Commitments and Contingencies

Contingencies

From time to time, we receive inquiries from governmental bodies and also may be subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. We assess contingencies to determine the degree of probability and range of possible loss for potential accrual in our consolidated financial statements. An estimated loss contingency is accrued in the consolidated financial statements if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Legal proceedings or other contingencies could result in material costs, even if we ultimately prevail.

Legal Proceedings

On April 6, 2018, a former California employee filed a complaint against us in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Sacramento. The plaintiff’s complaint was filed pursuant to the California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, purportedly on behalf of all current and former hourly-paid or non-exempt employees who work or have worked for us in California. The complaint alleges that we violated a number of wage and hour laws with respect to these non-exempt employees, including, among other things, the failure to comply with California law as to (i) the payment of overtime wages; (ii) the payment of minimum wages; (iii) providing uninterrupted meal and rest periods, (iv) the payment of wages earned during employment and owed upon the termination of employment; (v) providing complete and accurate wage statements, (vi) keeping of accurate payroll records; and (vii) the proper reimbursement for necessary business-related expenses and costs. The complaint seeks allegedly unpaid wages, civil penalties and costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees. Discovery has only recently commenced, and as a result we cannot estimate the likelihood of liability or the amount of potential damages.

On May 8, 2018, an individual filed a putative class action complaint against us. The complaint alleges that we violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227(c) and certain provisions of 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 promulgated thereunder by initiating or causing to be initiated telephone solicitations to telephone subscribers who registered their respective telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. The complaint alleged, among other things, that we (i) made more than one unsolicited telephone call to Plaintiff and putative class members within a 12-month period without express consent to place such calls in violation of 47 U.S.C. § 227(c)(5); and (ii) initiated calls for telemarketing purposes without instituting procedures that comply with regulatory minimum standards for implementing Do Not Call in violation of 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(d). The complaint sought (i) an order certifying a class of individuals in the United States who (A) received more than one telephone call made by or on behalf of eHealth within a 12-month period; and (B) to a telephone number that had been registered with the National Do Not Call Registry for at least 30 days; (ii) an award of actual and statutory damages for each negligent violation to each member of the class pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)(B); (iii) an award of actual and statutory damages for each knowing and/or willful violation to each member of the class pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)(A); (iv) an injunction requiring us and our agents to cease all unsolicited telephone activities and otherwise protecting the interest of the class pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)(A); and (v) pre-judgment and post-judgment interest on monetary relief. A first amended complaint was filed in the action in September 2018 to add an additional plaintiff, and we answered the first amended complaint in October 2018. In October 2018, we also entered into a settlement agreement with the original plaintiff that included a release of the original plaintiff’s individual claims. The second plaintiff dismissed the first amended complaint without prejudice in November 2018. This did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Operating Lease Obligations

We lease our operating facilities and certain of our equipment and furniture and fixtures under various operating leases, the latest of which expires in February 2029. Certain of these leases have free or escalating rent payment provisions. We recognize rent expense on our operating leases on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases, although actual cash payment obligations under certain of these agreements fluctuate over the terms of the agreements.

On April 25, 2018, we entered into a lease agreement to lease approximately 32,492 square feet of office space located in Santa Clara, California. We entered into this lease agreement as a result of the upcoming expiration of one of our leases in Mountain View, California on December 31, 2018. The term of the lease is approximately one hundred twenty-three months, commencing on October 1, 2018 and ending on an estimated date of February 28, 2029. As of December 31, 2018, future minimum payments are expected to be $17.2 million over the remaining term of the lease plus our proportionate share of certain operating expenses, insurance costs and taxes for each calendar year during the lease.

In connection with the Santa Clara, California lease agreement, we entered into a financial guarantee consisting of a standby letter of credit for $1.5 million, which may be reduced in increments of 20% of the original amount thereof on the second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the commencement date, and may be reduced by an additional 8% of the original amount on the sixth anniversary of the commencement date, subject to our compliance with the applicable conditions to such reductions set forth in the lease.

In March 2018, we entered into an agreement to lease 26,878 square feet of office space in Austin, Texas. The term of this lease agreement is 90 months, commencing in September 2018 and ending in May 2026. As of December 31, 2018, future minimum payments are expected to be $4.4 million over the remaining term of the lease plus our proportionate share of certain operating expenses, insurance costs and taxes for each calendar year during the lease.

In connection with the Austin, Texas office lease agreement, we entered into a financial guarantee consisting of a standby letter of credit for $0.6 million, which may be reduced on the third and subsequent anniversaries of the commencement date, subject to our compliance with the applicable conditions to such reductions set forth in the lease.

In connection with our Mountain View, California lease agreement in March 2012, we entered into a financial guarantee consisting of a standby letter of credit for $0.6 million, which may be reduced in increments of 25% of the original amount thereof on the first, second and third anniversaries of the commencement date, subject to our compliance with the applicable conditions to such reductions set forth in the lease. The remaining balance on the financial guarantee is $0.1 million as of December 31, 2018.

Total rent expense under all operating leases was approximately $5.3 million, $4.6 million and $4.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Service and Licensing Obligations

We have entered into service and licensing agreements with third party vendors to provide various services, including network access, equipment maintenance and software licensing. The terms of these services and licensing agreements are generally up to three years. As the benefits of these agreements are experienced uniformly over the applicable contractual periods, we record the related service and licensing expenses on a straight-line basis, although actual cash payment obligations under certain of these agreements fluctuate over the terms of the agreements.

The following table presents a summary of our future minimum payments under non-cancellable operating lease agreements and contractual service and licensing obligations as of December 31, 2018 (in thousands):



For the Years Ending December 31,	Operating Lease Obligations		Service and Licensing Obligations		Total Obligations
2019	4,804		3,844		8,648
2020	5,209		2,222		7,431
2021	3,766		568		4,334
2022	3,878		18		3,896
2023	3,100		—		3,100
Thereafter	10,863		—		10,863
Total	$	31,620	$	6,652	$	38,272