HUM-2014.12.31-10K
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, 2014
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) |
|
Registrant’s 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 registrant’s 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, 2014 was $19,712,008,342 calculated using the average price on June 30, 2014 of $128.11.
The number of shares outstanding of the Registrant’s Common Stock as of January 31, 2015 was 149,607,897.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Parts II and III incorporate herein by reference portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with respect to the Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on April 16, 2015.
HUMANA INC.
INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
For the Year Ended December 31, 2014
|
| | |
| | Page |
| Part I | |
| | |
Item 1. | | |
| | |
Item 1A. | | |
| | |
Item 1B. | | |
| | |
Item 2. | | |
| | |
Item 3. | | |
| | |
Item 4. | | |
| | |
| Part II | |
| | |
Item 5. | | |
| | |
Item 6. | | |
| | |
Item 7. | | |
| | |
Item 7A. | | |
| | |
Item 8. | | |
| | |
Item 9. | | |
| | |
Item 9A. | | |
| | |
Item 9B. | | |
| | |
| Part III | |
| | |
Item 10. | | |
| | |
Item 11. | | |
| | |
Item 12. | | |
| | |
Item 13. | | |
| | |
Item 14. | | |
| | |
| Part IV | |
| | |
Item 15. | | |
| | |
| | |
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements under “Business,” “Management’s 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.
PART I
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 a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. Our strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country. As of December 31, 2014, we had approximately 13.8 million members in our medical benefit plans, as well as approximately 7.7 million members in our specialty products. During 2014, 73% of our total premiums and services revenue were derived from contracts with the federal government, including 15% derived from our individual Medicare Advantage contracts in Florida with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, under which we provide health insurance coverage to approximately 542,400 members as of December 31, 2014.
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, or 2014 Form 10-K, contains both historical and forward-looking information. See Item 1A. – Risk Factors in this 2014 Form 10-K for a description of a number of factors that may adversely affect our results or business.
Health Care Reform
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 Care Reform Law) enacted significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. Implementation dates of the Health Care Reform Law began in September 2010 and will continue through 2018, and many aspects of the Health Care Reform Law are already effective and have been implemented by us. Certain significant provisions of the Health Care Reform Law include, among others, mandated coverage requirements, mandated benefits and guarantee issuance associated with commercial medical insurance, rebates to policyholders based on minimum benefit ratios, adjustments to Medicare Advantage premiums, the establishment of federally facilitated or state-based exchanges coupled with programs designed to spread risk among insurers, an annual insurance industry premium-based assessment, and a three-year commercial reinsurance fee. The
Health Care Reform Law is discussed more fully in Item 7. – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the section titled “Health Care Reform.”
Business Segments
On January 1, 2014, we reclassified certain of our businesses from our Healthcare Services segment to our Employer Group segment to correspond with internal management reporting changes. Our reportable segments remain the same and prior period segment financial information has been recast to conform to the 2014 presentation. See Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for segment financial information.
We manage our business with three reportable segments: Retail, Employer Group, and Healthcare Services. In addition, the Other Businesses category includes businesses that are not individually reportable because they do not meet the quantitative thresholds required by generally accepted accounting principles. These segments are based on a combination of the type of health plan customer and adjacent businesses centered on well-being solutions for our health plans and other customers, as described below. These segment groupings are consistent with information used by our Chief Executive Officer to assess performance and allocate resources.
Our Products
Our medical and specialty insurance products allow members to access health care services primarily through our networks of health care providers with whom we have contracted. These products may vary in the degree to which members have coverage. Health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, generally require a referral from the member’s primary care provider before seeing certain specialty physicians. Preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, provide members the freedom to choose a health care provider without requiring a referral. However PPOs generally require the member to pay a greater portion of the provider’s fee in the event the member chooses not to use a provider participating in the PPO’s network. Point of Service, or POS, plans combine the advantages of HMO plans with the flexibility of PPO plans. In general, POS plans allow members to choose, at the time medical services are needed, to seek care from a provider within the plan’s network or outside the network. In addition, we offer services to our health plan members as well as to third parties that promote health and wellness, including pharmacy, provider, home based, and integrated wellness services. At the core of our strategy is our integrated care delivery model, which unites quality care, high member engagement, and sophisticated data analytics. Three core elements of the model are to improve the consumer experience by simplifying the interaction, engaging members in clinical programs, and offering assistance to providers in transitioning from a fee-for-service to a value-based arrangement. Our approach to primary, physician-directed care for our members aims to provide quality care that is consistent, integrated, cost-effective, and member-focused. The model is designed to improve health outcomes and affordability for individuals and for the health system as a whole, while offering our members a simple, seamless healthcare experience. The discussion that follows describes the products offered by each of our segments.
Our Retail Segment Products
This segment is comprised of products sold on a retail basis to individuals including medical and supplemental benefit plans described in the discussion that follows. The following table presents our premiums and services revenue for the Retail segment by product for the year ended December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | |
| | Retail Segment Premiums and Services Revenue | | Percent of Consolidated Premiums and Services Revenue |
| | (dollars in millions) |
Premiums: | | | | |
Individual Medicare Advantage | | $ | 25,941 |
| | 53.9 | % |
Medicare stand-alone PDP | | 3,396 |
| | 7.1 | % |
Total Retail Medicare | | 29,337 |
| | 61.0 | % |
Individual commercial | | 3,265 |
| | 6.8 | % |
State-based Medicaid | | 1,096 |
| | 2.3 | % |
Individual specialty | | 256 |
| | 0.4 | % |
Total premiums | | 33,954 |
| | 70.5 | % |
Services | | 39 |
| | 0.1 | % |
Total premiums and services revenue | | $ | 33,993 |
| | 70.6 | % |
Individual Medicare
We have participated in the Medicare program for private health plans for over 30 years and have established a national presence, offering at least one type of Medicare plan in all 50 states. We have a geographically diverse membership base that we believe 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. We believe these strategies result in cost savings that occur from making positive behavior changes.
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 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 traditional fee-for-service Medicare are still required to pay out-of-pocket deductibles and coinsurance. Throughout this document this program is referred to as Medicare FFS. As an alternative to Medicare FFS, 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 Medicare FFS. Our Medicare Advantage plans are discussed more fully below. Prescription drug benefits are provided under Part D.
Individual Medicare Advantage Products
We contract with CMS under the Medicare Advantage program to provide a comprehensive array of health insurance benefits, including wellness programs, chronic care management, and care coordination, to Medicare eligible persons under HMO, PPO, and Private Fee-For-Service, or PFFS, plans in exchange for contractual payments received from CMS, usually a fixed payment per member per month. With each of these products, the beneficiary receives benefits in excess of Medicare FFS, 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, care 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 October 15 and December 7 for coverage that begins on the following January 1.
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 or as specified by the plan, most 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 some 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.
Most of our Medicare PFFS plans are network-based products with in and out of network benefits 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. In these areas, we offer Medicare PFFS plans that 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 Medicare FFS payment rates.
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 CMS’s 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) to establish the risk-adjustment payments. Under the risk-adjustment methodology, all health benefit organizations must collect from providers and submit the necessary diagnosis code information to CMS within prescribed deadlines.
At December 31, 2014, we provided health insurance coverage under CMS contracts to approximately 2,446,200 individual Medicare Advantage members, including approximately 542,400 members in Florida. These Florida contracts accounted for premiums revenue of approximately $7.2 billion, which represented approximately 27.8% of our individual Medicare Advantage premiums revenue, or 15.0% of our consolidated premiums and services revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014.
Our HMO, PPO, and PFFS products covered under Medicare Advantage contracts with CMS are renewed generally for a calendar year term unless CMS notifies us of its decision not to renew by May 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 products have been renewed for 2015, and all of our product offerings filed with CMS for 2015 have been approved.
Individual Medicare Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Products
We offer stand-alone prescription drug plans, or PDPs, under Medicare Part D, including a PDP plan co-branded with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., or the Humana-Walmart plan. Generally, Medicare-eligible individuals enroll in one of our plan choices between October 15 and December 7 for coverage that begins on the following January 1. 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. Our revenues from CMS and the beneficiary are determined from our PDP bids submitted annually to CMS. These revenues also reflect the health status of the beneficiary and risk sharing provisions as more fully described in Item 7. – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the section titled “Medicare Part D Provisions.” Our stand-alone PDP contracts with CMS are renewed generally for a calendar year term unless CMS notifies us of its decision not to renew by May 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 products have been renewed for 2015, and all of our product offerings filed with CMS for 2015 have been approved.
We have administered CMS’s Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition, or LI-NET, prescription drug plan program since 2010. This program allows individuals who receive Medicare’s low-income subsidy to also receive immediate prescription drug coverage at the point of sale if they are not already enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan. CMS temporarily enrolls newly identified individuals with both Medicare and Medicaid into the LI-NET prescription drug plan program, and subsequently transitions each member into a Medicare Part D plan that may or may not be a Humana Medicare plan.
Medicare and Medicaid Dual Eligible and Long-Term Care Support Services
Medicare beneficiaries who also qualify for Medicaid due to low income or special needs are known as dual eligible beneficiaries, or dual eligibles. The dual eligible population represents a disproportionate share of Medicaid and Medicare costs. There were approximately 9.6 million dual eligible individuals in the United States in 2014, trending upward due to Medicaid eligibility expansions and individuals aging into the Medicare program. These dual eligibles may enroll in a privately-offered Medicare Advantage product, but may also receive assistance from Medicaid for Medicaid benefits, such as nursing home care and/or assistance with Medicare premiums and cost sharing. The dual eligible population is a strategic area of focus for us and we are leveraging the capabilities of our integrated care delivery model, including care management programs particularly as they relate to chronic conditions, to expand our services to this population. As of December 31, 2014, we served approximately 404,000 dual eligible members in our Medicare Advantage plans and approximately 992,000 dual eligible members in our stand-alone prescription drug plans.
Since the enactment of the Health Care Reform Law, states are pursuing stand-alone dual eligible CMS demonstration programs in which Medicare, Medicaid, and Long-Term Care Support Services (LTSS) benefits are more tightly integrated. Eligibility for participation in these stand-alone dual eligible demonstration programs may require state-based contractual relationships in existing Medicaid programs. We were successful in our bids for state-based contracts in Florida and Virginia in 2013 and in Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky in 2012. Ohio, Illinois, and Virginia are contracts for stand-alone dual eligible demonstration programs serving individuals dually eligible for both the federal Medicare program and the state-based Medicaid program. We began serving members in Illinois in the first quarter of 2014 and in Virginia in the second quarter of 2014. We partner with organizations, including CareSource Management Group Company, to serve individuals in certain states. We began serving members in Kentucky and certain LTSS regions in Florida at various effective dates ranging from the second half of 2013 through the first quarter of 2014.
LTSS eligible beneficiaries heavily overlap with the dual eligible population. On September 6, 2013, we acquired American Eldercare Inc., or American Eldercare, the largest provider of nursing home diversion services in the state of Florida, serving frail and elderly individuals in home and community-based settings. American Eldercare complements our core capabilities and strength in serving seniors and disabled individuals with a unique focus on individualized and integrated care, and has contracts to provide Medicaid long-term support services across the entire state of Florida. The enrollment effective dates for the various regions ranged from August 2013 to March 2014.
Individual Commercial Coverage
Our individual health plans are marketed under the HumanaOne® brand. We offer products both on and off of the public exchange, including exchange offerings in certain metropolitan areas in 15 states. We offer products on exchanges where we can achieve an affordable cost of care, including HMO offerings and select networks in most markets. Our off-exchange products offered in 22 states are primarily PPO and POS offerings, including plans issued prior to 2014 that were previously underwritten. Policies issued prior to the enactment of the Health Care Reform Law on March 23, 2010 are grandfathered policies. Grandfathered policies are exempt from most of the requirements of the Health Care Reform Law, including mandated benefits. However, our grandfathered plans include provisions that guarantee renewal of coverage for as long as the individual chooses. Policies issued between March 23, 2010 and December 31, 2013 are required to conform to the Health Care Reform Law, including mandated benefits, upon renewal in 2014, 2015 or 2016, depending on the state.
