UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
þ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010
OR
¨ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 1-5975
HUMANA INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 61-0647538 | |
(State of incorporation) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | |
500 West Main Street Louisville, Kentucky | 40202 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: (502) 580-1000 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: | ||
Title of each class |
Name of exchange on which registered | |
Common stock, $0.16 2/3 par value | New York Stock Exchange |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes þ No ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. þ
Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller reporting company ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ¨ No þ
The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2010 was $7,712,548,006 calculated using the average price on such date of $45.94.
The number of shares outstanding of the Registrants Common Stock as of January 31, 2011 was 168,545,398.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Parts II and III incorporate herein by reference portions of the Registrants Proxy Statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with respect to the Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held April 21, 2011.
INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For the Year Ended December 31, 2010
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements under Business, Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and elsewhere in this report may contain forward-looking statements which reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are made within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we are including this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events, trends and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the information discussed under the section entitled Risk Factors in this report. In making these statements, we are not undertaking to address or update them in future filings or communications regarding our business or results. Our business is highly complicated, regulated and competitive with many different factors affecting results.
ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
General
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries, referred to throughout this document as we, us, our, the Company or Humana, is one of the nations largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, based on our 2010 revenues of approximately $33.9 billion. We provide full-service benefits and wellness solutions, offering a wide array of health, pharmacy and supplemental benefit products for employer groups, government benefit programs, and individuals, as well as primary and workplace care through our medical centers and worksite medical facilities. As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately 10.2 million members in our medical benefit plans, as well as approximately 7.1 million members in our specialty products. During 2010, 76% of our premiums and administrative services fees were derived from contracts with the federal government, including 17% related to our Medicare Advantage contracts in Florida with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, and 11% related to our military services contracts. Under our Medicare Advantage CMS contracts in Florida, we provide health insurance coverage to approximately 378,700 members as of December 31, 2010.
Humana Inc. was organized as a Delaware corporation in 1964. Our principal executive offices are located at 500 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, the telephone number at that address is (502) 580-1000, and our website address is www.humana.com. We have made available free of charge through the Investor Relations section of our web site our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains both historical and forward-looking information. See Item 1A.Risk Factors for a description of a number of factors that may adversely affect our results or business.
Health Insurance Reform
In March 2010, the President signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (which we collectively refer to as the Health Insurance Reform Legislation) which enact significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. There are many significant provisions of the legislation that will require additional guidance and clarification in
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the form of regulations and interpretations in order to fully understand the impacts of the legislation on our overall business, which we expect to occur over the next several years.
Certain significant provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation include, among others, mandated coverage requirements, rebates to policyholders based on minimum benefit ratios, adjustments to Medicare Advantage premiums, the establishment of state-based exchanges, and an annual insurance industry premium-based assessment. Implementation dates of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation vary from as early as six months from the date of enactment, or September 30, 2010, to as late as 2018. The Health Insurance Reform Legislation is discussed more fully beginning on page 40.
Business Segments
We manage our business with two segments: Government and Commercial. The Government segment consists of beneficiaries of government benefit programs, and includes three lines of business: Medicare, Military, and Medicaid. The Commercial segment consists of members enrolled in our medical and specialty products marketed to employer groups and individuals. When identifying our segments, we aggregated products with similar economic characteristics. These characteristics include the nature of customer groups as well as pricing, benefits, and underwriting requirements. These segment groupings are consistent with information used by our Chief Executive Officer.
The results of each segment are measured by income before income taxes. We allocate all selling, general and administrative expenses, investment and other revenue, interest expense, and goodwill, but no other assets or liabilities, to our segments. Members served by our two segments often utilize the same provider networks, in some instances enabling us to obtain more favorable contract terms with providers. Our segments also share indirect overhead costs and assets. As a result, the profitability of each segment is interdependent.
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Our Products
As more fully described in the products discussion that follows, we provide health insurance benefits under health maintenance organization, or HMO, Private Fee-For-Service, or PFFS, and preferred provider organization, or PPO, plans. On January 1, 2011, most of our members enrolled in PFFS plans transitioned to networked-based PPO type plans. In addition, we provide other benefits with our specialty products including dental, vision, and other supplementary benefits. The following table presents our segment membership at December 31, 2010, and premiums and administrative services only, or ASO, fees by product for the year ended December 31, 2010:
Medical Membership |
Specialty Membership |
Premiums | ASO Fees |
Total Premiums and ASO Fees |
Percent of Total Premiums and ASO Fees |
|||||||||||||||||||
(dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Government: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
HMO |
638,200 | 0 | $ | 8,288,434 | $ | 0 | $ | 8,288,434 | 25.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
PPO |
648,400 | 0 | 6,277,358 | 0 | 6,277,358 | 18.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||
PFFS |
447,200 | 0 | 4,720,329 | 0 | 4,720,329 | 14.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total Medicare Advantage |
1,733,800 | 0 | 19,286,121 | 0 | 19,286,121 | 58.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Medicare ASO |
28,200 | 0 | 0 | 16,111 | 16,111 | 0.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
1,758,800 | 0 | 2,320,060 | 0 | 2,320,060 | 7.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total Medicare |
3,520,800 | 0 | 21,606,181 | 16,111 | 21,622,292 | 65.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Medicaid insured |
572,400 | 0 | 723,563 | 0 | 723,563 | 2.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Military services insured |
1,755,200 | 0 | 3,462,544 | 0 | 3,462,544 | 10.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Military services ASO |
1,272,600 | 0 | 0 | 99,081 | 99,081 | 0.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total military services |
3,027,800 | 0 | 3,462,544 | 99,081 | 3,561,625 | 10.7 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total Government |
7,121,000 | 0 | 25,792,288 | 115,192 | 25,907,480 | 78.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Commercial: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fully-insured: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
PPO |
1,013,900 | 0 | 2,887,860 | 0 | 2,887,860 | 8.7 | % | |||||||||||||||||
HMO |
649,500 | 0 | 3,026,182 | 0 | 3,026,182 | 9.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total fully-insured |
1,663,400 | 0 | 5,914,042 | 0 | 5,914,042 | 17.8 | % | |||||||||||||||||
ASO |
1,453,600 | 0 | 0 | 376,513 | 376,513 | 1.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Specialty |
0 | 7,076,100 | 1,005,993 | 16,539 | 1,022,532 | 3.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total Commercial |
3,117,000 | 7,076,100 | 6,920,035 | 393,052 | 7,313,087 | 22.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total |
10,238,000 | 7,076,100 | $ | 32,712,323 | $ | 508,244 | $ | 33,220,567 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
Our Government Segment Products
Medicare
We have participated in the Medicare program for private health plans for over 20 years and have established a national presence, offering at least one type of Medicare plan in all 50 states. The resulting growing membership base provides us with greater ability to expand our network of PPO and HMO providers. We employ strategies including health assessments and clinical guidance programs such as lifestyle and fitness programs for seniors to guide Medicare beneficiaries in making cost-effective decisions with respect to their health care, including cost savings that occur from making positive behavior changes that result in living healthier.
Medicare is a federal program that provides persons age 65 and over and some disabled persons under the age of 65 certain hospital and medical insurance benefits. CMS, an agency of the United States Department of
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Health and Human Services, administers the Medicare program. Hospitalization benefits are provided under Part A, without the payment of any premium, for up to 90 days per incident of illness plus a lifetime reserve aggregating 60 days. Eligible beneficiaries are required to pay an annually adjusted premium to the federal government to be eligible for physician care and other services under Part B. Beneficiaries eligible for Part A and Part B coverage under original Medicare are still required to pay out-of-pocket deductibles and coinsurance. Throughout this document this program is referred to as original Medicare. As an alternative to original Medicare, in geographic areas where a managed care organization has contracted with CMS pursuant to the Medicare Advantage program, Medicare beneficiaries may choose to receive benefits from a Medicare Advantage organization under Medicare Part C. Pursuant to Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage organizations contract with CMS to offer Medicare Advantage plans to provide benefits at least comparable to those offered under original Medicare. Our Medicare Advantage plans are discussed more fully below. Prescription drug benefits are provided under Part D.
Medicare Advantage Products
We contract with CMS under the Medicare Advantage program to provide a comprehensive array of health insurance benefits, including wellness programs, to Medicare eligible persons under HMO, PPO, and PFFS plans in exchange for contractual payments received from CMS, usually a fixed payment per member per month. Medicare Advantage products may be sold to individuals or on a group basis. With each of these products, the beneficiary receives benefits in excess of original Medicare, typically including reduced cost sharing, enhanced prescription drug benefits, care coordination, data analysis techniques to help identify member needs, complex case management, tools to guide members in their health care decisions, disease management programs, wellness and prevention programs and, in some instances, a reduced monthly Part B premium. Most Medicare Advantage plans offer the prescription drug benefit under Part D as part of the basic plan, subject to cost sharing and other limitations. Accordingly, all of the provisions of the Medicare Part D program described in connection with our stand-alone prescription drug plans in the following section also are applicable to most of our Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage plans may charge beneficiaries monthly premiums and other copayments for Medicare-covered services or for certain extra benefits. Generally, Medicare-eligible individuals enroll in one of our plan choices between November 15 and December 31 for coverage that begins January 1. Beginning in 2011, individuals may enroll in one of our plan choices between October 15 and December 7 for coverage that begins on January 1, 2012.
Our Medicare HMO and PPO plans, which cover Medicare-eligible individuals residing in certain counties, may eliminate or reduce coinsurance or the level of deductibles on many other medical services while seeking care from participating in-network providers or in emergency situations. Except in emergency situations, HMO plans provide no out-of-network benefits. PPO plans carry an out-of network benefit that is subject to higher member cost-sharing. In most cases, these beneficiaries are required to pay a monthly premium to the HMO or PPO plan in addition to the monthly Part B premium they are required to pay the Medicare program.
Our Medicare PFFS plans generally have no preferred network. Individuals in these plans pay us a monthly premium to receive typical Medicare Advantage benefits along with the freedom to choose any health care provider that accepts individuals at rates equivalent to original Medicare payment rates. On January 1, 2011, most of our members enrolled in PFFS plans transitioned to networked-based PPO type products due to a requirement that Medicare Advantage organizations establish adequate provider networks, except in geographic areas that CMS determines have fewer than two network-based Medicare Advantage plans.
CMS uses monthly rates per person for each county to determine the fixed monthly payments per member to pay to health benefit plans. These rates are adjusted under CMSs risk-adjustment model which uses health status indicators, or risk scores, to improve the accuracy of payment. The risk-adjustment model, which CMS implemented pursuant to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) and the Benefits and Improvement Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA), generally pays more for members with predictably higher costs and uses principal hospital inpatient diagnoses as well as diagnosis data from ambulatory treatment settings (hospital outpatient department and physician visits). CMS transitioned to this risk-based payment model while the old payment model based on
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demographic data including gender, age, and disability status was phased out. The phase-in of risk adjusted payment was completed in 2007. Under the risk-adjustment methodology, all health benefit organizations must collect and submit the necessary diagnosis code information to CMS within prescribed deadlines.
At December 31, 2010, we provided health insurance coverage under CMS contracts to approximately 1,762,000 Medicare Advantage members for which we received premium and ASO fees revenues of approximately $19.3 billion, or 58.1%, of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010. Under our Medicare Advantage contracts with CMS in Florida, we provided health insurance coverage to approximately 378,700 members. These contracts accounted for premium revenues of approximately $5.5 billion, which represented approximately 28.5% of our Medicare Advantage premium revenues, or 16.5% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010.
Our HMO, PPO, and PFFS products covered under Medicare Advantage contracts with CMS are renewed generally for a one-year term each December 31 unless CMS notifies us of its decision not to renew by August 1 of the calendar year in which the contract would end, or we notify CMS of our decision not to renew by the first Monday in June of the calendar year in which the contract would end. All material contracts between Humana and CMS relating to our Medicare Advantage business have been renewed for 2011.
Medicare Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Products
We offer stand-alone prescription drug plans, or PDPs, under Medicare Part D. Generally, Medicare-eligible individuals enroll in one of our plan choices between November 15 and December 31 for coverage that begins January 1. Beginning in 2011, individuals may enroll in one of our plan choices between October 15 and December 7 for coverage that begins on January 1, 2012. Our stand-alone PDP offerings consist of plans offering basic coverage with benefits mandated by Congress, as well as plans providing enhanced coverage with varying degrees of out-of-pocket costs for premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance. In October 2010, we announced the lowest premium national stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan co-branded with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan, to be offered for the 2011 plan year. Our revenues from CMS and the beneficiary are determined from our bids submitted annually to CMS. These revenues also reflect the health status of the beneficiary and risk sharing provisions as more fully described beginning on page 68. Our stand-alone PDP contracts with CMS are renewed generally for a one-year term each December 31 unless CMS notifies us of its decision not to renew by August 1 of the calendar year in which the contract would end, or we notify CMS of our decision not to renew by the first Monday in June of the calendar year in which the contract would end. All material contracts between Humana and CMS relating to our Medicare stand-alone PDP business have been renewed for 2011.
Medicare stand-alone PDP premium revenues were approximately $2.3 billion, or 7.0% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010.
Medicaid Product
Medicaid is a federal program that is state-operated to facilitate the delivery of health care services primarily to low-income residents. Each electing state develops, through a state-specific regulatory agency, a Medicaid managed care initiative that must be approved by CMS. CMS requires that Medicaid managed care plans meet federal standards and cost no more than the amount that would have been spent on a comparable fee-for-service basis. States currently either use a formal proposal process in which they review many bidders before selecting one or award individual contracts to qualified bidders who apply for entry to the program. In either case, the contractual relationship with a state generally is for a one-year period. Under these contracts, we receive a fixed monthly payment from a government agency for which we are required to provide health insurance coverage to enrolled members. Due to the increased emphasis on state health care reform and budgetary constraints, more states are utilizing a managed care product in their Medicaid programs.
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Our Medicaid business, which accounted for premium revenues of approximately $723.6 million, or 2.2%, of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010, consists of contracts in Puerto Rico and Florida, with the vast majority in Puerto Rico.
Military Services
Under our TRICARE South Region contract with the United States Department of Defense, or DoD, we provide health insurance coverage to the dependents of active duty military personnel and to retired military personnel and their dependents. Currently, three health benefit options are available to TRICARE beneficiaries. In addition to a traditional indemnity option, participants may enroll in a HMO-like plan with a point-of-service option or take advantage of reduced copayments by using a network of preferred providers, similar to a PPO.
We have participated in the TRICARE program since 1996 under contracts with the Department of Defense. Our current TRICARE South Region contract, which we were awarded in 2003, covers approximately 3.0 million eligible beneficiaries as of December 31, 2010 in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. The South Region is one of the three regions in the United States as defined by the Department of Defense. Of these eligible beneficiaries, 1.3 million were TRICARE ASO members representing active duty beneficiaries and seniors over the age of 65 for which the Department of Defense retains all of the risk of financing the cost of their health benefit. We have subcontracted with third parties to provide selected administration and specialty services under the contract. The original 5-year South Region contract expired on March 31, 2009 and was extended through March 31, 2011. On October 5, 2010, we were notified that the Department of Defense TRICARE Management Activity, or TMA, intended to negotiate with us for an extension of our administration of the TRICARE South Region contract, and on January 6, 2011, an Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract to the TRICARE South Region contract, in the form of an undefinitized contract action, became effective. The Amendment adds one additional one-year option period, Option Period IX (which runs from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012). The Amendment does not include the costs of the underwritten target health care cost and underwritten health care target fee, which will be negotiated separately. On January 21, 2011, the TMA notified us of their intent to exercise Option Period IX.
As required under the current contract, the target underwritten health care cost and underwriting fee amounts for Option Period IX will be negotiated separately. Any variance from the target health care cost is shared with the federal government. Accordingly, events and circumstances not contemplated in the negotiated target health care cost amount may have a material adverse effect on us. These changes may include an increase or reduction in the number of persons enrolled or eligible to enroll due to the federal governments decision to increase or decrease U.S. military deployments.
In July 2009, we were notified by the Department of Defense that we were not awarded the third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region which had been subject to competing bids. We filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, in connection with the award to another contractor citing discrepancies between the award criteria and procedures prescribed in the request for proposals issued by the DoD and those that appear to have been used by the DoD in making its contractor selection. In October 2009, we learned that the GAO had upheld our protest, determining that the TMA evaluation of our proposal had unreasonably failed to fully recognize and reasonably account for the likely cost savings associated with our record of obtaining network provider discounts from our established network in the South Region. On December 22, 2009, we were advised that TMA notified the GAO of its intent to implement corrective action consistent with the discussion contained within the GAOs decision with respect to our protest. On October 22, 2010, TMA issued its latest amendment to the request for proposal requesting from offerors final proposal revisions to address, among other things, health care cost savings resulting from provider network discounts in the South Region. We submitted our final proposal revisions on November 9, 2010. At this time, we are not able to determine whether or not the protest decision by the GAO will have any effect upon the ultimate disposition of the contract award.
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For the year ended December 31, 2010, military services premium revenues were approximately $3.5 billion, or 10.4% of our total premiums and ASO fees, and military services ASO fees totaled $99.1 million, or 0.3% of our total premiums and ASO fees. The TRICARE South Region contract represents approximately 96% of total military services premiums and ASO fees.
Our Commercial Segment Products
We offer medical and specialty benefits, including primary and workplace care through our medical centers and worksite medical facilities, to employer groups and individuals in the commercial market. Our commercial medical products offered as HMO, PPO or ASO, are more fully described in the following sections, include offerings designed to promote wellness and engage consumers.
HMO
Our commercial HMO products provide prepaid health insurance coverage to our members through a network of independent primary care physicians, specialty physicians, and other health care providers who contract with the HMO to furnish such services. Primary care physicians generally include internists, family practitioners, and pediatricians. Generally, the members primary care physician must approve access to certain specialty physicians and other health care providers. These other health care providers include hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, pharmacies, mental health and substance abuse centers, diagnostic centers, optometrists, outpatient surgery centers, dentists, urgent care centers, and durable medical equipment suppliers. Because the primary care physician generally must approve access to many of these other health care providers, the HMO product is considered the most restrictive form of a health benefit plan.
An HMO member, typically through the members employer, pays a monthly fee, which generally covers, together with some copayments, health care services received from, or approved by, the members primary care physician. We participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, or FEHBP, primarily with our HMO offering in certain markets. FEHBP is the governments health insurance program for Federal employees, retirees, former employees, family members, and spouses. For the year ended December 31, 2010, commercial HMO premium revenues totaled approximately $3.0 billion, or 9.1% of our total premiums and ASO fees.
PPO
Our commercial PPO products, which are marketed primarily to employer groups and individuals, include some types of wellness and utilization management programs. However, they typically include more cost-sharing with the member through copayments and annual deductibles. PPOs also are similar to traditional health insurance because they provide a member with more freedom to choose a physician or other health care provider. In a PPO, the member is encouraged, through financial incentives, to use participating health care providers, which have contracted with the PPO to provide services at favorable rates. In the event a member chooses not to use a participating health care provider, the member may be required to pay a greater portion of the providers fees.
As part of our PPO products, we offer HumanaOne, a major medical product marketed directly to individuals. We offer this product in select markets where we can generally underwrite risk and utilize our existing networks and distribution channels. This individual product includes provisions mandated by law to guarantee renewal of coverage for as long as the individual chooses.
For the year ended December 31, 2010, employer and individual commercial PPO premium revenues totaled approximately $2.9 billion, or 8.7% of our total premiums and ASO fees.
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ASO
We also offer ASO products to employers who self-insure their employee health plans. We receive fees to provide administrative services which generally include the processing of claims, offering access to our provider networks and clinical programs, and responding to customer service inquiries from members of self-funded employers. These products may include all of the same benefit and product design characteristics of our fully-insured PPO or HMO products described previously. Under ASO contracts, self-funded employers retain the risk of financing substantially all of the cost of health benefits. However, most ASO customers purchase stop loss insurance coverage from us to cover catastrophic claims or to limit aggregate annual costs. For the year ended December 31, 2010, commercial ASO fees totaled $376.5 million, or 1.1% of our total premiums and ASO fees.
Specialty
We also offer various specialty products and services, including dental, vision, and other supplemental products as well as disease management services under Corphealth, Inc. (d/b/a LifeSynch), mail-order pharmacy benefit administration services for our members under Humana Pharmacy, Inc. (d/b/a RightSourceRxSM), and patient services under Concentra Inc. During 2007, we made investments which significantly expanded our specialty product offerings with the acquisitions of CompBenefits Corporation and KMG America Corporation. These acquisitions significantly increased our dental membership and added new product offerings, including vision and other supplemental health and life products. The supplemental health plans cover, for example, some of the costs associated with cancer and critical illness. Other supplemental health products also include a closed block of approximately 36,000 long-term care policies acquired in connection with the KMG acquisition. No new policies have been written since 2005 under this closed block. As a result of our December 21, 2010 acquisition of Concentra Inc., we provide patient services including primary and workplace care through our over 300 medical centers and 240 worksite medical facilities. At December 31, 2010, we had approximately 7.1 million specialty members, including 3.9 million dental members and 2.2 million vision members. For the year ended December 31, 2010, specialty product premiums and ASO fees were approximately $1,022.5 million, or 3.1% of our total premiums and ASO fees.
