Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

NOTE D—Commitments and Contingencies

Legal

        The management and administration of the delivery of specialty managed healthcare entails significant risks of liability. From time to time, the Company is subject to various actions and claims arising from the acts or omissions of its employees, network providers or other parties. In the normal course of business, the Company receives reports relating to deaths and other serious incidents involving patients whose care is being managed by the Company. Such incidents occasionally give rise to malpractice, professional negligence and other related actions and claims against the Company or its network providers. Many of these actions and claims received by the Company seek substantial damages and therefore require the Company to incur significant fees and costs related to their defense. The Company is also subject to or party to certain class actions, litigation and claims relating to its operations and business practices. In the opinion of management, the Company has recorded reserves that are adequate to cover litigation, claims or assessments that have been or may be asserted against the Company, and for which the outcome is probable and reasonably estimable. Management believes that the resolution of such litigation and claims will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations; however, there can be no assurance in this regard.

Stock Repurchases

        On July 27, 2010 the Company's board of directors approved a stock repurchase plan which authorizes the Company to purchase up to $350 million of its outstanding common stock through July 28, 2012. On February 18, 2011, the Company's board of directors increased the stock repurchase program by an additional $100 million, to a total of $450 million.

        Stock repurchases under the program may be executed through open market repurchases, privately negotiated transactions, accelerated share repurchases or other means. The board of directors authorized management to execute stock repurchase transactions from time to time and in such amounts and via such methods as management deems appropriate. The stock repurchase program may be limited or terminated at any time without prior notice. Pursuant to this program, the Company made open market purchases of 1,684,510 shares of the Company's common stock at an average price of $48.36 per share for an aggregate cost of $81.5 million (excluding broker commissions) during the period from November 3, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

        Pursuant to this program, the Company made open market purchases of 6,728,222 shares of the Company's common stock at an average price of $48.74 per share for an aggregate cost of $327.9 million (excluding broker commissions) during the period January 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011.

        During the period from October 1, 2011 through October 24, 2011, the Company made additional open market purchases of 517,705 shares of the Company's common stock at an aggregate cost of $25.6 million, excluding broker commissions.