Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc. v. American Housecall Physicians, Inc.

853 F. Supp. 2d 559, 2012 WL 548519, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21704
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedFebruary 21, 2012
DocketNo. 3:08-cv-532-RJC-DSC
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 853 F. Supp. 2d 559 (Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc. v. American Housecall Physicians, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc. v. American Housecall Physicians, Inc., 853 F. Supp. 2d 559, 2012 WL 548519, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21704 (W.D.N.C. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR., Chief Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on four motions for summary judgment, all filed on December 6, 2011. (Doc. Nos. 106; 108; 109; 110). Plaintiff Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc. (“OMHC”) filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on its breach of contract claim. (Doc. No. 108) . Plaintiff Olympus Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (“OHCS”) also joined with OMHC (together, “Olympus”) in a joint Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Defendant American Housecall Physicians, Inc.’s (“AHP”) counterclaims. (Doc. No. 109) . AHP filed a cross motion for summary judgment on its counterclaim that Olympus breached the Merger Agreement and on Olympus’s claim for breach of the promissory notes. (Doc. No. 110).

On December 23, 2008, AHP filed a third party complaint against Ronald Davis (“Davis”) and Steven Jacobson (“S. Jacobson”). Davis and Jacobson filed a joint Motion for Summary Judgment on AHP’s claims on December 6, 2011. (Doc. No. 106). Olympus, Davis, and S. Jacobson share counsel and filed a single brief in support of their three motions for summary judgment. (Doc. No. 107).

I. BACKGROUND

AHP is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Nevada with its principal place of business in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. AHP is in the business of providing in-room and in-home medical services through doctor networks across the United States. Andrew Jacobson (“A. Jacobson”), the brother of S. Jacobson, is the President of AHP. (Doc. No. 107-1 at 3). OMHC is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in Miami, Dade County, Florida. OHCS, the parent company of OMHC, is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in Miami, Dade County, Florida. OMHC and OHCS are in the business of providing third party administrator services for insurance companies located outside of the United States related to the management of their insureds’ medical claims for medical treatment in the United States. Third-Party Defendant Davis, the Chief Financial Officer of OMHC and OHCS, is a resident of the State of Florida. Third-Party Defendant S. Jacobson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of OMHC and OHCS, is a resident of the State of Florida. Davis and S. Jacobson are the sole shareholders of OMHC and OHCS and are the only members on the Board of Directors of OMHC and OHCS.

[563]*563On January 1, 2006, Olympus and AHP entered into a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the companies working together and entering into a business relationship to combine the companies’ resources. On August 15, 2006, Olympus and AHP entered into a written Distribution Agreement whereby AHP agreed to allow Olympus to act as an exclusive distributor for its housecall physician network program to foreign insurance companies. (Doc. No. 107-9 at 11). After entering into the Distribution Agreement, S. Jacobson was elected to the Board of Directors of AHP on January 26, 2007.

At this time, AHP needed cash to cover its operating expenses. (Doc. No. 107-7 at 26). Olympus loaned AHP $160,000 to cover these costs. (Id. at 25). Olympus and AHP memorialized AHP’s obligation to repay this amount through five $32,000 dollar promissory notes. (Id.; Doc. No. 1-1). These notes provided that AHP would pay 15% interest, a 10% late fee if payment was not made within fifteen days of the due date, and any attorneys’ fees necessary to collect the amount owed. (Doc. No. 1-1). One note became due and payable in full each month beginning in August 2007, and ending with the fifth and final note being due in December 2007. (Id. at 9). It is undisputed that AHP never made any principal or interest payments to Olympus on these notes. (Doc. 107-7 at 26).

In April 2007, Olympus and AHP began to consider a merger of the two companies. Numerous meetings and communications took place in Charlotte, North Carolina regarding the merger. Although S. Jacobson was a member of AHP’s board at this time, he recused himself from any board discussions or votes pertaining to the transactions between AHP and Olympus due to his position with Olympus. (Doc. No. 107-5). On August 31, 2007, the companies executed a letter of intent (the “LOI”) to pursue a merger of the two companies. The LOI expressly provided that it “does not constitute a binding agreement” and was “[sjubject to the negotiation of definitive agreements meeting with approval of the parties.” (Doc. No. 107-17 at 1). Following the execution of the LOI, Olympus and AHP entered into a Services Agreement on September 10, 2007 that divided the responsibilities of the companies and formulated how they would operate in contemplation of the completion of the merger. (Doc. No. 107-18).

The parties then negotiated and drafted a stock swap merger agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) that provided for a swap of stock between AHP and OMHC. On January 31, 2008, AHP’s counsel wrote Olympus’s counsel stating, “I understand that the parties have reached agreement and would like to proceed to closing.” (Doc. No. 107-20). AHP’s counsel recognized, though, that AHP had no yet received “OMHC’s final comments on the draft agreements.” (Id.). Negotiations continued over the course of the year. (Doc. Nos. 107-22; 107-23; 107-24; 107-25; 107-26).

In August 2008, the closing appeared imminent. Olympus’s counsel had Davis and S. Jacobson execute signature pages for the Merger Agreement on August 27, 2008 for counsel to hold in escrow. (Doc. No. 107-35). Counsel believed there was a chance the closing could occur sometime around the Labor Day holiday and had these signature pages executed “in case we start losing people and cannot close for lack of signatures.” (Id.). AHP’s counsel hoped to close on August 29. (Doc. No. 107-36 at 1). On August 29, however, AHP’s counsel told Olympus’s counsel that Olympus would have to waive certain commissions, grant AHP shareholders an ownership interest in a company called Assent, [564]*564owned by S. Jacobson and Davis, and that other agreements had to be terminated before closing could occur. (Doc. No. 107-37). Olympus’s counsel responded that AHP’s desire for an ownership interest in Assent was a “deal breaker for Olympus.” (Id.). The parties cleared this hurdle and continued to press toward a formal closing.

On September 15, 2008, Olympus’s counsel asked AHP’s counsel whether he had signature pages for his clients “held in escrow, such that as soon as everyone is signed off on the docs we can actually close?” (Doc. No. 107-40 at 1). AHP’s counsel replied that he had collected most of the signatures required, but expected that he would not have them all until later in the week. (Id.). On September 18, 2008, Olympus’s counsel sent AHP’s counsel a redlined version of a revised Merger Agreement. (Doc. No. 107-41). Olympus’s counsel was careful to remind AHP’s counsel that “in the interest of time, these documents are being circulated to all parties simultaneously and remain subject to final sign off by both parties.... Once both AHP and Olympus are signed off, you and I can exchange signature pages.” (Id.). The next day, Friday, September 19, 2008, AHP’s counsel sent executed signature pages to Olympus’s counsel, but only because AHP’s counsel customarily closed their office early on Fridays. (Doc. No. 107-42). AHP’s counsel stressed that he was sending Olympus’s counsel the documents “to be held in ESCROW pending approval by all parties.” (Id.).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
853 F. Supp. 2d 559, 2012 WL 548519, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21704, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/olympus-managed-health-care-inc-v-american-housecall-physicians-inc-ncwd-2012.