,000 in COVID-19 related expenses in purchasing personal
protective equipment, nursing supplies, lab and testing supplies, food, and
dietary supplies. Due to the impact of COVID-19 and our census declining since
March 2020, we have implemented, and continue to implement, a plan to minimize
and control expenses within every department of our operations.  These
expense controlling efforts have helped mitigate the increase in other operating
expenses due to COVID-19.



The decrease in interest expense is due from our long-term debt being paid off
in the second quarter of 2020. At June 30, 2020, we have no outstanding balance
on our credit facility.



Other income


Non-operating income decreased by $173,000 compared to the same period last year, as further detailed in Note 6 to our interim condensed consolidated financial statements.





Income taxes



The income tax provision for the six months ended June 30, 2020 is $409,000 (an
effective income tax rate of 19.3%). Excluding nondeductible expenses, we expect
our corporate income tax rate for 2020 to be approximately 26.0%.



Noncontrolling interest



The noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary is presented within total equity of
the Company's consolidated balance sheets. The company presents the
noncontrolling interest and the amount of consolidated net income attributable
to NHC in its consolidated statements of operations. The Company's earnings per
share is calculated based on net income attributable to NHC's stockholders. The
carrying amount of the noncontrolling interest is adjusted based on an
allocation of subsidiary earnings based on ownership interest.



Liquidity, Capital Resources, and Financial Condition





Our primary sources of cash include revenues from the operations of our
healthcare and senior living facilities, management and accounting services,
rental income, and investment income. Our primary uses of cash include salaries,
wages and other operating costs of our healthcare and senior living facilities,
the cost of additions to and acquisitions of real property, facility rent
expenses, and dividend distributions. These sources and uses of cash are
reflected in our interim condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and are
discussed in further detail below.



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The following is a summary of our sources and uses of cash flows (dollars in
thousands):



                                              Six Months Ended
                                                   June 30                Six Month Change
                                             2020          2019                          %
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash,
and restricted cash equivalents, at
beginning of period                        $  61,010     $  54,920     $   

6,090 11.1

Cash provided by operating activities 154,727 39,172 115,555 295.0



Cash used in investing activities            (18,567 )     (11,370 )      

(7,197 ) (63.3 )



Cash used in financing activities            (26,391 )     (16,816 )      

(9,575 ) (56.9 )



Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash,
and restricted cash equivalents, at end
of period                                  $ 170,779     $  65,906     $ 104,873         159.1




Operating Activities



Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2020
was $154,727,000 as compared to $39,172,000 in the same period last year. Cash
provided by operating activities consisted of net income of $1,706,000 and
adjustments for non-cash items of $43,933,000. There was cash provided by
working capital in the amount of $102,187,000 for the six months ended June 30,
2020 compared to cash used for working capital needs in the amount of $8,044,000
for the same period a year ago. We also received cash distributions from our
unconsolidated investments of $6,901,000 during the six months ended June 30,
2020, compared to $2,609,000 for the same period a year ago.



Included in cash provided by working capital is $50,992,000 of receipts from the
Medicare Accelerated Payment Program, $19,294,000 of receipts related to the
Provider Relief Fund that have not been recognized as income, and $7,705,000 of
deferred employer social security taxes.  All three of these working capital
cash flow items were initiated by the CARES Act legislation.



Included in the adjustments for non-cash items are depreciation expense, equity
in earnings of unconsolidated investments, unrealized gains/losses on our
marketable equity securities, deferred taxes, stock compensation, and a gain on
the acquisition of a 166-bed skilled nursing facility in Knoxville, Tennessee in
which we previously held a noncontrolling ownership interest.



Investing Activities



Net cash used in investing activities totaled $18,567,000 for the six months
ended June 30, 2020 compared to $11,370,000 for the six months ended June 30,
2019. Cash used for property and equipment additions was $12,517,000 and
$13,989,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The
acquisition of the 166-bed skilled nursing facility in Knoxville, Tennessee
resulted in cash used of $6,648,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2020. The
Company collected notes receivable of $1,139,000 and $660,000 for the six months
ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Sales of restricted marketable debt
securities, net of purchases, resulted in positive cash flow of $69,000 and
$23,216,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.