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Membership
The following table summarizes our total medical membership at December 31, 2010, by market and product:
Government | Commercial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
Medicare ASO |
Medicare stand- alone PDP |
Medicaid | Military services |
PPO | HMO | ASO | Total | Percent of Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky |
64.7 | 0 | 113.0 | 0 | 0 | 99.3 | 37.3 | 531.4 | 845.7 | 8.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida |
378.7 | 0 | 73.7 | 53.6 | 0 | 95.9 | 164.5 | 66.6 | 833.0 | 8.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas |
103.0 | 0 | 148.4 | 0 | 0 | 159.3 | 127.9 | 110.7 | 649.3 | 6.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Puerto Rico |
18.6 | 0 | 0.2 | 518.8 | 0 | 37.6 | 12.7 | 34.8 | 622.7 | 6.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio |
170.4 | 0 | 53.3 | 0 | 0 | 16.4 | 52.5 | 178.7 | 471.3 | 4.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois |
65.1 | 28.2 | 51.2 | 0 | 0 | 144.3 | 67.1 | 101.2 | 457.1 | 4.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin |
52.1 | 0 | 34.1 | 0 | 0 | 62.0 | 40.4 | 143.4 | 332.0 | 3.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee |
73.9 | 0 | 48.7 | 0 | 0 | 43.1 | 19.9 | 118.0 | 303.6 | 3.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri/Kansas |
68.4 | 0 | 90.9 | 0 | 0 | 57.0 | 10.1 | 9.7 | 236.1 | 2.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia |
47.0 | 0 | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | 24.7 | 67.5 | 41.7 | 215.8 | 2.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana |
89.5 | 0 | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | 33.4 | 24.0 | 20.1 | 191.7 | 1.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana |
41.4 | 0 | 49.6 | 0 | 0 | 27.1 | 2.3 | 55.8 | 176.2 | 1.7 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan |
36.6 | 0 | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | 35.9 | 0 | 4.9 | 132.6 | 1.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina |
58.8 | 0 | 59.6 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 124.9 | 1.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arizona |
35.4 | 0 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | 30.2 | 14.9 | 11.3 | 117.3 | 1.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Virginia |
53.9 | 0 | 53.8 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | 111.0 | 1.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military services |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,755.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,755.2 | 17.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military services ASO |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,272.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,272.6 | 12.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Others |
376.3 | 0 | 842.0 | 0 | 0 | 137.9 | 8.4 | 25.3 | 1,389.9 | 13.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Totals |
1,733.8 | 28.2 | 1,758.8 | 572.4 | 3,027.8 | 1,013.9 | 649.5 | 1,453.6 | 10,238.0 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Provider Arrangements
We provide our members with access to health care services through our networks of health care providers with whom we have contracted, including hospitals and other independent facilities such as outpatient surgery centers, primary care physicians, specialist physicians, dentists and providers of ancillary health care services and facilities. These ancillary services and facilities include ambulance services, medical equipment services, home health agencies, mental health providers, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, optical services, and pharmacies. Our membership base and the ability to influence where our members seek care generally enable us to obtain contractual discounts with providers.
We use a variety of techniques to provide access to effective and efficient use of health care services for our members. These techniques include the coordination of care for our members, product and benefit designs, hospital inpatient management systems and enrolling members into various disease management programs. The focal point for health care services in many of our HMO networks is the primary care physician who, under contract with us, provides services to our members, and may control utilization of appropriate services by directing or approving hospitalization and referrals to specialists and other providers. Some physicians may have arrangements under which they can earn bonuses when certain target goals relating to the provision of quality patient care are met. Our hospitalist programs use specially-trained physicians to effectively manage the entire range of an HMO members medical care during a hospital admission and to effectively coordinate the members discharge and post-discharge care. We have available a variety of disease management programs related to
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specific medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, prenatal and premature infant care, asthma related illness, end stage renal disease, diabetes, cancer, and certain other conditions.
We typically contract with hospitals on either (1) a per diem rate, which is an all-inclusive rate per day, (2) a case rate or diagnosis-related groups (DRG), which is an all-inclusive rate per admission, or (3) a discounted charge for inpatient hospital services. Outpatient hospital services generally are contracted at a flat rate by type of service, ambulatory payment classifications, or APCs, or at a discounted charge. APCs are similar to flat rates except multiple services and procedures may be aggregated into one fixed payment. These contracts are often multi-year agreements, with rates that are adjusted for inflation annually based on the consumer price index or other nationally recognized inflation indexes. Outpatient surgery centers and other ancillary providers typically are contracted at flat rates per service provided or are reimbursed based upon a nationally recognized fee schedule such as the Medicare allowable fee schedule.
Our contracts with physicians typically are renewed automatically each year, unless either party gives written notice, generally ranging from 90 to 120 days, to the other party of its intent to terminate the arrangement. Most of the physicians in our PPO networks and some of our physicians in our HMO networks are reimbursed based upon a fixed fee schedule, which typically provides for reimbursement based upon a percentage of the standard Medicare allowable fee schedule.
Capitation
For approximately 1.0% of our medical membership at December 31, 2010, we contract with hospitals and physicians to accept financial risk for a defined set of HMO membership. In transferring this risk, we prepay these providers a monthly fixed-fee per member, known as a capitation (per capita) payment, to coordinate substantially all of the medical care for their capitated HMO membership, including some health benefit administrative functions and claims processing. For these capitated HMO arrangements, we generally agree to reimbursement rates that target a benefit ratio. The benefit ratio measures underwriting profitability and is computed by taking total benefit expenses as a percentage of premium revenues. Providers participating in hospital-based capitated HMO arrangements generally receive a monthly payment for all of the services within their system for their HMO membership. Providers participating in physician-based capitated HMO arrangements generally have subcontracted directly with hospitals and specialist physicians, and are responsible for reimbursing such hospitals and physicians for services rendered to their HMO membership.
For approximately 8.9% of our medical membership at December 31, 2010, we contract with physicians under risk-sharing arrangements whereby physicians have assumed some level of risk for all or a portion of the medical costs of their HMO membership. Although these arrangements do include physician capitation payments for services rendered, we share hospital and other benefit expenses and process substantially all of the claims under these arrangements.
Physicians under capitation arrangements typically have stop loss coverage so that a physicians financial risk for any single member is limited to a maximum amount on an annual basis. We monitor the financial performance and solvency of our capitated providers. However, we remain financially responsible for health care services to our members in the event our providers fail to provide such services.
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Medical membership under these various arrangements was as follows at December 31, 2010 and 2009:
Government Segment | Commercial Segment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage and Medicare ASO |
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
Military services |
Military Services ASO |
Medicaid | Total Segment |
Fully- Insured |
ASO | Total Segment |
Total Medical |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medical Membership: |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO hospital system based |
13,900 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,900 | 20,800 | 0 | 20,800 | 34,700 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO physician group based |
44,800 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44,800 | 25,200 | 0 | 25,200 | 70,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Risk-sharing |
322,800 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 564,600 | 887,400 | 23,300 | 0 | 23,300 | 910,700 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other |
1,380,500 | 1,758,800 | 1,755,200 | 1,272,600 | 7,800 | 6,174,900 | 1,594,100 | 1,453,600 | 3,047,700 | 9,222,600 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
1,762,000 | 1,758,800 | 1,755,200 | 1,272,600 | 572,400 | 7,121,000 | 1,663,400 | 1,453,600 | 3,117,000 | 10,238,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2009 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO hospital system based |
31,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31,000 | 22,200 | 0 | 22,200 | 53,200 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO physician group based |
50,200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117,600 | 167,800 | 26,300 | 0 | 26,300 | 194,100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Risk-sharing |
285,100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 279,200 | 564,300 | 22,400 | 0 | 22,400 | 586,700 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other |
1,142,200 | 1,927,900 | 1,756,000 | 1,278,400 | 4,900 | 6,109,400 | 1,768,600 | 1,571,300 | 3,339,900 | 9,449,300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
1,508,500 | 1,927,900 | 1,756,000 | 1,278,400 | 401,700 | 6,872,500 | 1,839,500 | 1,571,300 | 3,410,800 | 10,283,300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO hospital system based |
0.8 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.2 | % | 1.3 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.7 | % | 0.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO physician group based |
2.5 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.6 | % | 1.5 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.8 | % | 0.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Risk-sharing |
18.3 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 98.6 | % | 12.5 | % | 1.4 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.7 | % | 8.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
All other membership |
78.4 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 1.4 | % | 86.7 | % | 95.8 | % | 100.0 | % | 97.8 | % | 90.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
December 31, 2009 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO hospital system based |
2.1 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.5 | % | 1.2 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.6 | % | 0.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO physician group based |
3.3 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 29.3 | % | 2.4 | % | 1.5 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.8 | % | 1.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Risk-sharing |
18.9 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.0 | % | 69.5 | % | 8.2 | % | 1.2 | % | 0.0 | % | 0.7 | % | 5.7 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
All other membership |
75.7 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 1.2 | % | 88.9 | % | 96.1 | % | 100.0 | % | 97.9 | % | 91.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
Capitation expense as a percentage of total benefit expense was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008:
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
(dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Benefit Expenses: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitated HMO expense |
$ | 565,102 | 2.1 | % | $ | 560,914 | 2.3 | % | $ | 510,606 | 2.2 | % | ||||||||||||
Other benefit expense |
26,522,772 | 97.9 | % | 24,214,088 | 97.7 | % | 23,197,627 | 97.8 | % | |||||||||||||||
Consolidated benefit expense |
$ | 27,087,874 | 100.0 | % | $ | 24,775,002 | 100.0 | % | $ | 23,708,233 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||
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Accreditation Assessment
Our accreditation assessment program consists of several internal programs, including those that credential providers and those designed to meet the audit standards of federal and state agencies, as well as external accreditation standards. We also offer quality and outcome measurement and improvement programs such as the Health Care Effectiveness Data and Information Sets, or HEDIS, which is used by employers, government purchasers and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, or NCQA, to evaluate health plans based on various criteria, including effectiveness of care and member satisfaction.
Physicians participating in our networks must satisfy specific criteria, including licensing, patient access, office standards, after-hours coverage, and other factors. Most participating hospitals also meet accreditation criteria established by CMS and/or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Recredentialing of participating providers occurs every two to three years, depending on applicable state laws. Recredentialing of participating physicians includes verification of their medical licenses; review of their malpractice liability claims histories; review of their board certifications, if applicable; and review of applicable quality information. Committees, composed of a peer group of physicians, review the applications of physicians being considered for credentialing and recredentialing.
We request accreditation for certain of our health plans and/or departments from NCQA, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, and the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission, or URAC. Accreditation or external review by an approved organization is mandatory in the states of Florida and Kansas for licensure as an HMO. Certain commercial businesses, like those impacted by a third-party labor agreement or those where a request is made by the employer, may require or prefer accredited health plans.
NCQA performs reviews of our compliance with standards for quality improvement, credentialing, utilization management, member connections, and member rights and responsibilities. We have achieved and maintained NCQA accreditation in all of our commercial, Medicare and Medicaid HMO/POS markets with enough history and membership, except Puerto Rico, and for many of our PPO markets.
Sales and Marketing
We use various methods to market our Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial products, including television, radio, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct mailings.
At December 31, 2010, we employed approximately 1,800 sales representatives, as well as approximately 800 telemarketing representatives who assisted in the marketing of Medicare products by making appointments for sales representatives with prospective members. We also market our Medicare products via a strategic alliance with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., or Wal-Mart. This alliance includes stationing Humana representatives in certain Wal-Mart stores, SAMS CLUB locations, and Neighborhood Markets across the country providing an opportunity to enroll Medicare eligible individuals in person. In addition, we market our Medicare products through licensed independent brokers and agents including strategic alliances with State Farm® and United Services Automobile Association, or USAA. Finally, we sell group Medicare Advantage products through large employers, including via an alliance with CIGNA Corporation. Under the terms of the alliance, we and CIGNA coordinate services and share financial results. Commissions paid to employed sales representatives and independent brokers and agents are based on a per unit commission structure approved by CMS.
Individuals become members of our commercial HMOs and PPOs through their employers or other groups which typically offer employees or members a selection of health insurance products, pay for all or part of the premiums, and make payroll deductions for any premiums payable by the employees. We attempt to become an employers or groups exclusive source of health insurance benefits by offering a variety of HMO, PPO, and specialty products that provide cost-effective quality health care coverage consistent with the needs and
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expectations of their employees or members. We also offer commercial health insurance and specialty products directly to individuals.
At December 31, 2010, we used licensed independent brokers and agents and approximately 1,100 licensed employees to sell our commercial insurance products. Many of our employer group customers are represented by insurance brokers and consultants who assist these groups in the design and purchase of health care products. We generally pay brokers a commission based on premiums, with commissions varying by market and premium volume. In addition to a commission based directly on premium volume for sales to particular customers, we also have programs that pay brokers and agents based on other metrics including certain other incentives for our commercial brokers. These include commission bonuses based on sales that attain certain levels or involve particular products. We also pay additional commissions based on aggregate volumes of sales involving multiple customers.
Underwriting
Through the use of internally developed underwriting criteria, we determine the risk we are willing to assume and the amount of premium to charge for our commercial products. In most instances, employer and other groups must meet our underwriting standards in order to qualify to contract with us for coverage. Small group laws in some states have imposed regulations which provide for guaranteed issue of certain health insurance products and prescribe certain limitations on the variation in rates charged based upon assessment of health conditions.
Underwriting techniques are not employed in connection with our Medicare, military services, or Medicaid products because government regulations require us to accept all eligible applicants regardless of their health or prior medical history.
Competition
The health benefits industry is highly competitive. Our competitors vary by local market and include other managed care companies, national insurance companies, and other HMOs and PPOs, including HMOs and PPOs owned by Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Many of our competitors have larger memberships and/or greater financial resources than our health plans in the markets in which we compete. Our ability to sell our products and to retain customers may be influenced by such factors as those described in the section entitled Risk Factors in this report.
Government Regulation
Diverse legislative and regulatory initiatives at both the federal and state levels continue to affect aspects of the nations health care system.
Our management works proactively to ensure compliance with all governmental laws and regulations affecting our business. We are unable to predict how existing federal or state laws and regulations may be changed or interpreted, what additional laws or regulations affecting our businesses may be enacted or proposed, when and which of the proposed laws will be adopted or what effect any such new laws and regulations will have on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
For a description of all of the material current activities in the federal and state legislative areas, see the section entitled Risk Factors in this report.
Other
Captive Insurance Company
We bear general business risks associated with operating our Company such as professional and general liability, employee workers compensation, and officer and director errors and omissions risks. Professional and
15
general liability risks may include, for example, medical malpractice claims and disputes with members regarding benefit coverage. We retain certain of these risks through our wholly-owned, captive insurance subsidiary. We reduce exposure to these risks by insuring levels of coverage for losses in excess of our retained limits with a number of third-party insurance companies. We remain liable in the event these insurance companies are unable to pay their portion of the losses.
Centralized Management Services
We provide centralized management services to each of our health plans and both of our business segments from our headquarters and service centers. These services include management information systems, product development and administration, finance, human resources, accounting, law, public relations, marketing, insurance, purchasing, risk management, internal audit, actuarial, underwriting, claims processing, and customer service.
Employees
As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately 35,200 employees, including approximately 1,900 medical professionals working at the Concentra medical centers and 34 employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. We believe we have good relations with our employees and have not experienced any work stoppages.
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ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
If we do not design and price our products properly and competitively, if the premiums we charge are insufficient to cover the cost of health care services delivered to our members, or if our estimates of benefit expenses are inadequate, our profitability may be materially adversely affected. We estimate the costs of our benefit expense payments, and design and price our products accordingly, using actuarial methods and assumptions based upon, among other relevant factors, claim payment patterns, medical cost inflation, and historical developments such as claim inventory levels and claim receipt patterns. These estimates, however involve extensive judgment, and have considerable inherent variability because they are extremely sensitive to changes in payment patterns and medical cost trends.
We use a substantial portion of our revenues to pay the costs of health care services delivered to our members. These costs include claims payments, capitation payments to providers (predetermined amounts paid to cover services), and various other costs incurred to provide health insurance coverage to our members. These costs also include estimates of future payments to hospitals and others for medical care provided to our members. Generally, premiums in the health care business are fixed for one-year periods. Accordingly, costs we incur in excess of our benefit cost projections generally are not recovered in the contract year through higher premiums. We estimate the costs of our future benefit claims and other expenses using actuarial methods and assumptions based upon claim payment patterns, medical inflation, historical developments, including claim inventory levels and claim receipt patterns, and other relevant factors. We also record benefits payable for future payments. We continually review estimates of future payments relating to benefit claims costs for services incurred in the current and prior periods and make necessary adjustments to our reserves. However, these estimates involve extensive judgment, and have considerable inherent variability that is sensitive to payment patterns and medical cost trends. Many factors may and often do cause actual health care costs to exceed what was estimated and used to set our premiums. These factors may include:
| increased use of medical facilities and services, including prescription drugs; |
| increased cost of such services; |
| our membership mix; |
| variances in actual versus estimated levels of cost associated with new products, benefits or lines of business, product changes or benefit level changes; |
| changes in the demographic characteristics of an account or market; |
| changes or reductions of our utilization management functions such as preauthorization of services, concurrent review or requirements for physician referrals; |
| changes in our pharmacy volume rebates received from drug manufacturers; |
| catastrophes, including acts of terrorism, public health epidemics, or severe weather (e.g. hurricanes and earthquakes); |
| the introduction of new or costly treatments, including new technologies; |
| medical cost inflation; and |
| government mandated benefits or other regulatory changes, including any that result from CMS Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D risk adjustment regulatory changes or Health Insurance Reform Legislation. |
In addition, we also estimate costs associated with long-duration insurance policies including life insurance, annuities, health, and long-term care policies sold to individuals for which some of the premium received in the earlier years is intended to pay anticipated benefits to be incurred in future years. These future policy benefit reserves are recognized on a net level premium method based on interest rates, mortality, morbidity, withdrawal and maintenance expense assumptions from published actuarial tables, as modified based upon actual experience.
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The assumptions used to determine the liability for future policy benefits are established and locked in at the time each contract is acquired and would only change if our expected future experience deteriorated to the point that the level of the liability, together with the present value of future gross premiums, are not adequate to provide for future expected policy benefits. Future policy benefits payable include $824.6 million at December 31, 2010 associated with a closed block of long-term care policies acquired in connection with the November 30, 2007 KMG America Corporation acquisition. Long-term care policies provide for long-duration coverage and, therefore, our actual claims experience will emerge many years after assumptions have been established. The risk of a deviation of the actual morbidity and mortality rates from those assumed in our reserves are particularly significant to our closed block of long-term care policies. We monitor the loss experience of these long-term care policies, and, when necessary, apply for premium rate increases through a regulatory filing and approval process in the jurisdictions in which such products were sold. However, to the extent premium rate increases or loss experience vary from our acquisition date assumptions, additional future adjustments to reserves could be required. During the fourth quarter of 2010, certain states approved premium rate increases for a large portion of our long-term care block that were significantly below our acquisition date assumptions. Based on these actions by the states, combined with lower interest rates and higher actual expenses as compared to acquisition date assumptions, we determined that our existing future policy benefits payable, together with the present value of future gross premiums, associated with our long-term care policies were not adequate to provide for future policy benefits under these policies; therefore we unlocked and modified our assumptions based on current expectations. Accordingly, during the fourth quarter of 2010 we recorded $138.9 million of additional benefit expense, with a corresponding increase in future policy benefits payable of $170.3 million partially offset by a related reinsurance recoverable of $31.4 million included in other long-term assets.
Failure to adequately price our products or estimate sufficient benefits payable or future policy benefits payable may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
We are in a highly competitive industry. Some of our competitors are more established in the health care industry in terms of a larger market share and have greater financial resources than we do in some markets. In addition, other companies may enter our markets in the future, including emerging competitors in the Medicare program. We believe that barriers to entry in our markets are not substantial, so the addition of new competitors can occur relatively easily, and customers enjoy significant flexibility in moving between competitors. Contracts for the sale of commercial products are generally bid upon or renewed annually. While health plans compete on the basis of many factors, including service and the quality and depth of provider networks, we expect that price will continue to be a significant basis of competition. In addition to the challenge of controlling health care costs, we face intense competitive pressure to contain premium prices. Factors such as business consolidations, strategic alliances, legislative reform and marketing practices create pressure to contain premium price increases, despite being faced with increasing medical costs.
Premium increases, introduction of new product designs, and our relationships with our providers in various markets, among other issues, could also affect our membership levels. Other actions that could affect membership levels include our possible exit from or entrance into Medicare or Commercial markets, or the termination of a large contract, including the possible termination of our TRICARE South Region contract.
