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Unitedhealth Group Inc – ‘10-K’ for 12/31/12 – ‘R9’

On:  Wednesday, 2/6/13, at 6:00pm ET   ·   As of:  2/7/13   ·   For:  12/31/12   ·   Accession #:  731766-13-5   ·   File #:  1-10864

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  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size

 2/07/13  Unitedhealth Group Inc            10-K       12/31/12  114:25M

Annual Report   —   Form 10-K   —   Sect. 13 / 15(d) – SEA’34
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: 10-K        Annual Report                                       HTML   1.52M 
 2: EX-10.11    Material Contract                                   HTML     38K 
 3: EX-10.32    Material Contract                                   HTML     78K 
 4: EX-10.33    Material Contract                                   HTML     82K 
 5: EX-10.36    Material Contract                                   HTML    104K 
 6: EX-10.37    Material Contract                                   HTML     35K 
 8: EX-21.1     Subsidiaries List                                   HTML    229K 
 9: EX-23.1     Consent of Experts or Counsel                       HTML     34K 
10: EX-24.1     Power of Attorney                                   HTML     43K 
 7: EX-12.1     Statement re: Computation of Ratios                 HTML     47K 
11: EX-31.1     Certification -- §302 - SOA'02                      HTML     50K 
12: EX-32.1     Certification -- §906 - SOA'02                      HTML     38K 
78: R1          Document and Entity Information Document            HTML     62K 
63: R2          Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets               HTML    164K 
74: R3          Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet                HTML     69K 
                (Parenthetical) (Parentheticals)                                 
82: R4          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations     HTML    125K 
104: R5          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive  HTML     92K  
                Income                                                           
65: R6          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in     HTML    109K 
                Shareholders' Equity                                             
73: R7          Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows     HTML    173K 
57: R8          Description of Business                             HTML     38K 
47: R9          Basis of Presentation                               HTML    206K 
106: R10         Investments                                         HTML    270K  
84: R11         Fair Value                                          HTML    336K 
83: R12         Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software       HTML     59K 
90: R13         Goodwill and Intangible Assets                      HTML    140K 
91: R14         Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable             HTML     70K 
88: R15         Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt                 HTML    216K 
92: R16         Income Taxes                                        HTML    158K 
75: R17         Shareholder's Equity                                HTML     65K 
79: R18         Share-Based Compensation                            HTML    119K 
86: R19         Commitments and Contingencies                       HTML     58K 
114: R20         Segment Financial Information                       HTML    307K  
100: R21         Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)                HTML     82K  
69: R22         Schedule I                                          HTML    195K 
85: R23         Basis of Presentation (Policy)                      HTML    185K 
71: R24         Fair Value Fair Value Policy (Policies)             HTML     50K 
38: R25         Income Taxes Income Tax (Policies)                  HTML     44K 
101: R26         Shareholder's Equity Shareholder's Equity           HTML     48K  
                (Policies)                                                       
110: R27         Share-Based Compensation Recognition (Policies)     HTML     52K  
52: R28         Segment Financial Information Segment Financial     HTML     43K 
                Information (Policies)                                           
51: R29         Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation         HTML     75K 
                (Tables)                                                         
55: R30         Investments (Tables)                                HTML    268K 
56: R31         Fair Value (Tables)                                 HTML    324K 
58: R32         Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software       HTML     58K 
                Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software                    
                (Tables)                                                         
27: R33         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and         HTML    141K 
                Intangible Assets(Tables)                                        
98: R34         Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable Medical     HTML     72K 
                Cost Development (Tables)                                        
67: R35         Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt (Tables)        HTML    210K 
70: R36         Income Taxes Income Tax (Tables)                    HTML    155K 
42: R37         Shareholder's Equity Shareholder's Equity (Tables)  HTML     43K 
113: R38         Share-Based Compensation (Tables)                   HTML    117K  
19: R39         Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and       HTML     46K 
                Contingencies (Tables)                                           
60: R40         Segment Financial Information (Tables)              HTML    292K 
103: R41         Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) Quarterly      HTML     80K  
                Financial Data (Unaudited) (Tables)                              
40: R42         Schedule I Schedule I (Tables)                      HTML    196K 
50: R43         Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation Useful  HTML     37K 
                lives for property, equipment and capitalized                    
                software (Details)                                               
54: R44         Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation         HTML     39K 
                Medicare Part D (Details)                                        
64: R45         Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation         HTML     93K 
                Narrative (Details)                                              
26: R46         Investments (Narrative) (Details)                   HTML     37K 
46: R47         Investments (Short-Term and Long-Term Investments)  HTML     91K 
                (Details)                                                        
22: R48         Investments (Fair Value of Mortgage-Backed          HTML     54K 
                Securities by Credit Rating Origination) (Details)               
102: R49         Investments (Amortized Cost and Fair Value of       HTML     80K  
                Available-for-Sale Debt Securities by Contractual                
                Maturity) (Details)                                              
39: R50         Investments (Amortized Cost and Fair Value of       HTML     67K 
                Held-To-Maturity Debt Securities by Contractual                  
                Maturity) (Details)                                              
99: R51         Investments (Fair Value of Available-For-Sale       HTML     63K 
                Investments with Gross Unrealized Losses by                      
                Investment Type and Length of Time That Individual               
                Securities Have Been in a Continuous Unrealized                  
                Loss Position) (Details)                                         
43: R52         Investments (Net Realized Gains) (Details)          HTML     55K 
61: R53         Fair Value (Narrative) (Details)                    HTML     57K 
21: R54         Fair Value (Financial Assets and Liabilities,       HTML     76K 
                Excluding AARP, Measured at Fair Value on a                      
                Recurring Basis) (Details)                                       
24: R55         Fair Value (Financial Assets and Liabilities,       HTML     58K 
                Excluding AARP, Not Measured at Fair Value on a                  
                Recurring Basis) (Details)                                       
53: R56         Fair Value (Reconciliation of Assets Measured at    HTML     62K 
                Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Using Level 3                    
                Inputs) (Details)                                                
31: R57         Fair Value (Assets and Liabilities measured at      HTML     78K 
                fair value on a recurring basis) (Details)                       
107: R58         Fair Value Fair Value Inputs Assets Quantitative    HTML     43K  
                Information (Details)                                            
66: R59         Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software       HTML     41K 
                Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software                    
                Narrative (Details)                                              
89: R60         Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software       HTML     63K 
                Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software                    
                table (Details)                                                  
45: R61         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and         HTML     90K 
                Intangible Assets Narrative (Details)                            
48: R62         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill (Changes    HTML     61K 
                in the Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Reporting                  
                Segment) (Details)                                               
96: R63         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill (Net        HTML     62K 
                Tangible Assets Acquired in Amil Acquisition)                    
                (Details)                                                        
93: R64         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Other   HTML     54K 
                Intangible Assets Gross carrying value,                          
                accumulated amortization and net carrying value of               
                intangible assets (Details)                                      
68: R65         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Other   HTML     44K 
                Intangible Assets Weighted-average useful lives                  
                assigned to finite-lived intangible assets                       
                acquired in business combinations (Details)                      
95: R66         Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill and Other   HTML     43K 
                Intangible Assets Amortization Expense relating to               
                Intangible Assets (Details)                                      
44: R67         Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable (Details)   HTML     35K 
72: R68         Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable Medical     HTML     58K 
                Costs and Medical Costs Payable Rollforward                      
                (Details)                                                        
109: R69         Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt (Narrative)     HTML     96K  
                (Details)                                                        
23: R70         Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt (Commercial     HTML    107K 
                Paper and Long-Term Debt) (Details)                              
37: R71         Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt Commercial      HTML     51K 
                Paper and Long-Term Debt Maturities of commercial                
                paper and long-term debt (Details)                               
62: R72         Income Taxes Income Tax Narrative (Details)         HTML     53K 
29: R73         Income Taxes Income Taxes Components of the         HTML     59K 
                provision for income taxes (Details)                             
112: R74         Income Taxes Income Taxes Reconciliation of the     HTML     81K  
                tax provision at the U.S. Federal Statutory Rate                 
                to the provision for income taxes (Details)                      
41: R75         Income Taxes Income taxes components of deferred    HTML    105K 
                tax assets and liabilities (Details)                             
32: R76         Income Taxes Income Taxes Reconciliation of the     HTML     53K 
                beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax                  
                benefits (Details)                                               
36: R77         Shareholder's Equity Shareholder's Equity           HTML     80K 
                (Details)                                                        
25: R78         Share-Based Compensation (Narrative) (Details)      HTML     40K 
28: R79         Share-Based Compensation (Stock Option and SAR      HTML     88K 
                Activity) (Details)                                              
80: R80         Share-Based Compensation (Restricted Share          HTML     62K 
                Activity) (Details)                                              
34: R81         Share-Based Compensation Other Share-Based          HTML     69K 
                Compensation Data (Details)                                      
108: R82         Share-Based Compensation (Share-Based Compensation  HTML     52K  
                Principal Fair Value Assumptions) (Details)                      
59: R83         Commitments and Contingencies (Details)             HTML     41K 
87: R84         Commitments and Contingencies Future Lease          HTML     55K 
                Payments (Details)                                               
94: R85         Segment Financial Information (Details)             HTML    147K 
33: R86         Segment Financial Information Segment Financial     HTML     42K 
                Information (Narrative) (Details)                                
35: R87         Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) Quarterly      HTML     62K 
                Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details)                             
105: R88         Schedule I (Details)                                HTML     56K  
30: R89         Schedule I Schedule I Condensed Balance Sheet       HTML    117K 
                (Details)                                                        
81: R90         Schedule I Schedule I Condensed Balanch Sheet       HTML     59K 
                (Parentheticals) (Details)                                       
77: R91         Schedule I Schedule I Condensed Statment of         HTML     90K 
                Operations (Details)                                             
97: R92         Schedule I Schedule I Statement of Cash Flows       HTML    105K 
                (Details)                                                        
76: R93         Schedule I Parent Commercial Paper and Long-Term    HTML     48K 
                Debt Maturities of commercial paper and long-term                
                debt (Details)                                                   
111: XML         IDEA XML File -- Filing Summary                      XML    178K  
49: EXCEL       IDEA Workbook of Financial Reports (.xls)            XLS   4.30M 
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14: EX-101.SCH  XBRL Schema -- unh-20121231                          XSD    274K 
20: ZIP         XBRL Zipped Folder -- 0000731766-13-000005-xbrl      Zip    462K 