Prior to 2014, our HumanaOne® plans primarily were offered as PPO plans in 27 states where we could generally underwrite risk and utilize our existing networks and distribution channels. As indicated above, this individual product included provisions mandated by law to guarantee renewal of coverage for as long as the individual chooses.
Rewards-based wellness programs are included with many individual products. We also offer optional benefits such as dental, vision, life, and a portfolio of financial protection products.
Employer Group Segment Products
This segment is comprised of products sold to employer groups including medical and supplemental benefit plans as well as health and wellness products as described in the discussion that follows. The following table presents our premiums and services revenue for the Employer Group segment by product for the year ended December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | |
| | Employer Group Segment Premiums and Services Revenue | | Percent of Consolidated Premiums and Services Revenue |
| | (dollars in millions) |
External Revenue: | | | | |
Premiums: | | | | |
Group Medicare Advantage | | $ | 5,490 |
| | 11.4 | % |
Group Medicare stand-alone PDP | | 8 |
| | — | % |
Total group Medicare | | 5,498 |
| | 11.4 | % |
Fully-insured commercial group | | 5,339 |
| | 11.1 | % |
Group specialty | | 1,098 |
| | 2.3 | % |
Total premiums | | 11,935 |
| | 24.8 | % |
Services | | 362 |
| | 0.8 | % |
Total premiums and services revenue | | $ | 12,297 |
| | 25.6 | % |
Intersegment services revenue: | | | | |
Wellness | | $ | 78 |
| | n/a |
|
Total intersegment services revenue | | $ | 78 |
| | |
n/a – not applicable
Employer Group Commercial Coverage
Our commercial products sold to employer groups include a broad spectrum of major medical benefits with multiple in-network coinsurance levels and annual deductible choices that employers of all sizes can offer to their employees on either a fully-insured, through HMO, PPO, or POS plans, or self-funded basis. Our plans integrate clinical programs, plan designs, communication tools, and spending accounts. We participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits
Program, or FEHBP, primarily with our HMO offering in certain markets. FEHBP is the government’s health insurance program for Federal employees, retirees, former employees, family members, and spouses. As with our individual commercial products, the employer group offerings include HumanaVitality®, our wellness and loyalty reward program.
Our administrative services only, or ASO, products are offered 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 HMO, PPO, or POS products described previously. Under ASO contracts, self-funded employers generally retain the risk of financing substantially all of the cost of health benefits. However, more than half of our ASO customers purchase stop loss insurance coverage from us to cover catastrophic claims or to limit aggregate annual costs.
As with individual commercial policies, employers can customize their offerings with optional benefits such as dental, vision, life, and a portfolio of voluntary benefit products.
Group Medicare Advantage and Medicare stand-alone PDP
We offer products that enable employers that provide post-retirement health care benefits to replace Medicare wrap or Medicare supplement products with Medicare Advantage or stand-alone PDPs from Humana. These products offer the same types of benefits and services available to members in our individual Medicare plans discussed previously and can be tailored to closely match an employer’s post-retirement benefit structure.
Wellness
We offer wellness solutions including our Humana Vitality® wellness and loyalty rewards program, health coaching, and clinical programs. These programs, when offered collectively to employer customers as our Total Health product, turn any standard plan of the employer's choosing into an integrated health and well-being solution that encourages participation in these programs.
Our Humana Vitality® program provides our members with access to a science-based, actuarially driven wellness and loyalty program that features a wide range of well-being tools and rewards that are customized to an individual’s needs and wants. A key element of the program includes a sophisticated health-behavior-change model supported by an incentive program.
We also provide employee assistance programs and coaching services including a comprehensive turn-key coaching program, an enhancement to a medically based coaching protocol and a platform that makes coaching programs more efficient.
Our Healthcare Services Segment Products
The products offered by our Healthcare Services segment are key to our integrated care delivery model. This segment is comprised of stand-alone businesses that offer services including pharmacy solutions, provider services, home based services, integrated behavioral health services, and predictive modeling and informatics services to other Humana businesses, as well as external health plan members, external health plans, and other employers or individuals and are described in the discussion that follows. Our intersegment revenue is described in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. The following table presents our services revenue for the Healthcare Services segment by line of business for the year ended December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | |
| | Healthcare Services Segment Premiums and Services Revenue | | Percent of Consolidated Premiums and Services Revenue |
| | (dollars in millions) |
Intersegment revenue: | | | | |
Pharmacy solutions | | $ | 16,905 |
| | n/a |
|
Provider services | | 1,110 |
| | n/a |
|
Home based services | | 585 |
| | n/a |
|
Integrated behavioral health services | | 133 |
| | n/a |
|
Total intersegment revenue | | $ | 18,733 |
| | |
External services revenue: | | | | |
Provider services | | $ | 1,076 |
| | 2.3 | % |
Home based services | | 107 |
| | 0.2 | % |
Pharmacy solutions | | 99 |
| | 0.2 | % |
Integrated behavioral health services | | — |
| | — | % |
Total external services revenue | | $ | 1,282 |
| | 2.7 | % |
n/a – not applicable
Pharmacy solutions
Humana Pharmacy Solutions®, or HPS, manages traditional prescription drug coverage for both individuals and employer groups in addition to providing a broad array of pharmacy solutions. HPS also operates prescription mail order services for brand, generic, and specialty drugs and diabetic supplies through RightSourceRx®, as well as research services.
Provider services
Our subsidiary, Concentra Inc.®, acquired in 2010, delivers occupational medicine, urgent care, physical therapy, and wellness services to employees and the general public through its operation of medical centers and worksite medical facilities.
Our CAC Medical Centers, or CAC, in South Florida operate full-service, multi-specialty medical centers staffed by primary care providers and medical specialists practicing cardiology, endocrinology, geriatric medicine, internal medicine, ophthalmology, neurology, and podiatry.
Our subsidiary, Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc., or Metropolitan, and our noncontrolling equity interest in MCCI Holdings, LLC, or MCCI, both acquired in 2012, are Medical Services Organizations, or MSOs, that coordinate medical care for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and Medicaid recipients, primarily in Florida and Texas. These MSOs represent key components of our integrated care delivery model which we believe is scalable to new markets.
Home based services
Via in-home care, telephonic health counseling/coaching, and remote monitoring, we are actively involved in the care management of our customers with the greatest needs. Home based services include the operations of Humana At Home, Inc., or Humana At Home® (formerly known as SeniorBridge Family Companies, Inc.), acquired in 2012. As a chronic-care provider of in-home care for seniors, we provide innovative and holistic care coordination services for individuals living with multiple chronic conditions, individuals with disabilities, fragile and aging-in-place members and their care givers. We focus our deployment of these services in geographies, such as Florida, with a high concentration of members living with multiple chronic conditions. The clinical support and care provided by Humana At Home® is designed to improve health outcomes and result in a higher number of days members can spend at their homes instead of in an acute care facility.
Integrated behavioral health services
Corphealth, Inc. (d/b/a LifeSynch®), a Humana subsidiary, offers care management, behavioral health services and wellness programs.
Other Businesses
Products and services offered by our Other Businesses are described in the discussion that follows. The following table presents our premiums and services revenue for our Other Businesses for the year ended December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | |
| | Other Businesses Premiums and Services Revenue | | Percent of Consolidated Premiums and Services Revenue |
| | (dollars in millions) |
Premiums: | | | | |
Military services | | $ | 19 |
| | — | % |
Closed-block long-term care insurance policies | | 51 |
| | 0.1 | % |
Total premiums | | 70 |
| | 0.1 | % |
Services | | 481 |
| | 1.0 | % |
Total premiums and services revenue | | $ | 551 |
| | 1.1 | % |
Military Services
Under our TRICARE South Region contract with the United States Department of Defense, or DoD, we provide administrative services to arrange health care services for the dependents of active duty military personnel and for retired military personnel and their dependents. We have participated in the TRICARE program since 1996 under contracts with the DoD. On April 1, 2012, we began delivering services under our current TRICARE South Region contract that the Defense Health Agency, or DHA (formerly known as the TRICARE Management Activity), awarded to us on February 25, 2011. Under the current contract, we provide administrative services while the federal government retains all of the risk of the cost of health benefits. Accordingly, we account for revenues under the current contract net of estimated health care costs similar to an administrative services fee only agreement.
Closed Block of Long-Term Care Insurance Policies
We have a non-strategic closed block of approximately 32,700 long-term care insurance policies associated with our acquisition of KMG America Corporation in 2007. Long-term care insurance policies are intended to protect the insured from the cost of long-term care services including those provided by nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult day care as well as home health care services. No new policies have been written since 2005 under this closed block and we are evaluating strategic alternatives for this business.
Informatics
Programs to enhance the quality of care for members are key elements of our integrated care delivery model. We believe that technology represents a significant opportunity in health care that positively impacts our members. We have enhanced our health information technology capabilities enabling us to create a more complete view of an individual’s health, designed to connect, coordinate and simplify health care while reducing costs. These capabilities include our health care analytics engine, which reviews millions of clinical data points each day to provide members, providers, and payers real-time clinical insights and gaps-in-care data to improve health outcomes, as well as technology that allows disparate electronic health record systems and Humana to share data that gives providers a comprehensive view of the patient and enables the exchange of essential health information in real-time. As we have integrated these and related assets into our operations over the past few years, we have enhanced our ability to leverage predictive modeling capabilities that enable us to anticipate, rather than react to, our members’ health needs. To that end, we have accelerated our process for identifying and reaching out to members in need of clinical intervention. At December 31, 2014, we had approximately 420,700 members with complex chronic conditions in the Humana Chronic Care Program,
a 50.1% increase compared with approximately 280,200 members at December 31, 2013, reflecting enhanced predictive modeling capabilities and focus on proactive clinical outreach and member engagement, particularly for our Medicare Advantage membership. We believe these initiatives lead to better health outcomes for our members and lower health care costs.