If we do not compete effectively in our markets, if we set rates too high or too low in highly competitive markets to keep or increase our market share, if membership does not increase as we expect, if membership declines, or if we lose accounts with favorable medical cost experience while retaining or increasing membership in accounts with unfavorable medical cost experience, our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
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If we fail to effectively implement our operational and strategic initiatives, including our Medicare initiatives, our business may be materially adversely affected, which is of particular importance given the concentration of our revenues in the Medicare business.
Our future performance depends in large part upon our management teams ability to execute our strategy to position us for the future. This strategy includes opportunities created by the expansion of our Medicare programs, including our HMO and PPO products, as well as our stand-alone PDP products. We have made substantial investments in the Medicare program to enhance our ability to participate in these programs. Over the last few years we have increased the size of our Medicare geographic reach through expanded Medicare product offerings. We are offering both the stand-alone Medicare prescription drug coverage and Medicare Advantage health plan with prescription drug coverage in addition to our other product offerings. We offer the Medicare prescription drug plan in 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
The growth of our Medicare business is an important part of our business strategy. Any failure to achieve this growth may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. In addition, the expansion of our Medicare business in relation to our other businesses may intensify the risks to us inherent in the Medicare business. There is significant concentration of our revenues in the Medicare business, with approximately 65% of our total premiums and ASO fees in 2010 generated from our Medicare business. These expansion efforts may result in less diversification of our revenue stream and increased risks associated with operating in a highly regulated industry, as discussed further below.
Additionally, our strategy includes the growth of our Commercial segment business, with emphasis on our ASO and individual products, introduction of new products and benefit designs, expansion of our specialty products such as dental, vision and other supplemental products, the adoption of new technologies, development of adjacent businesses, and the integration of acquired businesses and contracts, including the 2010 acquisition of Concentra Inc.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement our operational and strategic initiatives, including outsourcing certain business functions, that are intended to position us for future growth or that the products we design will be accepted or adopted in the time periods assumed. Failure to implement this strategy may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
If we fail to properly maintain the integrity of our data, to strategically implement new information systems, or to protect our proprietary rights to our systems, our business may be materially adversely affected.
Our business depends significantly on effective information systems and the integrity and timeliness of the data we use to run our business. Our business strategy involves providing members and providers with easy to use products that leverage our information to meet their needs. Our ability to adequately price our products and services, provide effective and efficient service to our customers, and to timely and accurately report our financial results depends significantly on the integrity of the data in our information systems. As a result of our past and on-going acquisition activities, we have acquired additional information systems. We have been taking steps to reduce the number of systems we operate, have upgraded and expanded our information systems capabilities, and are gradually migrating existing business to fewer systems. Our information systems require an ongoing commitment of significant resources to maintain, protect and enhance existing systems and develop new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, evolving industry and regulatory standards, and changing customer preferences. If the information we rely upon to run our businesses was found to be inaccurate or unreliable or if we fail to maintain effectively our information systems and data integrity, we could have operational disruptions, have problems in determining medical cost estimates and establishing appropriate pricing, have customer and physician and other health care provider disputes, have regulatory or other legal problems, have increases in operating expenses, lose existing customers, have difficulty in attracting new customers, or suffer other adverse consequences.
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We depend on independent third parties for significant portions of our systems-related support, equipment, facilities, and certain data, including data center operations, data network, voice communication services and pharmacy data processing. This dependence makes our operations vulnerable to such third parties failure to perform adequately under the contract, due to internal or external factors. A change in service providers could result in a decline in service quality and effectiveness or less favorable contract terms which may adversely affect our operating results.
We rely on our agreements with customers, confidentiality agreements with employees, and our trade secrets and copyrights to protect our proprietary rights. These legal protections and precautions may not prevent misappropriation of our proprietary information. In addition, substantial litigation regarding intellectual property rights exists in the software industry, including litigation involving end users of software products. We expect software products to be increasingly subject to third-party infringement claims as the number of products and competitors in this area grows.
Our business plans also include becoming a quality e-business organization by enhancing interactions with customers, brokers, agents, providers and other stakeholders through web-enabled technology. Our strategy includes sales and distribution of health benefit products through the Internet, and implementation of advanced self-service capabilities, for internal and external stakeholders.
There can be no assurance that our process of improving existing systems, developing new systems to support our expanding operations, integrating new systems, protecting our proprietary information, and improving service levels will not be delayed or that additional systems issues will not arise in the future. Failure to adequately protect and maintain the integrity of our information systems and data may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our business may be materially adversely impacted by CMSs adoption of the new coding set for diagnoses.
CMS has adopted a new coding set for diagnoses, commonly known as ICD-10, which significantly expands the number of codes utilized. The new coding set is currently required to be implemented by October 1, 2013. We may be required to incur significant expenses in implementing the new coding set. If we do not adequately implement the new coding set, our results of operations, financial position and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
We are involved in various legal actions, which, if resolved unfavorably to us, could result in substantial monetary damages. Increased litigation and negative publicity could increase our cost of doing business.
We are or may become a party to a variety of legal actions that affect our business, including employment and employment discrimination-related suits, employee benefit claims, breach of contract actions, securities laws claims, and tort claims.
In addition, because of the nature of the health care business, we are subject to a variety of legal actions relating to our business operations, including the design, management and offering of products and services. These include and could include in the future:
| claims relating to the methodologies for calculating premiums; |
| claims relating to the denial of health care benefit payments; |
| claims relating to the denial or rescission of insurance coverage; |
| challenges to the use of some software products used in administering claims; |
| claims relating to our administration of our Medicare Part D offerings; |
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| medical malpractice actions based on our medical necessity decisions or brought against us on the theory that we are liable for providers alleged malpractice; |
| claims arising from any adverse medical consequences resulting from our recommendations about the appropriateness of providers proposed medical treatment plans for patients; |
| allegations of anti-competitive and unfair business activities; |
| provider disputes over compensation and termination of provider contracts; |
| disputes related to ASO business, including actions alleging claim administration errors; |
| claims related to the failure to disclose some business practices; |
| claims relating to customer audits and contract performance; |
| claims relating to dispensing of drugs associated with our in-house mail-order pharmacy; and |
| professional liability claims arising out of the delivery of healthcare and related services to the public, including urgent care. |
In some cases, substantial non-economic or punitive damages as well as treble damages under the federal False Claims Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and other statutes may be sought.
While we currently have insurance coverage for some of these potential liabilities, other potential liabilities may not be covered by insurance, insurers may dispute coverage or the amount of our insurance may not be enough to cover the damages awarded. Additionally, the cost of business insurance coverage has increased significantly. As a result, we have increased the amount of risk that we self-insure, particularly with respect to matters incidental to our business. In addition, some types of damages, like punitive damages, may not be covered by insurance. In some jurisdictions, coverage of punitive damages is prohibited. Insurance coverage for all or some forms of liability may become unavailable or prohibitively expensive in the future.
The health benefits industry continues to receive significant negative publicity reflecting the public perception of the industry. This publicity and perception have been accompanied by increased litigation, including some large jury awards, legislative activity, regulation, and governmental review of industry practices. These factors may adversely affect our ability to market our products or services, may require us to change our products or services, may increase the regulatory burdens under which we operate, and may require us to pay large judgments or fines. Any combination of these factors could further increase our cost of doing business and adversely affect our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
See Legal Proceedings and Certain Regulatory Matters in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. We cannot predict the outcome of these suits with certainty.
As a government contractor, we are exposed to risks that may materially adversely affect our business or our willingness or ability to participate in government health care programs.
A significant portion of our revenues relates to federal and state government health care coverage programs, including the Medicare, Military, and Medicaid programs. Our Government segment accounted for approximately 78% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010. These programs involve various risks, as described further below.
| At December 31, 2010, under our contracts with CMS we provided health insurance coverage to approximately 378,700 Medicare Advantage members in Florida. These contracts accounted for approximately 17% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010. The loss of these and other CMS contracts or significant changes in the Medicare program as a result of legislative or regulatory action, including reductions in premium payments to us, or increases in |
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member benefits without corresponding increases in premium payments to us may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. |
| At December 31, 2010, our military services business, which accounted for approximately 11% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010, primarily consisted of the TRICARE South Region contract which covers approximately 3.0 million beneficiaries. The original 5-year South Region contract expired on March 31, 2009 and was extended through March 31, 2011. On October 5, 2010, we were notified that the Department of Defense TRICARE Management Activity, or TMA, intended to negotiate with us for an extension of our administration of the TRICARE South Region contract, and on January 6, 2011, an Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract to the TRICARE South Region contract, in the form of an undefinitized contract action, became effective. The Amendment adds one additional one-year option period, Option Period IX (which runs from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012). On January 21, 2011, the TMA notified us of their intent to exercise Option Period IX. |
As required under the current contract, the target underwritten health care cost and underwriting fee amounts for Option Period IX will be negotiated separately. Any variance from the target health care cost is shared with the federal government. Accordingly, events and circumstances not contemplated in the negotiated target health care cost amount may have a material adverse effect on us. These changes may include an increase or reduction in the number of persons enrolled or eligible to enroll due to the federal governments decision to increase or decrease U.S. military deployments. In the event government reimbursements were to decline from projected amounts, our failure to reduce the health care costs associated with these programs may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
In July 2009, we were notified by the DoD that we were not awarded the third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region which had been subject to competing bids. We filed a protest with the GAO in connection with the award to another contractor citing discrepancies between the award criteria and procedures prescribed in the request for proposals issued by the DoD and those that appear to have been used by the DoD in making its contractor selection. In October 2009, we learned that the GAO had upheld our protest, determining that the TMA evaluation of our proposal had unreasonably failed to fully recognize and reasonably account for the likely cost savings associated with our record of obtaining network provider discounts from our established network in the South Region. On December 22, 2009, we were advised that TMA notified the GAO of its intent to implement corrective action consistent with the discussion contained within the GAOs decision with respect to our protest. On October 22, 2010, TMA issued its latest amendment to the request for proposal requesting from offerors final proposal revisions to address, among other things, health care cost savings resulting from provider network discounts in the South Region. We submitted our final proposal revisions on November 9, 2010. At this time, we are not able to determine whether or not the protest decision by the GAO will have any effect upon the ultimate disposition of the contract award.
For the year ended December 31, 2010, premiums and ASO fees associated with the TRICARE South Region contract were $3.4 billion, or 10.3% of our total premiums and ASO fees. We are continuing to evaluate issues associated with our military services businesses such as potential impairment of certain assets primarily consisting of goodwill, which had a carrying value of $49.8 million at December 31, 2010, potential exit costs, possible asset sales, and a strategic assessment of ancillary businesses. Goodwill was not impaired at December 31, 2010. If our current contract is extended through March 31, 2012 and we are not ultimately awarded the new third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region, we expect that as the March 31, 2012 contract end date nears, future cash flows will not be sufficient to warrant recoverability of all or a portion of the military services goodwill. In this event, we expect a goodwill impairment would occur during the second half of 2011.
| At December 31, 2010, under our contracts with the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration, or PRHIA, we provided health insurance coverage to approximately 518,800 Medicaid members in Puerto |
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Rico. These contracts accounted for approximately 2% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010. |
Effective October 1, 2010, the PRHIA awarded us three contracts for the East, Southeast, and Southwest regions for a one year term with two options to extend the contracts for an additional term of up to one year, exercisable at the sole discretion of the PRHIA. The loss of these contracts or significant changes in the Puerto Rico Medicaid program as a result of legislative action, including reductions in premium payments to us, or increases in member benefits without corresponding increases in premium payments to us may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
| There is a possibility of temporary or permanent suspension from participating in government health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, if we are convicted of fraud or other criminal conduct in the performance of a health care program or if there is an adverse decision against us under the federal False Claims Act. |
| CMS uses a risk-adjustment model which apportions premiums paid to Medicare Advantage plans according to health severity. The risk-adjustment model pays more for enrollees with predictably higher costs. Under this model, rates paid to Medicare Advantage plans are based on actuarially determined bids, which include a process whereby our prospective payments are based on a comparison of our beneficiaries risk scores, derived from medical diagnoses, to those enrolled in the governments original Medicare program. Under the risk-adjustment methodology, all Medicare Advantage plans must collect and submit the necessary diagnosis code information from hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, and physician providers to CMS within prescribed deadlines. The CMS risk-adjustment model uses this diagnosis data to calculate the risk adjusted premium payment to Medicare Advantage plans. We generally rely on providers to code their claim submissions with appropriate diagnoses, which we send to CMS as the basis for our payment received from CMS under the actuarial risk-adjustment model. We also rely on providers to appropriately document all medical data, including the diagnosis data submitted with claims. |
CMS is continuing to perform audits of various companies selected Medicare Advantage contracts related to this risk adjustment diagnosis data. These audits are referred to herein as Risk-Adjustment Data Validation Audits, or RADV audits. RADV audits review medical record documentation in an attempt to validate provider coding practices and the presence of risk adjustment conditions which influence the calculation of premium payments to Medicare Advantage plans. To date, six Humana contracts have been selected by CMS for RADV audits for the 2007 contract year, consisting of one pilot audit and five targeted audits for Humana plans.
On December 21, 2010, CMS posted a description of the agencys proposed RADV sampling and payment adjustment calculation methodology to its website, and invited public comment, noting that CMS may revise its sampling and payment error calculation methodology based upon the comments received. We believe the audit and payment adjustment methodology proposed by CMS is fundamentally flawed and actuarially unsound. In essence, in making the comparison referred to above, CMS relies on two interdependent sets of data to set payment rates for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans: (1) fee for service (FFS) data from the governments original Medicare program; and (2) MA data. The proposed methodology would review medical records for only one set of data (MA data), while not performing the same exercise on the other set (FFS data). However, because these two sets of data are inextricably linked, we believe CMS must audit and validate both of them before extrapolating any potential RADV audit results, in order to ensure that any resulting payment adjustment is accurate. We believe that the Social Security Act, under which the payment model was established, requires the consistent use of these data sets in determining risk-adjusted payments to MA plans. Furthermore, our payment received from CMS, as well as benefits offered and premiums charged to members, is based on bids that did not, by CMS design, include any assumption of retroactive audit payment adjustments. We believe that applying a retroactive audit adjustment after CMS acceptance of bids would improperly alter this process of establishing member benefits and premiums.
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CMS has received public comments, including our comments and comments from other industry participants and the American Academy of Actuaries, which expressed concerns about the failure to appropriately compare the two sets of data. On February 3, 2011, CMS issued a statement that it was closely evaluating the comments it has received on this matter and anticipates making changes to the proposed methodology based on input it has received, although we are unable to predict the extent of changes that they may make.
We believe that the proposed methodology is actuarially unsound and in violation of the Social Security Act. We intend to defend that position vigorously. However, if CMS moves forward with implementation of the proposed methodology without changes to adequately address the data inconsistency issues described above, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues derived from the Medicare Advantage program and, therefore, our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
| Our CMS contracts which cover members prescription drugs under Medicare Part D contain provisions for risk sharing and payments for prescription drug costs for which we are not at risk. These provisions, certain of which are described below, affect our ultimate payments from CMS. |
The premiums from CMS are subject to risk corridor provisions which compare costs targeted in our annual bids to actual prescription drug costs, limited to actual costs that would have been incurred under the standard coverage as defined by CMS. Variances exceeding certain thresholds may result in CMS making additional payments to us or require us to refund to CMS a portion of the premiums we received (known as a risk corridor). We estimate and recognize an adjustment to premium revenues related to the risk corridor payment settlement based upon pharmacy claims experience. The estimate of the settlement associated with these risk corridor provisions requires us to consider factors that may not be certain, including member eligibility differences with CMS. Beginning in 2008, the risk corridor thresholds increased which means we bear more risk. Our estimate of the settlement associated with the Medicare Part D risk corridor provisions was a net payable of $387.6 million at December 31, 2010.
Reinsurance and low-income cost subsidies represent payments from CMS in connection with the Medicare Part D program for which we assume no risk. Reinsurance subsidies represent payments for CMSs portion of claims costs which exceed the members out-of-pocket threshold, or the catastrophic coverage level. Low-income cost subsidies represent payments from CMS for all or a portion of the deductible, the coinsurance and co-payment amounts above the out-of-pocket threshold for low-income beneficiaries. Monthly prospective payments from CMS for reinsurance and low-income cost subsidies are based on assumptions submitted with our annual bid. A reconciliation and settlement of CMSs prospective subsidies against actual prescription drug costs we paid is made after the end of the year.
Settlement of the reinsurance and low-income cost subsidies as well as the risk corridor payment is based on a reconciliation made approximately 9 months after the close of each calendar year. This reconciliation process requires us to submit claims data necessary for CMS to administer the program. Our claims data may not pass CMSs claims edit processes due to various reasons, including discrepancies in eligibility or classification of low-income members. To the extent our data does not pass CMSs claim edit processes, we may bear the risk for all or a portion of the claim which otherwise may have been subject to the risk corridor provision or payment which we would have otherwise received as a low-income or reinsurance claim. In addition, in the event the settlement represents an amount CMS owes us, there is a negative impact on our cash flows and financial condition as a result of financing CMSs share of the risk. The opposite is true in the event the settlement represents an amount we owe CMS.
| With the assistance of outside counsel, we are conducting an ongoing internal investigation related to certain aspects of our Florida subsidiary operations, and have voluntarily self-reported the existence of this investigation to CMS, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Matters under review include, without limitation, the relationships between certain of our Florida-based employees and providers in our Medicaid and/or Medicare networks, practices |
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related to the financial support of non-profit or provider access centers for Medicaid enrollment and related enrollment processes, and financial support of physician practices. We have reported to the regulatory authorities noted above on the progress of our investigation to date, and intend to continue to discuss with these authorities our factual findings as well as any remedial actions we may take. |
| We are also subject to various other governmental audits and investigations. Under state laws, our HMOs and health insurance companies are audited by state departments of insurance for financial and contractual compliance. Our HMOs are audited for compliance with health services by state departments of health. Audits and investigations are also conducted by state attorneys general, CMS, the Office of the Inspector General of Health and Human Services, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. All of these activities could result in the loss of licensure or the right to participate in various programs, including a limitation on our ability to market or sell products, the imposition of fines, penalties and other civil and criminal sanctions, or changes in our business practices. The outcome of any current or future governmental or internal investigations, including the matters described above, cannot be accurately predicted, nor can we predict any resulting penalties, fines or other sanctions that may be imposed at the discretion of federal or state regulatory authorities. Nevertheless, it is reasonably possible that the outcome of these matters may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. In addition, disclosure of any adverse investigation or audit results or sanctions could negatively affect our industry or our reputation in various markets and make it more difficult for us to sell our products and services. |
Recently enacted health insurance reform, including The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, including restricting revenue, enrollment and premium growth in certain products and market segments, restricting our ability to expand into new markets, increasing our medical and administrative costs by, among other things, requiring a minimum benefit ratio, lowering our Medicare payment rates and increasing our expenses associated with a non-deductible federal premium tax and other assessments; financial position, including our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill; and cash flows. In addition, if the new non-deductible federal premium tax is imposed as enacted, and if we are unable to adjust our business model to address this new tax, there can be no assurance that the non-deductible federal premium tax would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
In March 2010, the President signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (which we collectively refer to as the Health Insurance Reform Legislation) which enact significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. While regulations and interpretive guidance on some provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation have been issued to date by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor, the Treasury Department, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, there are many significant provisions of the legislation that will require additional guidance and clarification in the form of regulations and interpretations in order to fully understand the impacts of the legislation on our overall business, which we expect to occur over the next several years.
The provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation include, among others, imposing significant new non-deductible federal premium taxes and other assessments on health insurers, limiting Medicare Advantage payment rates, stipulating a prescribed minimum ratio for the amount of premium revenues to be expended on medical costs, additional mandated benefits and guarantee issuance associated with Commercial medical insurance, requirements that limit the ability of health plans to vary premiums based on assessments of underlying risk, and heightened scrutiny by state and federal regulators of our business practices, including our Medicare bid and pricing practices. The Health Insurance Reform Legislation also specifies required benefit designs, limits rating and pricing practices, encourages additional competition (including potential incentives for new market entrants) and expands eligibility for Medicaid programs. In addition, the law will significantly
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increase federal oversight of health plan premium rates and could adversely affect our ability to appropriately adjust health plan premiums on a timely basis. Financing for these reforms will come, in part, from material additional fees and taxes on us and other health insurers, health plans and individuals beginning in 2014, as well as reductions in certain levels of payments to us and other health plans under Medicare. Implementation dates of the provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation generally vary from as early as six months from the date of enactment, or September 23, 2010, to as late as 2018.
