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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
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. 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.
Our future minimum payments under non-cancellable contractual service and licensing obligations as of September 30, 2021 (in thousands):
For the Years Ending December 31,
Remainder of 2021$2,845 
202210,407 
20238,067 
20242,256 
2025— 
Thereafter— 
Total$23,575 

Operating Leases

Refer to Note 10Leases for commitments related to our operating leases.

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 condensed consolidated financial statements. An estimated loss contingency is accrued in the condensed consolidated financial statements if it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. There was no material litigation-related accrual during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021. Legal proceedings or other contingencies could result in material costs, even if we ultimately prevail.

Legal Proceedings

Securities Class Action – On April 8, 2020 and April 30, 2020, two purported class action lawsuits were filed against us, our then-chief executive officer, Scott N. Flanders, our then-chief financial officer, Derek N. Yung, and our then-chief operating officer, David K. Francis (collectively, the “Defendants”), in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The cases are captioned Patel v. eHealth, Inc., et al., Case No. 5:20-cv-02395 (N.D. Cal.) and Bertrand v. eHealth, Inc. et al., Case No. 4:20-cv-02967 (N.D. Cal.). The complaints allege, among other things, that we and Messrs. Flanders, Yung and Francis made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material information regarding our accounting and modeling assumptions, rate of member churn and our profitability during the alleged class period of March 19, 2018 to April 7, 2020. The complaints allege that we and Messrs. Flanders, Yung and Francis violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The complaints seek compensatory and (in the Patel lawsuit) punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and such other relief as the court deems proper. On June 24, 2020, the court consolidated the above-referenced matters under the caption In re eHealth Securities Litig., Master File No. 4:20-cv-02395-JST (N.D. Cal.). The court also appointed a lead plaintiff and lead counsel for the consolidated matter. The lead plaintiff filed an amended complaint on August 25, 2020, which the Defendants moved to dismiss on October 23, 2020. The Defendants’ motion, which the plaintiff opposed, was granted in part and denied in part on August 12, 2021. The court dismissed the plaintiff's claims to the extent premised upon alleged misrepresentations or omissions relating to churn, but denied the Defendants motion with respect to alleged misstatements regarding purported operating costs. On October 1, 2021, the Company filed an answer denying in part and admitting in part the remaining allegations, and denying any wrongdoing.

Derivative Actions – On July 7, 2020 and October 13, 2020, two derivative lawsuits were filed against our then-chief executive officer, Mr. Flanders, our then-chief financial officer, Mr. Yung, our then-chief operating officer, Mr. Francis, and the members of our Board at the time of filing of the complaints (collectively, the “Individual Defendants”), in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The cases are captioned Chernet v. Flanders et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-04477-SK (N.D. Cal.), and Lincolnshire Police Pension Fund v. Flanders et al., Case No. 20CV371555 (Cal. Super. Ct.), and also name the Company as a nominal defendant. A third derivative lawsuit was filed against the same defendants on October 5, 2021 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, captioned Badwal v. Flanders et al., Case No. 4:21-cv-07795 (N.D. Cal.). The complaints allege, among
other things, that beginning on March 19, 2018, the Individual Defendants made or caused the Company to make materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material information regarding our accounting and modeling assumptions, rate of member churn, profitability, and internal controls. The Chernet and Lincolnshire complaints purport to assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and waste of corporate assets. The Chernet lawsuit also alleges that the Individual Defendants violated Sections 14(a), 10(b), and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and asserts claims for abuse of control and gross mismanagement. The Badwal complaint purports to assert a claim for breach of fiduciary duty, an insider trading claim, and violations of Section 14(a), 10(b) and 20D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Chernet and Lincolnshire complaints seek damages, restitution, attorneys’ fees and costs, and certain measures with respect to our corporate governance and internal procedures, and (in the Lincolnshire lawsuit) equitable and/or injunctive relief. The Badwal complaint seeks damages, declaratory relief, corporate governance measures, equitable and injunctive relief, restitution and disgorgement, and attorneys' fees and costs. On August 10, 2020, the parties filed a Stipulation and Proposed Order in the Chernet matter to stay the action until and through the resolution of the Defendants' anticipated motion to dismiss the consolidated securities class action, and filed a similar stipulation in the Lincolnshire matter on December 11, 2020. The Chernet stipulation was granted by the court on August 12, 2020 and the Lincolnshire stipulation on December 11, 2020. The agreed-upon stays terminated with the filing of an answer in the securities class action and the parties are engaged in discussions regarding further proceedings. The Gonzalez and LeVias Complaints – On April 6, 2018, a former employee, Lupita Gonzalez, filed a complaint against us in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Sacramento (the “Gonzalez Complaint”). On July 1, 2019, two other current or former employees, Michael Le’Vias and Ramona Meadows, filed a related complaint against us and eHealth Ins. Serv. Co., in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Santa Clara (the “Le’Vias Complaint”). Both complaints asserted claims under the California Private Attorney General Act on behalf of all current and former hourly-paid or non-exempt employees who work or have worked for us in California, based on alleged failures to comply with California wage and hour laws. The parties have entered into a court-approved settlement agreement that resolves both matters related to the Gonzalez and Le'Vias Complaints, and both the Gonzalez and Le'Vias Complaints have been dismissed with prejudice.