Membership
The following table summarizes our total medical membership at December 31, 2014, by market and product:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Retail Segment |
| Employer Group Segment |
| |
| |
| |
| (in thousands) |
| Individual Medicare Advantage |
| Individual Medicare stand- alone PDP |
| Individual Commercial |
| State- based contracts |
| Fully- insured commercial Group |
| Group Medicare Advantage and stand- alone PDP |
| ASO |
| Other Businesses |
| Total |
| Percent of Total |
Florida | 542.4 |
|
| 300.6 |
|
| 252.7 |
|
| 293.7 |
|
| 189.7 |
|
| 22.6 |
|
| 28.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 1,630.0 |
|
| 11.8 | % |
Texas | 184.0 |
|
| 258.5 |
|
| 181.6 |
|
| — |
|
| 238.6 |
|
| 63.2 |
|
| 118.2 |
|
| — |
|
| 1,044.1 |
|
| 7.5 | % |
Kentucky | 74.5 |
|
| 185.6 |
|
| 27.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 101.8 |
|
| 81.0 |
|
| 472.1 |
|
| — |
|
| 942.3 |
|
| 6.8 | % |
Georgia | 92.8 |
|
| 90.3 |
|
| 286.4 |
|
| — |
|
| 140.8 |
|
| 2.4 |
|
| 15.8 |
|
| — |
|
| 628.5 |
|
| 4.5 | % |
Ohio | 81.3 |
|
| 121.1 |
|
| 21.9 |
|
| — |
|
| 48.6 |
|
| 151.0 |
|
| 139.0 |
|
| — |
|
| 562.9 |
|
| 4.1 | % |
Illinois | 83.9 |
|
| 126.1 |
|
| 28.8 |
|
| 4.8 |
|
| 108.1 |
|
| 11.6 |
|
| 90.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 453.6 |
|
| 3.3 | % |
California | 38.4 |
|
| 378.9 |
|
| 9.6 |
|
| — |
|
| 0.1 |
|
| 0.1 |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 427.1 |
|
| 3.1 | % |
Wisconsin | 51.5 |
|
| 80.2 |
|
| 11.7 |
|
| — |
|
| 89.4 |
|
| 14.2 |
|
| 113.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 360.3 |
|
| 2.6 | % |
Missouri/Kansas | 82.2 |
|
| 175.6 |
|
| 14.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 53.3 |
|
| 5.0 |
|
| 6.9 |
|
| — |
|
| 337.3 |
|
| 2.4 | % |
Tennessee | 119.6 |
|
| 87.6 |
|
| 27.8 |
|
| — |
|
| 50.5 |
|
| 2.2 |
|
| 39.5 |
|
| — |
|
| 327.2 |
|
| 2.4 | % |
Louisiana | 127.9 |
|
| 50.1 |
|
| 22.7 |
|
| — |
|
| 63.1 |
|
| 10.5 |
|
| 30.4 |
|
| — |
|
| 304.7 |
|
| 2.2 | % |
North Carolina | 79.6 |
|
| 139.9 |
|
| 5.9 |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 37.4 |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 262.8 |
|
| 1.9 | % |
Virginia | 131.6 |
|
| 104.8 |
|
| 7.7 |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 3.9 |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 248.0 |
|
| 1.8 | % |
Indiana | 71.9 |
|
| 99.6 |
|
| 14.3 |
|
| — |
|
| 22.0 |
|
| 3.9 |
|
| 19.5 |
|
| — |
|
| 231.2 |
|
| 1.7 | % |
Michigan | 49.1 |
|
| 113.3 |
|
| 34.1 |
|
| — |
|
| 8.8 |
|
| 13.8 |
|
| 3.7 |
|
| — |
|
| 222.8 |
|
| 1.6 | % |
Colorado | 31.2 |
|
| 75.3 |
|
| 35.1 |
|
| — |
|
| 24.3 |
|
| 7.3 |
|
| 0.4 |
|
| — |
|
| 173.6 |
|
| 1.3 | % |
Arizona | 56.2 |
|
| 65.2 |
|
| 18.6 |
|
| — |
|
| 29.4 |
|
| 1.5 |
|
| 1.5 |
|
| — |
|
| 172.4 |
|
| 1.2 | % |
Military services | — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| — |
|
| 3,090.4 |
|
| 3,090.4 |
|
| 22.3 | % |
Others | 548.1 |
|
| 1,536.8 |
|
| 147.6 |
|
| — |
|
| 67.0 |
|
| 62.6 |
|
| 25.4 |
|
| 35.0 |
|
| 2,422.5 |
|
| 17.5 | % |
Totals | 2,446.2 |
|
| 3,989.5 |
|
| 1,148.1 |
|
| 298.5 |
|
| 1,235.5 |
|
| 494.2 |
|
| 1,104.3 |
|
| 3,125.4 |
|
| 13,841.7 |
|
| 100.0 | % |
Provider Arrangements
We provide our members with access to health care services through our networks of health care providers whom we employ or with whom we have contracted, including hospitals and other independent facilities such as outpatient surgery centers, primary care providers, specialist physicians, dentists, and providers of ancillary health care services and facilities. These ancillary services and facilities include laboratories, 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, the use of sophisticated analytics, and enrolling members into various care management programs. The focal point for health care services in many of our HMO networks is the primary care provider 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.
We have available care management programs related to complex chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. We also have programs for 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, other nationally recognized inflation indexes, or specific negotiations with the provider. 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.
The terms of our contracts with hospitals and physicians may also vary between Medicare and commercial business. A significant portion of our Medicare network contracts, including those with both hospitals and physicians, are tied to Medicare reimbursement levels and methodologies.
Automatic reductions to the federal budget, known as sequestration, took effect on April 1, 2013, including aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year. Due to the uncertainty around the application of these reductions, there can be no assurances that we can completely offset any reductions to the Medicare healthcare programs. See “Legal Proceedings and Certain Regulatory Matters” in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Capitation
We offer providers a continuum of opportunities to increase the integration of care and offer assistance to providers in transitioning from a fee-for-service to a value-based arrangement. These include performance bonuses, shared savings and shared risk relationships. For some of our medical membership, we share risk with providers under capitation contracts where physicians and hospitals accept varying levels of financial risk for a defined set of membership, primarily HMO membership. Under the typical capitation arrangement, we prepay these providers a monthly fixed-fee per member, known as a capitation (per capita) payment, to cover all or a defined portion of the benefits provided to the capitated member.
We believe these risk-based models represent a key element of our integrated care delivery model at the core of our strategy. Our health plan subsidiaries may enter into these risk-based contracts with third party providers or our owned provider subsidiaries.
At December 31, 2014, approximately 883,000 members, or 6.4% of our medical membership, were covered under risk-based contracts, including 709,000 individual Medicare Advantage members, or 29.0% of our total individual Medicare Advantage membership.
Physicians under capitation arrangements typically have stop loss coverage so that a physician’s financial risk for any single member is limited to a maximum amount on an annual basis. We typically process all claims and monitor the financial performance and solvency of our capitated providers. However, we delegated claim processing functions under capitation arrangements covering approximately 141,200 HMO members, including 113,200 individual Medicare Advantage members, or 16.0% of the 709,000 individual Medicare Advantage members covered under risk-based contracts at December 31, 2014, with the provider assuming substantially all the risk of coordinating the members’ health care benefits. Capitation expense under delegated arrangements for which we have a limited view of the
underlying claims experience was approximately $833 million, or 2.2% of total benefits expense, for the year ended December 31, 2014. We remain financially responsible for health care services to our members in the event our providers fail to provide such services.
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.
Providers 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 providers 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. A committee, composed of a peer group of providers, reviews the applications of providers 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 URAC. Accreditation or external review by an approved organization is mandatory in the states of Florida and Kansas for licensure as an HMO. Additionally, all products sold on the federal and state marketplaces are required to be accredited. 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 reviews our compliance based on standards for quality improvement, credentialing, utilization management, member connections, and member rights and responsibilities. We have achieved and maintained NCQA accreditation in most 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 products, including television, radio, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct mailings.
At December 31, 2014, we employed approximately 1,700 sales representatives, as well as approximately 1,200 telemarketing representatives who assisted in the marketing of individual Medicare and individual commercial health insurance and specialty products in our Retail segment, including making appointments for sales representatives with prospective members. We also market our individual 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, SAM’S CLUB locations, and Neighborhood Markets across the country which provides an opportunity to enroll Medicare eligible individuals in person. In addition, we market our individual Medicare and individual commercial health insurance and specialty products through licensed independent brokers and agents. For our Medicare products, commissions paid to employed sales representatives and independent brokers and agents are based on a per unit commission structure, regulated in structure and amount by CMS. For our individual commercial health insurance and specialty 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. 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.
In our Employer Group segment, individuals may 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 employer’s or group’s 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 expectations of their employees or members. In addition, we have begun to offer plans to employer groups through private exchanges. Employers can give their employees a set amount of money and then direct them to a private exchange. There, employees can shop for a health plan and other benefits based on what the employer has selected as options. We also sell group Medicare Advantage products through large employers. We use licensed independent brokers, independent agents, and employees to sell our group products. Many of our larger employer group customers are represented by insurance brokers and consultants who assist these groups in the design and purchase of health care products. We pay brokers and agents using the same commission structure described above for our individual commercial health insurance and specialty products.
Underwriting
Beginning in 2014, the Health Care Reform Law requires all individual and group health plans to guarantee issuance and renew coverage without pre-existing condition exclusions or health-status rating adjustments. Accordingly, newly issued individual and group health plans are not subject to underwriting in 2014 and beyond. Further, 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.
Prior to 2014, through the use of internally developed underwriting criteria, we determined the risk we were willing to assume and the amount of premium to charge for our commercial products. In most instances, employer and other groups had to meet our underwriting standards in order to qualify to contract with us for coverage.
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. 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 Item 1A. – Risk Factors in this 2014 Form 10-K.
Government Regulation
Diverse legislative and regulatory initiatives at both the federal and state levels continue to affect aspects of the nation’s 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 certain material current activities in the federal and state legislative areas, see Item 1A. – Risk Factors in this 2014 Form 10-K.
Certain Other Services
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 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 to 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, billing/enrollment, and customer service.
Employees
As of December 31, 2014, we had approximately 57,000 employees and approximately 2,700 additional medical professionals working under management agreements primarily between Concentra and affiliated physician-owned associations. We believe we have good relations with our employees and have not experienced any work stoppages.
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, if we are unable to implement clinical initiatives to provide a better health care experience for our members, lower costs and appropriately document the risk profile of our members, or if our estimates of benefits expense are inadequate, our profitability may be materially adversely affected. We estimate the costs of our benefits 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 claim 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 claim 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; |
| |
• | increased cost of such services; |
| |
• | increased use or cost of prescription drugs, including specialty prescription drugs; |
| |
• | the introduction of new or costly treatments, including new technologies; |
| |
• | 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); |
| |
• | medical cost inflation; and |
| |
• | government mandated benefits or other regulatory changes, including any that result from the Health Care Reform Law. |
Key to our operational strategy is the implementation of clinical initiatives that we believe provide a better health care experience for our members, lower the cost of healthcare services delivered to our members, and appropriately document the risk profile of our members. Our profitability and competitiveness depend in large part on our ability to appropriately manage health care costs through, among other things, the application of medical management programs such as our chronic care management program.
In addition, we also estimate costs associated with long-duration insurance policies including long-term care, life insurance, annuities, and certain health and other supplemental insurance 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. At policy issuance, these future policy benefit reserves are recognized on a net level premium method based on interest rates, mortality, morbidity, and maintenance expense assumptions. Because these policies have long-term claim payout periods, there is a greater risk of significant variability in claims costs, either positive or negative. Our actual claims experience will emerge many years after assumptions have been established. The risk of a deviation of the actual interest, morbidity, mortality, and maintenance expense assumptions from those assumed in our reserves are particularly significant to our closed block of long-term care insurance policies. We monitor the loss experience of these long-term care insurance 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 the assumptions we have locked in, additional future adjustments to reserves could be required.
While we proactively attempt to effectively manage our operating expenses, increases or decreases in staff-related expenses, additional investment in new products (including our opportunities in the Medicare programs, state-based contracts, participation in health insurance exchanges, and expansion of clinical capabilities as part of our integrated care delivery model), investments in health and well-being product offerings, acquisitions, new taxes and assessments (including the non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments under the Health Care Reform Law), and implementation of regulatory requirements may increase our operating expenses.
Failure to adequately price our products or estimate sufficient benefits payable or future policy benefits payable, or effectively manage our operating expenses, 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 or competitors in the delivery of health care services. We may also face increased competition due to participation by other insurers in the health insurance exchanges implemented under the Health Care Reform Law. 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.
The policies and decisions of the federal and state governments regarding the Medicare, military, Medicaid and health insurance exchange programs in which we participate have a substantial impact on our profitability. These governmental policies and decisions, which we cannot predict with certainty, directly shape the premiums or other revenues to us under the programs, the eligibility and enrollment of our members, the services we provide to our members, and our administrative, health care services, and other costs associated with these programs. Legislative or regulatory actions, such as those resulting in a reduction in premium payments to us, an increase in our cost of administrative and health care services, or additional fees, taxes or assessments, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
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.