‘R9’   —   Basis of Presentation


This is an IDEA Financial Report.  [ Alternative Formats ]



 
v2.4.0.6
Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation [Text Block]
Basis of Presentation, Use of Estimates and Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The Company has prepared the Consolidated Financial Statements according to United States of America (U.S.) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and has included the accounts of UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries. The Company has eliminated intercompany balances and transactions.
Use of Estimates
These Consolidated Financial Statements include certain amounts based on the Company’s best estimates and judgments. The Company’s most significant estimates relate to medical costs payable, premium rebates and risk-adjusted and risk-sharing provisions related to revenues, valuation and impairment analysis of goodwill and other intangible assets, estimates of other policy liabilities and other current receivables, valuations of investments, and estimates and judgments related to income taxes and contingent liabilities. These estimates require the application of complex assumptions and judgments, often because they involve matters that are inherently uncertain and will likely change in subsequent periods. The impact of any changes in estimates is included in earnings in the period in which the estimate is adjusted.
Revenues
Premium revenues are primarily derived from risk-based health insurance arrangements in which the premium is typically at a fixed rate per individual served for a one-year period, and the Company assumes the economic risk of funding its customers’ health care and related administrative costs.
Premium revenues are recognized in the period in which eligible individuals are entitled to receive health care benefits. Health care premium payments received from its customers in advance of the service period are recorded as unearned revenues. Effective in 2011, U.S. commercial health plans with medical loss ratios on fully insured products, as calculated under the definitions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and a reconciliation measure, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (together, Health Reform Legislation) and implementing regulations, that fall below certain targets are required to rebate ratable portions of their premiums annually. Premium revenues are recognized based on the estimated premiums earned net of projected rebates because the Company is able to reasonably estimate the ultimate premiums of these contracts. Each period, the Company estimates premium rebates based on the expected financial performance of the applicable contracts within each defined aggregation set (e.g., by state, group size and licensed subsidiary). The most significant factors in estimating the financial performance are current and future premiums and medical claim experience, effective tax rates and expected changes in business mix. The estimated ultimate premium is revised each period to reflect current and projected experience. The Company also records premium revenues from capitation arrangements at its OptumHealth businesses.
The Company’s Medicare Advantage and Part D premium revenues are subject to periodic adjustment under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) risk adjustment payment methodology. CMS deploys a risk adjustment model that apportions premiums paid to all health plans according to health severity and certain demographic factors. The CMS risk adjustment model provides higher per member payments for enrollees diagnosed with certain conditions and lower payments for enrollees who are healthier. Under this risk adjustment methodology, CMS calculates the risk adjusted premium payment using diagnosis data from hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient and physician treatment settings. The Company and health care providers collect, capture, and submit the necessary and available diagnosis data to CMS within prescribed deadlines. The Company estimates risk adjustment revenues based upon the diagnosis data submitted and expected to be submitted to CMS. Risk adjustment data for certain of the Company’s plans is subject to review by the government, including audit by regulators. See Note 12 for additional information regarding these audits.
Service revenues consist primarily of fees derived from services performed for customers that self-insure the health care costs of their employees and employees’ dependants. Under service fee contracts, the Company recognizes revenue in the period the related services are performed. The customers retain the risk of financing health care costs for their employees and employees’ dependants, and the Company administers the payment of customer funds to physicians and other health care professionals from customer-funded bank accounts. As the Company has neither the obligation for funding the health care costs, nor the primary responsibility for providing the medical care, the Company does not recognize premium revenue and medical costs for these contracts in its Consolidated Financial Statements.
For both risk-based and fee-based customer arrangements, the Company provides coordination and facilitation of medical services; transaction processing; customer, consumer and care professional services; and access to contracted networks of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals. These services are performed throughout the contract period.
For the Company’s OptumRx pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business, revenues are derived from products sold through a contracted network of retail pharmacies or mail services, and from administrative services, including claims processing and formulary design and management. Product revenues include ingredient costs (net of rebates), a negotiated dispensing fee and customer co-payments for drugs dispensed through the Company’s mail-service pharmacy. In retail pharmacy transactions, revenues recognized exclude the member’s applicable co-payment. Product revenues are recognized when the prescriptions are dispensed through the retail network or received by consumers through the Company’s mail-service pharmacy. Service revenues are recognized when the prescription claim is adjudicated. The Company has entered into retail service contracts in which it is primarily obligated to pay its network pharmacy providers for benefits provided to their customers regardless if the Company is paid. The Company is also involved in establishing the prices charged by retail pharmacies, determining which drugs will be included in formulary listings and selecting which retail pharmacies will be included in the network offered to plan sponsors’ members. As a result, revenues are reported on a gross basis.
Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable
Medical costs and medical costs payable include estimates of the Company’s obligations for medical care services that have been rendered on behalf of insured consumers, but for which claims have either not yet been received or processed, and for liabilities for physician, hospital and other medical cost disputes. The Company develops estimates for medical costs incurred but not reported using an actuarial process that is consistently applied, centrally controlled and automated. The actuarial models consider factors such as time from date of service to claim receipt, claim processing backlogs, care provider contract rate changes, medical care utilization and other medical cost trends. The Company estimates liabilities for physician, hospital and other medical cost disputes based upon an analysis of potential outcomes, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement strategies. Each period, the Company re-examines previously established medical costs payable estimates based on actual claim submissions and other changes in facts and circumstances. As the medical costs payable estimates recorded in prior periods develop, the Company adjusts the amount of the estimates and includes the changes in estimates in medical costs in the period in which the change is identified. Medical costs also include the direct cost of patient care rendered through OptumHealth.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments
Cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that have an original maturity of three months or less. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying value because of the short maturity of the instruments.
The Company had checks outstanding of $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which were classified as Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the change in this balance has been reflected as Checks Outstanding within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The outstanding checks are all related to zero balance accounts; the Company does not net checks outstanding with deposits in other accounts.
Investments with maturities of less than one year are classified as short-term. Because of regulatory requirements, certain investments are included in long-term investments regardless of their maturity date. The Company classifies these investments as held-to-maturity and reports them at amortized cost. Substantially all other investments are classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair value based on quoted market prices, where available.
The Company excludes unrealized gains and losses on investments in available-for-sale securities from earnings and reports them as comprehensive income and, net of income tax effects, as a separate component of shareholders’ equity. To calculate realized gains and losses on the sale of investments, the Company specifically identifies the cost of each investment sold.
The Company evaluates an investment for impairment by considering the length of time and extent to which market value has been less than cost or amortized cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as well as specific events or circumstances that may influence the operations of the issuer and the Company’s intent to sell the security or the likelihood that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of the entire amortized cost.
For debt securities, if the Company intends to either sell or determines that it will be more likely than not be required to sell a security before recovery of the entire amortized cost basis or maturity of the security, the Company recognizes the entire impairment in Investment and Other Income. If the Company does not intend to sell the debt security and it determines that it will not be more likely than not be required to sell the security but it does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis, the impairment is bifurcated into the amount attributed to the credit loss, which is recognized in earnings, and all other causes, which are recognized in other comprehensive income.
For equity securities, the Company recognizes impairments in other comprehensive income if it expects to hold the security until fair value increases to at least the security’s cost basis and it expects that increase in fair value to occur in a reasonably forecasted period. If the Company intends to sell the equity security or if it believes that recovery of fair value to cost will not occur in a reasonably forecasted period, the Company recognizes the impairment in Investment and Other Income.
New information and the passage of time can change these judgments. The Company manages its investment portfolio to limit its exposure to any one issuer or market sector, and largely limits its investments to U.S. government and agency securities; state and municipal securities; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate debt obligations, substantially all of which are investment grade quality. Securities downgraded below policy minimums after purchase will be disposed of in accordance with the investment policy.
Assets Under Management
The Company provides health insurance products and services to members of AARP under a Supplemental Health Insurance Program (the AARP Program), and to AARP members and non-members under separate Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D arrangements. The products and services under the AARP Program include supplemental Medicare benefits (AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance), hospital indemnity insurance, including insurance for individuals between 50 to 64 years of age, and other related products.
The Company’s arrangements with AARP extend to December 31, 2017 for the AARP Program and give the Company an exclusive right to use the AARP brand on the Company’s Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D offerings until December 31, 2014, subject to certain limited exclusions.
Pursuant to the Company’s agreement, AARP Program assets are managed separately from its general investment portfolio and are used to pay costs associated with the AARP Program. These assets are invested at the Company’s discretion, within investment guidelines approved by AARP. The Company does not guarantee any rates of return on these investments and, upon transfer of the AARP Program contract to another entity, the Company would transfer cash equal in amount to the fair value of these investments at the date of transfer to that entity. Because the purpose of these assets is to fund the medical costs payable, the rate stabilization fund (RSF) liabilities and other related liabilities associated with this AARP contract, assets under management are classified as current assets, consistent with the classification of these liabilities. Interest earnings and realized investment gains and losses on these assets accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders through the RSF. Accordingly, they are not included in the Company’s earnings. Interest income and realized gains and losses related to assets under management are recorded as an increase to the RSF and were $109 million, $99 million and $107 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The effects of changes in balance sheet amounts associated with the AARP Program also accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders through the RSF balance. Accordingly, the Company excludes the effect of such changes in its Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. For more detail on the RSF, see “Other Policy Liabilities” below.

