8-K

                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                                  FORM 8-K

                                Current Report
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                   of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      
                    Date of Report:  April 8, 1999
                   (Date of Earliest Event Reported)

      

                              HUMANA INC.
	(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


                                                              
      Delaware                  1-5975                       61-0647538
     (State of               (Commission                 (I.R.S. Employer
   Incorporation)            File Number)               Tax Identification
                                                                No.)
                                                              

                        500 West Main Street
                       Louisville, KY 40202
               (Address of principal executive offices)

                                                              
                         (502) 580-1000
        (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Item 5.	Other Events

On April 8, 1999, Humana Inc. (the 
"Company" or "Registrant") issued a press 
release, a copy of which is attached hereto 
as Exhibit 99 and is incorporated herein by 
reference.

Item 7.	Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibit 99. Copy of the Company's Press Release dated April 8, 1999.


	SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 
Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

HUMANA INC.



_________________________________
By:  James E. Murray
     Senior Vice President 
     and Chief Financial Officer


Dated: April 8, 1999












Exhibit Index

Exhibit 99.  Copy of the Company's Press Release dated April 8, 1999.

EX-99

                                            Humana Inc.
                                            500 West Main Street
                                            P.O. Box 1438
                                            Louisville, KY 40201-1438
                                            http://www.humana.com

news release

                                
                                
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kristi Drablos
Investor Relations
(502) 580-3644
E-MAIL: kdrablos@humana.com

Greg Donaldson
Corporate Communications
(502) 580-3683
E-MAIL:  gdonaldson@humana.com
                                
                                
                                
               Humana reports impact of medical cost trends
                        and Columbia/HCA contract
  -    Anticipates 1st quarter operating earnings between
        $.20 and $.24 per share
  -    Strengthens reserves for higher than estimated medical cost trends
  -    Announces premium deficiency as a prudent measure

LOUISVILLE, KY, April 8, 1999 -- Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) said

today that increased medical cost trends will result in lower

than expected earnings for the first quarter of 1999. Humana said

first-quarter operating earnings, expected to be announced May

13, will be in the range of $.20 to $.24 per share.

     The company also announced it intends to record $90 million

in additional medical claims expense during the first quarter.

Included in this expense are approximately $50 million related to

a premium deficiency due in part to the recently renegotiated

Columbia contract, $35 million related to a medical claim reserve

strengthening and $5 million for a payment to Columbia to resolve

issues outstanding from the company's previous contract.

     "The Columbia contract reflects the changed dynamics of our

industry and the end of an era between Humana and Columbia.

Although its immediate financial impact is adverse, the contract

represents a new cost factor which we can address in our upcoming

premium pricing actions," said Gregory H. Wolf, Humana's

president and chief executive officer. "Most importantly, we

believe that we made the right decision for our 1.3 million

Florida members who would have been greatly inconvenienced by a

termination of service with Columbia and the possible disruption

of their health care.  Notwithstanding the hard decisions we made

this quarter, our business is fundamentally sound and we remain

confident in our ability to successfully meet the challenges our

industry will face in the future."

                             -More-

     Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is one of the

nation's largest publicly traded managed health care companies

with approximately 6.2 million medical members located primarily

in 15 states and Puerto Rico.  Humana offers coordinated health

care through a variety of plans - health maintenance

organizations, preferred provider organizations, point-of-service

plans and administrative services products - to employer groups,

government-sponsored plans and individuals.

     More information about Humana is available at

http://www.humana.com.

     This press release contains forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe

harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act

of 1995.  Forward-looking statements may be significantly

impacted by certain risks and uncertainties described in Humana's

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998

as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.