Implementing regulations and related interpretive guidance continue to be issued on several significant provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation, and it has been challenged in the judicial system. Given the breadth of possible changes and the uncertainties of interpretation, implementation, and timing of these changes, which we expect to occur over the next several years, the Health Insurance Reform Legislation could change the way we do business, potentially impacting our pricing, benefit design, product mix, geographic mix, and distribution channels. The response of other companies to Health Insurance Reform Legislation and adjustments to their offerings, if any, could cause meaningful disruption in the local health care markets. Further, various health insurance reform proposals are also emerging at the state level. It is reasonably possible that the Health Insurance Reform Legislation and related regulations, as well as future legislative changes, in the aggregate may have a material adverse affect on our results of operations, including restricting revenue, enrollment and premium growth in certain products and market segments, restricting our ability to expand into new markets, increasing our medical and administrative costs, lowering our Medicare payment rates and increasing our expenses associated with the non-deductible federal premium tax and other assessments; financial position, including our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill; and cash flows. If we fail to effectively implement our operational and strategic initiatives with respect to the implementation of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation, our business may be materially adversely affected. In addition, if the new non-deductible federal premium tax is imposed as enacted, and if we are unable to adjust our business model to address this new tax, there can be no assurance that the non-deductible federal premium tax would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our business activities are subject to substantial government regulation. New laws or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations or their manner of application, could increase our cost of doing business and may adversely affect our business, profitability, financial condition, and cash flows.
The health care industry in general and health insurance are subject to substantial federal and state government regulation:
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
The use of individually identifiable health data by our business is regulated at federal and state levels. These laws and rules are changed frequently by legislation or administrative interpretation. Various state laws address the use and maintenance of individually identifiable health data. Most are derived from the privacy provisions in the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. HIPAA includes administrative provisions directed at simplifying electronic data interchange through standardizing transactions, establishing uniform health care provider, payer, and employer identifiers and seeking protections for confidentiality and security of patient data. The rules do not provide for complete federal preemption of state laws, but rather preempt all inconsistent state laws unless the state law is more stringent.
These regulations set standards for the security of electronic health information. Violations of these rules could subject us to significant criminal and civil penalties, including significant monetary penalties. Compliance with HIPAA regulations requires significant systems enhancements, training and administrative effort. HIPAA can also expose us to additional liability for violations by our business associates (e.g., entities that provide services to health plans).
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)
On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, or ARRA, was enacted into law. In addition to including a temporary subsidy for health care continuation coverage issued pursuant to the
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Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, ARRA also expands and strengthens the privacy and security provisions of HIPAA and imposes additional limits on the use and disclosure of protected health information, or PHI. Among other things, ARRA requires us and other covered entities to report any unauthorized release or use of or access to PHI to any impacted individuals and to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in those instances where the unauthorized activity poses a significant risk of financial, reputational or other harm to the individuals, and to notify the media in any states where 500 or more people are impacted by any unauthorized release or use of or access to PHI. ARRA also requires business associates to comply with certain HIPAA provisions. ARRA also establishes higher civil and criminal penalties for covered entities and business associates who fail to comply with HIPAAs provisions and requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to issue regulations implementing its privacy and security enhancements. We will continue to assess the impact of these regulations on us as they are issued.
Workers Compensation Laws and Regulations
In performing services for the workers compensation industry through our subsidiary Concentra Inc., we must comply with applicable state workers compensation laws. Workers compensation laws generally require employers to assume financial responsibility for medical costs, lost wages, and related legal costs of work-related illnesses and injuries. These laws generally establish the rights of workers to receive benefits and to appeal benefit denials, prohibit charging medical co-payments or deductibles to employees, may restrict employers rights to select healthcare providers or direct an injured employee to a specific provider to receive non-emergency workers compensation medical care, and may include special requirements for physicians providing non-emergency care for workers compensation patients, including requiring registration with the state agency governing workers compensation, as well as special continuing education and training, licensing and other regulatory requirements. To the extent that we are governed by these regulations, we may be subject to additional licensing requirements, financial oversight, and procedural standards for beneficiaries and providers.
Corporate Practice of Medicine and Other Laws
We are not licensed to practice medicine. Many states in which we operate through our subsidiary Concentra Inc. limit the practice of medicine to licensed individuals or professional organizations comprised of licensed individuals, and business corporations generally may not exercise control over the medical decisions of physicians. Statutes and regulations relating to the practice of medicine, fee-splitting between physicians and referral sources, and similar issues vary widely from state to state. Under the management agreements with Concentras professional groups, these groups retain sole responsibility for all medical decisions, as well as for hiring and managing physicians and other licensed healthcare providers, developing operating policies and procedures, implementing professional standards and controls, and maintaining malpractice insurance. We believe that our health services operations, including arrangements with Concentras affiliated professional groups, comply with applicable state statutes regarding corporate practice of medicine, fee-splitting, and similar issues. However, any enforcement actions by governmental officials alleging non-compliance with these statutes, which could subject us to penalties or restructuring or reorganization of our business, may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
Anti-Kickback, Physician Self-Referral, and Other Fraud and Abuse Laws
A federal law commonly referred to as the Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the offer, payment, solicitation, or receipt of any form of remuneration to induce, or in return for, the referral of Medicare or other governmental health program patients or patient care opportunities, or in return for the purchase, lease, or order of items or services that are covered by Medicare or other federal governmental health programs. Because the prohibitions contained in the Anti-Kickback Statute apply to the furnishing of items or services for which payment is made in whole or in part, the Anti-Kickback Statute could be implicated if any portion of an item or service we provide is covered by any of the state or federal health benefit programs described above. Violation of these provisions constitutes a felony criminal offense and applicable sanctions could include exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
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Section 1877 of the Social Security Act, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits physicians, subject to certain exceptions described below, from referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to an entity providing designated health services in which the physician, or an immediate family member, has an ownership or investment interest or with which the physician, or an immediate family member, has entered into a compensation arrangement. These prohibitions, contained in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, commonly known as Stark II, amended prior federal physician self-referral legislation known as Stark I by expanding the list of designated health services to a total of 11 categories of health services. The professional groups with which we are affiliated provide one or more of these designated health services. Persons or entities found to be in violation of the Stark Law are subject to denial of payment for services furnished pursuant to an improper referral, civil monetary penalties, and exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Many states also have enacted laws similar in scope and purpose to the Anti-Kickback Statute and, in more limited instances, the Stark Law, that are not limited to services for which Medicare or Medicaid payment is made. In addition, most states have statutes, regulations, or professional codes that restrict a physician from accepting various kinds of remuneration in exchange for making referrals. These laws vary from state to state and have seldom been interpreted by the courts or regulatory agencies. In states that have enacted these statutes, we believe that regulatory authorities and state courts interpreting these statutes may regard federal law under the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law as persuasive.
We believe that our operations comply with the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, and similar federal or state laws addressing fraud and abuse. These laws are subject to modification and changes in interpretation, and are enforced by authorities vested with broad discretion. We continually monitor developments in this area. If these laws are interpreted in a manner contrary to our interpretation or are reinterpreted or amended, or if new legislation is enacted with respect to healthcare fraud and abuse, illegal remuneration, or similar issues, we may be required to restructure our affected operations to maintain compliance with applicable law. There can be no assurances that any such restructuring will be possible or, if possible, would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
Environmental
We are subject to various federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and the environment, including those governing the management and disposal of infectious medical waste and other waste generated at our subsidiary Concentras occupational healthcare centers and the cleanup of contamination. If an environmental regulatory agency finds any of our facilities to be in violation of environmental laws, penalties and fines may be imposed for each day of violation and the affected facility could be forced to cease operations. We could also incur other significant costs, such as cleanup costs or claims by third parties, as a result of violations of, or liabilities under, environmental laws. Although we believe that our environmental practices, including waste handling and disposal practices, are in material compliance with applicable laws, future claims or violations, or changes in environmental laws, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
State Regulation of Insurance-Related Products
Laws in each of the states (and Puerto Rico) in which we operate our HMOs, PPOs and other health insurance-related services regulate our operations including: licensing requirements, policy language describing benefits, mandated benefits and processes, entry, withdrawal or re-entry into a state or market, rate formulas, delivery systems, utilization review procedures, quality assurance, complaint systems, enrollment requirements, claim payments, marketing, and advertising. The HMO, PPO, and other health insurance-related products we offer are sold under licenses issued by the applicable insurance regulators.
Our licensed subsidiaries are also subject to regulation under state insurance holding company and Puerto Rico regulations. These regulations generally require, among other things, prior approval and/or notice of new products, rates, benefit changes, and certain material transactions, including dividend payments, purchases or sales of assets, intercompany agreements, and the filing of various financial and operational reports.
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Certain of our subsidiaries operate in states that regulate the payment of dividends, loans, or other cash transfers to Humana Inc., our parent company, and require minimum levels of equity as well as limit investments to approved securities. The amount of dividends that may be paid to Humana Inc. by these subsidiaries, without prior approval by state regulatory authorities, is limited based on the entitys level of statutory income and statutory capital and surplus. In most states, prior notification is provided before paying a dividend even if approval is not required.
Although minimum required levels of equity are largely based on premium volume, product mix, and the quality of assets held, minimum requirements can vary significantly at the state level. Our state regulated subsidiaries had aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $4.3 billion and $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which exceeded aggregate minimum regulatory requirements. The amount of dividends that may be paid to our parent company in 2011 without prior approval by state regulatory authorities is approximately $740 million in the aggregate. This compares to dividends that were able to be paid in 2010 without prior regulatory approval of approximately $720 million.
Any failure to manage administrative costs could hamper profitability.
The level of our administrative expenses impacts our profitability. While we proactively attempt to effectively manage such expenses, increases or decreases in staff-related expenses, additional investment in new products (including our opportunities in the Medicare programs), greater emphasis on small group and individual health insurance products, expansion into new specialty markets, acquisitions, new taxes and assessments, and implementation of regulatory requirements may occur from time to time.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully contain our administrative expenses in line with our membership and this may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Any failure by us to manage acquisitions and other significant transactions successfully may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
As part of our business strategy, we frequently engage in discussions with third parties regarding possible investments, acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, and outsourcing transactions and often enter into agreements relating to such transactions in order to further our business objectives. In order to pursue this strategy successfully, we must identify suitable candidates for and successfully complete transactions, some of which may be large and complex, and manage post-closing issues such as the integration of acquired companies or employees. Integration and other risks can be more pronounced for larger and more complicated transactions, or if multiple transactions are pursued simultaneously. In 2010, we acquired Concentra Inc., in 2008, we acquired UnitedHealth Groups Las Vegas, Nevada individual SecureHorizons Medicare Advantage HMO business, OSF Health Plans, Inc., Metcare Health Plans, Inc., and PHP Companies, Inc. (d/b/a Cariten Healthcare), and in late 2007, we acquired KMG America Corporation and CompBenefits Corporation. The failure to successfully integrate these entities and businesses or failure to produce results consistent with the financial model used in the analysis of the acquisition may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. If we fail to identify and complete successfully transactions that further our strategic objectives, we may be required to expend resources to develop products and technology internally. We may also be at a competitive disadvantage or we may be adversely affected by negative market perceptions, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
If we fail to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with the providers of care to our members, our business may be adversely affected.
We contract with physicians, hospitals and other providers to deliver health care to our members. Our products encourage or require our customers to use these contracted providers. These providers may share medical cost risk with us or have financial incentives to deliver quality medical services in a cost-effective manner.
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In any particular market, providers could refuse to contract with us, demand to contract with us, demand higher payments, or take other actions that could result in higher health care costs for us, less desirable products for customers and members or difficulty meeting regulatory or accreditation requirements. In some markets, some providers, particularly hospitals, physician specialty groups, physician/hospital organizations or multi-specialty physician groups, may have significant market positions and negotiating power. In addition, physician or practice management companies, which aggregate physician practices for administrative efficiency and marketing leverage, may compete directly with us. If these providers refuse to contract with us, use their market position to negotiate favorable contracts or place us at a competitive disadvantage, our ability to market products or to be profitable in those areas may be adversely affected.
In some situations, we have contracts with individual or groups of primary care physicians for an actuarially determined, fixed, per-member-per-month fee under which physicians are paid an amount to provide all required medical services to our members. This type of contract is referred to as a capitation contract. The inability of providers to properly manage costs under these capitation arrangements can result in the financial instability of these providers and the termination of their relationship with us. In addition, payment or other disputes between a primary care provider and specialists with whom the primary care provider contracts can result in a disruption in the provision of services to our members or a reduction in the services available to our members. The financial instability or failure of a primary care provider to pay other providers for services rendered could lead those other providers to demand payment from us even though we have made our regular fixed payments to the primary provider. There can be no assurance that providers with whom we contract will properly manage the costs of services, maintain financial solvency or avoid disputes with other providers. Any of these events may have a material adverse effect on the provision of services to our members and our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our pharmacy business is highly competitive and subjects us to regulations in addition to those we face with our core health benefits businesses.
Our pharmacy business, opened in 2006, competes with locally owned drugstores, retail drugstore chains, supermarkets, discount retailers, membership clubs, and Internet companies as well as other mail-order and long-term care pharmacies. Our pharmacy business also subjects us to extensive federal, state and local regulation. The practice of pharmacy is generally regulated at the state level by state boards of pharmacy. Many of the states where we deliver pharmaceuticals, including controlled substances, have laws and regulations that require out-of-state mail-order pharmacies to register with that states board of pharmacy. In addition, some states have proposed laws to regulate online pharmacies, and we may be subject to this legislation if it is passed. Federal agencies further regulate our pharmacy operations. Pharmacies must register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and individual state controlled substance authorities in order to dispense controlled substances. In addition, the FDA inspects facilities in connection with procedures to effect recalls of prescription drugs. The Federal Trade Commission also has requirements for mail-order sellers of goods. The U.S. Postal Service, or USPS, has statutory authority to restrict the transmission of drugs and medicines through the mail to a degree that may have an adverse effect on our mail-order operations. The USPS historically has exercised this statutory authority only with respect to controlled substances. If the USPS restricts our ability to deliver drugs through the mail, alternative means of delivery are available to us. However, alternative means of delivery could be significantly more expensive. The Department of Transportation has regulatory authority to impose restrictions on drugs inserted in the stream of commerce. These regulations generally do not apply to the USPS and its operations. In addition, we are subject to CMS rules regarding the administration of our PDP plans and intercompany pricing between our PDP plans and our pharmacy business.
We are also subject to risks inherent in the packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals and other health care products, and the application of state laws related to the operation of internet and mail-services pharmacies. The failure to adhere to these laws and regulations may expose our pharmacy subsidiary to civil and criminal penalties.
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Changes in the prescription drug industry pricing benchmarks may adversely affect our financial performance.
Contracts in the prescription drug industry generally use certain published benchmarks to establish pricing for prescription drugs. These benchmarks include average wholesale price, which is referred to as AWP, average selling price, which is referred to as ASP, and wholesale acquisition cost. Recent events have raised uncertainties as to whether payors, pharmacy providers, pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, and others in the prescription drug industry will continue to utilize AWP as it has previously been calculated, or whether other pricing benchmarks will be adopted for establishing prices within the industry. Legislation may lead to changes in the pricing for Medicare and Medicaid programs. The DOJ is currently conducting, and the U.S. House of Representatives Commerce Committee has conducted, an investigation into the use of AWP for federal program payment, and whether the use of AWP has inflated drug expenditures by the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Federal and state proposals have sought to change the basis for calculating payment of certain drugs by the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Adoption of ASP in lieu of AWP as the measure for determining payment by Medicare or Medicaid programs for the drugs sold in our mail-order pharmacy business may reduce the revenues and gross margins of this business which may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
If we do not continue to earn and retain purchase discounts and volume rebates from pharmaceutical manufacturers at current levels, our gross margins may decline.
We have contractual relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers or wholesalers that provide us with purchase discounts and volume rebates on certain prescription drugs dispensed through our mail-order and specialty pharmacies. These discounts and volume rebates are generally passed on to clients in the form of steeper price discounts. Changes in existing federal or state laws or regulations or in their interpretation by courts and agencies or the adoption of new laws or regulations relating to patent term extensions, and purchase discount and volume rebate arrangements with pharmaceutical manufacturers, may reduce the discounts or volume rebates we receive and materially adversely impact our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our ability to obtain funds from our subsidiaries is restricted.
Because we operate as a holding company, we are dependent upon dividends and administrative expense reimbursements from our subsidiaries to fund the obligations of Humana Inc., our parent company. These subsidiaries generally are regulated by states Departments of Insurance. We are also required by law to maintain specific prescribed minimum amounts of capital in these subsidiaries. The levels of capitalization required depend primarily upon the volume of premium generated. A significant increase in premium volume will require additional capitalization from our parent company. In most states, we are required to seek prior approval by these state regulatory authorities before we transfer money or pay dividends from these subsidiaries that exceed specified amounts, or, in some states, any amount. In addition, we normally notify the state Departments of Insurance prior to making payments that do not require approval. In the event that we are unable to provide sufficient capital to fund the obligations of Humana Inc., our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
Downgrades in our debt ratings, should they occur, may adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Claims paying ability, financial strength, and debt ratings by recognized rating organizations are an increasingly important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. Ratings information is broadly disseminated and generally used throughout the industry. We believe our claims paying ability and financial strength ratings are an important factor in marketing our products to certain of our customers. Our 7.20% and 8.15% senior notes are subject to an interest rate adjustment if the debt ratings assigned to the notes are downgraded (or subsequently upgraded) and contain a change of control provision that may require us to purchase the notes under certain circumstances. In addition, our debt ratings impact both the
31
cost and availability of future borrowings. Each of the rating agencies reviews its ratings periodically and there can be no assurance that current ratings will be maintained in the future. Our ratings reflect each rating agencys opinion of our financial strength, operating performance, and ability to meet our debt obligations or obligations to policyholders, but are not evaluations directed toward the protection of investors in our common stock and should not be relied upon as such.
Historically, rating agencies take action to lower ratings due to, among other things, perceived concerns about liquidity or solvency, the competitive environment in the insurance industry, the inherent uncertainty in determining reserves for future claims, the outcome of pending litigation and regulatory investigations, and possible changes in the methodology or criteria applied by the rating agencies. In addition, rating agencies have come under recent regulatory and public scrutiny over the ratings assigned to various fixed-income products. As a result, rating agencies may (i) become more conservative in their methodology and criteria, (ii) increase the frequency or scope of their credit reviews, (iii) request additional information from the companies that they rate, or (iv) adjust upward the capital and other requirements employed in the rating agency models for maintenance of certain ratings levels.
We believe that some of our customers place importance on our credit ratings, and we may lose customers and compete less successfully if our ratings were to be downgraded. In addition, our credit ratings affect our ability to obtain investment capital on favorable terms. If our credit ratings were to be lowered, our cost of borrowing likely would increase, our sales and earnings could decrease, and our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
Changes in economic conditions may adversely affect our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
The U.S. economy continues to experience a period of slow economic growth and increased unemployment. We have closely monitored the impact that this volatile economy is having on our Commercial segment operations. Workforce reductions have caused corresponding membership losses in our fully-insured group business. Continued weakness in the U.S. economy, and any resulting increases in unemployment, may materially adversely affect our Commercial medical membership, results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Additionally, the continued weakness of the U.S. economy has adversely affected the budget of individual states and of the federal government. This could result in attempts to reduce payments in our federal and state government health care coverage programs, including the Medicare, military services, and Medicaid programs, and could result in an increase in taxes and assessments on our activities. Although we could attempt to mitigate or cover our exposure from such increased costs through, among other things, increases in premiums, there can be no assurance that we will be able to mitigate or cover all of such costs which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
In addition, general inflationary pressures may affect the costs of medical and other care, increasing the costs of claims expenses submitted to us.
The securities and credit markets may experience volatility and disruption, which may adversely affect our business.
Volatility or disruption in the securities and credit markets could impact our investment portfolio. We evaluate our investment securities for impairment on a quarterly basis. This review is subjective and requires a high degree of judgment. For the purpose of determining gross realized gains and losses, the cost of investment securities sold is based upon specific identification. For debt securities held, we recognize an impairment loss in income when the fair value of the debt security is less than the carrying value and we have the intent to sell the debt security or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the debt security before recovery of our amortized cost basis, or if a credit loss has occurred. When we do not intend to sell a security in an unrealized
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loss position, potential other-than-temporary impairments are considered using variety of factors, including the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than cost; adverse conditions specifically related to the industry, geographic area or financial condition of the issuer or underlying collateral of a security; payment structure of the security; changes in credit rating of the security by the rating agencies; the volatility of the fair value changes; and changes in fair value of the security after the balance sheet date. For debt securities, we take into account expectations of relevant market and economic data. We continuously review our investment portfolios and there is a continuing risk that further declines in fair value may occur and additional material realized losses from sales or other-than- temporary impairments may be recorded in future periods.