Other Current Receivables
Other current receivables include amounts due from pharmaceutical manufacturers for rebates and Medicare Part D drug discounts, reinsurance and other miscellaneous amounts due to the Company.
The Company’s PBM businesses contract with pharmaceutical manufacturers, some of whom provide rebates based on use of the manufacturers’ products by its PBM businesses’ affiliated and non-affiliated clients. The Company accrues rebates as they are earned by its clients on a monthly basis based on the terms of the applicable contracts, historical data and current estimates. The PBM businesses bill these rebates to the manufacturers on a monthly or quarterly basis depending on the contractual terms. The PBM businesses record rebates attributable to affiliated clients as a reduction to medical costs. Rebates attributable to non-affiliated clients are accrued as rebates receivable and a reduction of cost of products sold with a corresponding payable for the amounts of the rebates to be remitted to non-affiliated clients in accordance with their contracts and recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a reduction of Product Revenue. The Company generally receives rebates from two to five months after billing.
For details on the Company’s Medicare Part D receivables see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” below.
For details on the Company’s reinsurance receivable see “Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable” below.
Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits
The Company serves as a plan sponsor offering Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage under contracts with CMS. Under the Medicare Part D program, there are seven separate elements of payment received by the Company during the plan year. These payment elements are as follows:
CMS Premium. CMS pays a fixed monthly premium per member to the Company for the entire plan year.
Member Premium. Additionally, certain members pay a fixed monthly premium to the Company for the entire plan year.
Low-Income Premium Subsidy. For qualifying low-income members, CMS pays some or all of the member’s monthly premiums to the Company on the member’s behalf.
Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy. CMS pays the Company a cost reimbursement estimate monthly to fund the CMS obligation to pay approximately 80% of the costs incurred by individual members in excess of the individual annual out-of-pocket maximum. A settlement is made with CMS based on actual cost experience, after the end of the plan year.
Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy. For qualifying low-income members, CMS pays on the member’s behalf some or all of a member’s cost sharing amounts, such as deductibles and coinsurance. The cost sharing subsidy is funded by CMS through monthly payments to the Company. The Company administers and pays the subsidized portion of the claims on behalf of CMS, and a settlement payment is made between CMS and the Company based on actual claims and premium experience, after the end of the plan year.
CMS Risk-Share. Premiums from CMS are subject to risk corridor provisions that compare costs targeted in the Company’s annual bids by product and region to actual prescription drug costs, limited to actual costs that would have been incurred under the standard coverage as defined by CMS. Variances of more than 5% above or below the original bid submitted by the Company may result in CMS making additional payments to the Company or require the Company to refund to CMS a portion of the premiums it received. The Company estimates and recognizes an adjustment to premium revenues related to the risk corridor payment settlement based upon pharmacy claims experience to date. The estimate of the settlement associated with these risk corridor provisions requires the Company to consider factors that may not be certain, including estimates of eligible pharmacy costs and member eligibility status differences with CMS. The Company records risk-share adjustments to Premium Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Policy Liabilities or Other Current Receivables in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Drug Discount. Beginning in 2011, Health Reform Legislation mandated a consumer discount of 50% on brand name prescription drugs for Part D plan participants in the coverage gap. This discount is funded by CMS and pharmaceutical manufacturers while the Company administers the application of these funds. Amounts received are not reflected as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as deposits. The Company records a liability when amounts are received from CMS and a receivable when the Company bills the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Related cash flows are presented as Customer Funds Administered within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
The CMS Premium, the Member Premium, and the Low-Income Premium Subsidy represent payments for the Company’s insurance risk coverage under the Medicare Part D program and, therefore, are recorded as Premium Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Premium revenues are recognized ratably over the period in which eligible individuals are entitled to receive prescription drug benefits. The Company records premium payments received in advance of the applicable service period in Unearned Revenues in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy (Subsidies) represent cost reimbursements under the Medicare Part D program. Amounts received for these Subsidies are not reflected as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as receivables and/or deposits. Related cash flows are presented as Customer Funds Administered within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Pharmacy benefit costs and administrative costs under the contract are expensed as incurred and are recognized in Medical Costs and Operating Costs, respectively, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The final 2012 risk-share amount is expected to be settled during the second half of 2013, and is subject to the reconciliation process with CMS.
The Consolidated Balance Sheets include the following amounts associated with the Medicare Part D program:
 
 
 
(in millions)
 
Subsidies
 
Drug Discount
 
Risk-Share
 
Subsidies
 
Drug Discount
 
Risk-Share
Other current receivables
 
$
461

 
$
314

 
$

 
$

 
$
509

 
$

Other policy liabilities
 

 
319

 
438

 
70

 
649

 
170


As of January 1, 2013, certain changes were made to the Medicare Part D coverage by CMS, including:
The initial coverage limit increased to $2,970 from $2,930 in 2012.
The catastrophic coverage begins at $6,734 as compared to $6,658 in 2012.
The annual out-of-pocket maximum increased to $4,750 from $4,700 in 2012.
The discounts on prescription drugs within the coverage gap increased to 52.5% from 50% in 2012 for brand name drugs and to 21% from 14% in 2012 for generic drugs.
Property, Equipment and Capitalized Software
Property, equipment and capitalized software are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Capitalized software consists of certain costs incurred in the development of internal-use software, including external direct costs of materials and services and applicable payroll costs of employees devoted to specific software development. The Company reviews property, equipment and capitalized software for events or changes in circumstances that would indicate that it might not recover their carrying value. If the Company determines that an asset may not be recoverable, an impairment charge is recorded.
 The Company calculates depreciation and amortization using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The useful lives for property, equipment and capitalized software are:
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
3 to 7 years
Buildings
35 to 40 years
Leasehold improvements
7 years or length of lease term, whichever is shorter
Capitalized software
3 to 5 years