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 membership with favorable medical cost experience while retaining or increasing membership with unfavorable
medical cost experience, our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
If we fail to effectively implement our operational and strategic initiatives, including our Medicare initiatives, our state-based contracts strategy, and our participation in the new health insurance exchanges, our business may be materially adversely affected, which is of particular importance given the concentration of our revenues in these products.
Our future performance depends in large part upon our ability to execute our strategy, including opportunities created by the expansion of our Medicare programs, the successful implementation of our integrated care delivery model, our strategy with respect to state-based contracts, including those covering members dually eligible for the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and our participation in health insurance exchanges.
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 offer both stand-alone Medicare prescription drug coverage and Medicare Advantage health plans with prescription drug coverage in addition to our other product offerings. We offer a Medicare prescription drug plan in 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The growth of our Medicare products 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 products in relation to our other businesses may intensify the risks to us inherent in Medicare products. There is significant concentration of our revenues in Medicare products, with approximately 72% of our total premiums and services revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014 generated from our Medicare products, in particular our contracts with CMS in Florida. 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.
The recently implemented Health Care Reform Law created a federal Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office to serve dual eligibles. This Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office has initiated a series of state demonstration projects to experiment with better coordination of care between Medicare and Medicaid. Depending upon the results of those demonstration projects, CMS may change the way in which dual eligibles are serviced. If we are unable to implement our strategic initiatives to address the dual eligibles opportunity, including our participation in state-based contracts, or if our initiatives are not successful at attracting or retaining dual eligible members, our business may be materially adversely affected.
Additionally, our strategy includes the growth of our commercial products, including participation in the new health insurance exchanges, introduction of new products and benefit designs, including HumanaVitality and other wellness products, growth 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.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement our operational and strategic initiatives, including implementing our integrated care delivery model, 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 reduced 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.
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.
There can be no assurance that our information technology, or IT, process will successfully improve existing systems, develop new systems to support our expanding operations, integrate new systems, protect our proprietary information, defend against cybersecurity attacks, or improve service levels. In addition, there can be no assurance that additional systems issues will not arise in the future. Failure to adequately protect and maintain the integrity of our information systems and data, or to defend against cybersecurity attacks, may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
If we are unable to defend our information technology security systems against cybersecurity attacks or prevent other privacy or data security incidents that result in security breaches that disrupt our operations or in the unintended dissemination of sensitive personal information or proprietary or confidential information, we could be exposed to significant regulatory fines or penalties, liability or reputational damage, or experience a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
In the ordinary course of our business, we process, store and transmit large amounts of data, including sensitive personal information as well as proprietary or confidential information relating to our business or a third-party. A cybersecurity attack may penetrate our layered security controls and misappropriate or compromise sensitive personal information or proprietary or confidential information or that of third-parties, create system disruptions, cause shutdowns, or deploy viruses, worms, and other malicious software programs that attack our systems. A cybersecurity attack that bypasses our IT security systems successfully could materially affect us due to the theft, destruction, loss, misappropriation or release of confidential data or intellectual property, operational or business delays resulting from the disruption of our IT systems, or negative publicity resulting in reputation or brand damage with our members, customers, providers, and other stakeholders.
The costs to eliminate or address cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities before or after an incident could be substantial. Our remediation efforts may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays, or cessation of service, and loss of existing or potential members. In addition, breaches of our security measures and the unauthorized dissemination of sensitive personal information or proprietary or confidential information about us or our members or other third-parties, could expose our members’ private information and result in the risk of financial or medical identity theft, or expose us or other third-parties to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, result in significant regulatory fines or penalties, litigation and potential liability for us, damage our brand and reputation, or otherwise harm our business.
Our business may be materially adversely impacted by the adoption of a new coding set for diagnoses.
Federal regulations related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (HIPAA), contain minimum standards for electronic transactions and code sets, and for the privacy and security of protected health information. ICD-9, the current system of assigning codes to diagnoses and procedures associated with hospital utilization in the United States, was scheduled to be replaced by ICD-10 code sets on October 1, 2014. However, on April 1, 2014, The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 was signed into law, delaying implementation of ICD-10 until at least October 1, 2015. For dates of service on or after the date of final implementation, health plans and providers will be required to use ICD-10 codes for such diagnoses and procedures. While we have prepared for the transition to ICD-10, if unforeseen circumstances arise, it is possible that we could be exposed to investigations and allegations of noncompliance, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. In addition, if some providers continue to use ICD-9 codes on claims after the final implementation date, including providers in our network who are employees, we will have to reject such claims, which may lead to claim resubmissions, increased call volume and provider and customer dissatisfaction. Further, providers may use ICD-10 codes differently than they used ICD-9 codes in the past, which could result in lost revenues under risk adjustment. During the transition to ICD-10, certain claims processing and payment information we have historically used to establish our reserves may not be reliable or available in a timely manner. If we do not adequately implement the new ICD-10 coding set, or if providers in our network do not adequately transition to the new ICD-10 coding set, our results of operations, financial position and cash flows may be materially adversely affected.
We are involved in various legal actions and governmental and internal investigations, any of which, if resolved unfavorably to us, could result in substantial monetary damages or changes in our business practices. 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 breach of contract actions, employment and employment discrimination-related suits, employee benefit claims, 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; |
| |
• | 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 or non-acceptance or termination of provider contracts or provider contract disputes relating to rate adjustments resulting from the Balance Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended (commonly referred to as “sequestration”); |
| |
• | disputes related to ASO business, including actions alleging claim administration errors; |
| |
• | qui tam litigation brought by individuals who seek to sue on behalf of the government, alleging that we, as a government contractor, submitted false claims to the government including, among other allegations, resulting from coding and review practices under the Medicare risk-adjustment model; |
| |
• | 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. |
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. 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 materially adversely affect our ability to market our products or services, may require us to change our products or services or otherwise change our business practices, 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 matters 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. These programs accounted for approximately 76% of our total premiums and services revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014. These programs involve various risks, as described further below.
| |
• | At December 31, 2014, under our contracts with CMS we provided health insurance coverage to approximately 542,400 individual Medicare Advantage members in Florida. These contracts accounted for approximately 15% of our total premiums and services revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014. 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 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, 2014, our military services business primarily consisted of the TRICARE South Region contract which covers approximately 3,090,400 beneficiaries. For the year ended December 31, 2014, premiums and services revenue associated with the TRICARE South Region contract accounted for approximately 1% of our total premiums and services revenue. On April 1, 2012, we began delivering services under the current TRICARE South Region contract that the Defense Health Agency, or DHA (formerly known as the TRICARE Management Activity), awarded to us on February 25, 2011. The current 5-year South Region contract, which expires March 31, 2017, is subject to annual renewals on April 1 of each year during its term at the government’s option. On January 27, 2015, we received notice from the DHA of its intent to exercise its option to extend the TRICARE South Region contract through March 31, 2016. The loss of the TRICARE South Region contract, should it occur, 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. As a government contractor, we may be subject to qui tam litigation brought by individuals who seek to sue on behalf of the government, alleging that the government contractor submitted false claims to the government. Litigation of this nature is filed under seal to allow the government an opportunity to investigate and to decide if it wishes to intervene and assume control of the litigation. If the government does not intervene, the lawsuit is unsealed, and the individual may continue to prosecute the action on his or her own.
| |
• | CMS uses a risk-adjustment model which apportions premiums paid to Medicare Advantage, or MA, plans according to health severity. The risk-adjustment model pays more for enrollees with predictably higher costs. Under this model, rates paid to MA plans are based on actuarially determined bids, which include a process that bases our prospective payments on a comparison of our beneficiaries’ risk scores, derived from medical diagnoses, to those enrolled in the government’s traditional fee-for-service Medicare program (referred to as “Medicare FFS”). Under the risk-adjustment methodology, all MA 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 MA plans. We generally rely on providers, including certain providers in our network who are our employees, 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. In addition, we conduct medical record reviews, as part of our data and payment accuracy compliance efforts, to more accurately reflect diagnosis conditions under the risk adjustment model. These compliance efforts include the internal contract level audits described in more detail below. |
CMS is continuing to perform audits of various companies’ selected MA 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 records in an attempt to validate provider medical record documentation and coding practices which influence the calculation of premium payments to MA plans.
In 2012, CMS released a “Notice of Final Payment Error Calculation Methodology for Part C Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) Contract-Level Audits.” The payment error calculation methodology provides that, in calculating the economic impact of audit results for an MA contract, if any, the results of the audit sample will be extrapolated to the entire MA contract based upon a comparison to “benchmark” audit data in Medicare FFS (which we refer to as the "FFS Adjuster"). This comparison to the Medicare FFS benchmark audit is necessary to determine the economic impact, if any, of audit results because the government program data set, including any attendant errors that are present in that data set, provides the basis for MA plans’ risk adjustment to payment rates. CMS already makes other adjustments to payment rates based on a comparison of coding pattern differences between MA plans and Medicare FFS data (such as for frequency of coding for certain diagnoses in MA plan data versus the government program data set).
The final methodology, including the first application of extrapolated audit results to determine audit settlements, is expected to be applied to the current round of RADV contract level audits being conducted on 2011 premium payments. Selected MA contracts will be notified of an audit at some point after the close of the final reconciliation for the payment year being audited. The final reconciliation occurs in August of the calendar year following the payment year. We have been notified that certain of our Medicare Advantage contracts have been selected for audit for contract year 2011.
Estimated audit settlements are recorded as a reduction of premiums revenue in our consolidated statements of income, based upon available information. We perform internal contract level audits based on the RADV audit methodology prescribed by CMS. Included in these internal contract level audits is an audit of our Private Fee-For-Service business which we used to represent a proxy of the benchmark audit data in Medicare FFS which has not yet been released. We based our accrual of estimated audit settlements for contract years 2011 (the first year that application of extrapolated audit results is applicable) through 2014 on the results of these internal contract level audits and update our estimates as each audit is completed. Estimates derived from these results were not material to our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. However,
as indicated, we are awaiting additional guidance from CMS regarding the benchmark audit data in Medicare FFS. Accordingly, we cannot determine whether such RADV audits will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
In addition, CMS’ recent comments in formalized guidance regarding “overpayments” to Medicare Advantage plans appear to be inconsistent with CMS’ prior RADV audit guidance. These statements, contained in the preamble to CMS’ final rule release regarding Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug benefit program regulations for Contract Year 2015, appear to equate each Medicare Advantage risk adjustment data error with an “overpayment” without reconciliation to the principles underlying the FFS Adjuster referenced above. We will continue to work with CMS to ensure that Medicare Advantage plans are paid accurately and that payment model principles are in accordance with the requirements of the Social Security Act, which if not implemented correctly, could have material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.
| |
• | Our CMS contracts which cover members’ prescription drugs under Medicare Part D contain provisions for risk sharing and certain 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 premiums revenue 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. Our estimate of the settlement associated with the Medicare Part D risk corridor provisions was a net receivable of $69 million at December 31, 2014.
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 CMS’s portion of claims costs which exceed the member’s 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 CMS’s 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 CMS’s 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 CMS’s 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 subsidy 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 CMS’s share of the risk. The opposite is true in the event the settlement represents an amount we owe CMS.
| |
• | The Budget Control Act of 2011, enacted on August 2, 2011, increased the United States debt ceiling conditioned on deficit reductions to be achieved over the next ten years. The Budget Control Act of 2011 also established a twelve-member joint committee of Congress known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to propose legislation to reduce the United States federal deficit by $1.5 trillion for fiscal years 2012-2021. The failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to achieve a targeted deficit reduction by December 23, 2011 triggered an automatic reduction, including aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2 percent per fiscal year. These reductions took effect on April 1, 2013, and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, enacted on December 26, 2013, extended the reductions for |
two years. We expect a corresponding substantial reduction in our obligations to providers. Due to the uncertainty around the application of any such reductions, there can be no assurances that we can completely offset any reductions to the Medicare healthcare programs applied by the Budget Control Act of 2011.
| |
• | 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 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 any such outcome of litigation, penalties, fines or other sanctions could be substantial, and the outcome of these matters may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. Certain of these matters could also affect our reputation. 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. |
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 operating costs by, among other things, requiring a minimum benefit ratio on insured products, lowering our Medicare payment rates and increasing our expenses associated with a non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments); our financial position (including our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill); and our cash flows.