We believe our cash balances, investment securities, operating cash flows, and funds available under our credit agreement or from other public or private financing sources, taken together, provide adequate resources to fund ongoing operating and regulatory requirements, future expansion opportunities, and capital expenditures in the foreseeable future, and to refinance or repay debt. However, continuing adverse securities and credit market conditions may significantly affect the availability of credit. While there is no assurance in the current economic environment, we have no reason to believe the lenders participating in our credit agreement will not be willing and able to provide financing in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
Our access to additional credit will depend on a variety of factors such as market conditions, the general availability of credit, both to the overall market and our industry, our credit ratings and debt capacity, as well as the possibility that customers or lenders could develop a negative perception of our long or short-term financial prospects. Similarly, our access to funds could be limited if regulatory authorities or rating agencies were to take negative actions against us. If a combination of these factors were to occur, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms or at all.
Given the current economic climate, our stock and the stocks of other companies in the insurance industry may be increasingly subject to stock price and trading volume volatility.
Over the past three years, the stock markets have experienced significant price and trading volume volatility. Company-specific issues and market developments generally in the insurance industry and in the regulatory environment may have contributed to this volatility. Our stock price has fluctuated and may continue to materially fluctuate in response to a number of events and factors, including:
| the enactment of, and the potential for additional, health insurance reform; |
| general economic conditions; |
| quarterly variations in operating results; |
| natural disasters, terrorist attacks and epidemics; |
| changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts; |
| operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors may deem comparable; |
| press releases or negative publicity relating to our competitors or us or relating to trends in our markets; |
| regulatory changes and adverse outcomes from litigation and government or regulatory investigations; |
| sales of stock by insiders; |
| changes in our credit ratings; |
| limitations on premium levels or the ability to raise premiums on existing policies; |
| increases in minimum capital, reserves, and other financial strength requirements; and |
| limitations on our ability to repurchase our common stock. |
These factors could materially reduce our stock price. In addition, broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
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ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
None.
ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES |
Our principal executive office is located in the Humana Building, 500 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. In addition to this property, our other principal operating facilities are located in Louisville, Kentucky; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Tampa Bay, Florida; Cincinnati, Ohio; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, all of which are used for customer service, enrollment, and claims processing. Our Louisville and Green Bay facilities also house other corporate functions.
We own or lease these principal operating facilities in addition to other administrative market offices and medical centers. The following table lists the location of properties we owned or leased, including our principal operating facilities, at December 31, 2010:
Medical Centers |
Administrative Offices |
|||||||||||||||||||
Owned | Leased | Owned | Leased | Total | ||||||||||||||||
Florida |
11 | 73 | | 59 | 143 | |||||||||||||||
Texas |
6 | 34 | 2 | 34 | 76 | |||||||||||||||
Georgia |
1 | 14 | | 17 | 32 | |||||||||||||||
California |
| 19 | | 11 | 30 | |||||||||||||||
Michigan |
| 22 | | 3 | 25 | |||||||||||||||
Ohio |
| 8 | | 17 | 25 | |||||||||||||||
Illinois |
1 | 15 | | 8 | 24 | |||||||||||||||
Colorado |
| 15 | | 8 | 23 | |||||||||||||||
Tennessee |
| 8 | | 15 | 23 | |||||||||||||||
Arizona |
1 | 12 | | 8 | 21 | |||||||||||||||
Kentucky |
| 2 | 9 | 8 | 19 | |||||||||||||||
Pennsylvania |
| 13 | | 6 | 19 | |||||||||||||||
Louisiana |
| 4 | | 13 | 17 | |||||||||||||||
South Carolina |
| 2 | 8 | 7 | 17 | |||||||||||||||
Missouri |
| 12 | | 4 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
New Jersey |
| 13 | | 3 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
Wisconsin |
| 8 | 1 | 7 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
Nevada |
| 10 | | 5 | 15 | |||||||||||||||
Maryland |
| 11 | | 3 | 14 | |||||||||||||||
North Carolina |
| 7 | | 6 | 13 | |||||||||||||||
Puerto Rico |
| | | 13 | 13 | |||||||||||||||
Oklahoma |
| 7 | | 5 | 12 | |||||||||||||||
Connecticut |
| 10 | | 1 | 11 | |||||||||||||||
Alabama |
| 1 | | 9 | 10 | |||||||||||||||
Indiana |
| 3 | | 7 | 10 | |||||||||||||||
Virginia |
| 4 | | 6 | 10 | |||||||||||||||
Others |
| 42 | | 43 | 85 | |||||||||||||||
Total |
20 | 369 | 20 | 326 | 735 | |||||||||||||||
Of the medical centers included in the table above, we no longer operate approximately 60 of these facilities but rather lease or sublease them to their provider operators. The acquisition of Concentra Inc. on December 21, 2010 added over 300 medical centers which we operate and are included in the table above as discussed more fully in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
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ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
We are party to a variety of legal actions in the ordinary course of business, including employment litigation, claims of medical malpractice, bad faith, nonacceptance or termination of providers, anticompetitive practices, improper rate setting, failure to disclose network discounts and various other provider arrangements, general contractual matters, intellectual property matters, and challenges to subrogation practices. See Legal Proceedings and Certain Regulatory Matters in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. We cannot predict the outcome of these suits with certainty.
ITEM 4. | REMOVED AND RESERVED |
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PART II
ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
a) | Market Information |
Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HUM. The following table shows the range of high and low closing sales prices as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Price for each quarter in the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009:
High | Low | |||||||
Year Ended December 31, 2010 |
||||||||
First quarter |
$ | 51.94 | $ | 45.35 | ||||
Second quarter |
$ | 49.49 | $ | 43.56 | ||||
Third quarter |
$ | 52.78 | $ | 44.34 | ||||
Fourth quarter |
$ | 60.64 | $ | 49.29 | ||||
Year Ended December 31, 2009 |
||||||||
First quarter |
$ | 45.80 | $ | 18.77 | ||||
Second quarter |
$ | 32.62 | $ | 25.46 | ||||
Third quarter |
$ | 40.67 | $ | 28.28 | ||||
Fourth quarter |
$ | 45.75 | $ | 35.91 |
b) | Holders of our Capital Stock |
As of January 31, 2011, there were approximately 4,200 holders of record of our common stock and approximately 80,400 beneficial holders of our common stock.
c) | Dividends |
Since February 1993, we have not declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We do not presently intend to pay dividends, and we currently plan to retain our earnings for future operations and growth of our businesses.
d) | Equity Compensation Plan |
The information required by this part of Item 5 is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on April 21, 2011 appearing under the caption Equity Compensation Plan Information of such Proxy Statement.
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e) | Stock Performance |
The following graph compares the performance of our common stock to the Standard & Poors Composite 500 Index (S&P 500) and the Morgan Stanley Health Care Payer Index (Peer Group) for the five years ended December 31, 2010. The graph assumes an investment of $100 in each of our common stock, the S&P 500, and the Peer Group on December 31, 2005.
12/31/05 | 12/31/06 | 12/31/07 | 12/31/08 | 12/31/09 | 12/31/10 | |||||||||||||||||||
HUM |
$ | 100 | $ | 102 | $ | 139 | $ | 69 | $ | 81 | $ | 101 | ||||||||||||
S&P 500 |
$ | 100 | $ | 114 | $ | 118 | $ | 72 | $ | 89 | $ | 101 | ||||||||||||
Peer Group |
$ | 100 | $ | 107 | $ | 124 | $ | 56 | $ | 86 | $ | 99 |
f) | Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities |
In December 2009, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $250 million of our common shares exclusive of shares repurchased in connection with employee stock plans. Under this share repurchase authorization, shares may be purchased from time to time at prevailing prices in the open market, by block purchases, or in privately-negotiated transactions, subject to certain regulatory restrictions on volume, pricing, and timing. During 2010, we repurchased 1.99 million common shares in open market transactions for $100.0 million at an average price of $50.17. No shares were repurchased in open market transactions during the fourth quarter of 2010. As of February 4, 2011, the remaining authorized amount totaled $150.0 million and the authorization expires on December 31, 2011.
In connection with employee stock plans, we acquired 0.2 million common shares for $8.5 million in 2010.
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ITEM 6. | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA |
2010 (a) | 2009 | 2008 (b) | 2007 (c) | 2006 (d) | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except per common share results, membership and ratios) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Summary of Operations: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Premiums |
$ | 32,712,323 | $ | 29,926,751 | $ | 28,064,844 | $ | 24,434,347 | $ | 20,729,182 | ||||||||||
Administrative services fees |
508,244 | 496,135 | 451,879 | 391,515 | 341,211 | |||||||||||||||
Investment income |
329,332 | 296,317 | 220,215 | 314,239 | 291,880 | |||||||||||||||
Other revenue |
318,309 | 241,211 | 209,434 | 149,888 | 54,264 | |||||||||||||||
Total revenues |
33,868,208 | 30,960,414 | 28,946,372 | 25,289,989 | 21,416,537 | |||||||||||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Benefits |
27,087,874 | 24,775,002 | 23,708,233 | 20,270,531 | 17,421,204 | |||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
4,662,802 | 4,227,535 | 3,944,652 | 3,476,468 | 3,021,509 | |||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
262,910 | 250,274 | 220,350 | 184,812 | 148,598 | |||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses |
32,013,586 | 29,252,811 | 27,873,235 | 23,931,811 | 20,591,311 | |||||||||||||||
Income from operations |
1,854,622 | 1,707,603 | 1,073,137 | 1,358,178 | 825,226 | |||||||||||||||
Interest expense |
105,060 | 105,843 | 80,289 | 68,878 | 63,141 | |||||||||||||||
Income before income taxes |
1,749,562 | 1,601,760 | 992,848 | 1,289,300 | 762,085 | |||||||||||||||
Provision for income taxes |
650,172 | 562,085 | 345,694 | 455,616 | 274,662 | |||||||||||||||
Net income |
$ | 1,099,390 | $ | 1,039,675 | $ | 647,154 | $ | 833,684 | $ | 487,423 | ||||||||||
Basic earnings per common share |
$ | 6.55 | $ | 6.21 | $ | 3.87 | $ | 5.00 | $ | 2.97 | ||||||||||
Diluted earnings per common share |
$ | 6.47 | $ | 6.15 | $ | 3.83 | $ | 4.91 | $ | 2.90 | ||||||||||
Financial Position: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Cash and investments |
$ | 10,045,576 | $ | 9,110,738 | $ | 7,185,865 | $ | 6,690,820 | $ | 5,347,454 | ||||||||||
Total assets |
16,103,253 | 14,153,494 | 13,041,760 | 12,879,074 | 10,098,486 | |||||||||||||||
Benefits payable |
3,469,306 | 3,222,574 | 3,205,579 | 2,696,833 | 2,410,407 | |||||||||||||||
Debt |
1,668,849 | 1,678,166 | 1,937,032 | 1,687,823 | 1,269,100 | |||||||||||||||
Stockholders equity |
6,924,056 | 5,776,003 | 4,457,190 | 4,028,937 | 3,053,886 | |||||||||||||||
Key Financial Indicators: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Benefit ratio |
82.8 | % | 82.8 | % | 84.5 | % | 83.0 | % | 84.0 | % | ||||||||||
SG&A expense ratio |
13.9 | % | 13.8 | % | 13.7 | % | 13.9 | % | 14.3 | % | ||||||||||
Medical Membership by Segment: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Government: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
1,733,800 | 1,508,500 | 1,435,900 | 1,143,000 | 1,002,600 | |||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage ASO |
28,200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Total Medicare Advantage |
1,762,000 | 1,508,500 | 1,435,900 | 1,143,000 | 1,002,600 | |||||||||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
1,758,800 | 1,927,900 | 3,066,600 | 3,442,000 | 3,536,600 | |||||||||||||||
Total Medicare |
3,520,800 | 3,436,400 | 4,502,500 | 4,585,000 | 4,539,200 | |||||||||||||||
Military services insured |
1,755,200 | 1,756,000 | 1,736,400 | 1,719,100 | 1,716,400 | |||||||||||||||
Military services ASO |
1,272,600 | 1,278,400 | 1,228,300 | 1,146,800 | 1,163,600 | |||||||||||||||
Total military services |
3,027,800 | 3,034,400 | 2,964,700 | 2,865,900 | 2,880,000 | |||||||||||||||
Medicaid insured |
572,400 | 401,700 | 385,400 | 384,400 | 390,700 | |||||||||||||||
Medicaid ASO |
0 | 0 | 85,700 | 180,600 | 178,400 | |||||||||||||||
Total Medicaid |
572,400 | 401,700 | 471,100 | 565,000 | 569,100 | |||||||||||||||
Total Government |
7,121,000 | 6,872,500 | 7,938,300 | 8,015,900 | 7,988,300 | |||||||||||||||
Commercial: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Fully-insured |
1,663,400 | 1,839,500 | 1,978,800 | 1,808,600 | 1,754,200 | |||||||||||||||
ASO |
1,453,600 | 1,571,300 | 1,642,000 | 1,643,000 | 1,529,600 | |||||||||||||||
Total Commercial |
3,117,000 | 3,410,800 | 3,620,800 | 3,451,600 | 3,283,800 | |||||||||||||||
Total medical membership |
10,238,000 | 10,283,300 | 11,559,100 | 11,467,500 | 11,272,100 | |||||||||||||||
Specialty Membership: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Dental |
3,880,700 | 3,832,900 | 3,633,400 | 3,639,800 | 1,452,000 | |||||||||||||||
Vision |
2,186,400 | 2,369,400 | 2,141,600 | 2,272,800 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Other supplemental benefits |
1,009,000 | 907,600 | 846,800 | 731,200 | 450,800 | |||||||||||||||
Total specialty membership |
7,076,100 | 7,109,900 | 6,621,800 | 6,643,800 | 1,902,800 | |||||||||||||||
(a) | Includes the acquired operations of Concentra Inc. from December 21, 2010. Also includes the benefit of $231.2 million ($146.5 million after tax, or $0.86 per diluted common share) of prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business, as well as an expense of $147.5 million ($93.4 million after tax, or $0.55 per diluted common share) for the write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical policies and an expense of $138.9 million ($88.0 million after tax, or $0.52 per diluted common share) associated with reserve strengthening for our closed block of long-term care policies acquired in connection with the 2007 acquisition of KMG America Corporation. |
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(b) | Includes the acquired operations of United Health Groups Las Vegas, Nevada individual SecureHorizons Medicare Advantage HMO business from April 30, 2008, the acquired operations of OSF Health Plans, Inc. from May 22, 2008, the acquired operations of Metcare Health Plans, Inc. from August 29, 2008, and the acquired operations of PHP Companies, Inc. (d/b/a Cariten Healthcare) from October 31, 2008. |
(c) | Includes the acquired operations of DefenseWeb Technologies, Inc. from March 1, 2007, the acquired operations of CompBenefits Corporation from October 1, 2007, and the acquired operations of KMG America Corporation from November 30, 2007. Also includes the benefit of $68.9 million ($43.0 million after tax, or $0.25 per diluted share) related to our 2006 Medicare Part D reconciliation with CMS and the settlement of some TRICARE contractual provisions related to prior years. |
(d) | Includes the acquired operations of CHA Service Company from May 1, 2006. |
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ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
Overview
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Humana is one of the nations largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, based on our 2010 revenues of approximately $33.9 billion. We provide full-service benefits and wellness solutions, offering a wide array of health, pharmacy and supplemental benefit products for employer groups, government benefit programs, and individuals, as well as primary and workplace care through our medical centers and worksite medical facilities. As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately 10.2 million members in our medical benefit plans, as well as approximately 7.1 million members in our specialty products.
We manage our business with two segments: Government and Commercial. The Government segment consists of beneficiaries of government benefit programs, and includes three lines of business: Medicare, Military, and Medicaid. The Commercial segment consists of members enrolled in our medical and specialty products marketed to employer groups and individuals. When identifying our segments, we aggregated products with similar economic characteristics. These characteristics include the nature of customer groups as well as pricing, benefits, and underwriting requirements. These segment groupings are consistent with information used by our Chief Executive Officer.
The results of each segment are measured by income before income taxes. We allocate all selling, general and administrative expenses, investment and other revenue, interest expense, and goodwill, but no other assets or liabilities, to our segments. Members served by our two segments often utilize the same provider networks, in some instances enabling us to obtain more favorable contract terms with providers. Our segments also share indirect overhead costs and assets. As a result, the profitability of each segment is interdependent.
Our results are impacted by many factors, but most notably are influenced by our ability to establish and maintain a competitive and efficient cost structure and to accurately and consistently establish competitive premium, ASO fee, and plan benefit levels that are commensurate with our benefit and administrative costs. Benefit costs are subject to a high rate of inflation due to many forces, including new higher priced technologies and medical procedures, new prescription drugs and therapies, an aging population, lifestyle challenges including diet and smoking, the tort liability system, and government regulation.
Our industry relies on two key statistics to measure performance. The benefit ratio, which is computed by taking total benefit expenses as a percentage of premium revenues, represents a statistic used to measure underwriting profitability. The selling, general, and administrative expense ratio, or SG&A expense ratio, which is computed by taking total selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of premium revenues, administrative services fees and other revenues, represents a statistic used to measure administrative spending efficiency.
Health Insurance Reform
In March 2010, the President signed into law The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (which we collectively refer to as the Health Insurance Reform Legislation) which enact significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. While regulations and interpretive guidance on some provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation have been issued to date by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor, the Treasury Department, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, there are many significant provisions of the legislation that will require additional guidance and clarification in the form of regulations and interpretations in order to fully understand the impacts of the legislation on our overall business, which we expect to occur over the next several years.
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Implementation dates of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation vary from as early as six months from the date of enactment, or September 23, 2010, to as late as 2018. The following outlines certain provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation:
| Changes effective for plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010 included: elimination of pre-existing condition limits for enrollees under age 19, elimination of certain annual and lifetime caps on the dollar value of benefits, expansion of dependent coverage to include adult children until age 26, a requirement to provide coverage for preventive services without cost to members, new claim appeal requirements, and the establishment of an interim high risk program for those unable to obtain coverage due to a pre-existing condition or health status. |
| Effective January 1, 2011, minimum benefit ratios were mandated for all commercial fully-insured health plans in the large group (85%), small group (80%), and individual (80%) markets, with rebates to policyholders if the actual benefit ratios do not meet these minimums. |
| Medicare Advantage payment benchmarks for 2011 were frozen at 2010 levels and beginning in 2012, additional cuts to Medicare Advantage plan payments will take effect (plans will receive a range of 95% in high-cost areas to 115% in low-cost areas of Medicare fee-for-service rates), with changes being phased-in over two to six years, depending on the level of payment reduction in a county. In addition, beginning in 2011, the gap in coverage for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage will incrementally close. |
| Beginning in 2014, the Health Insurance Reform Legislation requires: all individual and group health plans to guarantee issuance and renew coverage without pre-existing condition exclusions or health-status rating adjustments; the elimination of annual limits on coverage on certain plans; the establishment of state-based exchanges for individuals and small employers (with up to 100 employees); the introduction of standardized plan designs based on set actuarial values; the establishment of a minimum benefit ratio of 85% for Medicare Advantage plans; and an annual insurance industry premium-based assessment ($8 billion levied on the insurance industry in 2014 with increasing annual amounts thereafter), which is not deductible for income tax purposes. |
The Health Insurance Reform Legislation also specifies required benefit designs, limits rating and pricing practices, encourages additional competition (including potential incentives for new market entrants) and expands eligibility for Medicaid programs. In addition, the law will significantly increase federal oversight of health plan premium rates and could adversely affect our ability to appropriately adjust health plan premiums on a timely basis. Financing for these reforms will come, in part, from material additional fees and taxes on us and other health insurers, health plans and individuals beginning in 2014, as well as reductions in certain levels of payments to us and other health plans under Medicare as described above.
Our results of operations have been affected by the Health Insurance Reform Legislation. During 2010, we recorded a charge of $147.5 million to write-down deferred acquisition costs associated with our guaranteed renewable individual major medical policies since these costs will not be recoverable from our estimates of future cash flows based on an analysis that considered, among others, our current understanding of the pertinent provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation, including the 80% minimum benefit ratio requirement. In addition, our effective tax rate increased due to the limitation of deductible annual compensation over $500,000 per employee.
As discussed above, implementing regulations and related interpretive guidance continue to be issued on several significant provisions of the Health Insurance Reform Legislation, and it has been challenged in the judicial system. Given the breadth of possible changes and the uncertainties of interpretation, implementation, and timing of these changes, which we expect to occur over the next several years, the Health Insurance Reform Legislation could change the way we do business, potentially impacting our pricing, benefit design, product mix, geographic mix, and distribution channels. The response of other companies to Health Insurance Reform Legislation and adjustments to their offerings, if any, could cause meaningful disruption in the local health care
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markets. Further, various health insurance reform proposals are also emerging at the state level. It is reasonably possible that the Health Insurance Reform Legislation and related regulations, as well as future legislative changes, in the aggregate may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, including restricting revenue, enrollment and premium growth in certain products and market segments, restricting our ability to expand into new markets, increasing our medical and administrative costs, lowering our Medicare payment rates and increasing our expenses associated with the non-deductible federal premium tax and other assessments; our financial position, including our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill; and our cash flows. If the new non-deductible federal premium tax is imposed as enacted, and if we are unable to adjust our business model to address this new tax, there can be no assurance that the non-deductible federal premium tax would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Government Segment
Our strategy and commitment to the Medicare programs have led to significant growth. Medicare Advantage fully-insured membership increased to 1,733,800 members at December 31, 2010, up 225,300 members, or 14.9%, from 1,508,500 members at December 31, 2009, primarily due to sales of group Medicare Advantage products and preferred provider organization, or PPO, products. Average fully-insured Medicare Advantage membership increased 15.7% for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared to the year ended December 31, 2009. Likewise, Medicare Advantage premium revenues have increased 17.5% to $19.3 billion for the year ended December 31, 2010 from $16.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2009. We expect Medicare Advantage membership to increase by 90,000 to 110,000 members, or approximately 5% to 6% in 2011.