Goodwill
Goodwill represents the amount of the purchase price in excess of the fair values assigned to the underlying identifiable net assets of acquired businesses. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment test. Tests are performed more frequently if events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.
To determine whether goodwill is impaired, the Company performs a multi-step impairment test. First, the Company can elect to perform a qualitative assessment of each reporting unit to determine whether facts and circumstances support a determination that their fair values are greater than their carrying values. If the qualitative analysis is not conclusive, or if the Company elects to proceed directly with quantitative testing, it will then measure the fair values of the reporting units and compare them to their aggregate carrying values, including goodwill. If the fair value is less than the carrying value of the reporting unit, then the implied value of goodwill would be calculated and compared to the carrying amount of goodwill to determine whether goodwill is impaired.
The Company estimates the fair values of its reporting units using discounted cash flows. To determine fair values, the Company must make assumptions about a wide variety of internal and external factors. Significant assumptions used in the impairment analysis include financial projections of free cash flow (including significant assumptions about operations, capital requirements and income taxes), long-term growth rates for determining terminal value, and discount rates. Comparative market multiples are used to corroborate the results of the discounted cash flow test.
The Company elected to bypass the optional qualitative reporting-unit fair value assessment and completed its annual quantitative test for goodwill impairment as of January 1, 2013. As of December 31, 2012, no reporting unit had a fair value less than its carrying value and the Company concluded that there was no need for any impairment of its goodwill balances.
Intangible assets
Separately-identifiable intangible assets are acquired in business combinations and are assets that represent future expected benefits but lack physical substance (e.g., membership lists, customer contracts, trademarks and technology). The Company’s intangible assets are initially recorded at their fair values. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their expected useful lives.
The Company’s intangible assets are subject to impairment tests when events or circumstances indicate that an intangible asset’s (or asset group’s) may be impaired. The Company’s indefinite lived intangible assets are also tested for impairment annually. There were no material impairments of intangible assets during the year ended December 31, 2012.
Other Policy Liabilities
Other policy liabilities include the RSF associated with the AARP Program (described below), health savings account deposits, deposits under the Medicare Part D program (see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” above), accruals for premium rebate payments under the Health Reform Legislation, the current portion of future policy benefits and customer balances. Customer balances represent excess customer payments and deposit accounts under experience-rated contracts. At the customer’s option, these balances may be refunded or used to pay future premiums or claims under eligible contracts.
Underwriting gains or losses related to the AARP Program are directly recorded as an increase or decrease to the RSF and accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders, unless cumulative net losses were to exceed the balance in the RSF. The primary components of the underwriting results are premium revenue, medical costs, investment income, administrative expenses, member service expenses, marketing expenses and premium taxes. To the extent underwriting losses exceed the balance in the RSF, losses would be borne by the Company. Deficits may be recovered by underwriting gains in future periods of the contract. To date, the Company has not been required to fund any underwriting deficits. Changes in the RSF are reported in Medical Costs in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the balance in the RSF was $1.3 billion.
Income Taxes
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the differences between the financial and income tax reporting bases of assets and liabilities based on enacted tax rates and laws. The deferred income tax provision or benefit generally reflects the net change in deferred income tax assets and liabilities during the year, excluding any deferred income tax assets and liabilities of acquired businesses. The current income tax provision reflects the tax consequences of revenues and expenses currently taxable or deductible on various income tax returns for the year reported.
Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable
Future policy benefits represent account balances that accrue to the benefit of the policyholders, excluding surrender charges, for universal life and investment annuity products and for long-duration health policies sold to individuals for which some of the premium received in the earlier years is intended to pay benefits to be incurred in future years. As a result of the 2005 sale of the life and annuity business within the Company’s Golden Rule Financial Corporation subsidiary under an indemnity reinsurance arrangement, the Company has maintained a liability associated with the reinsured contracts, as it remains primarily liable to the policyholders, and has recorded a corresponding reinsurance receivable due from the purchaser. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance receivable, of which $135 million was recorded in Other Current Receivables and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance receivable, of which $125 million was recorded in Other Current Receivables and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company evaluates the financial condition of the reinsurer and only records the reinsurance receivable to the extent of probable recovery. As of December 31, 2012, the reinsurer was rated by A.M. Best as “A+.”
Foreign currency translation
Assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations denominated in non-U.S. dollar functional currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates as of the end of each accounting period. Related revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the accounting period. The gains or losses resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in shareholders’ equity and comprehensive income.
Noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in the Company’s subsidiaries whose redemption is outside the control of the Company are classified as temporary equity. The redeemable noncontrolling interests are primarily related to holders of Amil Participações S.A. (Amil) shares. Amil was acquired in 2012, see Note 6 for more information. During 2012, the Company purchased noncontrolling interest shares for $319 million, of which $11 million was recorded as a reduction of Additional Paid-In Capital. For the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company’s net earnings attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests was nil and other noncontrolling interest activity was not material.
Policy Acquisition Costs
The Company’s short duration health insurance contracts typically have a one-year term and may be canceled by the customer with at least 30 days notice. Costs related to the acquisition and renewal of short duration customer contracts are charged to expense as incurred.
Share-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes compensation expense for share-based awards, including stock options, stock-settled stock appreciation rights (SARs) and restricted stock and restricted stock units (collectively, restricted shares), on a straight-line basis over the related service period (generally the vesting period) of the award, or to an employee’s eligible retirement date under the award agreement, if earlier. Restricted shares vest ratably, primarily over three to four years and compensation expense related to restricted shares is based on the share price on date of grant. Stock options and SARs vest ratably over four to six years and may be exercised up to 10 years from the date of grant. Compensation expense related to stock options and SARs is based on the fair value at date of grant, which is estimated on the date of grant using a binomial option-pricing model. Under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) eligible employees are allowed to purchase the Company’s stock at a discounted price, which is 85% of the lower market price of the Company’s common stock at the beginning or at the end of the six-month purchase period. Share-based compensation expense for all programs is recognized in Operating Costs in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Net Earnings Per Common Share
The Company computes basic net earnings per common share by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The Company determines diluted net earnings per common share using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, adjusted for potentially dilutive shares associated with stock options, SARs, restricted shares and the ESPP, using the treasury stock method. The treasury stock method assumes a hypothetical issuance of shares to settle the share-based awards, with the assumed proceeds used to purchase common stock at the average market price for the period. Assumed proceeds include the amount the employee must pay upon exercise, any unrecognized compensation cost and any related excess tax benefit. The difference between the number of shares assumed issued and number of shares assumed purchased represents the dilutive shares.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs” (ASU 2011-04). This update provides guidance on how fair value measurement should be applied where existing GAAP already requires or permits fair value measurements. In addition, ASU 2011-04 requires expanded disclosures regarding fair value measurements. ASU 2011-04 became effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The adoption of the measurement guidance of ASU 2011-04 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. The new disclosures have been included with the Company’s fair value disclosures in Note 4.
In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) - Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (ASU 2011-05). ASU 2011-05 requires entities to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements and eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as a part of the statement of equity. ASU 2011-05 became effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The Company presented separate Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, which appear consecutive to the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company has determined that there have been no other recently adopted or issued accounting standards that had or will have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
Basis of Presentation, Use of Estimates and Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The Company has prepared the Consolidated Financial Statements according to United States of America (U.S.) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and has included the accounts of UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries. The Company has eliminated intercompany balances and transactions.
Use of Estimates
These Consolidated Financial Statements include certain amounts based on the Company’s best estimates and judgments. The Company’s most significant estimates relate to medical costs payable, premium rebates and risk-adjusted and risk-sharing provisions related to revenues, valuation and impairment analysis of goodwill and other intangible assets, estimates of other policy liabilities and other current receivables, valuations of investments, and estimates and judgments related to income taxes and contingent liabilities. These estimates require the application of complex assumptions and judgments, often because they involve matters that are inherently uncertain and will likely change in subsequent periods. The impact of any changes in estimates is included in earnings in the period in which the estimate is adjusted.
Revenues
Premium revenues are primarily derived from risk-based health insurance arrangements in which the premium is typically at a fixed rate per individual served for a one-year period, and the Company assumes the economic risk of funding its customers’ health care and related administrative costs.
