v3.25.3
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Consolidation and Interim Financial Information
Consolidation and Interim Financial Information
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Molina Healthcare, Inc. and its subsidiaries. In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments, which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results as of the dates and for the interim periods presented. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2025.
The unaudited consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared under the assumption that users of the interim financial data have either read or have access to our audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. Accordingly, certain disclosures that would substantially duplicate the disclosures contained in our December 31, 2024, audited consolidated financial statements have been omitted.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
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.
Receivables
Receivables
Receivables consist primarily of premium amounts due from government agencies, which are subject to potential retroactive adjustments, as well as pharmacy rebates and other receivables. Government receivables amounted to $2,241 million and $2,223 million at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. We apply the current expected credit loss model to measure expected credit losses on our receivables based on available information about past events and reasonable and supportable forecasts. 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.
Premium Revenue Recognition and Amounts Due Government Agencies, Minimum MLR, Medical Cost Corridors and Profit Sharing and Risk Adjustment
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. 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. Minimum MLR, Medical Cost Corridors and Profit Sharing. A portion of our Medicaid 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 receive additional premiums if amounts spent on medical care costs exceed a defined maximum threshold. 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. 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.
The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) established a Minimum MLR of 85% for Medicare. Federal regulations define what constitutes medical costs and premium revenue. If the Minimum MLR is not met, we may be required to pay rebates to the federal government. Our dual-eligible plans may also be subject to state-specific Minimum MLRs, medical cost corridors, and profit-sharing provisions. We recognize estimated rebates as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income. We recorded a liability under the terms of such contract provisions of $38 million and $32 million at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, to “Amounts due government agencies” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
The ACA established a Minimum MLR of 80% for the Marketplace. If the Minimum MLR is not met, we may be required to pay rebates to our Marketplace policyholders. The Marketplace risk adjustment program discussed below is taken into consideration when computing the Minimum MLR. We recognize estimated rebates under the Minimum MLR as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income. We recorded a liability under the terms of such contract provisions of $18 million and $30 million at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, to “Amounts due government agencies” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Risk Adjustment. Our Medicare premiums are subject to retroactive increase or decrease based on the health status of our Medicare members (as measured by member risk score). We estimate our members’ risk scores and the related amount of Medicare revenue that will ultimately be realized for the periods presented based on our knowledge of our members’ health status, risk scores and CMS practices. We also estimate amounts owed to CMS for Part D settlements. We recorded a liability under the terms of such contract provisions of $128 million and $115 million at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, to “Amounts due government agencies” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Under this program for our Marketplace business, 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 (risk adjustment payable) and will receive a risk adjustment payment from the pool if their composite risk scores are above the average risk score (risk adjustment receivable). We estimate our ultimate premium based on insurance policy year-to-date experience and recognize estimated premiums relating to the risk adjustment program as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income.
Premium Deficiency Reserves on Loss Contracts
Premium Deficiency Reserve on Loss Contracts
We assess the profitability of our contracts to determine if it is probable that a loss will be incurred in the future by reviewing current results and forecasts. For purposes of this assessment, contracts are grouped in a manner consistent with our method of acquiring, servicing and measuring the profitability of such contracts. A premium deficiency reserve (“PDR”) is recognized if anticipated future medical care and administrative costs exceed anticipated future premium revenue, investment income and reinsurance recoveries.
Concentrations of Credit Risk
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
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 tax credits, 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
In September 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2025-06, Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Internal-Use Software, which modernizes the accounting for internal-use software costs to better align with the way that software is currently developed. The update removes all reference to the project stages of software development and establishes two criteria that must be met to begin capitalizing software costs. ASU 2025-06 is effective for annual reporting beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2028, and for interim periods therein. It can be adopted using a prospective, modified, or retrospective approach, and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the update to our consolidated financial statements.
Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (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.