Beginning in 2011, sponsors of Medicare Advantage Private Fee-For-Service, or PFFS, plans are required to contract with providers to establish adequate networks, except in geographic areas that CMS determines have fewer than two network-based Medicare Advantage plans. Our development of networks in multiple areas of the country over the past few years made it possible for many of our PFFS members to transition automatically to our network-based products.
On April 5, 2010, CMS announced that Medicare Advantage payment rates would remain flat in 2011. Based on the information available at the time we filed our 2011 bids in June 2010, we believe we effectively designed Medicare Advantage products that address the flat rates while continuing to remain competitive compared to both the combination of original Medicare with a supplement policy as well as other Medicare Advantage competitors within our industry. In addition, we will continue to pursue our cost-reduction and outcome-enhancing strategies, including care coordination and disease management, which we believe will mitigate the adverse effects of the negative rate changes on our Medicare Advantage members. Nonetheless, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully execute operational and strategic initiatives with respect to changes in the Medicare Advantage program. Failure to execute these strategies may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
We also offer Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans, or PDPs, under the Medicare Part D program. These plans provide varying degrees of coverage. Our Medicare stand-alone PDP membership declined to 1,758,800 members at December 31, 2010, down 169,100 members, or 8.8%, from December 31, 2009, resulting primarily from our competitive positioning as we realigned stand-alone PDP premium and benefit designs to correspond with our historical prescription drug claims experience. In October 2010, we announced the lowest premium national stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan co-branded with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan, to be offered for the 2011 plan year. We expect Medicare stand-alone PDP membership to increase between 525,000 and 575,000 members, or approximately 30% to 33% in 2011 primarily due to increased sales, particularly for the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan.
Our quarterly Government segment earnings and operating cash flows are impacted by the Medicare Part D benefit design and changes in the composition of our membership. The Medicare Part D benefit design results in
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coverage that varies as a members cumulative out-of-pocket costs pass through successive stages of a members plan period which begins annually on January 1 for renewals. These plan designs generally result in us sharing a greater portion of the responsibility for total prescription drug costs in the early stages and less in the latter stages. As a result, the Government segments benefit ratio generally decreases as the year progresses. In addition, the number of low-income senior members as well as year-over-year changes in the mix of membership in our stand-alone PDP products affect the quarterly benefit ratio pattern.
CMS is conducting certain procedural Risk-Adjustment Data Validation Audits, or RADV audits, of us and various companies selected Medicare Advantage contracts to review medical record documentation in an attempt to validate provider coding practices and the presence of risk adjustment conditions which influence the calculation of rates paid to Medicare Advantage plans. The RADV audits are more fully described under Government Contracts beginning on page 61.
Our military services business primarily consists of the TRICARE South Region contract. For the year ended December 31, 2010, premiums and ASO fees associated with the TRICARE South Region contract were $3,435.1 million, or 10.3% of our total premiums and ASO fees.
On March 3, 2010, the TMA exercised its options to extend the TRICARE South Region contract for Option Period VII and Option Period VIII. The exercise of these option periods extends the TRICARE South Region contract through March 31, 2011. On October 5, 2010, we were notified that the TMA intended to negotiate with us for an extension of our administration of the TRICARE South Region contract, and on January 6, 2011, an Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract to the TRICARE South Region contract, in the form of an undefinitized contract action, became effective. The Amendment adds one additional one-year option period, Option Period IX (which runs from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012). On January 21, 2011, the TMA notified us of their intent to exercise Option Period IX.
In July 2009, we were notified by the DoD that we were not awarded the third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region which had been subject to competing bids. We filed a protest with the GAO in connection with the award to another contractor citing discrepancies between the award criteria and procedures prescribed in the request for proposals issued by the DoD and those that appear to have been used by the DoD in making its contractor selection. In October 2009, we learned that the GAO had upheld our protest, determining that the TMA evaluation of our proposal had unreasonably failed to fully recognize and reasonably account for the likely cost savings associated with our record of obtaining network provider discounts from our established network in the South Region. On December 22, 2009, we were advised that TMA notified the GAO of its intent to implement corrective action consistent with the discussion contained within the GAOs decision with respect to our protest. On October 22, 2010, TMA issued its latest amendment to the request for proposal requesting from offerors final proposal revisions to address, among other things, health care cost savings resulting from provider network discounts in the South Region. We submitted our final proposal revisions on November 9, 2010. At this time, we are not able to determine whether or not the protest decision by the GAO will have any effect upon the ultimate disposition of the contract award.
We are continuing to evaluate issues associated with our military services businesses such as potential impairment of certain assets primarily consisting of goodwill, which had a carrying value of $49.8 million at December 31, 2010, potential exit costs, possible asset sales, and a strategic assessment of ancillary businesses. Military services goodwill was not impaired at December 31, 2010. If our current contract is extended through March 31, 2012 and we are not ultimately awarded the new third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region, we expect that as the March 31, 2012 contract end date nears, future cash flows will not be sufficient to warrant recoverability of all or a portion of the military services goodwill. In this event, we expect a goodwill impairment would occur during the second half of 2011.
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Commercial Segment
Commercial segment pretax earnings decreased $2.6 million, or 2.5%, for 2010 compared to 2009. Commercial segment pretax earnings for 2010 were negatively impacted by a $147.5 million write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical policies and a net charge of $138.9 million due to reserve strengthening for our closed block of long-term care policies. Excluding these items, Commercial segment pretax earnings improved year over year due to medical trend that was lower than trend assumed in pricing, continued pricing discipline, administrative cost reductions, and prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business. As a result of significant reforms to the U.S. health insurance industry discussed previously, a substantial portion of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical block of business were not recoverable from future income and we recorded a charge to selling, general, and administrative expense of $147.5 million during 2010 as discussed in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. During 2010, certain states approved premium rate increases for a large portion of our long-term care block that were significantly below our acquisition date assumptions. Based on these actions by the states, combined with the depressed interest rate environment and increased expenses, we recorded $138.9 million of additional benefit expense in the fourth quarter of 2010 as discussed in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. Commercial segment fully-insured medical membership at December 31, 2010 of 1,633,400 decreased 176,100 members, or 9.6% from December 31, 2009 primarily as a result of continued pricing discipline. The decreased utilization year-over-year coupled with the favorable reserve releases led to a lower Commercial segment benefit ratio for 2010. The write-down of deferred acquisition costs, together with administrative costs associated with increased specialty and mail-order pharmacy business, led to a higher Commercial segment SG&A expense ratio for 2010.
Other Highlights
| As more fully described on page 66, actuarial standards require the use of assumptions based on moderately adverse experience, which generally results in favorable reserve development, or reserves that are considered redundant. When we recognize a release of the redundancy, we disclose the amount that is not in the ordinary course of business. We experienced prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business in both our Government and Commercial segments of approximately $231.2 million in the aggregate, or $0.86 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2010. This favorable reserve development primarily resulted from improvements in the claims processing environment and, to a lesser extent, better than originally estimated utilization as well as a shortening of the cycle time associated with provider claim submissions. We believe we have consistently applied our methodology in determining our best estimate of benefits payable. |
| Operating cash flows increased $820.2 million to $2,241.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared to $1,421.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. The increase primarily was due to earnings improvement, enrollment activity, and changes in working capital items. |
We intend for the discussion of our financial condition and results of operations that follows to assist in the understanding of our financial statements and related changes in certain key items in those financial statements from year to year, including the primary factors that accounted for those changes.
Recent Acquisitions
On December 21, 2010, we acquired Concentra Inc., or Concentra, a health care company based in Addison, Texas, for cash consideration of $804.7 million. Through its affiliated clinicians, Concentra delivers occupational medicine, urgent care, physical therapy, and wellness services to workers and the general public through its operation of medical centers and worksite medical facilities. The Concentra acquisition provides entry into the primary care space on a national scale, offering additional means for achieving health and wellness solutions and providing an expandable platform for growth with a management team experienced in physician asset management and alternate site care.
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On October 31, 2008 we acquired PHP Companies, Inc. (d/b/a Cariten Healthcare), or Cariten, for cash consideration of approximately $291.0 million. The Cariten acquisition increased our presence in eastern Tennessee, adding approximately 49,700 commercial fully-insured members, 21,600 commercial ASO members, and 46,900 Medicare HMO members. This acquisition also added approximately 85,700 Medicaid ASO members under a contract which expired on December 31, 2008 and was not renewed.
On August 29, 2008, we acquired Metcare Health Plans, Inc., or Metcare, for cash consideration of approximately $14.9 million. The acquisition expanded our Medicare HMO membership in central Florida, adding approximately 7,300 members.
On May 22, 2008, we acquired OSF Health Plans, Inc., or OSF, a managed care company serving both Medicare and commercial members in central Illinois, for cash consideration of approximately $87.3 million. This acquisition expanded our presence in Illinois, broadening our ability to serve multi-location employers with a wider range of products, including our specialty offerings. The acquisition added approximately 33,400 commercial fully-insured members, 29,700 commercial ASO members, and 14,000 Medicare HMO and PPO members.
On April 30, 2008, we acquired UnitedHealth Groups Las Vegas, Nevada individual SecureHorizons Medicare Advantage HMO business, or SecureHorizons, for cash consideration of approximately $185.3 million, plus subsidiary capital and surplus requirements of $40 million. The acquisition expanded our presence in the Las Vegas market, adding approximately 26,700 Medicare HMO members.
Certain of these transactions are more fully described in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
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Comparison of Results of Operations for 2010 and 2009
Certain financial data for our two segments was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009:
Change | ||||||||||||||||
2010 | 2009 | Dollars | Percentage | |||||||||||||
(dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||
Premium revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
$ | 19,286,121 | $ | 16,413,301 | $ | 2,872,820 | 17.5 | % | ||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
2,320,060 | 2,327,418 | (7,358 | ) | (0.3 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Medicare |
21,606,181 | 18,740,719 | 2,865,462 | 15.3 | % | |||||||||||
Military services |
3,462,544 | 3,426,739 | 35,805 | 1.0 | % | |||||||||||
Medicaid |
723,563 | 646,195 | 77,368 | 12.0 | % | |||||||||||
Total Government |
25,792,288 | 22,813,653 | 2,978,635 | 13.1 | % | |||||||||||
Fully-insured |
5,914,042 | 6,185,158 | (271,116 | ) | (4.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Specialty |
1,005,993 | 927,940 | 78,053 | 8.4 | % | |||||||||||
Total Commercial |
6,920,035 | 7,113,098 | (193,063 | ) | (2.7 | )% | ||||||||||
Total |
$ | 32,712,323 | $ | 29,926,751 | $ | 2,785,572 | 9.3 | % | ||||||||
Administrative services fees: |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
$ | 115,192 | $ | 108,442 | $ | 6,750 | 6.2 | % | ||||||||
Commercial |
393,052 | 387,693 | 5,359 | 1.4 | % | |||||||||||
Total |
$ | 508,244 | $ | 496,135 | $ | 12,109 | 2.4 | % | ||||||||
Income before income taxes: |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
$ | 1,647,983 | $ | 1,497,606 | $ | 150,377 | 10.0 | % | ||||||||
Commercial |
101,579 | 104,154 | (2,575 | ) | (2.5 | )% | ||||||||||
Total |
$ | 1,749,562 | $ | 1,601,760 | $ | 147,802 | 9.2 | % | ||||||||
Benefit ratios (a): |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
83.9 | % | 83.5 | % | 0.4 | % | ||||||||||
Commercial |
78.6 | % | 80.6 | % | (2.0 | )% | ||||||||||
Total |
82.8 | % | 82.8 | % | 0.0 | % | ||||||||||
SG&A expense ratios (b): |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
10.0 | % | 10.3 | % | (0.3 | )% | ||||||||||
Commercial |
27.0 | % | 24.1 | % | 2.9 | % | ||||||||||
Total |
13.9 | % | 13.8 | % | 0.1 | % | ||||||||||
(a) | Represents total benefit expenses as a percentage of premium revenues. Also known as the benefit ratio. |
(b) | Represents total selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of premium revenues, administrative services fees, and other revenues. Also known as the SG&A expense ratio. |
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Ending membership was as follows at December 31, 2010 and 2009:
Change | ||||||||||||||||
2010 | 2009 | Members | Percentage | |||||||||||||
Medical Membership: |
||||||||||||||||
Government segment: |
||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
1,733,800 | 1,508,500 | 225,300 | 14.9 | % | |||||||||||
Medicare Advantage ASO |
28,200 | 0 | 28,200 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
Total Medicare Advantage |
1,762,000 | 1,508,500 | 253,500 | 16.8 | % | |||||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
1,758,800 | 1,927,900 | (169,100 | ) | (8.8 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Medicare |
3,520,800 | 3,436,400 | 84,400 | 2.5 | % | |||||||||||
Military services |
1,755,200 | 1,756,000 | (800 | ) | 0.0 | % | ||||||||||
Military services ASO |
1,272,600 | 1,278,400 | (5,800 | ) | (0.5 | )% | ||||||||||
Total military services |
3,027,800 | 3,034,400 | (6,600 | ) | (0.2 | )% | ||||||||||
Medicaid |
572,400 | 401,700 | 170,700 | 42.5 | % | |||||||||||
Total Government |
7,121,000 | 6,872,500 | 248,500 | 3.6 | % | |||||||||||
Commercial segment: |
||||||||||||||||
Fully-insured |
1,663,400 | 1,839,500 | (176,100 | ) | (9.6 | )% | ||||||||||
ASO |
1,453,600 | 1,571,300 | (117,700 | ) | (7.5 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Commercial |
3,117,000 | 3,410,800 | (293,800 | ) | (8.6 | )% | ||||||||||
Total medical membership |
10,238,000 | 10,283,300 | (45,300 | ) | (0.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Specialty Membership: |
||||||||||||||||
Commercial segment (a) |
7,076,100 | 7,109,900 | (33,800 | ) | (0.5 | )% | ||||||||||
(a) | The Commercial segment provides a full range of insured specialty products including dental, vision, and other supplemental products. Members included in these products may not be unique to each product since members have the ability to enroll in multiple products. |
These tables of financial data should be reviewed in connection with the discussion that follows.
Summary
Net income was $1,099.4 million, or $6.47 per diluted common share, in 2010 compared to $1,039.7 million, or $6.15 per diluted common share, in 2009. The increase primarily was due to improved operating performance in the Government segment as a result of an increase in average Medicare Advantage membership and prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business in 2010 in both our Government and Commercial segments. These increases were partially offset by a $147.5 million ($0.55 per diluted common share) write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical policies and a net charge of $138.9 million ($0.52 per diluted common share) for reserve strengthening associated with our closed block of long-term care policies in our Commercial Segment in 2010 as discussed in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. Excluding these items, Commercial segment pretax earnings improved year over year due to decreased utilization, our continued focus on pricing discipline and administrative cost reductions, as well as the previously mentioned prior year favorable reserve releases. The prior year favorable reserve development in both our Government and Commercial segments (approximately $0.86 per diluted common share in 2010) primarily resulted from improvements in the claims processing environment and, to a lesser extent, better than originally estimated utilization as well as a shortening of the cycle time associated with provider claim submissions. Net income for 2009 also included the favorable impact of the reduction of the liability for unrecognized tax benefits ($0.10 per diluted common share) as a result of Internal Revenue Service audit settlements.
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Premium Revenues and Medical Membership
Premium revenues increased $2.8 billion, or 9.3%, to $32.7 billion for 2010, compared to $29.9 billion for 2009. The increase primarily was due to higher premium revenues in the Government segment. Premium revenues reflect changes in membership and increases in average per member premiums. Items impacting average per member premiums include changes in premium rates as well as changes in the geographic mix of membership, the mix of product offerings, and the mix of benefit plans selected by our membership.
Government segment premium revenues increased $3.0 billion, or 13.1%, to $25.8 billion for 2010 compared to $22.8 billion for 2009. The increase primarily was attributable to higher average Medicare Advantage membership and an increase in per member premiums. Average membership is calculated by summing the ending membership for each month in a period and dividing the result by the number of months in a period. Average fully-insured Medicare Advantage membership increased 15.7% in 2010 compared to 2009. Of the 225,300 increase in fully-insured Medicare Advantage members since December 31, 2009, approximately 109,600 members were associated with a new group Medicare Advantage contract added during the first quarter of 2010, with sales of our PPO products driving the majority of the increase in individual Medicare Advantage membership. Total fully-insured group Medicare Advantage membership was 273,100 at December 31, 2010, an increase of 171,200 members from 101,900 at December 31, 2009. Medicare Advantage per member premiums increased approximately 1.5% during 2010 compared to 2009. Medicare stand-alone PDP premium revenues decreased $7.4 million, or 0.3%, during 2010 compared to 2009. The decrease primarily was due to declines in average PDP membership of 9.4% from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010, partially offset by increases in Medicare stand-alone PDP per member premiums of 10% during 2010 compared to 2009. The decline in stand-alone PDP membership principally resulted from our competitive positioning as we realigned stand-alone PDP premium and benefit designs to correspond with our historical prescription drug claims experience.
Commercial segment premium revenues decreased $193.1 million, or 2.7%, to $6.9 billion for 2010. The decrease primarily was due to a decline in fully-insured membership, partially offset by an increase in per member premiums. Fully-insured membership decreased 9.6%, or 176,100 members, to 1,663,400 at December 31, 2010 compared to 1,839,500 at December 31, 2009 primarily due to continued pricing discipline. Per member premiums for fully-insured group accounts increased 7.6% during 2010 compared to 2009.
Administrative Services Fees
Our administrative services fees were $508.2 million for 2010, an increase of $12.1 million, or 2.4%, from $496.1 million for 2009, primarily due to a new group Medicare ASO account in 2010 partially offset by a decline in Commercial ASO membership of 117,700 members from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2010, primarily reflecting the loss of a large group account on July 1, 2010.
Investment Income
Investment income totaled $329.3 million for 2010, an increase of $33.0 million from $296.3 million for 2009, primarily reflecting higher average invested balances as a result of the reinvestment of operating cash flows, partially offset by lower interest rates.
Other Revenue
Other revenue totaled $318.3 million for 2010, an increase of $77.1 million from $241.2 million for 2009. The increase primarily was attributable to increased revenue from growth related to RightSourceRxSM, our mail-order pharmacy.
Benefit Expenses
Consolidated benefit expense was $27.1 billion for 2010, an increase of $2.3 billion, or 9.3%, from $24.8 billion for 2009. The increase primarily was driven by an increase in the average number of Medicare Advantage members.
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The consolidated benefit ratio for 2010 was 82.8% which was equivalent to the 2009 ratio.
The Government segments benefit expenses increased $2.6 billion, or 13.7%, in 2010 compared to 2009 primarily due to an increase in the average number of Medicare Advantage members. The Government segments benefit ratio for 2010 was 83.9%, a 40 basis point increase from 83.5% for 2009, primarily driven by a 60 basis point increase in the Medicare benefit ratio. The increase in the benefit ratio resulted from growth in our Medicare Advantage group business which generally carries a higher benefit ratio than our individual Medicare Advantage business, partially offset by prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business of an estimated $182.4 million in 2010. These favorable reserve releases decreased the Government segment benefit ratio by approximately 70 basis points in 2010.
The Commercial segments benefit expenses decreased $294.5 million, or 5.1%, during 2010 compared to 2009. The decrease primarily was due to lower utilization, a decline in fully-insured membership, and prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business of an estimated $48.8 million in 2010, partially offset by a net charge of $138.9 million associated with reserve strengthening for our closed block of long-term care policies in 2010. Fully-insured membership decreased 9.6%, or 176,100 members, to 1,663,400 at December 31, 2010 compared to 1,839,500 at December 31, 2009 primarily due to continued pricing discipline. The benefit ratio for the Commercial segment of 78.6% for 2010 decreased 200 basis points from the 2009 benefit ratio of 80.6%. The decrease primarily was due to medical trend that was lower than trend assumed in pricing, continued pricing discipline, and prior year favorable reserve releases not in the ordinary course of business in 2010, partially offset by reserve strengthening for our closed block of long-term care policies in 2010. Medical trend was favorable, primarily affected by lower utilization of services as well as the use of services at lower levels of intensity than prior year. The favorable reserve releases decreased the Commercial segment benefit ratio by approximately 70 basis points in 2010 while the reserve strengthening for our closed block of long-term care policies increased the Commercial segment benefit ratio by 200 basis points in 2010.