Premium revenues are recognized in the period in which eligible individuals are entitled to receive health care benefits. Health care premium payments received from its customers in advance of the service period are recorded as unearned revenues. Effective in 2011, U.S. commercial health plans with medical loss ratios on fully insured products, as calculated under the definitions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and a reconciliation measure, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (together, Health Reform Legislation) and implementing regulations, that fall below certain targets are required to rebate ratable portions of their premiums annually. Premium revenues are recognized based on the estimated premiums earned net of projected rebates because the Company is able to reasonably estimate the ultimate premiums of these contracts. Each period, the Company estimates premium rebates based on the expected financial performance of the applicable contracts within each defined aggregation set (e.g., by state, group size and licensed subsidiary). The most significant factors in estimating the financial performance are current and future premiums and medical claim experience, effective tax rates and expected changes in business mix. The estimated ultimate premium is revised each period to reflect current and projected experience. The Company also records premium revenues from capitation arrangements at its OptumHealth businesses.
The Company’s Medicare Advantage and Part D premium revenues are subject to periodic adjustment under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) risk adjustment payment methodology. CMS deploys a risk adjustment model that apportions premiums paid to all health plans according to health severity and certain demographic factors. The CMS risk adjustment model provides higher per member payments for enrollees diagnosed with certain conditions and lower payments for enrollees who are healthier. Under this risk adjustment methodology, CMS calculates the risk adjusted premium payment using diagnosis data from hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient and physician treatment settings. The Company and health care providers collect, capture, and submit the necessary and available diagnosis data to CMS within prescribed deadlines. The Company estimates risk adjustment revenues based upon the diagnosis data submitted and expected to be submitted to CMS. Risk adjustment data for certain of the Company’s plans is subject to review by the government, including audit by regulators. See Note 12 for additional information regarding these audits.
Service revenues consist primarily of fees derived from services performed for customers that self-insure the health care costs of their employees and employees’ dependants. Under service fee contracts, the Company recognizes revenue in the period the related services are performed. The customers retain the risk of financing health care costs for their employees and employees’ dependants, and the Company administers the payment of customer funds to physicians and other health care professionals from customer-funded bank accounts. As the Company has neither the obligation for funding the health care costs, nor the primary responsibility for providing the medical care, the Company does not recognize premium revenue and medical costs for these contracts in its Consolidated Financial Statements.
For both risk-based and fee-based customer arrangements, the Company provides coordination and facilitation of medical services; transaction processing; customer, consumer and care professional services; and access to contracted networks of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals. These services are performed throughout the contract period.
For the Company’s OptumRx pharmacy benefits management (PBM) business, revenues are derived from products sold through a contracted network of retail pharmacies or mail services, and from administrative services, including claims processing and formulary design and management. Product revenues include ingredient costs (net of rebates), a negotiated dispensing fee and customer co-payments for drugs dispensed through the Company’s mail-service pharmacy. In retail pharmacy transactions, revenues recognized exclude the member’s applicable co-payment. Product revenues are recognized when the prescriptions are dispensed through the retail network or received by consumers through the Company’s mail-service pharmacy. Service revenues are recognized when the prescription claim is adjudicated. The Company has entered into retail service contracts in which it is primarily obligated to pay its network pharmacy providers for benefits provided to their customers regardless if the Company is paid. The Company is also involved in establishing the prices charged by retail pharmacies, determining which drugs will be included in formulary listings and selecting which retail pharmacies will be included in the network offered to plan sponsors’ members. As a result, revenues are reported on a gross basis.
Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable
Medical costs and medical costs payable include estimates of the Company’s obligations for medical care services that have been rendered on behalf of insured consumers, but for which claims have either not yet been received or processed, and for liabilities for physician, hospital and other medical cost disputes. The Company develops estimates for medical costs incurred but not reported using an actuarial process that is consistently applied, centrally controlled and automated. The actuarial models consider factors such as time from date of service to claim receipt, claim processing backlogs, care provider contract rate changes, medical care utilization and other medical cost trends. The Company estimates liabilities for physician, hospital and other medical cost disputes based upon an analysis of potential outcomes, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement strategies. Each period, the Company re-examines previously established medical costs payable estimates based on actual claim submissions and other changes in facts and circumstances. As the medical costs payable estimates recorded in prior periods develop, the Company adjusts the amount of the estimates and includes the changes in estimates in medical costs in the period in which the change is identified. Medical costs also include the direct cost of patient care rendered through OptumHealth.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments
Cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that have an original maturity of three months or less. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying value because of the short maturity of the instruments.
The Company had checks outstanding of $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, which were classified as Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the change in this balance has been reflected as Checks Outstanding within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The outstanding checks are all related to zero balance accounts; the Company does not net checks outstanding with deposits in other accounts.
Investments with maturities of less than one year are classified as short-term. Because of regulatory requirements, certain investments are included in long-term investments regardless of their maturity date. The Company classifies these investments as held-to-maturity and reports them at amortized cost. Substantially all other investments are classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair value based on quoted market prices, where available.
The Company excludes unrealized gains and losses on investments in available-for-sale securities from earnings and reports them as comprehensive income and, net of income tax effects, as a separate component of shareholders’ equity. To calculate realized gains and losses on the sale of investments, the Company specifically identifies the cost of each investment sold.
The Company evaluates an investment for impairment by considering the length of time and extent to which market value has been less than cost or amortized cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as well as specific events or circumstances that may influence the operations of the issuer and the Company’s intent to sell the security or the likelihood that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of the entire amortized cost.
For debt securities, if the Company intends to either sell or determines that it will be more likely than not be required to sell a security before recovery of the entire amortized cost basis or maturity of the security, the Company recognizes the entire impairment in Investment and Other Income. If the Company does not intend to sell the debt security and it determines that it will not be more likely than not be required to sell the security but it does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis, the impairment is bifurcated into the amount attributed to the credit loss, which is recognized in earnings, and all other causes, which are recognized in other comprehensive income.
For equity securities, the Company recognizes impairments in other comprehensive income if it expects to hold the security until fair value increases to at least the security’s cost basis and it expects that increase in fair value to occur in a reasonably forecasted period. If the Company intends to sell the equity security or if it believes that recovery of fair value to cost will not occur in a reasonably forecasted period, the Company recognizes the impairment in Investment and Other Income.
New information and the passage of time can change these judgments. The Company manages its investment portfolio to limit its exposure to any one issuer or market sector, and largely limits its investments to U.S. government and agency securities; state and municipal securities; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate debt obligations, substantially all of which are investment grade quality. Securities downgraded below policy minimums after purchase will be disposed of in accordance with the investment policy.
Assets Under Management
The Company provides health insurance products and services to members of AARP under a Supplemental Health Insurance Program (the AARP Program), and to AARP members and non-members under separate Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D arrangements. The products and services under the AARP Program include supplemental Medicare benefits (AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance), hospital indemnity insurance, including insurance for individuals between 50 to 64 years of age, and other related products.
The Company’s arrangements with AARP extend to December 31, 2017 for the AARP Program and give the Company an exclusive right to use the AARP brand on the Company’s Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D offerings until December 31, 2014, subject to certain limited exclusions.
Pursuant to the Company’s agreement, AARP Program assets are managed separately from its general investment portfolio and are used to pay costs associated with the AARP Program. These assets are invested at the Company’s discretion, within investment guidelines approved by AARP. The Company does not guarantee any rates of return on these investments and, upon transfer of the AARP Program contract to another entity, the Company would transfer cash equal in amount to the fair value of these investments at the date of transfer to that entity. Because the purpose of these assets is to fund the medical costs payable, the rate stabilization fund (RSF) liabilities and other related liabilities associated with this AARP contract, assets under management are classified as current assets, consistent with the classification of these liabilities. Interest earnings and realized investment gains and losses on these assets accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders through the RSF. Accordingly, they are not included in the Company’s earnings. Interest income and realized gains and losses related to assets under management are recorded as an increase to the RSF and were $109 million, $99 million and $107 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The effects of changes in balance sheet amounts associated with the AARP Program also accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders through the RSF balance. Accordingly, the Company excludes the effect of such changes in its Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. For more detail on the RSF, see “Other Policy Liabilities” below.