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 Care Reform Law) enacted significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. The provisions of the Health Care Reform Law include, among others, imposing a significant new non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments on health insurers, limiting Medicare Advantage payment rates, stipulating a prescribed minimum ratio for the amount of premiums revenue to be expended on medical costs for insured products, 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 Care Reform Law also specifies benefit design guidelines, limits rating and pricing practices, encourages additional competition (including potential incentives for new market entrants), establishes federally-facilitated or state-based exchanges for individuals and small employers (with up to 100 employees) coupled with programs designed to spread risk among insurers (subject to federal administrative action), and expands eligibility for Medicaid programs (subject to state-by-state implementation of this expansion). In addition, the Health Care Reform Law has increased and will continue to 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 plans and individuals which began 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 Care Reform Law began in September 2010 and continue through 2018. If we fail to effectively implement our operational and strategic initiatives with respect to the implementation of the Health Care Reform Law, our business may be materially adversely affected. For additional information, please refer to the section entitled, “Health Care Reform” in “Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” appearing in this annual report.
Our participation in the new federal and state health insurance exchanges, which entail uncertainties associated with mix, volume of business and the operation of premium stabilization programs, which are subject to federal administrative action, could adversely affect our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
The Health Care Reform Law required the establishment of health insurance exchanges for individuals and small employers to purchase health insurance that became effective January 1, 2014, with an annual open enrollment period. Insurers participating on the health insurance exchanges must offer a minimum level of benefits and are subject to guidelines on setting premium rates and coverage limitations. We may be adversely selected by individuals who have a higher acuity level than the anticipated pool of participants in this market. In addition, the risk corridor, reinsurance, and risk adjustment provisions of the Health Care Reform Law, established to apportion risk for insurers, may not be effective in appropriately mitigating the financial risks related to our products. In addition, regulatory changes to the implementation of the Health Care Reform Law that allowed individuals to remain in plans that are not compliant with the Health Care Reform Law may have an adverse effect on our pool of participants in the health insurance exchange. All of these factors may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows if our premiums are not adequate or do not appropriately reflect the acuity of these individuals. Any variation from our expectations regarding acuity, enrollment levels, adverse selection, or other assumptions used in setting premium rates could 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, including reductions in Medicare Advantage payment rates, could increase our cost of doing business and may adversely affect our business, profitability, financial condition, and cash flows.
In addition to the Health Care Reform Law, 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) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act)
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 and providers).
The HITECH Act, one part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, significantly broadened the scope of the privacy and security regulations of HIPAA. On January 17, 2013, HHS issued the omnibus final rule on HIPAA privacy, security, breach notification requirements and enforcement requirements under the HITECH Act, and a final regulation for required changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule for the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA. The omnibus final rule became effective on March 26, 2013, with a compliance date of September 23, 2013. Among other requirements, the HITECH Act and Omnibus final rule mandates individual notification in the event of a breach of unsecured, individually identifiable health information, provides enhanced penalties for HIPAA violations, requires business associates to comply with certain provisions of the HIPAA privacy and security rule, and grants enforcement authority to state attorneys general in addition to the HHS Office of Civil Rights.
In addition, there are numerous federal and state laws and regulations addressing patient and consumer privacy concerns, including unauthorized access or theft of personal information. State statutes and regulations vary from state to state and could impose additional penalties. Violations of HIPAA or applicable federal or state laws or regulations could subject us to significant criminal or civil penalties, including significant monetary penalties. Compliance with HIPAA and other privacy regulations requires significant systems enhancements, training and administrative effort.
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 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 HIPAA’s provisions and requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to issue regulations implementing its privacy and security enhancements.
Corporate Practice of Medicine and Other Laws
As a corporate entity, Humana Inc. is not licensed to practice medicine. Many states in which we operate through our subsidiaries 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 management agreements between certain of our subsidiaries and affiliated physician-owned 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 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.
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. 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 increases, 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 insurance 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.
Any failure by us to manage acquisitions, divestitures 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, divestitures, 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 our acquisition
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, transactions outside of our core business space, or if multiple transactions are pursued simultaneously. The failure to successfully integrate acquired entities and businesses or failure to produce results consistent with the financial model used in the analysis of our acquisitions 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. In addition, from time to time, we evaluate alternatives for our businesses that do not meet our strategic, growth or profitability objectives. Among the businesses that we are currently evaluating is our closed block of long-term care insurance policies business. While no decision has been made with respect to any course of action, if we were to divest this business it is reasonably likely that we would have to recognize a material loss that will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. The divestiture of certain other businesses could also result, individually or in the aggregate, in the recognition of material losses and a material adverse effect on our results of operations. There can be no assurance that we will be able to complete any such divestitures on terms favorable to us.
If we fail to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with the providers of care to our members, our business may be adversely affected.
We employ or 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. A key component of our integrated care delivery strategy is to increase the number of providers who share medical cost risk with us or have financial incentives to deliver quality medical services in a cost-effective manner.
In any particular market, providers could refuse 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 unfavorable contracts with us or place us at a competitive disadvantage, or do not enter into contracts with us that encourage the delivery of quality medical services in a cost-effective manner, 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 providers for an actuarially determined, fixed fee per month to provide a basket of 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 mail order business competes with locally owned drugstores, retail drugstore chains, supermarkets, discount retailers, membership clubs, Internet companies and 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 state’s board of pharmacy. Federal agencies further regulate our pharmacy operations, requiring registration 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-order pharmacies. The failure to adhere to these laws and regulations may expose us to civil and criminal penalties.
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. It is uncertain 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. Regulators have conducted investigations 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 certain of our licensed subsidiaries is restricted by state insurance regulations.
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. Certain of our insurance subsidiaries operate in states that regulate the payment of dividends, loans, administrative expense reimbursements or other cash transfers to Humana Inc., 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 insurance subsidiaries, without prior approval by state regulatory authorities, or ordinary dividends, is limited based on the entity's 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. Actual dividends paid may vary due to consideration of excess statutory capital and surplus and expected future surplus requirements related to, for example, premium volume and product mix. Dividends from our non-insurance companies such as in our Healthcare Services segment are generally not restricted by Departments of Insurance. 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. In addition, our debt ratings impact both the 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 agency’s 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 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.
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 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 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, acquisitions, future expansion opportunities, and capital expenditures for at least the next twelve months, as well as to refinance or repay debt, and repurchase shares. 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.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
The following table lists, by state, the number of medical centers and administrative offices we owned or leased at December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Medical Centers | | Administrative Offices | | |
| Owned | | Leased | | Owned | | Leased | | Total |
Florida | 14 |
| | 125 |
| | — |
| | 94 |
| | 233 |
|
Texas | 4 |
| | 56 |
| | 2 |
| | 44 |
| | 106 |
|
California | — |
| | 28 |
| | — |
| | 18 |
| | 46 |
|
Georgia | 1 |
| | 21 |
| | — |
| | 15 |
| | 37 |
|
Kentucky | 2 |
| | 10 |
| | 11 |
| | 11 |
| | 34 |
|
Arizona | 1 |
| | 20 |
| | — |
| | 9 |
| | 30 |
|
Illinois | — |
| | 17 |
| | — |
| | 12 |
| | 29 |
|
Colorado | — |
| | 20 |
| | — |
| | 9 |
| | 29 |
|
Michigan | — |
| | 23 |
| | — |
| | 3 |
| | 26 |
|
Ohio | — |
| | 10 |
| | — |
| | 16 |
| | 26 |
|
Pennsylvania | | | 16 |
| | | | 8 |
| | 24 |
|
Tennessee | — |
| | 11 |
| | — |
| | 13 |
| | 24 |
|
New Jersey | — |
| | 14 |
| | — |
| | 9 |
| | 23 |
|
Louisiana | — |
| | 11 |
| | — |
| | 11 |
| | 22 |
|
Virginia | — |
| | 14 |
| | — |
| | 8 |
| | 22 |
|
New York | — |
| | 4 |
| | — |
| | 13 |
| | 17 |
|
North Carolina | — |
| | 6 |
| | — |
| | 10 |
| | 16 |
|
Missouri | — |
| | 12 |
| | — |
| | 3 |
| | 15 |
|
Nevada | | | 10 |
| | | | 5 |
| | 15 |
|
Wisconsin | — |
| | 8 |
| | 1 |
| | 6 |
| | 15 |
|
Connecticut | — |
| | 10 |
| | — |
| | 3 |
| | 13 |
|
Indiana | — |
| | 7 |
| | — |
| | 6 |
| | 13 |
|
South Carolina | — |
| | 2 |
| | 4 |
| | 7 |
| | 13 |
|
Maryland | — |
| | 10 |
| | — |
| | 2 |
| | 12 |
|
Oklahoma | — |
| | 7 |
| | — |
| | 5 |
| | 12 |
|
Mississippi | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 10 |
| | 10 |
|
Puerto Rico | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 9 |
| | 9 |
|
Others | — |
| | 47 |
| | — |
| | 41 |
| | 88 |
|
Total | 22 |
| | 519 |
| | 18 |
| | 400 |
| | 959 |
|
The medical centers we operate are primarily located in Florida and Texas, including full-service, multi-specialty medical centers staffed by primary care providers and medical specialists, urgent care facilities, and worksite medical facilities. Of the medical centers included in the table above, approximately 54 of these facilities are leased or subleased to our providers to operate.
Our principal executive office is located in the Humana Building, 500 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. In addition to the headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, we maintain other principal operating facilities used for customer service, enrollment, and/or claims processing and certain other corporate functions in Louisville, Kentucky; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Tampa, Florida; Cincinnati, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are party to a variety of legal actions in the ordinary course of business, certain of which may be styled as class-action lawsuits. Among other matters, this litigation may include employment matters, claims of medical malpractice, bad faith, nonacceptance or termination of providers, anticompetitive practices, improper rate setting, provider contract rate disputes, failure to disclose network discounts and various other provider arrangements, general contractual matters, intellectual property matters, and challenges to subrogation practices. For a discussion of our material legal actions, including those not in the ordinary course of business, 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. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
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, 2014 and 2013:
|
| | | | | | | |
| High | | Low |
Year Ended December 31, 2014 | | | |
First quarter | $ | 118.78 |
| | $ | 95.59 |
|
Second quarter | $ | 128.95 |
| | $ | 104.74 |
|
Third quarter | $ | 135.51 |
| | $ | 115.97 |
|
Fourth quarter | $ | 149.07 |
| | $ | 124.17 |
|
Year Ended December 31, 2013 | | | |
First quarter | $ | 81.52 |
| | $ | 66.01 |
|
Second quarter | $ | 85.17 |
| | $ | 72.10 |
|
Third quarter | $ | 99.60 |
| | $ | 82.93 |
|
Fourth quarter | $ | 105.25 |
| | $ | 91.21 |
|
Holders of our Capital Stock
As of January 31, 2015, there were approximately 3,300 holders of record of our common stock and approximately 40,250 beneficial holders of our common stock.