SG&A Expense
Consolidated SG&A expenses increased $435.3 million, or 10.3%, during 2010 compared to 2009, primarily due to the $147.5 million write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical policies in 2010, increased Medicare investment spending for our 2011 offerings, and administrative costs associated with servicing higher average Medicare Advantage membership, partially offset by a decrease in the number of our employees as a result of our administrative cost reduction strategies, including planned workforce reductions in 2010. Excluding employees added with the acquisition of Concentra on December 21, 2010, the number of employees decreased by 800 to 27,300 at December 31, 2010 from 28,100 at December 31, 2009, or 2.8%, as we aligned the size of our workforce with our membership.
The consolidated SG&A expense ratio for 2010 was 13.9%, increasing 10 basis points from 13.8% for 2009. The increase primarily was due to an increase in the Commercial segment SG&A expense ratio, as described below.
Our Government and Commercial segments incur both direct and shared indirect overhead SG&A expenses. We allocate the indirect overhead expenses shared by the two segments primarily as a function of revenues. As a result, the profitability of each segment is interdependent.
SG&A expenses in the Government segment increased $242.6 million, or 10.3%, during 2010 compared to 2009. The increase primarily was due to administrative costs associated with servicing higher average Medicare Advantage membership as well as increased Medicare investment spending for our 2011 offerings. The Government segment SG&A expense ratio decreased 30 basis points from 10.3% for 2009 to 10.0% for 2010, primarily due to efficiency gains associated with servicing higher average Medicare Advantage membership as well as our continued focus on administrative cost reductions.
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The Commercial segment SG&A expenses increased $192.7 million, or 10.3%, during 2010 compared to 2009. The Commercial segment SG&A expense ratio increased 290 basis points from 24.1% for 2009 to 27.0% for 2010. The increase in SG&A expenses for 2010 primarily was due to a $147.5 million write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual major medical policies which increased the SG&A expense ratio 190 basis points in 2010. In addition, the increases in 2010 primarily reflect administrative costs associated with increased specialty and mail-order pharmacy business, partially offset by our continued focus on administrative cost reductions.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization for 2010 totaled $262.9 million compared to $250.3 million for 2009, an increase of $12.6 million, or 5.0%, primarily reflecting depreciation expense associated with capital expenditures.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $105.1 million for 2010, compared to $105.8 million for 2009, a decrease of $0.7 million, or 0.7%.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate during 2010 was 37.2% compared to the effective tax rate of 35.1% in 2009. The increase from 2009 to 2010 primarily was due to the reduction of the $16.8 million liability for unrecognized tax benefits as a result of audit settlements which reduced the effective income tax rate by 1.0% during 2009. In addition, the tax rate for 2010 reflects the estimated impact of new limitations on the deductibility of annual compensation in excess of $500,000 per employee as mandated by recent health insurance reforms. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for a complete reconciliation of the federal statutory rate to the effective tax rate. We expect the 2011 effective tax rate to be approximately 37%.
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Comparison of Results of Operations for 2009 and 2008
Certain financial data for our two segments was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008:
Change | ||||||||||||||||
2009 | 2008 | Dollars | Percentage | |||||||||||||
(dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||
Premium revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
$ | 16,413,301 | $ | 13,777,999 | $ | 2,635,302 | 19.1 | % | ||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
2,327,418 | 3,380,400 | (1,052,982 | ) | (31.1 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Medicare |
18,740,719 | 17,158,399 | 1,582,320 | 9.2 | % | |||||||||||
Military services |
3,426,739 | 3,218,270 | 208,469 | 6.5 | % | |||||||||||
Medicaid |
646,195 | 591,535 | 54,660 | 9.2 | % | |||||||||||
Total Government |
22,813,653 | 20,968,204 | 1,845,449 | 8.8 | % | |||||||||||
Fully-insured |
6,185,158 | 6,169,403 | 15,755 | 0.3 | % | |||||||||||
Specialty |
927,940 | 927,237 | 703 | 0.1 | % | |||||||||||
Total Commercial |
7,113,098 | 7,096,640 | 16,458 | 0.2 | % | |||||||||||
Total |
$ | 29,926,751 | $ | 28,064,844 | $ | 1,861,907 | 6.6 | % | ||||||||
Administrative services fees: |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
$ | 108,442 | $ | 85,868 | $ | 22,574 | 26.3 | % | ||||||||
Commercial |
387,693 | 366,011 | 21,682 | 5.9 | % | |||||||||||
Total |
$ | 496,135 | $ | 451,879 | $ | 44,256 | 9.8 | % | ||||||||
Income before income taxes: |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
$ | 1,497,606 | $ | 785,240 | $ | 712,366 | 90.7 | % | ||||||||
Commercial |
104,154 | 207,608 | (103,454 | ) | (49.8 | )% | ||||||||||
Total |
$ | 1,601,760 | $ | 992,848 | $ | 608,912 | 61.3 | % | ||||||||
Benefit ratios (a): |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
83.5 | % | 85.9 | % | (2.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Commercial |
80.6 | % | 80.3 | % | 0.3 | % | ||||||||||
Total |
82.8 | % | 84.5 | % | (1.7 | )% | ||||||||||
SG&A expense ratios (b): |
||||||||||||||||
Government |
10.3 | % | 10.6 | % | (0.3 | )% | ||||||||||
Commercial |
24.1 | % | 22.4 | % | 1.7 | % | ||||||||||
Total |
13.8 | % | 13.7 | % | 0.1 | % | ||||||||||
(a) | Represents total benefit expenses as a percentage of premium revenues. Also known as the benefit ratio. |
(b) | Represents total selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of premium revenues, administrative services fees, and other revenues. Also known as the SG&A expense ratio. |
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Ending membership was as follows at December 31, 2009 and 2008:
Change | ||||||||||||||||
2009 | 2008 | Members | Percentage | |||||||||||||
Medical Membership: |
||||||||||||||||
Government segment: |
||||||||||||||||
Medicare Advantage |
1,508,500 | 1,435,900 | 72,600 | 5.1 | % | |||||||||||
Medicare stand-alone PDP |
1,927,900 | 3,066,600 | (1,138,700 | ) | (37.1 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Medicare |
3,436,400 | 4,502,500 | (1,066,100 | ) | (23.7 | )% | ||||||||||
Military services |
1,756,000 | 1,736,400 | 19,600 | 1.1 | % | |||||||||||
Military services ASO |
1,278,400 | 1,228,300 | 50,100 | 4.1 | % | |||||||||||
Total military services |
3,034,400 | 2,964,700 | 69,700 | 2.4 | % | |||||||||||
Medicaid |
401,700 | 385,400 | 16,300 | 4.2 | % | |||||||||||
Medicaid ASO |
| 85,700 | (85,700 | ) | (100.0 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Medicaid |
401,700 | 471,100 | (69,400 | ) | (14.7 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Government |
6,872,500 | 7,938,300 | (1,065,800 | ) | (13.4 | )% | ||||||||||
Commercial segment: |
||||||||||||||||
Fully-insured |
1,839,500 | 1,978,800 | (139,300 | ) | (7.0 | )% | ||||||||||
ASO |
1,571,300 | 1,642,000 | (70,700 | ) | (4.3 | )% | ||||||||||
Total Commercial |
3,410,800 | 3,620,800 | (210,000 | ) | (5.8 | )% | ||||||||||
Total medical membership |
10,283,300 | 11,559,100 | (1,275,800 | ) | (11.0 | )% | ||||||||||
Specialty Membership: |
||||||||||||||||
Commercial segment (a) |
7,109,900 | 6,621,800 | 488,100 | 7.4 | % | |||||||||||
(a) | The Commercial segment provides a full range of insured specialty products including dental, vision, and other supplemental products. Members included in these products may not be unique to each product since members have the ability to enroll in multiple products. |
These tables of financial data should be reviewed in connection with the discussion that follows.
Summary
Net income was $1,039.7 million, or $6.15 per diluted common share, in 2009 compared to $647.2 million, or $3.83 per diluted common share, in 2008. The year-over-year increase primarily reflects higher operating earnings in our Government segment as a result of significantly lower prescription drug claims expenses associated with our Medicare stand-alone PDP products.
Premium Revenues and Medical Membership
Premium revenues increased $1.8 billion, or 6.6%, to $29.9 billion for 2009, compared to $28.1 billion for 2008 primarily due to higher premium revenues in the Government segment. Premium revenues reflected changes in membership and increases in average per member premiums. Items impacting average per member premiums included changes in premium rates as well as changes in the geographic mix of membership, the mix of product offerings, and the mix of benefit plans selected by our membership.
Government segment premium revenues increased $1.8 billion, or 8.8%, to $22.8 billion for 2009 compared to $21.0 billion for 2008 primarily attributable to higher average Medicare Advantage membership and an increase in per member premiums partially offset by a decrease in our Medicare stand-alone PDP membership.
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Average Medicare Advantage membership increased 11.5% in 2009 compared to 2008, including the impact from the 2008 acquisitions of Cariten, Metcare, OSF, and SecureHorizons, discussed previously. Sales of our PPO products drove the majority of the 72,600 increase in Medicare Advantage members since December 31, 2008. Medicare Advantage per member premiums increased 6.8% during 2009 compared to 2008 reflecting the effect of introducing member premiums for most of our Medicare Advantage products. Medicare stand-alone PDP premium revenues decreased $1.1 billion, or 31.1%, during 2009 compared to 2008 primarily due to a 1,138,700, or 37.1%, decrease in PDP membership since December 31, 2008, principally resulting from our competitive positioning as we realigned stand-alone PDP premium and benefit designs to correspond with our historical prescription drug claims experience.
Commercial segment premium revenues increased $16.5 million, or 0.2%, to $7.1 billion for 2009 primarily due to the acquisitions of OSF and Cariten in the second and fourth quarters of 2008, respectively, and an increase in per member premiums, substantially offset by a decline in fully-insured membership. Per member premiums for fully-insured group accounts increased 5.0% during 2009 compared to 2008. Fully-insured membership decreased 7.0%, or 139,300 members, to 1,839,500 at December 31, 2009 compared to 1,978,800 at December 31, 2008 primarily due to the impact of the economic recession which has led to increased in-group member attrition as employers reduce their workforce levels.
Administrative Services Fees
Our administrative services fees were $496.1 million for 2009, an increase of $44.2 million, or 9.8%, from $451.9 million for 2008, primarily due to an increase in per member fees, partially offset by a decline in Commercial ASO membership, primarily isolated to the loss of two larger ASO accounts.
Investment Income
Investment income totaled $296.3 million for 2009, an increase of $76.1 million from $220.2 million for 2008 primarily reflecting net realized losses in 2008 of $79.4 million compared to net realized gains of $19.5 million in 2009. Net realized losses in 2008 primarily resulted from other-than-temporary impairments in our investment and securities lending portfolios of $103.1 million. Excluding the change associated with net realized gains/losses, investment income decreased primarily due to lower interest rates, partially offset by higher average invested balances as a result of the reinvestment of operating cash flow.
Other Revenue
Other revenue totaled $241.2 million for 2009, an increase of $31.8 million from $209.4 million for 2008. The increase primarily was attributable to increased revenue from growth related to RightSourceRxSM, our mail-order pharmacy.
Benefit Expenses
Consolidated benefit expense was $24.8 billion for 2009, an increase of $1.1 billion, or 4.5%, from $23.7 billion for 2008. The increase primarily was driven by an increase in Government segment benefit expense, as described below.
The consolidated benefit ratio for 2009 was 82.8%, a 170 basis point decrease from 84.5% for 2008. The decrease primarily was attributable to a decrease in the Government segment benefit ratio as described below.
The Government segments benefit expenses increased $1.0 billion, or 5.7%, during 2009 compared to 2008 primarily due to an increase in the average number of Medicare Advantage members and the impact from the acquisitions of Cariten, Metcare, OSF, and SecureHorizons. The Government segments benefit ratio for 2009 was 83.5%, a 240 basis point decrease from 2008 of 85.9%, primarily driven by a 320 basis point decline in the
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Medicare benefit ratio. The decline in the Medicare benefit ratio primarily resulted from a substantial decline in Medicare stand-alone PDP benefit expenses as a result of our competitive positioning as we realigned stand-alone PDP premium and benefit designs to correspond with our historical prescription drug claims experience.
The Commercial segments benefit expenses increased $36.3 million, or 0.6%, during 2009 compared to 2008 primarily due to the OSF and Cariten acquisitions in the second and fourth quarters of 2008, respectively. The benefit ratio for the Commercial segment of 80.6% for 2009 increased 30 basis points from the 2008 benefit ratio of 80.3%, primarily reflecting higher utilization associated with the general economy and the highly competitive environment, as well as the impact of the H1N1 virus, partially offset by an increase in per member premiums. We experienced higher utilization of benefits in our fully-insured group accounts as in-group attrition, primarily as a result of reductions of less experienced workers, has led to a shift in the mix of members to an older workforce having more health care needs, as well as members utilizing more benefits ahead of actual or perceived layoffs, members seeking to maximize their benefits once their deductibles are met, and increased COBRA participation.
SG&A Expense
Consolidated SG&A expenses increased $282.9 million, or 7.2%, during 2009 compared to 2008. The increase primarily resulted from an increase in the average number of our employees due to the Medicare growth and higher average individual product membership. The average number of our employees increased 1,600 to 28,500 for 2009 from 26,900 for 2008, or 5.9%.
The consolidated SG&A expense ratio for 2009 was 13.8%, increasing 10 basis points from 13.7% for 2008 primarily due to an increase in the Commercial segment SG&A expense ratio as discussed below.
SG&A expenses in the Government segment increased $137.0 million, or 6.2%, during 2009 compared to 2008. The Government segment SG&A expense ratio decreased 30 basis points from 10.6% for 2008 to 10.3% for 2009. The decrease primarily resulted from efficiency gains associated with servicing higher average Medicare Advantage membership. For example, during 2009 we transitioned the recently acquired OSF and Metcare members into our primary Medicare service platform and eliminated the cost of having duplicate platforms.
Commercial segment SG&A expenses increased $145.9 million, or 8.5%, during 2009 compared to 2008. The Commercial segment SG&A expense ratio increased 170 basis points from 22.4% for 2008 to 24.1% for 2009. The increase primarily was due to administrative costs associated with increased business for our mail-order pharmacy and higher average individual product membership. Average individual product membership increased 17.6% during 2009 compared to 2008. Individual accounts bear a higher SG&A expense ratio due to higher distribution costs as compared to larger accounts.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization for 2009 totaled $250.3 million compared to $220.4 million for 2008, an increase of $29.9 million, or 13.6%, primarily reflecting depreciation expense associated with capital expenditures since December 31, 2008.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $105.8 million for 2009, compared to $80.3 million for 2008, an increase of $25.5 million, primarily due to higher interest rates and higher average outstanding debt. In the second quarter of 2008, we issued $500 million of 7.20% senior notes due June 15, 2018 and $250 million of 8.15% senior notes due June 15, 2038, the proceeds of which were used for the repayment of the outstanding balance under our credit agreement. The weighted average effective interest rate for all of our long-term debt was 5.97% for 2009 and 4.73% for 2008.
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Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate for 2009 of 35.1% compared to the effective tax rate of 34.8% for 2008. The increase was due to a lower proportion of tax exempt investment income to pretax income substantially offset by the reduction of the $16.8 million liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the first quarter of 2009 as a result of audit settlements. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for a complete reconciliation of the federal statutory rate to the effective tax rate.
Liquidity
Our primary sources of cash include receipts of premiums, ASO fees, and investment and other income, as well as proceeds from the sale or maturity of our investment securities and borrowings. Our primary uses of cash include disbursements for claims payments, SG&A expenses, interest on borrowings, taxes, purchases of investment securities, acquisitions, capital expenditures, repayments on borrowings, and share repurchases. Because premiums generally are collected in advance of claim payments by a period of up to several months, our business normally should produce positive cash flows during periods of increasing premiums and enrollment. Conversely, cash flows would be negatively impacted during periods of decreasing premiums and enrollment. The use of operating cash flows may be limited by regulatory requirements which require, among other items, that our regulated subsidiaries maintain minimum levels of capital.
Cash and cash equivalents increased to $1,673.1 million at December 31, 2010 from $1,613.6 million at December 31, 2009. The change in cash and cash equivalents for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 is summarized as follows:
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 2,241,794 | $ | 1,421,582 | $ | 982,310 | ||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(1,810,989 | ) | (1,859,261 | ) | (498,324 | ) | ||||||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities |
(371,256 | ) | 80,844 | (554,016 | ) | |||||||
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 59,549 | $ | (356,835 | ) | $ | (70,030 | ) | ||||
Cash Flow from Operating Activities
The increase in operating cash flows over the three year period primarily results from the corresponding change in earnings, enrollment activity, and changes in working capital items. Cash flows were positively impacted by Medicare enrollment gains in 2010 because premiums generally are collected in advance of claim payments by a period of up to several months. Conversely, during 2009, cash flows were negatively impacted by the payment of run-off claims associated with enrollment losses in our stand-alone PDP business. Our 2008 operating cash flows and earnings were impacted by significantly higher prescription drug claim payments for our Medicare stand-alone PDPs.
Comparisons of our operating cash flows also are impacted by other changes in our working capital. The most significant drivers of changes in our working capital are typically the timing of payments of benefit expenses and receipts for premiums. We illustrate these changes with the following summaries of benefits payable and receivables.
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The detail of benefits payable was as follows at December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008:
Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2010 | 2009 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
IBNR (1) |
$ | 2,051,227 | $ | 1,902,700 | $ | 1,851,047 | $ | 148,527 | $ | 51,653 | ||||||||||
Military services benefits payable (2) |
255,180 | 279,195 | 306,797 | (24,015 | ) | (27,602 | ) | |||||||||||||
Reported claims in process (3) |
136,803 | 357,718 | 486,514 | (220,915 | ) | (128,796 | ) | |||||||||||||
Other benefits payable (4) |
1,026,096 | 682,961 | 561,221 | 343,135 | 121,740 | |||||||||||||||
Total benefits payable |
$ | 3,469,306 | $ | 3,222,574 | $ | 3,205,579 | $ | 246,732 | $ | 16,995 | ||||||||||
(1) | IBNR represents an estimate of benefits payable for claims incurred but not reported (IBNR) at the balance sheet date. The level of IBNR is primarily impacted by membership levels, medical claim trends and the receipt cycle time, which represents the length of time between when a claim is initially incurred and when the claim form is received (i.e. a shorter time span results in a lower IBNR). |
(2) | Military services benefits payable primarily results from the timing of the cost of providing health care services to beneficiaries and the payment to the provider. A corresponding receivable for reimbursement by the federal government is included in the base receivable in the receivables table that follows. |
(3) | Reported claims in process represents the estimated valuation of processed claims that are in the post claim adjudication process, which consists of administrative functions such as audit and check batching and handling, as well as amounts owed to our pharmacy benefit administrator which fluctuate due to bi-weekly payments and the month-end cutoff. |
(4) | Other benefits payable include amounts owed to providers under capitated and risk sharing arrangements. |
The increase in benefits payable in 2010 and 2009 primarily was due to an increase in amounts owed to providers under capitated and risk sharing arrangements as well as an increase in IBNR, both primarily as a result of Medicare Advantage membership growth, partially offset by a decrease in the amount of processed but unpaid claims, including pharmacy claims, which fluctuate due to the month-end cutoff. The increase in benefits payable in 2008 primarily was due to the increase in IBNR from growth in Medicare Advantage members and, to a lesser extent, benefit claims inflation, an increase in the amount of processed but unpaid claims, including pharmacy claims, which fluctuate due to month-end cutoff, and an increase in amounts owed to providers under capitated and risk sharing arrangements from Medicare Advantage membership growth.
The detail of total net receivables was as follows at December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008:
Change | ||||||||||||||||||||
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2010 | 2009 | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Military services: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Base receivable |
$ | 424,786 | $ | 451,248 | $ | 436,009 | $ | (26,462 | ) | $ | 15,239 | |||||||||
Change orders |
2,052 | 2,024 | 6,190 | 28 | (4,166 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Military services subtotal |
426,838 | 453,272 | 442,199 | (26,434 | ) | 11,073 | ||||||||||||||
Medicare |
216,080 | 238,056 | 232,608 | (21,976 | ) | 5,448 | ||||||||||||||
Commercial and other |
367,570 | 183,124 | 164,035 | 184,446 | 19,089 | |||||||||||||||
Allowance for doubtful accounts |
(51,470 | ) | (50,832 | ) | (49,160 | ) | (638 | ) | (1,672 | ) | ||||||||||
Total net receivables |
$ | 959,018 | $ | 823,620 | $ | 789,682 | 135,398 | 33,938 | ||||||||||||
Reconciliation to cash flow statement: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Provision for doubtful accounts |
18,708 | 19,054 | ||||||||||||||||||
Receivables from acquisition |
(108,571 | ) | 6,974 | |||||||||||||||||
Change in receivables per cash flow statement resulting in cash from operations |
$ | 45,535 | $ | 59,966 | ||||||||||||||||
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Military services base receivables consist of estimated claims owed from the federal government for health care services provided to beneficiaries and underwriting fees. The claim reimbursement component of military services base receivables is generally collected over a three to four month period. The timing of claim reimbursements resulted in the $26.5 million decrease in base receivables for 2010 as compared to 2009 and the $15.2 million and $31.4 million increase in base receivables for 2009 as compared to 2008 and 2008 as compared to 2007, respectively.