Other Current Receivables
Other current receivables include amounts due from pharmaceutical manufacturers for rebates and Medicare Part D drug discounts, reinsurance and other miscellaneous amounts due to the Company.
The Company’s PBM businesses contract with pharmaceutical manufacturers, some of whom provide rebates based on use of the manufacturers’ products by its PBM businesses’ affiliated and non-affiliated clients. The Company accrues rebates as they are earned by its clients on a monthly basis based on the terms of the applicable contracts, historical data and current estimates. The PBM businesses bill these rebates to the manufacturers on a monthly or quarterly basis depending on the contractual terms. The PBM businesses record rebates attributable to affiliated clients as a reduction to medical costs. Rebates attributable to non-affiliated clients are accrued as rebates receivable and a reduction of cost of products sold with a corresponding payable for the amounts of the rebates to be remitted to non-affiliated clients in accordance with their contracts and recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a reduction of Product Revenue. The Company generally receives rebates from two to five months after billing.
For details on the Company’s Medicare Part D receivables see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” below.
For details on the Company’s reinsurance receivable see “Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable” below.
Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits
The Company serves as a plan sponsor offering Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage under contracts with CMS. Under the Medicare Part D program, there are seven separate elements of payment received by the Company during the plan year. These payment elements are as follows:
CMS Premium. CMS pays a fixed monthly premium per member to the Company for the entire plan year.
Member Premium. Additionally, certain members pay a fixed monthly premium to the Company for the entire plan year.
Low-Income Premium Subsidy. For qualifying low-income members, CMS pays some or all of the member’s monthly premiums to the Company on the member’s behalf.
Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy. CMS pays the Company a cost reimbursement estimate monthly to fund the CMS obligation to pay approximately 80% of the costs incurred by individual members in excess of the individual annual out-of-pocket maximum. A settlement is made with CMS based on actual cost experience, after the end of the plan year.
Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy. For qualifying low-income members, CMS pays on the member’s behalf some or all of a member’s cost sharing amounts, such as deductibles and coinsurance. The cost sharing subsidy is funded by CMS through monthly payments to the Company. The Company administers and pays the subsidized portion of the claims on behalf of CMS, and a settlement payment is made between CMS and the Company based on actual claims and premium experience, after the end of the plan year.
CMS Risk-Share. Premiums from CMS are subject to risk corridor provisions that compare costs targeted in the Company’s annual bids by product and region to actual prescription drug costs, limited to actual costs that would have been incurred under the standard coverage as defined by CMS. Variances of more than 5% above or below the original bid submitted by the Company may result in CMS making additional payments to the Company or require the Company to refund to CMS a portion of the premiums it received. The Company estimates and recognizes an adjustment to premium revenues related to the risk corridor payment settlement based upon pharmacy claims experience to date. The estimate of the settlement associated with these risk corridor provisions requires the Company to consider factors that may not be certain, including estimates of eligible pharmacy costs and member eligibility status differences with CMS. The Company records risk-share adjustments to Premium Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Policy Liabilities or Other Current Receivables in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Drug Discount. Beginning in 2011, Health Reform Legislation mandated a consumer discount of 50% on brand name prescription drugs for Part D plan participants in the coverage gap. This discount is funded by CMS and pharmaceutical manufacturers while the Company administers the application of these funds. Amounts received are not reflected as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as deposits. The Company records a liability when amounts are received from CMS and a receivable when the Company bills the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Related cash flows are presented as Customer Funds Administered within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
The CMS Premium, the Member Premium, and the Low-Income Premium Subsidy represent payments for the Company’s insurance risk coverage under the Medicare Part D program and, therefore, are recorded as Premium Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Premium revenues are recognized ratably over the period in which eligible individuals are entitled to receive prescription drug benefits. The Company records premium payments received in advance of the applicable service period in Unearned Revenues in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy (Subsidies) represent cost reimbursements under the Medicare Part D program. Amounts received for these Subsidies are not reflected as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as receivables and/or deposits. Related cash flows are presented as Customer Funds Administered within financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Pharmacy benefit costs and administrative costs under the contract are expensed as incurred and are recognized in Medical Costs and Operating Costs, respectively, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The final 2012 risk-share amount is expected to be settled during the second half of 2013, and is subject to the reconciliation process with CMS.
The Consolidated Balance Sheets include the following amounts associated with the Medicare Part D program:
 
