18.	Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions and other commitments

Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions

The Company has potential obligations to purchase the noncontrolling interests held by third parties in several of its majority-owned joint ventures, non-owned and minority-owned entities. These obligations are in the form of put provisions and are exercisable at the third-party owners’ discretion within specified periods as outlined in each specific put provision. If these put provisions were exercised, the Company would be required to purchase the third-party owners’ noncontrolling interests at either the appraised fair market value or a predetermined multiple of earnings or cash flow attributable to the noncontrolling interests put to the Company, which is intended to approximate fair value. The methodology the Company uses to estimate the fair values of noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions assumes the higher of either a liquidation value of net assets or an average multiple of earnings, based on historical earnings, patient mix and other performance indicators that can affect future results, as well as other factors. The estimated fair values of the noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions is a critical accounting estimate that involves significant judgments and assumptions and may not be indicative of the actual values at which the noncontrolling interests may ultimately be settled, which could vary significantly from the Company’s current estimates. The estimated fair values of noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions can fluctuate and the implicit multiple of earnings at which these noncontrolling interests obligations may be settled will vary significantly depending upon market conditions including potential purchasers’ access to the capital markets, which can impact the level of competition for dialysis and non-dialysis related businesses, the economic performance of these businesses and the restricted marketability of the third-party owners’ noncontrolling interests. The amount of noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions that employ a contractually predetermined multiple of earnings rather than fair value are immaterial.

Additionally, the Company has certain other potential commitments to provide operating capital to several dialysis centers that are wholly-owned by third parties or centers in which the Company owns a minority equity investment as well as to physician-owned vascular access clinics or medical practices that the Company operates under management and administrative service agreements of approximately $5,600.

Certain consolidated joint ventures are originally contractually scheduled to dissolve after terms ranging from 10 to 50 years. Accordingly, the noncontrolling interests in these joint ventures are considered mandatorily redeemable instruments, for which the classification and measurement requirements have been indefinitely deferred. Future distributions upon dissolution of these entities would be valued below the related noncontrolling interest carrying balances in the consolidated balance sheet.

Other commitments

In November 2011, the Company entered into a seven year Sourcing and Supply Agreement with Amgen USA Inc. (Amgen) that expires on December 31, 2018. Under terms of the agreement, the Company will purchase EPO in amounts necessary to meet no less than 90% of its requirements for ESAs. The actual amount of EPO that the Company 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 the Company serves.

In December 2012, the Company entered into an amendment to its agreement with Amgen that made non-material changes to certain terms of the agreement for the period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. Under the terms of the original agreement before the amendment, the Company was required to purchase EPO in amounts necessary to meet no less than 90% of its requirements of ESAs and is still required to do so after 2013. In addition, all of the other conditions as specified in the original agreement entered into in November 2011 still apply.

In January 2010, the Company entered into an agreement with Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) which committed the Company to purchase a certain amount of dialysis equipment, parts and supplies from FMC through 2013. This agreement has been subsequently extended through February 2016. During 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company purchased $154,566 and $154,266 and $144,030, respectively, of certain equipment, parts and supplies from FMC.

In 2014, the Company entered into an agreement with Baxter Healthcare (Baxter) which committed the Company to purchase a certain amount of its hemodialysis non-equipment product supplies, such as dialyzers, at fixed prices through 2018. During 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company purchased $112,931, $112,645 and $124,555 of hemodialysis product supplies from Baxter under this agreement and a prior agreement with Gambro Healthcare Inc. which was acquired by Baxter.

Certain HCP entities are required to maintain minimum cash balances in order to comply with regulatory requirements in conjunction with medical claim reserves. As of December 31, 2015, this minimum cash balance was approximately $59,897.

Other than operating leases disclosed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements, the letters of credit disclosed in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements, and the arrangements as described above, the Company has no off balance sheet financing arrangements as of December 31, 2015.