Medicare receivables are impacted by the timing of accruals and related collections associated with the CMS risk-adjustment model.
Commercial and other receivables for 2010 include $108.6 million of patient services receivables acquired with the acquisition of Concentra in December 2010. Excluding the receivables acquired with Concentra, the timing of reimbursements from the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration for our Medicaid business resulted in the increase in commercial and other receivables for 2010 as compared to 2009.
In addition to the timing of receipts for premiums and payments of benefit expenses, other working capital items impacting operating cash flows over the past three years primarily resulted from the timing of payments for the Medicare Part D risk corridor provisions of our contracts with CMS as well as changes in the timing of collections of pharmacy rebates.
Cash Flow from Investing Activities
We reinvested a portion of our operating cash flows in investment securities, primarily fixed income securities, totaling $827.0 million in 2010, $1,975.2 million in 2009, and $685.5 million in 2008. Our ongoing capital expenditures primarily relate to our information technology initiatives and administrative facilities necessary for activities such as claims processing, billing and collections, wellness solutions, care coordination, regulatory compliance and customer service. Total capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, were $222.3 million in 2010, $185.5 million in 2009, and $261.6 million in 2008. Increased capital spending in 2008 included expenditures associated with constructing a new data center building and mail-order pharmacy warehouse. We expect total capital expenditures in 2011 of approximately $280 million reflecting increased spending due to the Concentra acquisition. Cash consideration paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, of $832.5 million in 2010, $12.4 million in 2009, and $422.9 million in 2008 primarily related to the Concentra acquisition in 2010 and the SecureHorizons, OSF, and Cariten acquisitions in 2008.
Cash Flow from Financing Activities
Receipts from CMS associated with Medicare Part D claim subsidies for which we do not assume risk were $237.2 million less than claims payments during 2010, $493.5 million higher than claim payments during 2009, and $188.7 million higher than claims payments during 2008. See Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8.-Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for further description.
During 2010, we repurchased 1.99 million shares for $100.0 million under the stock repurchase plan authorized by the Board of Directors in December 2009. During 2009, there were no repurchases of common shares under stock repurchase plans authorized by the Board of Directors. During 2008, we repurchased 2.10 million common shares for $92.8 million under a stock repurchase plan previously authorized by the Board of Directors. We also acquired common shares in connection with employee stock plans for an aggregate cost of $8.5 million in 2010, $22.8 million in 2009, and $13.3 million in 2008.
In 2009, net borrowings under our then existing credit agreement decreased $250.0 million primarily from the repayment of amounts borrowed to fund the acquisition of Cariten. During 2008, the net repayment of $550 million under our credit agreement primarily related to amounts repaid from the issuance of $750 million in senior notes offset by the $250 million financing of the Cariten acquisition.
57
In June 2008, we issued $500 million of 7.20% senior notes due June 15, 2018 and $250 million of 8.15% senior notes due June 15, 2038. Our net proceeds, reduced for the original issue discount and cost of the offering, were $742.6 million. We used the net proceeds from the offering for the repayment of the outstanding balance under our then existing credit agreement.
In exchange for terminating interest-rate swap agreements in 2008, we received cash of $93.0 million.
The remainder of the cash used in or provided by financing activities in 2010, 2009, and 2008 primarily resulted from the change in the securities lending payable. The decrease in securities lending since 2008 resulted from lower margins earned under the program.
Future Sources and Uses of Liquidity
Stock Repurchase Authorization
In December 2009, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $250 million of our common shares exclusive of shares repurchased in connection with employee stock plans. Under this share repurchase authorization, shares may be purchased from time to time at prevailing prices in the open market, by block purchases, or in privately-negotiated transactions, subject to certain regulatory restrictions on volume, pricing, and timing. During 2010, we repurchased 1.99 million shares in open market transactions for $100.0 million at an average price of $50.17. As of February 4, 2011, the remaining authorized amount totaled $150.0 million and the authorization expires on December 31, 2011.
Senior Notes
During 2008, we issued $500 million of 7.20% senior notes due June 15, 2018 and $250 million of 8.15% senior notes due June 15, 2038. The 7.20% and 8.15% senior notes are subject to an interest rate adjustment if the debt ratings assigned to the notes are downgraded (or subsequently upgraded) and contain a change of control provision that may require us to purchase the notes under certain circumstances. We also previously issued $300 million of 6.30% senior notes due August 1, 2018 and $500 million of 6.45% senior notes due June 1, 2016. All four series of our senior notes, which are unsecured, may be redeemed at our option at any time at 100% of the principal amount plus accrued interest and a specified make-whole amount. Concurrent with the senior notes issuances, we entered into interest-rate swap agreements to exchange the fixed interest rate under these senior notes for a variable interest rate based on LIBOR. During 2008, we terminated all of our swap agreements. We may re-enter into interest-rate swap agreements in the future depending on market conditions and other factors. Our senior notes and related swap agreements are more fully discussed in Notes 11 and 12 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Credit Agreement
In December 2010, we replaced our 5-year $1.0 billion unsecured revolving credit agreement which was set to expire in July 2011 with a 3-year $1.0 billion unsecured revolving agreement expiring December 2013. Under the new credit agreement, at our option, we can borrow on either a competitive advance basis or a revolving credit basis. The revolving credit portion bears interest at either LIBOR or the base rate plus a spread. The spread, currently 200 basis points, varies depending on our credit ratings ranging from 150 to 262.5 basis points. We also pay an annual facility fee regardless of utilization. This facility fee, currently 37.5 basis points, may fluctuate between 25 and 62.5 basis points, depending upon our credit ratings. The competitive advance portion of any borrowings will bear interest at market rates prevailing at the time of borrowing on either a fixed rate or a floating rate based on LIBOR, at our option.
The terms of the new credit agreement include standard provisions related to conditions of borrowing, including a customary material adverse event clause which could limit our ability to borrow additional funds. In
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addition, the credit agreement contains customary restrictive and financial covenants as well as customary events of default, including financial covenants regarding the maintenance of a minimum level of net worth of $5,257.9 million at December 31, 2010 and a maximum leverage ratio of 3.0:1. We are in compliance with the financial covenants, with actual net worth of $6,924.1 million and a leverage ratio of 0.8:1, as measured in accordance with the credit agreement as of December 31, 2010. In addition, the new credit agreement includes an uncommitted $250 million incremental loan facility.
At December 31, 2010, we had no borrowings outstanding under the credit agreement. We have outstanding letters of credit of $10.4 million secured under the credit agreement. No amounts have ever been drawn on these letters of credit. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2010, we had $989.6 million of remaining borrowing capacity under the credit agreement, none of which would be restricted by our financial covenant compliance requirement. We have other customary, arms-length relationships, including financial advisory and banking, with some parties to the credit agreement.
Other Long-Term Borrowings
Other long-term borrowings of $37.0 million at December 31, 2010 represent junior subordinated debt of $36.1 million and financing for the renovation of a building of $0.9 million. The junior subordinated debt, which is due in 2037, may be called by us without penalty in 2012 and bears a fixed annual interest rate of 8.02% payable quarterly until 2012, and then payable at a floating rate based on LIBOR plus 310 basis points. The debt associated with the building renovation bears interest at 2.00%, is collateralized by the building, and is payable in various installments through 2014.
Liquidity Requirements
We believe our cash balances, investment securities, operating cash flows, and funds available under our credit agreement or from other public or private financing sources, taken together, provide adequate resources to fund ongoing operating and regulatory requirements, future expansion opportunities, and capital expenditures for at least the next twelve months, as well as to refinance or repay debt and repurchase shares.
Adverse changes in our credit rating may increase the rate of interest we pay and may impact the amount of credit available to us in the future. Our investment-grade credit rating at December 31, 2010 was BBB- according to Standard & Poors Rating Services, or S&P, and Baa3 according to Moodys Investors Services, Inc., or Moodys. A downgrade by S&P to BB+ or by Moodys to Ba1 triggers an interest rate increase of 25 basis points with respect to $750 million of our senior notes. Successive one notch downgrades increase the interest rate an additional 25 basis points, or annual interest expense by $1.9 million, up to a maximum 100 basis points, or annual interest expense by $7.5 million.
In addition, we operate as a holding company in a highly regulated industry. The parent company is dependent upon dividends and administrative expense reimbursements from our subsidiaries, most of which are subject to regulatory restrictions. Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at the parent company decreased $112.0 million to $553.6 million at December 31, 2010 compared to $665.6 million at December 31, 2009, primarily due to cash paid for the Concentra acquisition partially offset by dividends from our subsidiaries. We continue to maintain significant levels of aggregate excess statutory capital and surplus in our state-regulated operating subsidiaries. During 2010, our subsidiaries paid dividends of $746.6 million to the parent compared to $774.1 million in 2009 and $296.0 million in 2008. In addition, the parent made capital contributions to our subsidiaries of $230.0 million in 2010 compared to $132.3 million in 2009 and $242.8 million in 2008. The parent paid cash to fund acquisitions of $839.6 million in 2010, $5.9 million in 2009, and $566.3 million in 2008 primarily related to the Concentra acquisition in 2010 and the SecureHorizons, OSF, and Cariten acquisitions in 2008.
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Regulatory Requirements
Certain of our subsidiaries operate in states that regulate the payment of dividends, loans, or other cash transfers to Humana Inc., our parent company, and require minimum levels of equity as well as limit investments to approved securities. The amount of dividends that may be paid to Humana Inc. by these subsidiaries, without prior approval by state regulatory authorities, is limited based on the entitys level of statutory income and statutory capital and surplus. In most states, prior notification is provided before paying a dividend even if approval is not required.
Although minimum required levels of equity are largely based on premium volume, product mix, and the quality of assets held, minimum requirements can vary significantly at the state level. Our state regulated subsidiaries had aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $4.3 billion and $3.8 billion as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively, which exceeded aggregate minimum regulatory requirements. The amount of dividends that may be paid to our parent company in 2011 without prior approval by state regulatory authorities is approximately $740 million in the aggregate. This compares to dividends that were able to be paid in 2010 without prior regulatory approval of approximately $720 million.
Contractual Obligations
We are contractually obligated to make payments for years subsequent to December 31, 2010 as follows:
Payments Due by Period | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | Less than 1 Year |
1-3 Years | 3-5 Years | More than 5 Years |
||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Debt |
$ | 1,586,988 | $ | 447 | $ | 333 | $ | 125 | $ | 1,586,083 | ||||||||||
Interest (1) |
1,203,133 | 114,226 | 225,342 | 217,507 | 646,058 | |||||||||||||||
Operating leases (2) |
810,234 | 190,525 | 295,868 | 190,164 | 133,677 | |||||||||||||||
Purchase obligations (3) |
148,169 | 81,376 | 63,050 | 3,743 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
Future policy benefits payable and other long-term liabilities (4) |
1,818,658 | 52,936 | 249,311 | 138,078 | 1,378,333 | |||||||||||||||
Total |
$ | 5,567,182 | $ | 439,510 | $ | 833,904 | $ | 549,617 | $ | 3,744,151 | ||||||||||
(1) | Interest includes the estimated contractual interest payments under our debt agreements. |
(2) | We lease facilities, computer hardware, and other equipment under long-term operating leases that are noncancelable and expire on various dates through 2025. We sublease facilities or partial facilities to third party tenants for space not used in our operations which partially mitigates our operating lease commitments. An operating lease is a type of off-balance sheet arrangement. Assuming we acquired the asset, rather than leased such asset, we would have recognized a liability for the financing of these assets. See also Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. |
(3) | Purchase obligations include agreements to purchase services, primarily information technology related services, or to make improvements to real estate, in each case that are enforceable and legally binding on us and that specify all significant terms, including: fixed or minimum levels of service to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the appropriate timing of the transaction. Purchase obligations exclude agreements that are cancelable without penalty. |
(4) | Includes future policy benefits payable ceded to third parties through 100% coinsurance agreements as more fully described in Note 19 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. We expect the assuming reinsurance carriers to fund these obligations and reflected these amounts as reinsurance recoverables included in other long-term assets on our consolidated balance sheet. Amounts payable in less than one year are included in trade accounts payable and accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet. |
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As part of our ongoing business, we do not participate or knowingly seek to participate in transactions that generate relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities (SPEs), which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. As of December 31, 2010, we are not involved in any SPE transactions.
Guarantees and Indemnifications
Through indemnity agreements approved by the state regulatory authorities, certain of our regulated subsidiaries generally are guaranteed by Humana Inc., our parent company, in the event of insolvency for (1) member coverage for which premium payment has been made prior to insolvency; (2) benefits for members then hospitalized until discharged; and (3) payment to providers for services rendered prior to insolvency. Our parent also has guaranteed the obligations of our military services subsidiaries.
In the ordinary course of business, we enter into contractual arrangements under which we may agree to indemnify a third party to such arrangement from any losses incurred relating to the services they perform on behalf of us, or for losses arising from certain events as defined within the particular contract, which may include, for example, litigation or claims relating to past performance. Such indemnification obligations may not be subject to maximum loss clauses. Historically, payments made related to these indemnifications have been immaterial.
Related Parties
No related party transactions had a material effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. Certain related party transactions not having a material effect are discussed in our Proxy Statement for the meeting to be held April 21, 2011 appearing under the caption Certain Transactions with Management and Others of such Proxy Statement.
Government Contracts
Our Medicare business, which accounted for approximately 65% of our total premiums and administrative services only, or ASO, fees for the year ended December 31, 2010, primarily consisted of products covered under the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan contracts with the federal government. These contracts are renewed generally for a one-year term each December 31 unless CMS notifies us of its decision not to renew by August 1 of the calendar year in which the contract would end, or we notify CMS of our decision not to renew by the first Monday in June of the calendar year in which the contract would end. All material contracts between Humana and CMS relating to our Medicare business have been renewed for 2011.
CMS uses a risk-adjustment model which apportions premiums paid to Medicare Advantage plans according to health severity. The risk-adjustment model pays more for enrollees with predictably higher costs. Under this model, rates paid to Medicare Advantage plans are based on actuarially determined bids, which include a process whereby our prospective payments are based on a comparison of our beneficiaries risk scores, derived from medical diagnoses, to those enrolled in the governments original Medicare program. Under the risk-adjustment methodology, all Medicare Advantage plans must collect and submit the necessary diagnosis code information from hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, and physician providers to CMS within prescribed deadlines. The CMS risk-adjustment model uses this diagnosis data to calculate the risk adjusted premium payment to Medicare Advantage plans. We generally rely on providers to code their claim submissions with appropriate diagnoses, which we send to CMS as the basis for our payment received from CMS under the actuarial risk-adjustment model. We also rely on providers to appropriately document all medical data, including the diagnosis data submitted with claims.
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CMS is continuing to perform audits of various companies selected Medicare Advantage contracts related to this risk adjustment diagnosis data. These audits are referred to herein as Risk-Adjustment Data Validation Audits, or RADV audits. RADV audits review medical record documentation in an attempt to validate provider coding practices and the presence of risk adjustment conditions which influence the calculation of premium payments to Medicare Advantage plans. To date, six Humana contracts have been selected by CMS for RADV audits for the 2007 contract year, consisting of one pilot audit and five targeted audits for Humana plans.
On December 21, 2010, CMS posted a description of the agencys proposed RADV sampling and payment adjustment calculation methodology to its website, and invited public comment, noting that CMS may revise its sampling and payment error calculation methodology based upon the comments received. We believe the audit and payment adjustment methodology proposed by CMS is fundamentally flawed and actuarially unsound. In essence, in making the comparison referred to above, CMS relies on two interdependent sets of data to set payment rates for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans: (1) fee for service (FFS) data from the governments original Medicare program; and (2) MA data. The proposed methodology would review medical records for only one set of data (MA data), while not performing the same exercise on the other set (FFS data). However, because these two sets of data are inextricably linked, we believe CMS must audit and validate both of them before extrapolating any potential RADV audit results, in order to ensure that any resulting payment adjustment is accurate. We believe that the Social Security Act, under which the payment model was established, requires the consistent use of these data sets in determining risk-adjusted payments to MA plans. Furthermore, our payment received from CMS, as well as benefits offered and premiums charged to members, is based on bids that did not, by CMS design, include any assumption of retroactive audit payment adjustments. We believe that applying a retroactive audit adjustment after CMS acceptance of bids would improperly alter this process of establishing member benefits and premiums.
CMS has received public comments, including our comments and comments from other industry participants and the American Academy of Actuaries, which expressed concerns about the failure to appropriately compare the two sets of data. On February 3, 2011, CMS issued a statement that it was closely evaluating the comments it has received on this matter and anticipates making changes to the proposed methodology based on input it has received, although we are unable to predict the extent of changes that they may make.
We believe that the proposed methodology is actuarially unsound and in violation of the Social Security Act. We intend to defend that position vigorously. However, if CMS moves forward with implementation of the proposed methodology without changes to adequately address the data inconsistency issues described above, it would have a material adverse effect on our revenues derived from the Medicare Advantage program and, therefore, our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our Medicaid business, which accounted for approximately 2% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010, consists of contracts in Puerto Rico and Florida, with the vast majority in Puerto Rico. Effective October 1, 2010, the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration, or PRHIA, awarded us three contracts for the East, Southeast, and Southwest regions for a one year term with two options to extend the contracts for an additional term of up to one year, exercisable at the sole discretion of the PRHIA.
The loss of any of the contracts above or significant changes in these programs as a result of legislative action, including reductions in premium payments to us, or increases in member benefits without corresponding increases in premium payments to us may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
Our military services business, which accounted for approximately 11% of our total premiums and ASO fees for the year ended December 31, 2010, primarily consists of the TRICARE South Region contract. The original 5-year South Region contract expired on March 31, 2009 and was extended through March 31, 2011. On October 5, 2010, we were notified that the Department of Defense TRICARE Management Activity, or TMA,
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intended to negotiate with us for an extension of our administration of the TRICARE South Region contract, and on January 6, 2011, an Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract to the TRICARE South Region contract, in the form of an undefinitized contract action, became effective. The Amendment adds one additional one-year option period, Option Period IX (which runs from April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012). The Amendment does not include the costs of the underwritten target health care cost and underwritten health care target fee, which will be negotiated separately. On January 21, 2011, the TMA notified us of their intent to exercise Option Period IX.
As required under the current contract, the target underwritten health care cost and underwriting fee amounts for Option Period IX will be negotiated separately. Any variance from the target health care cost is shared with the federal government. Accordingly, events and circumstances not contemplated in the negotiated target health care cost amount may have a material adverse effect on us. These changes may include an increase or reduction in the number of persons enrolled or eligible to enroll due to the federal governments decision to increase or decrease U.S. military deployments. In the event government reimbursements were to decline from projected amounts, any failure to reduce the health care costs associated with these programs may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
In July 2009, we were notified by the Department of Defense, or DoD, that we were not awarded the third generation TRICARE program contract for the South Region which had been subject to competing bids. We filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, in connection with the award to another contractor citing discrepancies between the award criteria and procedures prescribed in the request for proposals issued by the DoD and those that appear to have been used by the DoD in making its contractor selection. In October 2009, we learned that the GAO had upheld our protest, determining that the TMA evaluation of our proposal had unreasonably failed to fully recognize and reasonably account for the likely cost savings associated with our record of obtaining network provider discounts from our established network in the South Region. On December 22, 2009, we were advised that TMA notified the GAO of its intent to implement corrective action consistent with the discussion contained within the GAOs decision with respect to our protest. On October 22, 2010, TMA issued its latest amendment to the request for proposal requesting from offerors final proposal revisions to address, among other things, health care cost savings resulting from provider network discounts in the South Region. We submitted our final proposal revisions on November 9, 2010. At this time, we are not able to determine whether or not the protest decision by the GAO will have any effect upon the ultimate disposition of the contract award.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements and accompanying notes requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We continuously evaluate our estimates and those critical accounting policies related primarily to benefit expenses and revenue recognition as well as accounting for impairments related to our investment securities, goodwill, and long-lived assets. These estimates are based on knowledge of current events and anticipated future events and, accordingly, actual results ultimately may differ from those estimates. We believe the following critical accounting policies involve the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
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Benefit Expense Recognition
Benefit expenses are recognized in the period in which services are provided and include an estimate of the cost of services which have been incurred but not yet reported, or IBNR. IBNR represents a substantial portion of our benefits payable as follows:
December 31, 2010 |
Percentage of Total |