 
 
(in millions)
 
Subsidies
 
Drug Discount
 
Risk-Share
 
Subsidies
 
Drug Discount
 
Risk-Share
Other current receivables
 
$
461

 
$
314

 
$

 
$

 
$
509

 
$

Other policy liabilities
 

 
319

 
438

 
70

 
649

 
170


As of January 1, 2013, certain changes were made to the Medicare Part D coverage by CMS, including:
The initial coverage limit increased to $2,970 from $2,930 in 2012.
The catastrophic coverage begins at $6,734 as compared to $6,658 in 2012.
The annual out-of-pocket maximum increased to $4,750 from $4,700 in 2012.
The discounts on prescription drugs within the coverage gap increased to 52.5% from 50% in 2012 for brand name drugs and to 21% from 14% in 2012 for generic drugs.
Property, Equipment and Capitalized Software
Property, equipment and capitalized software are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Capitalized software consists of certain costs incurred in the development of internal-use software, including external direct costs of materials and services and applicable payroll costs of employees devoted to specific software development. The Company reviews property, equipment and capitalized software for events or changes in circumstances that would indicate that it might not recover their carrying value. If the Company determines that an asset may not be recoverable, an impairment charge is recorded.
 The Company calculates depreciation and amortization using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The useful lives for property, equipment and capitalized software are:
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
3 to 7 years
Buildings
35 to 40 years
Leasehold improvements
7 years or length of lease term, whichever is shorter
Capitalized software
3 to 5 years

