Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc. v. Dotson (In re Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc.)

18 B.R. 873, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4538
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedMarch 22, 1982
DocketBankruptcy No. 71-844; Ancillary Nos. M3-81-10002, M3-81-10003
StatusPublished

This text of 18 B.R. 873 (Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc. v. Dotson (In re Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc. v. Dotson (In re Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc.), 18 B.R. 873, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4538 (Tenn. 1982).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

CLIVE W. BARE, Bankruptcy Judge.

In this Chapter XI Bankruptcy Act case, filed November 1, 1971 (No. 71-844, Eastern District of Kentucky), the debt- or/Foundation has objected to the allowance of two claims: (1) the claim of Dr. Ernest Earl Musgrave, Jr., in the amount of $1,563,400.00; (2) the claim of Florene Mus-grave Simpson (Mrs. Musgrave), in the amount of $2,000,000.00. In addition, the debtor seeks affirmative relief against Dr. Musgrave in the amount of $8,582,837.18; [876]*876Mrs. Musgrave in the amount of $6,246,561.01.1 The Musgraves’ claims arise from the sale of a hospital and related properties to the Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, the debtor (hereafter, debtor or Foundation), in 1969. The debtor’s counterclaims allege violation of Kentucky Blue Sky laws; Rule 10(b) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission; fraud; misrepresentation; and breach of fiduciary duties. Trial was held August 3, 4, and 5, 1981. Post-trial briefs have been filed.

I

In April 1957 Dr. Ernest Earl Musgrave, Jr. began the practice of medicine in Jenkins, Kentucky, a small town in Southeastern Kentucky near the Kentucky-Virginia border. In June 1962 he opened the first wing of the Jenkins Clinic Hospital, a facility with 20 beds, a delivery room, operating room, scrub room, and recovery room. According to Dr. Musgrave, the hospital was unique in that it was Kentucky’s first all-electric hospital. Subsequently, a second and a third wing were added which increased capacity to 106 beds.

Between 1962 and 1963 three corporations were formed by Dr. and Mrs. Mus-grave to control the operations and property of the hospital.2 The hospital was owned and operated by Jenkins Clinic Hospital, Inc. The hospital’s laboratory was owned by Jenkins Clinic Laboratory, Inc. The real property including several residences were owned by E & F Realty Company, Inc. The stock of these corporations was principally owned by the Musgraves.3 Dr. Musgrave served as the president of the corporations and Mrs. Musgrave served as secretary-treasurer. In addition, the Musgraves constituted the boards of directors, holding periodic board meetings.

Dr. Musgrave served as medical director of the hospital until 1969. From 1969 until 1973, he worked at the hospital as a staff physician. On August 19, 1971, he filed a petition in bankruptcy (No. 71-831, Eastern District of Kentucky). Herman Dotson was appointed and continues to serve as trustee. Since 1973, Dr. Musgrave has practiced medicine in Paintsville, Kentucky.

Mrs. Musgrave served as hospital administrator from the creation of the hospital until August 1970. Since that date, she has had no further connection with the hospital. The Musgraves were divorced in February 1969.

II

In July 1966 Congress established the Medicare program to provide medical insurance for aged and disabled persons. In July 1967 Kentucky developed its Medicaid program which operated under the same “reimbursement rate” as the Medicare program. The Jenkins Clinic Hospital participated in these programs. Periodic payments would be made to the hospital based on a per diem rate fixed by Medicare. At the end of each fiscal year, after an audit was completed, an “allowable cost” figure was determined. This “allowable cost” figure was then used to determine the amount of reimbursement the hospital was entitled to receive for that year. If a greater amount had been advanced by Medicare during the year, the hospital was required to refund the overpayment.

Prior to 1969, the hospital had experienced difficulty with the Medicare/Medicaid program. As a result of an audit conducted by Medicare, certain hospital costs were disallowed.4 Medicare requested that these overpayments be refunded. After an [877]*877administrative hearing in Chicago in February 1970 the hospital was found to owe Medicare/Medicaid in excess of $400,000. No appeal from this administrative determination was taken by the hospital.5

In 1969 the hospital was experiencing cash flow problems. According to the Mus-graves, the major cause was the delay encountered in obtaining Medicaid/Medicare payments. In addition, the Musgraves had been unable to obtain long-term financing for the various additions to the hospital. As a result, construction had been financed by the use of short-term borrowing.

Ill

Prior to 1969 Dr. Musgrave became aware that the Medicaid/Medicare organizations disapproved of the private ownership of hospitals. See Coll.Ex. 11, July 14, 1966, letter from Duane Harper to Florene Musgrave. Similarly, Medicare had expressed disapproval of the separation of the Jenkins Hospital into three separate corporations, all owned by the Musgraves. The problems with Medicare/Medicaid, the failure to obtain long-term financing, and probably other reasons, which are not too clear from the record, resulted in a decision by the Musgraves to transfer the assets of the hospital corporations to the Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc., which previously had been operated by them as a home health care service. Dr. and Mrs. Musgrave apparently constituted the Board of Trustees.

Telephone calls and personal contacts were made by the Musgraves and others with individuals who would constitute a new and enlarged Board of Trustees. These contacts resulted in a meeting in October 1969 with prospective members of the new Board.

Those invited to become trustees included Ray Mullins, the Superintendent of Industrial Relations for Beth Elkhorn Corporation; James M. Caudill, a county judge and banker; Dr. Arthur Nash, a practicing physician at the hospital; Joe Eversole, a pharmacist and owner of • a local drug store; Elsworth Knight, an engineer; Raymond Collins, a businessman, legislator and preacher; William Hettisheimer, an insurance man who had assisted the hospital with its insurance program; Bill Clarke, a pharmacist; and Richard Cooper, an attorney who served only about a month.

In October 1969, when the new Board was organized, Dr. and Mrs. Musgrave resigned from the Board.

The evidence is conflicting as to whether the financial condition of the hospital and its related facilities were discussed at the October meeting. Witnesses testifying on behalf of the Foundation generally state that financial conditions were not discussed either at the October meeting or at a subsequent meeting in November. They also insist that the hospital’s problems with Medicare/Medicaid were not brought up. Witnesses testifying on behalf of the Mus-graves insist that the contrary is true — both the financial condition of the hospital and the Medicare/Medicaid problems were fully discussed.

On November 20,1969, a stock agreement was executed by the Musgraves and Joseph Mellot, the stockholders of the three corporations, and by Arthur Nash as President of the Jenkins Clinic Hospital Foundation, Inc. The agreement provided for the purchase of the hospital facilities and required the Foundation to deliver to the stockholders promissory notes for the $2,000,000 purchase price. Ex. 1. Mrs. Musgrave received a promissory note in the amount of $433,000, Ex. 9, and Dr. Musgrave received a note for $1,563,400, Ex. 8. The purchase price was subject to adjustment on the basis of an appraisal “to be made by such appraisers as are acceptable to the Foundation and its Stockholders.” Ex. 1.

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Bluebook (online)
18 B.R. 873, 1982 Bankr. LEXIS 4538, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jenkins-clinic-hospital-foundation-inc-v-dotson-in-re-jenkins-clinic-tneb-1982.