Dividends
The following table provides details of dividend payments, excluding dividend equivalent rights, in 2013 and 2014:
|
| | | | | | |
Record Date | | Payment Date | | Amount per Share | | Total Amount |
| | | | | | (in millions) |
2013 payments | | | | | | |
12/31/2012 | | 1/25/2013 | | $0.26 | | $42 |
3/28/2013 | | 4/26/2013 | | $0.26 | | $41 |
6/28/2013 | | 7/26/2013 | | $0.27 | | $42 |
9/30/2013 | | 10/25/2013 | | $0.27 | | $42 |
2014 payments | | | | | | |
12/31/2013 | | 1/31/2014 | | $0.27 | | $42 |
3/31/2014 | | 4/25/2014 | | $0.27 | | $42 |
6/30/2014 | | 7/25/2014 | | $0.28 | | $43 |
9/30/2014 | | 10/31/2014 | | $0.28 | | $43 |
In October 2014, the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.28 per share that was paid on January 30, 2015 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2014, for an aggregate amount of $42 million. Declaration and payment of future quarterly dividends is at the discretion of the Board and may be adjusted as business needs or market conditions change.
Stock Total Return Performance
The following graph compares our total return to stockholders with the returns of the Standard & Poor’s Composite 500 Index (“S&P 500”) and the Dow Jones US Select Health Care Providers Index (“Peer Group”) for the five years ended December 31, 2014. The graph assumes an investment of $100 in each of our common stock, the S&P 500, and the Peer Group on December 31, 2009, and that dividends were reinvested when paid.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12/31/2009 | | 12/31/2010 | | 12/31/2011 | | 12/31/2012 | | 12/31/2013 | | 12/31/2014 |
HUM | $ | 100 |
| | $ | 125 |
| | $ | 201 |
| | $ | 160 |
| | $ | 244 |
| | $ | 342 |
|
S&P 500 | $ | 100 |
| | $ | 115 |
| | $ | 117 |
| | $ | 136 |
| | $ | 180 |
| | $ | 205 |
|
Peer Group | $ | 100 |
| | $ | 112 |
| | $ | 123 |
| | $ | 144 |
| | $ | 198 |
| | $ | 252 |
|
The stock price performance included in this graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The following table provides information about purchases by us during the three months ended December 31, 2014 of equity securities that are registered by us pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased (1) | | Average Price Paid per Share | | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (1)(2) | | Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) |
October 2014 | 592,852 |
| | $ | 128.37 |
| | 592,852 |
| | $ | 1,889,450,517 |
|
November 2014 | 3,236,801 |
| | 130.97 |
| | 3,236,801 |
| | 1,365,543,163 |
|
December 2014 | 0 |
| | 0 |
| | 0 |
| | 1,365,543,163 |
|
Total | 3,829,653 |
| | $ | 130.56 |
| | 3,829,653 |
| | |
| |
(1) | In September 2014, the Board of Directors replaced a previous share repurchase authorization of up to $1 billion with a current authorization for repurchases of up to $2 billion of our common shares exclusive of shares repurchased in connection with employee stock plans, expiring on December 31, 2016. Under the current 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 (including pursuant to accelerated share repurchase agreements with investment bankers), subject to certain regulatory restrictions on volume, pricing, and timing. As of February 18, 2015, the remaining authorized amount under the current authorization totaled approximately $1.37 billion, which includes $100 million of stock held back as part of an accelerated share repurchase agreement as more fully described under "Stock Repurchases" in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. |
| |
(2) | Excludes 0.02 million shares repurchased in connection with employee stock plans. |
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2014 (a) | | 2013 (b) | | 2012 (c) | | 2011 | | 2010 (d) |
| (dollars in millions, except per common share results) |
Summary of Operating Results: | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues: | | | | | | | | | |
Premiums | $ | 45,959 |
| | $ | 38,829 |
| | $ | 37,009 |
| | $ | 35,106 |
| | $ | 32,712 |
|
Services | 2,164 |
| | 2,109 |
| | 1,726 |
| | 1,360 |
| | 555 |
|
Investment income | 377 |
| | 375 |
| | 391 |
| | 366 |
| | 329 |
|
Total revenues | 48,500 |
| | 41,313 |
| | 39,126 |
| | 36,832 |
| | 33,596 |
|
Operating expenses: | | | | | | | | | |
Benefits | 38,166 |
| | 32,564 |
| | 30,985 |
| | 28,823 |
| | 27,117 |
|
Operating costs | 7,639 |
| | 6,355 |
| | 5,830 |
| | 5,395 |
| | 4,380 |
|
Depreciation and amortization | 333 |
| | 333 |
| | 295 |
| | 270 |
| | 245 |
|
Total operating expenses | 46,138 |
| | 39,252 |
| | 37,110 |
| | 34,488 |
| | 31,742 |
|
Income from operations | 2,362 |
| | 2,061 |
| | 2,016 |
| | 2,344 |
| | 1,854 |
|
Interest expense | 192 |
| | 140 |
| | 105 |
| | 109 |
| | 105 |
|
Income before income taxes | 2,170 |
| | 1,921 |
| | 1,911 |
| | 2,235 |
| | 1,749 |
|
Provision for income taxes | 1,023 |
| | 690 |
| | 689 |
| | 816 |
| | 650 |
|
Net income | $ | 1,147 |
| | $ | 1,231 |
| | $ | 1,222 |
| | $ | 1,419 |
| | $ | 1,099 |
|
Basic earnings per common share | $ | 7.44 |
| | $ | 7.81 |
| | $ | 7.56 |
| | $ | 8.58 |
| | $ | 6.55 |
|
Diluted earnings per common share | $ | 7.36 |
| | $ | 7.73 |
| | $ | 7.47 |
| | $ | 8.46 |
| | $ | 6.47 |
|
Dividends declared per common share | $ | 1.11 |
| | $ | 1.07 |
| | $ | 1.03 |
| | $ | 0.75 |
| | $ | — |
|
Financial Position: | | | | | | | | | |
Cash and investments | $ | 11,482 |
| | $ | 10,938 |
| | $ | 11,153 |
| | $ | 10,830 |
| | $ | 10,046 |
|
Total assets | 23,466 |
| | 20,735 |
| | 19,979 |
| | 17,708 |
| | 16,103 |
|
Benefits payable | 4,475 |
| | 3,893 |
| | 3,779 |
| | 3,754 |
| | 3,469 |
|
Debt | 3,825 |
| | 2,600 |
| | 2,611 |
| | 1,659 |
| | 1,669 |
|
Stockholders’ equity | 9,646 |
| | 9,316 |
| | 8,847 |
| | 8,063 |
| | 6,924 |
|
Cash flows from operations | $ | 1,618 |
| | $ | 1,716 |
| | $ | 1,923 |
| | $ | 2,079 |
| | $ | 2,242 |
|
Key Financial Indicators: | | | | | | | | | |
Benefit ratio | 83.0 | % | | 83.9 | % | | 83.7 | % | | 82.1 | % | | 82.9 | % |
Operating cost ratio | 15.9 | % | | 15.5 | % | | 15.1 | % | | 14.8 | % | | 13.2 | % |
Membership by Segment: | | | | | | | | | |
Retail segment: | | | | | | | | | |
Medical membership | 7,882,300 |
| | 6,026,000 |
| | 5,553,800 |
| | 4,795,000 |
| | 3,681,900 |
|
Specialty membership | 1,165,800 |
| | 1,042,500 |
| | 948,700 |
| | 782,500 |
| | 510,000 |
|
Employer Group segment: | | | | | | | | | |
Medical membership | 2,834,000 |
| | 2,833,100 |
| | 2,852,400 |
| | 2,794,900 |
| | 3,009,500 |
|
Specialty membership | 6,502,700 |
| | 6,780,800 |
| | 7,136,200 |
| | 6,532,600 |
| | 6,517,500 |
|
Other Businesses: | | | | | | | | | |
Medical membership | 3,125,400 |
| | 3,125,200 |
| | 3,682,600 |
| | 3,594,700 |
| | 3,595,200 |
|
Consolidated: | | | | | | | | | |
Total medical membership | 13,841,700 |
| | 11,984,300 |
| | 12,088,800 |
| | 11,184,600 |
| | 10,286,600 |
|
Total specialty membership | 7,668,500 |
| | 7,823,300 |
| | 8,084,900 |
| | 7,315,100 |
| | 7,027,500 |
|
| |
(a) | Includes loss on extinguishment of debt of $37 million ($23 million after tax, or $0.15 per diluted common share) for the redemption of senior notes. |
| |
(b) | Includes benefits expense of $243 million ($154 million after tax, or $0.99 per diluted common share) for reserve strengthening associated with our non-strategic closed block of long-term care insurance policies. |
| |
(c) | Includes the acquired operations of Arcadian Management Services, Inc. from March 31, 2012, SeniorBridge Family Companies, Inc. from July 6, 2012, and Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. from December 21, 2012. |
| |
(d) | Includes the acquired operations of Concentra Inc. from December 21, 2010. Also includes operating costs of $147 million ($93 million after tax, or $0.55 per diluted common share) for the write-down of deferred acquisition costs associated with our individual commercial medical policies and benefits expense of $139 million ($88 million after tax, or $0.52 per diluted common share) associated with reserve strengthening for our non-strategic closed block of long-term care insurance policies. |
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Executive Overview
General
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. Our strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country.
Our industry relies on two key statistics to measure performance. The benefit ratio, which is computed by taking total benefits expense as a percentage of premiums revenue, represents a statistic used to measure underwriting profitability. The operating cost ratio, which is computed by taking total operating costs, which excludes depreciation and amortization, as a percentage of total revenue less investment income, represents a statistic used to measure administrative spending efficiency.
Business Segments
On January 1, 2014, we reclassified certain of our businesses from our Healthcare Services segment to our Employer Group segment to correspond with internal management reporting changes. Our reportable segments remain the same and prior period segment financial information has been recast to conform to the 2014 presentation. This is further described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
We manage our business with three reportable segments: Retail, Employer Group, and Healthcare Services. In addition, the Other Businesses category includes businesses that are not individually reportable because they do not meet the quantitative thresholds required by generally accepted accounting principles. These segments are based on a combination of the type of health plan customer and adjacent businesses centered on well-being solutions for our health plans and other customers, as described below. These segment groupings are consistent with information used by our Chief Executive Officer to assess performance and allocate resources.
The Retail segment consists of Medicare and commercial fully-insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits, including dental, vision, and other supplemental health and financial protection products, marketed directly to individuals, and includes our contract with CMS to administer the LI-NET prescription drug plan program and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and Long-Term Support Services benefits, collectively our state-based contracts. The Employer Group segment consists of Medicare and commercial fully-insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits, including dental, vision, and other supplemental health and voluntary benefit products, as well as administrative services only, or ASO, products and our health and wellness products primarily marketed to employer groups. The Healthcare Services segment includes services offered to our health plan members as well as to third parties including pharmacy solutions, provider services, home based services, integrated behavioral health services, and predictive modeling and informatics services. The Other Businesses category consists of our military services, primarily our TRICARE South Region contract, Puerto Rico Medicaid, and closed-block long-term care insurance policies.
The results of each segment are measured by income before income taxes. Transactions between reportable segments consist of sales of services rendered by our Healthcare Services segment, primarily pharmacy, provider, home based, and behavioral health, to our Retail and Employer Group customers. Intersegment sales and expenses are recorded at fair value and eliminated in consolidation. Members served by our segments often utilize the same provider networks, enabling us in some instances to obtain more favorable contract terms with providers. Our segments also share indirect costs and assets. As a result, the profitability of each segment is interdependent.
We allocate most operating expenses to our segments. Assets and certain corporate income and expenses are not allocated to the segments, including the portion of investment income not supporting segment operations, interest
expense on corporate debt, and certain other corporate expenses. These items are managed at the corporate level. These corporate amounts are reported separately from our reportable segments and included with intersegment eliminations.
Seasonality
One of the product offerings of our Retail segment is Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans, or PDPs, under the Medicare Part D program. Our quarterly Retail 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 coverage that varies as a member’s cumulative out-of-pocket costs pass through successive stages of a member’s 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 PDP 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 affects the quarterly benefit ratio pattern.
