Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

We lease administrative and clinic facilities and certain equipment under non-cancelable operating leases expiring at various dates through 2021. Facility lease terms generally range from five to ten years with one to two renewal options for extended terms. In most cases, we are required to make additional payments under facility operating leases for taxes, insurance and other operating expenses incurred during the lease period. Certain of our leases contain rent escalation clauses or lease incentives, including rent abatements and tenant improvement allowances. Rent escalation clauses and lease incentives are taken into account in determining total rent expense to be recognized during the lease term. Future minimum lease payments by year and in the aggregate under all operating leases consist of the following approximate amounts:



	(In thousands)
2013	$	26,866
2014	21,420
2015	14,808
2016	8,472
2017	6,939
Thereafter	7,771
Total minimum lease payments	$	86,276

Rental expense related to these leases amounted to $20.5 million, $23.1 million, and $25.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively.

Employment Agreements

In 2002 we entered into employment agreements with our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, which have been amended and restated as of December 31, 2009. These employment agreements had initial terms of one to three years and are subject to automatic one-year extensions thereafter. Should the executives be terminated without cause or resign for good reason before a change of control, as defined, we will pay one year’s base salary and termination bonus, as defined, in addition to full vesting of 401(k) employer contributions and stock-based awards, and a cash sum equal in value to health and welfare benefits provided for 18 months. If the executives are terminated for cause, no further payments are due under the contracts.

If termination occurs within two years following a change of control, the executives will receive two times their base salary and termination bonus, in addition to full vesting of 401(k) employer contributions and stock-based awards, and a cash sum equal in value to health and welfare benefits provided for three years.

Legal Proceedings

The health care and business process outsourcing industries are subject to numerous laws and regulations of federal, state, and local governments. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be subject to government review and interpretation, as well as regulatory actions unknown and unasserted at this time. Penalties associated with violations of these laws and regulations include significant fines and penalties, exclusion from participating in publicly funded programs, and the repayment of previously billed and collected revenues.

We are involved in legal actions in the ordinary course of business, some of which seek monetary damages, including claims for punitive damages, which are not covered by insurance. We have accrued liabilities for certain matters for which we deem the loss to be both probable and estimable. Although we believe that our estimates of such losses are reasonable, these estimates could change as a result of further developments of these matters. The outcome of legal actions is inherently uncertain and such pending matters for which accruals have not been established have not progressed sufficiently through discovery and/or development of important factual information and legal issues to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any. While it is not possible to accurately predict or determine the eventual outcomes of these items, an adverse determination in one or more of these pending matters could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Professional Liability Insurance

We carry medical professional liability insurance for health care services rendered through our clinics in California, Florida, New Mexico, Virginia, and Washington. We also carry claims-made managed care errors and omissions professional liability insurance for our health plan operations.

Provider Claims

Many of our medical contracts are complex in nature and may be subject to differing interpretations regarding amounts due for the provision of various services. Such differing interpretations have led certain medical providers to pursue us for additional compensation. The claims made by providers in such circumstances often involve issues of contract compliance, interpretation, payment methodology, and intent. These claims often extend to services provided by the providers over a number of years.

Various providers have contacted us seeking additional compensation for claims that we believe to have been settled. These matters, when finally concluded and determined, will not, in our opinion, have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Regulatory Capital and Dividend Restrictions

Our health plans, which are operated by our respective wholly owned subsidiaries in those states, are subject to state laws and regulations that, among other things, require the maintenance of minimum levels of statutory capital, as defined by each state. Such state laws and regulations also restrict the timing, payment, and amount of dividends and other distributions that may be paid to us as the sole stockholder. To the extent the subsidiaries must comply with these regulations, they may not have the financial flexibility to transfer funds to us. The net assets in these subsidiaries (after inter-company eliminations) which may not be transferable to us in the form of loans, advances, or cash dividends was $549.7 million at December 31, 2012, and $492.4 million December 31, 2011. Because of the statutory restrictions that inhibit the ability of our health plans to transfer net assets to us, the amount of retained earnings readily available to pay dividends to our stockholders are generally limited to cash, cash equivalents and investments held by the parent company – Molina Healthcare, Inc. Such cash, cash equivalents and investments amounted to $46.9 million and $23.6 million as of December 31, 2012, and 2011, respectively.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC, adopted rules effective December 31, 1998, which, if implemented by the states, set minimum capitalization requirements for insurance companies, HMOs, and other entities bearing risk for health care coverage. The requirements take the form of risk-based capital, or RBC, rules. Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin have adopted these rules, which may vary from state to state. California and Florida have not yet adopted NAIC risk-based capital requirements for HMOs and have not formally given notice of their intention to do so. Such requirements, if adopted by California and Florida, may increase the minimum capital required for those states.

As of December 31, 2012, our health plans had aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $557.9 million compared with the required minimum aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $345.7 million. All of our health plans were in compliance with the minimum capital requirements at December 31, 2012. We have the ability and commitment to provide additional capital to each of our health plans when necessary to ensure that statutory capital and surplus continue to meet regulatory requirements.

Receivable/Liability for Ceded Life and Annuity Contracts

Prior to February 17, 2012, we reported a 100% ceded reinsurance arrangement for life insurance policies written and held by our then wholly owned insurance subsidiary, Molina Healthcare Insurance Company, by recording a non-current receivable from the reinsurer with a corresponding non-current liability for ceded life and annuity contracts. Effective February 17, 2012, we sold Molina Healthcare Insurance Company. The transaction resulted in the elimination of both the noncurrent receivable and liability for ceded life and annuity contracts, each amounting to $23.4 million as of December 31, 2011. Additionally, we recorded a gain of approximately $1.7 million to general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2012 upon closing of the transaction.

Molina Healthcare Insurance Company is now named Catamaran Insurance of Ohio, or Catamaran. In the event that both the reinsurer and Catamaran are unable to pay benefit on policies that were in-force as of the sale date, we remain ultimately liable for payment of such benefits. Because we no longer own Catamaran, we no longer have access to its financial records; therefore, the maximum amount of potential future payments is not determinable. We believe the possibility of our having to pay such benefits is remote, and no provision for the payment of such benefits is included in our consolidated financial statements.