Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible into known amounts of cash and have a maturity of three months or less on the date of purchase. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents reported within the accompanying consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows. The restricted cash and cash equivalents presented below are included in “Restricted investments” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.


	September 30,
	2023		2022

	(In millions)
Cash and cash equivalents	$	5,565	$	4,242
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	55		53
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents presented in the consolidated statements of cash flows	$	5,620	$	4,295

Receivables

Receivables consist primarily of premium amounts due from government agencies, which are subject to potential retroactive adjustments. Because substantially all of our receivable amounts are readily determinable and substantially all of our creditors are governmental authorities, our allowance for credit losses is insignificant. Any amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged to expense when such determination is made.


	September 30, 2023		December 31, 2022

	(In millions)
Government receivables	$	1,737	$	1,702
Pharmacy rebate receivables	316		291

Other	407		309

Total	$	2,460	$	2,302

Premium Revenue Recognition and Amounts Due Government Agencies

Premium revenue is generated from our contracts with state and federal agencies, in connection with our participation in the Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace programs. Premium revenue is generally received based on per member per month (“PMPM”) rates established in advance of the periods covered. These premium revenues are recognized in the month that members are entitled to receive healthcare services, and premiums collected in advance are deferred. State Medicaid programs and the federal Medicare program periodically adjust premium rates, including certain components of premium revenue that are subject to accounting estimates and are described below, and in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies,” under “Contractual Provisions That May Adjust or Limit Revenue or Profit,” and “Quality Incentives.”

Contractual Provisions That May Adjust or Limit Revenue or Profit

Many of our contracts contain provisions that may adjust or limit revenue or profit, as described below. Consequently, we recognize premium revenue as it is earned under such provisions. Liabilities accrued for premiums to be returned under such provisions are reported in the aggregate as “Amounts due government agencies,” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Categorized by program, such amounts due government agencies included the following:


	September 30, 2023		December 31, 2022

	(In millions)
Medicaid program:
Minimum MLR, corridors, and profit sharing	$	1,304	$	1,145
Other premium adjustments	824		482
Medicare program:
Minimum MLR, corridors, and profit sharing	64		84
Risk adjustment and Part D risk sharing	59		76
Other premium adjustments	28		27
Marketplace program:
Risk adjustment	163		230
Minimum MLR	2		2
Other premium adjustments	32		33

Total amounts due government agencies	$	2,476	$	2,079

Medicaid Program

Minimum MLR and Medical Cost Corridors. A portion of our premium revenue may be returned if certain minimum amounts are not spent on defined medical care costs as a percentage of premium revenue, or minimum medical loss ratio (“Minimum MLR”). Under certain medical cost corridor provisions, the health plans may refund premiums or receive additional premiums, depending on whether amounts spent on medical care costs fall below or exceed defined thresholds. This includes remaining risk corridors that were enacted by various states in 2020 in response to the reduced demand for medical services stemming from COVID-19.

Profit Sharing. Our contracts with certain states contain profit sharing provisions under which we refund amounts to the states if our health plans generate profit above a certain specified percentage. In some cases, we are limited in the amount of administrative costs that we may deduct in calculating the refund, if any.

Other Premium Adjustments. State Medicaid programs periodically adjust premium revenues on a retroactive basis for rate changes and changes in membership and eligibility data. In certain states, adjustments are made based on the health status of our members (as measured through a risk score). In these cases, we adjust our premium revenue in the period in which we determine that the adjustment is probable and reasonably estimable, based on our best estimate of the ultimate premium we expect to realize for the period being adjusted.

Marketplace Program

Risk Adjustment. Under this program, our health plans’ composite risk scores are compared with the overall average risk score for the relevant state and market pool. Generally, our health plans will make a risk adjustment payment into the pool if their composite risk scores are below the average risk score for all plan participants in a state (risk adjustment payable), and will receive a risk adjustment payment from the pool if their composite risk scores are above the average risk score for all plan participants in a state (risk adjustment receivable). Under CMS rules, the Marketplace risk adjustment pool in each state is budget neutral. We estimate our ultimate premium based on insurance policy year-to-date experience, and the data submitted and expected to be submitted to CMS, and recognize estimated premiums relating to the risk adjustment program as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income. As of September 30, 2023, Marketplace risk adjustment estimated payables amounted to $163 million and estimated receivables amounted to $246 million, for a net receivable of $83 million. Marketplace risk adjustment receivables at September 30, 2023 are net of a $41 million credit loss allowance resulting from a credit loss recognized in the third quarter of 2023 on 2022 Marketplace risk adjustment receivables due to the insolvency of an issuer in the Texas risk pool. This charge is included in other operating expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. As of December 31, 2022, Marketplace risk adjustment estimated payables amounted to $230 million and estimated receivables amounted to $135 million, for a net payable of $95 million.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, investments, receivables, and restricted investments. Our investments and a portion of our cash equivalents are managed by professional portfolio managers operating under documented investment guidelines. Our portfolio managers must obtain our prior approval before selling investments where the loss position of those investments exceeds certain levels. Our investments consist primarily of investment-grade debt securities with final maturities of less than 15 years, or less than 15 years average life for structured securities. Restricted investments are invested principally in cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Treasury securities, and corporate debt securities. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited because our payors consist principally of the federal government, and governments of each state in which our health plan subsidiaries operate.

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes is determined using an estimated annual effective tax rate, which generally differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate primarily because of foreign and state taxes, and nondeductible expenses such as certain compensation and other general and administrative expenses.

The effective tax rate may be subject to fluctuations during the year as new information is obtained. Such information may affect the assumptions used to estimate the annual effective tax rate, including projected pretax earnings, the mix of pretax earnings in the various tax jurisdictions in which we operate, valuation allowances against deferred tax assets, the recognition or the reversal of the recognition of tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions, and changes in or the interpretation of tax laws in jurisdictions where we conduct business. We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of our assets and liabilities, along with net operating loss and tax credit carryovers.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) did not have, nor does management expect such pronouncements to have, a significant impact on our present or future consolidated financial statements.