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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
New Accounting Pronouncements And Changes In Accounting Principles [Abstract]  
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Note 2Recent Accounting Changes

 

Accounting for Health Care Reform's Risk Mitigation Programs. Beginning in 2014, as prescribed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (referred to as “Health Care Reform”), three programs went into effect to reduce the risk for participating health insurance companies selling coverage on the public exchanges.

 

  • A three-year (2014-2016) reinsurance program is designed to provide reimbursement to insurers for high cost individual business sold on or off the public exchanges. The reinsurance entity established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) is funded by a per-customer reinsurance fee assessed on all commercial medical plans, including self-insured group health plans. Only non-grandfathered individual plans are eligible for recoveries if claims exceed a specified threshold, up to a reinsurance cap. Reinsurance contributions associated with non-grandfathered individual plans are reported as a reduction in premium revenue, and estimated reinsurance recoveries are established with an offsetting reduction in Global Health Care medical claims expense. Reinsurance fee contributions for other insured business are reported in other operating expenses.
  • A permanent risk adjustment program reallocates funds from insurers with lower risk populations to insurers with higher risk populations based on the relative risk scores of participants in non-grandfathered plans in the individual and small group markets, both on and off the exchanges. Based on the risk of our members compared to the risk of other members in the same state and market, considering data obtained from industry studies, we estimate our year-to-date risk adjustment. The Company records a risk adjustment receivable or payable, with an offsetting adjustment to premium revenue when the amounts are reasonably estimable and collection is reasonably assured.
  • A three year (2014-2016) risk corridor program is designed to limit insurer gains and losses by comparing allowable medical costs to a target amount as defined by HHS. This program applies to individual and small group qualified health plans, operating on and off the exchanges. Variances from the target amount exceeding certain thresholds may result in amounts due to or due from HHS. The Company records a risk corridor receivable or payable as an adjustment to premium revenue based on our year-to-date experience when the amounts are reasonably estimable and collection is reasonably assured.

 

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09). In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new revenue recognition guidance that will apply to various contracts with customers to provide goods or services, including the Company's non-insurance, administrative services contracts. It will not apply to certain contracts within the scope of other GAAP, such as insurance contracts. This new guidance introduces a model that requires companies to estimate and allocate the expected contract revenue among distinct goods or services in the contract based on relative standalone selling prices. Revenue is recognized as goods or services are delivered. This new method replaces the current GAAP approach of recognizing revenue that is fixed and determinable primarily based on contract terms. In addition, extensive new disclosures will be required including the presentation of additional categories of revenues and information about related contract assets and liabilities. This new guidance must be implemented on January 1, 2017; early adoption is not permitted. The Company may choose to adopt these changes through retrospective restatement with or without using certain practical expedients or with a cumulative effect adjustment on adoption. The Company continues to monitor developing implementation guidance and evaluate these new requirements for its noninsurance customer contracts to determine the method of implementation and any resulting estimated effects on the financial statements.

 

Fees Paid to the Federal Government by Health Insurers (ASU 2011-06). Effective January 1, 2014, the Company adopted the FASB's accounting guidance for the health insurance industry assessment (the “tax”) mandated by Health Care Reform. This non-deductible tax is being levied based on a ratio of an insurer's net health insurance premiums written for the previous calendar year compared to the U.S. health insurance industry total. As required by the guidance, the Company reported a liability as of June 30, 2014 of $245 million in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities based on a preliminary assessment of the full year 2014 tax. A corresponding deferred cost was reported in other assets, including other intangibles. In September 2014, the Company paid $243 million for its 2014 tax and adjusted the corresponding deferred cost. Through September 30, 2014, $182 million of the deferred cost was recognized in other operating expenses; the remainder will be recorded in the fourth quarter of 2014.

 

Investment Company Accounting (ASU 2013-08). Effective January 1, 2014, the Company adopted the FASB's amended accounting guidance to change the criteria for reporting as an investment company, clarify the fair value measurement used by an investment company and require additional disclosures. This guidance also confirms that parent company accounting for an investment company should reflect fair value accounting. While this guidance applies to certain of the Company's security and real estate partnership investments, its adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

 

Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) (ASU 2013-02). Effective January 1, 2013, the Company adopted new requirements to disclose the effect of items reclassified out of AOCI into net income for each individual line item impacted in the statement of income. See Note 13 for the Company's disclosures.

 

Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (ASU 2011-11). The FASB's new requirements to disclose information related to certain investments on both a gross and net basis became effective January 1, 2013. The Company had no transactions or arrangements subject to these new disclosure requirements.