Our Employer Group segment also experiences seasonality in the benefit ratio pattern. However, the effect is opposite of Medicare stand-alone PDP in the Retail segment, with the Employer Group’s benefit ratio increasing as fully-insured members progress through their annual deductible and maximum out-of-pocket expenses. Similarly, certain of our fully-insured individual commercial medical products in our Retail segment experience seasonality in the benefit ratio akin to the Employer Group segment, including the effect of existing members transitioning to policies compliant with the Health Care Reform Law.
In addition, the Retail segment also experiences seasonality in the operating cost ratio as a result of costs incurred in the second half of the year associated with the Medicare and individual health care exchange marketing seasons.
2014 Highlights
Consolidated
| |
• | Our 2014 results reflect the continued implementation of our strategy to offer our members affordable health care combined with a positive consumer experience in growing markets. At the core of this strategy is our integrated care delivery model, which unites quality care, high member engagement, and sophisticated data analytics. Our approach to primary, physician-directed care for our members aims to provide quality care that is consistent, integrated, cost-effective, and member-focused, provided by both employed physicians and physicians with network contract arrangements. A core element of the model is to offer assistance to providers in transitioning from a fee-for-service to a value-based arrangement. The model is designed to improve health outcomes and affordability for individuals and for the health system as a whole, while offering our members a simple, seamless healthcare experience. We believe this strategy is positioning us for long-term growth in both membership and earnings. At December 31, 2014, approximately 709,000 members, or 29.0%, of our individual Medicare Advantage membership were in risk arrangements under our integrated care delivery model, as compared to 561,500 members, or 27.1%, at December 31, 2013. |
| |
• | Year-over-year comparisons of our results were impacted by investments in health care exchanges and state-based contracts as well as higher specialty prescription drug costs associated with a new treatment for Hepatitis C, partially offset by membership growth in our Medicare Advantage, Medicare stand-alone PDP, and individual commercial medical offerings as well as increased membership in our clinical programs. |
| |
• | In September 2014, we paid the federal government $562 million for the annual health insurance industry fee. This fee is not deductible for tax purposes, which has significantly increased our effective income tax rate in 2014. Year-over-year comparisons of the operating cost ratio are negatively impacted by this and other fees mandated by the Health Care Reform Law beginning in 2014. Likewise, year-over-year comparisons of the benefit ratio reflect the inclusion of these mandated fees in the pricing of our products for 2014. In 2015, the health insurance industry fee increases by 41% for the industry taken as a whole. Accordingly, absent changes in market share, we would expect a 41% increase in our fee in 2015. The health insurance industry fee is further described below under the section titled “Health Care Reform.” |
| |
• | Year-over-year comparisons of diluted earnings per common share are favorably impacted by a lower number of shares used to compute diluted earnings per common share reflecting the impact of share repurchases. |
| |
• | Our operating cash flow of $1.6 billion for the year ended December 31, 2014 compared to operating cash flow of $1.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2013. For 2014, the effect of the commercial risk adjustment, risk corridor, and reinsurance provisions of the Health Care Reform Law impacted the timing of our operating cash flows, as we built a receivable of $679 million in 2014 that is expected to be collected in 2015. |
| |
• | Our 2014 financing cash flows have been negatively impacted by the timing of payments to and receipts from CMS associated with Medicare Part D reinsurance subsidies for which we do not assume risk. Claims payments were $945 million higher than receipts from CMS associated with Medicare Part D claim subsidies for which we do not assume risk during 2014. We are experiencing higher specialty prescription drug costs associated with a new treatment for Hepatitis C than were contemplated in our bids which is resulting in higher reinsurance subsidy receivable balances in 2014 that will be settled in 2015 under the terms of our contracts with CMS. |
| |
• | We continue to focus on disciplined capital allocation. In 2014, we issued senior notes and received net proceeds of $1.7 billion, redeemed our $500 million 6.45% senior notes for cash totaling approximately $560 million, repurchased 5.7 million shares of our common stock for $730 million in open market transactions (which excludes another $100 million of stock held back pursuant to an accelerated share repurchase program), and paid dividends to stockholders of $172 million. |
Retail Segment
| |
• | On April 7, 2014, CMS announced final 2015 Medicare benchmark payment rates and related technical factors impacting the bid benchmark premiums, which we refer to as the Final Rate Notice. We believe the Final Rate Notices together with the impact of payment cuts associated with the Health Care Reform Law, quality bonuses, sunset of the Star quality CMS demonstration in 2015, risk coding modifications, the impact of the health insurance industry fee, and other funding formula changes, indicate 2015 Medicare Advantage funding cuts of approximately 2%. We believe we have effectively designed Medicare Advantage products based upon these levels of rate reduction while continuing to remain competitive compared to both the combination of Medicare FFS with a supplement policy as well as Medicare Advantage products offered by our competitors. Failure to execute these strategies may result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows. |
| |
• | Medicare Advantage premiums are tied to the achievement of certain quality performance measures (Star Ratings). Beginning in 2015, plans must have a Star Rating of four or higher to qualify for bonus money. Star Ratings issued by CMS in October 2014 indicated that plans covering 92% of our Medicare Advantage membership for the 2015 plan year achieved a Star Rating of 4.0 or higher. We have 23 Medicare Advantage plans that achieved a rating of four or more stars, an increase from 18 the previous year. We are offering one Medicare Advantage plan that achieved a 5.0 Star Rating, our CarePlus Health Plans, Inc. HMO plan in Florida, as well as five Medicare Advantage plans that achieved a 4.5 Star Rating. Plans that earn an overall Star Rating of five become eligible to enroll members year round. |
| |
• | As discussed in the detailed Retail segment results of operations discussion that follows, for the year ended December 31, 2014, our Retail segment pretax income declined by 14.4% primarily due to the same factors discussed above for our consolidated results. |
| |
• | Individual Medicare Advantage membership increased 377,500 members, or 18.2%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 reflecting net membership additions, particularly for our HMO offerings, for the 2014 plan year as well as dual eligible members from state-based contracts in Virginia and Illinois. January 1, 2015 individual Medicare Advantage membership increased approximately 257,000 members, or 10.5%, from December 31, 2014 reflecting net membership additions for the 2015 enrollment season, primarily in our HMO offerings. |
| |
• | Medicare stand-alone PDP membership increased 717,800 members, or 21.9%, from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2014 reflecting net membership additions, primarily for our Humana-Walmart plan offering, for the 2014 plan year. January 1, 2015 Medicare stand-alone PDP membership, excluding the LI-NET prescription drug plan program, increased approximately 230,500 members, or 5.8%, from December 31, 2014 reflecting net membership additions for the 2015 enrollment season. |
| |
• | Our state-based Medicaid membership as of December 31, 2014 increased 213,000 members from December 31, 2013, primarily due to the addition of members under our Florida Medicaid and Florida Long-Term Support Services contracts. |
| |
• | Individual commercial medical membership of 1,148,100 at December 31, 2014 increased 548,000 members, or 91.3%, from December 31, 2013 primarily reflecting new sales, both on-exchange and off-exchange, of plans compliant with the Health Care Reform Law. At December 31, 2014, individual commercial medical membership in plans compliant with the Health Care Reform Law, both on-exchange and off-exchange, was 686,300 members. In addition, federal and state regulatory changes in December 2013 allowed certain individuals to remain in their existing underwritten health plans that are not compliant with the Health Care Reform Law, which has led to much higher than previously expected retention of our existing underwritten health plans. We believe that this is occurring at other health insurance issuers as well and will result in an overall deterioration of the risk pool in plans compliant with the Health Care Reform Law, as more previously underwritten members remain with their current health plans rather than enter the exchanges. However, we expect that the commercial risk adjustment, risk corridor, and reinsurance provisions of the Health Care Reform Law will mitigate this deterioration to some extent. |
Employer Group Segment
| |
• | As discussed in the detailed Employer Group segment results of operations discussion that follows, the Employer Group segment pretax income declined 10.3% for the year ended December 31, 2014 primarily reflecting higher utilization, mainly due to higher specialty prescription drug costs associated with a new treatment for Hepatitis C, as well as the continuing impact of transitional policy changes which allowed individuals to remain in plans not compliant with the Health Care Reform Law. |
| |
• | Fully-insured group Medicare Advantage membership of 489,700 at December 31, 2014 increased 60,600 members, or 14.1%, from 429,100 at December 31, 2013 primarily due to the January 2014 addition of a new large group account. |
| |
• | Membership in HumanaVitality®, our wellness and loyalty rewards program, rose 36.2% to 3,856,800 at December 31, 2014 from 2,831,000 at December 31, 2013 primarily due to the addition of group Medicare members as well as individual Medicare Advantage and fully-insured individual commercial medical membership growth. |
Healthcare Services Segment
| |
• | As discussed in the detailed Healthcare Services segment results of operations discussion that follows, our Healthcare Services segment pretax income improved 41.8% for the year ended December 31, 2014 primarily due to a decline in the operating cost ratio in 2014 on a revenue base that reflects growth from our pharmacy solutions and home based services businesses as they serve our growing Medicare membership. |
| |
• | Programs to enhance the quality of care for members are key elements of our integrated care delivery model. We have accelerated our process for identifying and reaching out to members in need of clinical intervention. At December 31, 2014, we had approximately 420,700 members with complex chronic conditions in the Humana Chronic Care Program, a 50.1% increase compared with approximately 280,200 members at December 31, 2013, reflecting enhanced predictive modeling capabilities and focus on proactive clinical outreach and member engagement, particularly for our Medicare Advantage membership. We believe these initiatives lead to better health outcomes for our members and lower health care costs. |
Other Businesses
| |
• | Year-over-year comparisons within Other Businesses are impacted by the loss of our Medicaid contracts in Puerto Rico effective September 30, 2013 and a reduction in benefits expense in 2013 related to a favorable settlement of contract claims with the United States Department of Defense, or DoD, associated with previously disclosed litigation. In addition, as discussed in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, during 2013, we recorded net benefits expense of $243 million ($154 million after-tax, or $0.99 per diluted common share) for reserve strengthening related to our non-strategic closed-block of long-term care insurance policies acquired in connection with the 2007 acquisition of KMG. |
Health Care Reform
The Health Care Reform Law enacted significant reforms to various aspects of the U.S. health insurance industry. Implementation dates of the Health Care Reform Law began in September 2010 and will continue through 2018, and many aspects of the Health Care Reform Law are already effective and have been implemented by us. Certain significant provisions of the Health Care Reform Law include, among others, mandated coverage requirements, mandated benefits and guarantee issuance associated with commercial medical insurance, rebates to policyholders based on minimum benefit ratios, adjustments to Medicare Advantage premiums, the establishment of federally-facilitated or state-based exchanges coupled with programs designed to spread risk among insurers, an annual insurance industry premium-based assessment, and a three-year commercial reinsurance fee. Certain provisions of the Health Care Reform Law became effective in 2014, including:
| |
• | All individual and group health plans must guarantee issuance and renew coverage without pre-existing condition exclusions or health-status rating adjustments; |
| |
• | The elimination of annual limits on coverage on certain benefits; |
| |
• | The establishment of federally-facilitated, federal-state partnerships or state-based exchanges for individuals and small employers (with up to 100 employees) coupled with programs designed to spread risk among insurers; |
| |
• | The introduction of plan designs based on set actuarial values; |
| |
• | The establishment of a minimum benefit ratio of 85% for Medicare Advantage plans with penalties up to and including termination of Medicare Advantage contracts for continued failure to meet the minimum; and |
| |
• | Insurance industry assessments, including an annual health insurance industry fee and a three-year $25 billion industry wide commercial reinsurance fee. The annual health insurance industry fee levied on the insurance industry is $8 billion in 2014 with increasing annual amounts thereafter, growing to $14 billion by 2017, and is not deductible for income tax purposes, which significantly increased our effective income tax rate in 2014 to approximately 47.2%. In 2014, we paid the federal government $562 million for the annual health insurance industry fee. In 2015, the health insurance industry fee increases by 41% for the industry taken as a whole. Accordingly, absent changes in market share, we would expect a 41% increase in our fee in 2015. In addition, statutory accounting for the health insurance industry fee required us to restrict surplus in the year preceding payment of the health insurance industry fee beginning in 2014. Accordingly, in addition to recording the full-year 2014 assessment in the first quarter of 2014, we were required to restrict surplus for the 2015 assessment ratably in 2014. |
The Health Care Reform Law also specifies benefit design guidelines, limits rating and pricing practices, encourages additional competition (including potential incentives for new market entrants), establishes federally-facilitated or state-based exchanges for individuals and small employers (with up to 100 employees) coupled with programs designed to spread risk among insurers (subject to federal administrative action), and expands eligibility for Medicaid programs (subject to state-by-state implementation of this expansion). In addition, the Health Care Reform Law has increased and will continue to 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 comes, in part, from material additional fees and taxes on us (as discussed above) and other health plans and individuals which began in 2014, as well as reductions in certain levels of payments to us and other health plans under Medicare as described in this report.