Financing Activities



Net cash used in financing activities totaled $26,391,000 and $16,816,000 for
the six months ending June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Cash used for
repayments on the Company's credit facility has been a net of $10,000,000 for
the six months ended June 30, 2020. We made repayments under our finance lease
obligations in the amount of $2,052,000 and $1,932,000 for the six months ended
June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Cash used for dividend payments to common
stockholders totaled $15,948,000 in the current year period compared to
$15,275,000 for the same period a year ago. In the current period, $949,000 was
provided by the issuance of common stock compared to $1,383,000 in the prior
year period.



Short-term liquidity



We expect to meet our short-term liquidity requirements primarily from our cash
flows from operating activities. In addition to cash flows from operations, our
current cash on hand of $149,471,000, marketable equity securities of
$112,114,000, and as needed, our borrowing capacity on the credit facility, are
expected to be adequate to meet our contractual obligations, operating
liquidity, and our growth and development plans in the next twelve months. We
are currently evaluating various options regarding the upcoming maturity date
of our credit facility.  At this time, we believe we have sufficient liquidity
to meet our short-term liquidity needs with or without an extension of the
credit facility.



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Long-term liquidity



We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements primarily from our cash
flows from operating activities, our current cash on hand of $149,471,000,
marketable equity securities of $112,114,000 and our borrowing capacity on the
credit facility. We also have substantial value in our unencumbered real estate
assets which could potentially be used as collateral in future borrowing
opportunities.



At June 30, 2020, we do not have an outstanding balance on our credit facility;
therefore, leaving $60,000,000 available for future borrowings. The maturity
date on the credit facility is October 7, 2020. The credit facility is available
for general corporate purposes, including working capital and acquisitions. 

We

are currently evaluating various options regarding the upcoming maturity date of our credit facility.





Our ability to refinance the credit agreement, to meet our long-term contractual
obligations, and to finance our operating requirements and growth plans will
depend upon our future performance. Our future performance will be affected by
business, economic, financial and other factors, including potential changes in
state and federal government payment rates for healthcare, customer demand,
success of our marketing efforts, pressures from competitors, and the state of
the economy, including the state of financial and credit markets, as well as
many unforeseen factors.



Commitment and Contingencies


Nutritional Support Services, L.P., Qui Tam Litigation





On June 19, 2018, a First Amended Complaint was filed naming Nutritional Support
Services, L.P. ("NSS"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, as a defendant
in the action captioned U.S. ex rel. McClain v. Nutritional Support Services,
L.P., No. 6:17-cv-2608-AMQ (D.S.C.), which was filed in the United States
District Court for the District of South Carolina. The action alleges that NSS
violated the False Claims Act by reporting a National Drug Code ("NDC") number
that did not correspond to the NDC for dispensed prescriptions. The plaintiffs
are seeking unspecified damages. On April 16, 2018, the United States filed a
Notice of Election to Decline Intervention with respect to the allegations
asserted in this action. On March 14, 2020, the Court entered an Order granting
the Defendant's Motion to Dismiss. On May 6, 2020, the Court entered a Final
Judgment dismissing the case.



Governmental Regulations



Laws and regulations governing the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal
healthcare programs are complex and subject to interpretation. Management
believes that it is following all applicable laws and regulations in all
material respects. However, compliance with such laws and regulations can be
subject to future government review and interpretation as well as significant
regulatory action including fines, penalties, and exclusions from the Medicare,
Medicaid, and other federal healthcare programs. There have been several enacted
and proposed federal and state relief measures as a result of COVID-19 which
should provide support to us during this pandemic; however, the full benefit of
any such programs would not be realized until these payments are fully
implemented, government agencies issue applicable regulations, or guidance and
such relief is provided.





New Accounting Pronouncements


See Note 2 to the interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the impact of new accounting standards.

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