Goodwill
Goodwill represents the amount of the purchase price in excess of the fair values assigned to the underlying identifiable net assets of acquired businesses. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment test. Tests are performed more frequently if events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.
To determine whether goodwill is impaired, the Company performs a multi-step impairment test. First, the Company can elect to perform a qualitative assessment of each reporting unit to determine whether facts and circumstances support a determination that their fair values are greater than their carrying values. If the qualitative analysis is not conclusive, or if the Company elects to proceed directly with quantitative testing, it will then measure the fair values of the reporting units and compare them to their aggregate carrying values, including goodwill. If the fair value is less than the carrying value of the reporting unit, then the implied value of goodwill would be calculated and compared to the carrying amount of goodwill to determine whether goodwill is impaired.
The Company estimates the fair values of its reporting units using discounted cash flows. To determine fair values, the Company must make assumptions about a wide variety of internal and external factors. Significant assumptions used in the impairment analysis include financial projections of free cash flow (including significant assumptions about operations, capital requirements and income taxes), long-term growth rates for determining terminal value, and discount rates. Comparative market multiples are used to corroborate the results of the discounted cash flow test.
The Company elected to bypass the optional qualitative reporting-unit fair value assessment and completed its annual quantitative test for goodwill impairment as of January 1, 2013. As of December 31, 2012, no reporting unit had a fair value less than its carrying value and the Company concluded that there was no need for any impairment of its goodwill balances.
Intangible assets
Separately-identifiable intangible assets are acquired in business combinations and are assets that represent future expected benefits but lack physical substance (e.g., membership lists, customer contracts, trademarks and technology). The Company’s intangible assets are initially recorded at their fair values. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their expected useful lives.
The Company’s intangible assets are subject to impairment tests when events or circumstances indicate that an intangible asset’s (or asset group’s) may be impaired. The Company’s indefinite lived intangible assets are also tested for impairment annually. There were no material impairments of intangible assets during the year ended December 31, 2012.
Other Policy Liabilities
Other policy liabilities include the RSF associated with the AARP Program (described below), health savings account deposits, deposits under the Medicare Part D program (see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” above), accruals for premium rebate payments under the Health Reform Legislation, the current portion of future policy benefits and customer balances. Customer balances represent excess customer payments and deposit accounts under experience-rated contracts. At the customer’s option, these balances may be refunded or used to pay future premiums or claims under eligible contracts.
Underwriting gains or losses related to the AARP Program are directly recorded as an increase or decrease to the RSF and accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders, unless cumulative net losses were to exceed the balance in the RSF. The primary components of the underwriting results are premium revenue, medical costs, investment income, administrative expenses, member service expenses, marketing expenses and premium taxes. To the extent underwriting losses exceed the balance in the RSF, losses would be borne by the Company. Deficits may be recovered by underwriting gains in future periods of the contract. To date, the Company has not been required to fund any underwriting deficits. Changes in the RSF are reported in Medical Costs in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the balance in the RSF was $1.3 billion.
Income Taxes
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the differences between the financial and income tax reporting bases of assets and liabilities based on enacted tax rates and laws. The deferred income tax provision or benefit generally reflects the net change in deferred income tax assets and liabilities during the year, excluding any deferred income tax assets and liabilities of acquired businesses. The current income tax provision reflects the tax consequences of revenues and expenses currently taxable or deductible on various income tax returns for the year reported.
Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable
Future policy benefits represent account balances that accrue to the benefit of the policyholders, excluding surrender charges, for universal life and investment annuity products and for long-duration health policies sold to individuals for which some of the premium received in the earlier years is intended to pay benefits to be incurred in future years. As a result of the 2005 sale of the life and annuity business within the Company’s Golden Rule Financial Corporation subsidiary under an indemnity reinsurance arrangement, the Company has maintained a liability associated with the reinsured contracts, as it remains primarily liable to the policyholders, and has recorded a corresponding reinsurance receivable due from the purchaser. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance receivable, of which $135 million was recorded in Other Current Receivables and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance receivable, of which $125 million was recorded in Other Current Receivables and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company evaluates the financial condition of the reinsurer and only records the reinsurance receivable to the extent of probable recovery. As of December 31, 2012, the reinsurer was rated by A.M. Best as “A+.”
Foreign currency translation
Assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations denominated in non-U.S. dollar functional currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates as of the end of each accounting period. Related revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the accounting period. The gains or losses resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in shareholders’ equity and comprehensive income.
Noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in the Company’s subsidiaries whose redemption is outside the control of the Company are classified as temporary equity. The redeemable noncontrolling interests are primarily related to holders of Amil Participações S.A. (Amil) shares. Amil was acquired in 2012, see Note 6 for more information. During 2012, the Company purchased noncontrolling interest shares for $319 million, of which $11 million was recorded as a reduction of Additional Paid-In Capital. For the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company’s net earnings attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests was nil and other noncontrolling interest activity was not material.
Policy Acquisition Costs
The Company’s short duration health insurance contracts typically have a one-year term and may be canceled by the customer with at least 30 days notice. Costs related to the acquisition and renewal of short duration customer contracts are charged to expense as incurred.
Share-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes compensation expense for share-based awards, including stock options, stock-settled stock appreciation rights (SARs) and restricted stock and restricted stock units (collectively, restricted shares), on a straight-line basis over the related service period (generally the vesting period) of the award, or to an employee’s eligible retirement date under the award agreement, if earlier. Restricted shares vest ratably, primarily over three to four years and compensation expense related to restricted shares is based on the share price on date of grant. Stock options and SARs vest ratably over four to six years and may be exercised up to 10 years from the date of grant. Compensation expense related to stock options and SARs is based on the fair value at date of grant, which is estimated on the date of grant using a binomial option-pricing model. Under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) eligible employees are allowed to purchase the Company’s stock at a discounted price, which is 85% of the lower market price of the Company’s common stock at the beginning or at the end of the six-month purchase period. Share-based compensation expense for all programs is recognized in Operating Costs in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Net Earnings Per Common Share
The Company computes basic net earnings per common share by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The Company determines diluted net earnings per common share using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, adjusted for potentially dilutive shares associated with stock options, SARs, restricted shares and the ESPP, using the treasury stock method. The treasury stock method assumes a hypothetical issuance of shares to settle the share-based awards, with the assumed proceeds used to purchase common stock at the average market price for the period. Assumed proceeds include the amount the employee must pay upon exercise, any unrecognized compensation cost and any related excess tax benefit. The difference between the number of shares assumed issued and number of shares assumed purchased represents the dilutive shares.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs” (ASU 2011-04). This update provides guidance on how fair value measurement should be applied where existing GAAP already requires or permits fair value measurements. In addition, ASU 2011-04 requires expanded disclosures regarding fair value measurements. ASU 2011-04 became effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The adoption of the measurement guidance of ASU 2011-04 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. The new disclosures have been included with the Company’s fair value disclosures in Note 4.
In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) - Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (ASU 2011-05). ASU 2011-05 requires entities to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements and eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as a part of the statement of equity. ASU 2011-05 became effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The Company presented separate Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, which appear consecutive to the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company has determined that there have been no other recently adopted or issued accounting standards that had or will have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

Dates Referenced Herein   and   Documents Incorporated by Reference

This ‘10-K’ Filing    Date    Other Filings
12/31/1710-K,  11-K
12/31/1410-K,  11-K,  ARS
Filed as of:2/7/13
Filed on:2/6/134
1/1/13
For Period end:12/31/1211-K,  3,  ARS
12/31/1110-K,  5
 List all Filings 


5 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 2/24/23  UnitedHealth Group Inc.           10-K       12/31/22  119:19M
 2/15/22  UnitedHealth Group Inc.           10-K       12/31/21  113:19M
 3/01/21  UnitedHealth Group Inc.           10-K       12/31/20  107:17M
 5/22/13  SEC                               UPLOAD10/06/17    1:34K  Unitedhealth Group Inc.
 3/21/13  SEC                               UPLOAD10/06/17    1:161K Unitedhealth Group Inc.
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