As discussed above, it is reasonably possible that the Health Care Reform Law and related regulations, as well as future legislative changes, including legislative restrictions on our ability to manage our provider network or otherwise operate our business, or regulatory restrictions on profitability, including by comparison of our Medicare Advantage profitability to our non-Medicare Advantage business profitability and a requirement that they remain within certain ranges of each other, 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 operating costs, further lowering our Medicare payment rates and increasing our expenses associated with the non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments); our financial position (including our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill); and our cash flows (including the receipt of amounts due under the commercial risk adjustment, risk corridor, and reinsurance provisions of the Health Care Reform Law in 2015 related to claims paid in 2014, which payments may be subject to federal administrative action).
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. Transactions between reportable segments primarily consist of sales of services rendered by our Healthcare Services segment, primarily pharmacy, provider, and behavioral health services, to our Retail and Employer Group customers and are described in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Comparison of Results of Operations for 2014 and 2013
Certain financial data on a consolidated basis and for our segments was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:
Consolidated
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Change |
| | 2014 | | 2013 | | Dollars | | Percentage |
| | (dollars in millions, except per common share results) | | |
Revenues: | | | | | | | | |
Premiums: | | | | | | | | |
Retail | | $ | 33,954 |
| | $ | 27,204 |
| | $ | 6,750 |
| | 24.8 | % |
Employer Group | | 11,935 |
| | 10,930 |
| | 1,005 |
| | 9.2 | % |
Other Businesses | | 70 |
| | 695 |
| | (625 | ) | | (89.9 | )% |
Total premiums | | 45,959 |
| | 38,829 |
| | 7,130 |
| | 18.4 | % |
Services: | | | | | | | | |
Retail | | 39 |
| | 16 |
| | 23 |
| | 143.8 | % |
Employer Group | | 362 |
| | 359 |
| | 3 |
| | 0.8 | % |
Healthcare Services | | 1,282 |
| | 1,280 |
| | 2 |
| | 0.2 | % |
Other Businesses | | 481 |
| | 454 |
| | 27 |
| | 5.9 | % |
Total services | | 2,164 |
| | 2,109 |
| | 55 |
| | 2.6 | % |
Investment income | | 377 |
| | 375 |
| | 2 |
| | 0.5 | % |
Total revenues | | 48,500 |
| | 41,313 |
| | 7,187 |
| | 17.4 | % |
Operating expenses: | | | | | | | | |
Benefits | | 38,166 |
| | 32,564 |
| | 5,602 |
| | 17.2 | % |
Operating costs | | 7,639 |
| | 6,355 |
| | 1,284 |
| | 20.2 | % |
Depreciation and amortization | | 333 |
| | 333 |
| | — |
| | — | % |
Total operating expenses | | 46,138 |
| | 39,252 |
| | 6,886 |
| | 17.5 | % |
Income from operations | | 2,362 |
| | 2,061 |
| | 301 |
| | 14.6 | % |
Interest expense | | 192 |
| | 140 |
| | 52 |
| | 37.1 | % |
Income before income taxes | | 2,170 |
| | 1,921 |
| | 249 |
| | 13.0 | % |
Provision for income taxes | | 1,023 |
| | 690 |
| | 333 |
| | 48.3 | % |
Net income | | $ | 1,147 |
| | $ | 1,231 |
| | $ | (84 | ) | | (6.8 | )% |
Diluted earnings per common share | | $ | 7.36 |
| | $ | 7.73 |
| | $ | (0.37 | ) | | (4.8 | )% |
Benefit ratio (a) | | 83.0 | % | | 83.9 | % | | | | (0.9 | )% |
Operating cost ratio (b) | | 15.9 | % | | 15.5 | % | | | | 0.4 | % |
Effective tax rate | | 47.2 | % | | 35.9 | % | | | | 11.3 | % |
| |
(a) | Represents total benefits expense as a percentage of premiums revenue. |
| |
(b) | Represents total operating costs as a percentage of total revenues less investment income. |
Summary
Net income was $1.1 billion, or $7.36 per diluted common share, in 2014 compared to $1.2 billion, or $7.73 per diluted common share, in 2013. Net income for 2014 includes expenses of $0.15 per diluted common share associated with a loss on extinguishment of debt for the redemption of certain senior notes in 2014 and net income for 2013
includes benefits expense of $0.99 per diluted common share for reserve strengthening associated with our closed-block of long-term care insurance policies included with Other Businesses as discussed in Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data as well as the benefit of a reduction in benefits expense in 2013 related to a favorable settlement of contract claims with the DoD. Excluding these items, the increase in net income primarily resulted from higher pretax income in our Healthcare Services segment substantially offset by lower pretax income in our Retail and Employer Group segments. In addition, 2014 was favorably impacted by a lower number of shares used to compute diluted earnings per common share reflecting the impact of share repurchases.
Premiums Revenue
Consolidated premiums increased $7.1 billion, or 18.4%, from 2013 to $46.0 billion for 2014 primarily due to increases in both Retail and Employer Group segment premiums mainly driven by higher average individual and group Medicare Advantage membership as well as higher individual commercial medical membership. In addition, year-over-year comparisons to the 2013 were negatively impacted by sequestration which became effective April 1, 2013. Premiums revenue for our Other Businesses declined primarily due to the loss of our Puerto Rico Medicaid contracts effective September 30, 2013. 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. Premiums revenue reflects changes in membership and 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.
Services Revenue
Consolidated services revenue increased $55 million, or 2.6%, from 2013 to $2.2 billion for 2014 primarily due to an increase in services revenue in our Retail segment due to the acquisition of American Eldercare in September 2013.
Investment Income
Investment income totaled $377 million for 2014, an increase of $2 million from 2013, as higher average invested balances were partially offset by lower interest rates.
Benefits Expense
Consolidated benefits expense was $38.2 billion for 2014, an increase of $5.6 billion, or 17.2%, from 2013 primarily due to increases in both the Retail and Employer Group segments mainly driven by higher average individual and group Medicare Advantage membership as well as higher individual commercial medical membership. As more fully described herein under the section entitled “Benefits Expense Recognition”, 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. We experienced favorable medical claims reserve development related to prior fiscal years of $518 million in 2014 and $474 million in 2013. These increases in favorable medical claims reserve development primarily resulted from increased membership and better than originally expected utilization across most of our major business lines and increased financial recoveries. The increase in financial recoveries primarily resulted from claim audit process enhancements as well as increased volume of claim audits and expanded audit scope. All lines of business benefited from these improvements.
The consolidated benefit ratio for 2014 was 83.0%, a decrease of 90 basis points from 2013 primarily due to reserve strengthening in 2013 associated with our closed-block of long-term care insurance policies included with Other Businesses as discussed above, as well as the loss of our Medicaid contracts in Puerto Rico effective September 30, 2013 which more than offset higher ratios year-over-year in the Retail and Employer Group segments.
Operating Costs
Our segments incur both direct and shared indirect operating costs. We allocate the indirect costs shared by the segments primarily as a function of revenues. As a result, the profitability of each segment is interdependent.
Consolidated operating costs increased $1,284 million, or 20.2%, in 2014 compared to 2013 primarily due to costs mandated by the Health Care Reform Law, including the non-deductible health insurance industry fee, and investments in health care exchanges and state-based contracts, partially offset by operating cost efficiencies.
The consolidated operating cost ratio for 2014 was 15.9%, increasing 40 basis points from 2013 primarily due to increases in the operating cost ratios in our Retail and Employer Group segments due to the same factors impacting consolidated operating costs as described above.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization for 2014 totaled $333 million, unchanged from 2013.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $192 million for 2014 compared to $140 million for 2013, an increase of $52 million, or 37.1%. In September 2014, we issued $400 million of 2.625% senior notes due October 1, 2019, $600 million of 3.85% senior notes due October 1, 2024 and $750 million of 4.95% senior notes due October 1, 2044. In October 2014, we redeemed the $500 million 6.45% senior unsecured notes due June 1, 2016, at 100% of the principal amount plus applicable premium for early redemption and accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. We recognized a loss on extinguishment of debt, included in interest expense, of approximately $37 million in connection with the redemption of these notes.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate during 2014 was 47.2% compared to the effective tax rate of 35.9% in 2013. The non-deductible nature of the health insurance industry fee levied on the insurance industry beginning in 2014 as mandated by the Health Care Reform Law increased our effective tax rate by approximately 9.4 percentage points for 2014. See Note 11 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.
Retail Segment
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Change |
| | 2014 | | 2013 | | Members | | Percentage |
Membership: | | | | | | | | |
Medical membership: | | | | | | | | |
Individual Medicare Advantage | | 2,446,200 |
| | 2,068,700 |
| | 377,500 |
| | 18.2 | % |
Medicare stand-alone PDP | | 3,989,500 |
| | 3,271,700 |
| | 717,800 |
| | 21.9 | % |
Total Retail Medicare | | 6,435,700 |
| | 5,340,400 |
| | 1,095,300 |
| | 20.5 | % |
Individual commercial (a) | | 1,148,100 |
| | 600,100 |
| | 548,000 |
| | 91.3 | % |
State-based Medicaid | | 298,500 |
| | 85,500 |
| | 213,000 |
| | 249.1 | % |
Total Retail medical members | | 7,882,300 |
| | 6,026,000 |
| | 1,856,300 |
| | 30.8 | % |
Individual specialty membership (b) | | 1,165,800 |
| | 1,042,500 |
| | 123,300 |
| | 11.8 | % |
| |
(a) | Individual commercial medical membership includes Medicare Supplement members. |
| |
(b) | Specialty products include dental, vision, and other supplemental health and financial protection products. Members included in these products may not be unique to each product since members have the ability to enroll in multiple products. |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Change |
| | 2014 | | 2013 | | Dollars | | Percentage |
| | (in millions) | | |
Premiums and Services Revenue: | | | | | | | | |
Premiums: | | | | | | | | |
Individual Medicare Advantage | | $ | 25,941 |
| | $ | 22,481 |
| | $ | 3,460 |
| | 15.4 | % |
Medicare stand-alone PDP | | 3,396 |
| | 3,025 |
| | 371 |
| | 12.3 | % |
Total Retail Medicare | | 29,337 |
| | 25,506 |
| | 3,831 |
| | 15.0 | % |
Individual commercial | | 3,265 |
| | 1,160 |
| | 2,105 |
| | 181.5 | % |
State-based Medicaid | | 1,096 |
| | 328 |
| | 768 |
| | 234.1 | % |
Individual specialty | | 256 |
| | 210 |
| | |