-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LRnx6zzI1dRITs1StkYcp/ovJWFZIkGK9/OE7NzIsaqQkNL1nmZR8IJ+MS8h27Sv
 fzHK+OLrSOiEQHF2oVU3bw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000049071-03-000138.txt : 20031231
<SEC-HEADER>0000049071-03-000138.hdr.sgml : 20031231
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031231112806
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000049071-03-000138
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031229
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031231

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HUMANA INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000049071
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOSPITAL & MEDICAL SERVICE PLANS [6324]
		IRS NUMBER:				610647538
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		500 W MAIN ST
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5025801000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	EXTENDICARE INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19740404

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HERITAGE HOUSE OF AMERICA INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19671129

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HIPWELL ARTHUR P
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001018656

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-05975
		FILM NUMBER:		031079562

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		500 WEST MAIN STREET
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5025803778

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		500 WEST MAIN STREET
		CITY:			LOUISVILLE
		STATE:			KY
		ZIP:			40202
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000049071</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HUMANA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HUM</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001018656</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HIPWELL ARTHUR P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HUMANA INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>500 WEST MAIN STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOUISVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>40202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr VP &amp; General Counsel</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>17.9375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>173539</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directO
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3-12-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.1432</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>98539</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><d
irectOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>17350</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><
equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>17.9375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-01-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>75000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId i
d="F4"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>16.9375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-07-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransact
ionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.5938</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F8"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F8"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>127264</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>127264</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><v
alue>Options</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.5938</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F9"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-01-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4316</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4316</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.5938</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F10"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-09-09</value
></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.995</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F11"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-03-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>45000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyin
gSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>45000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.26</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F12"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-03-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirect
Ownership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F13"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F13"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F13"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Humana Common</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7601</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7601</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See Footnote</value><footnoteId id="F13"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Each share of Common Stock contains a Right adopted 
on March 5, 1987, pursuant to the Company Rights Agreement, as amended and restated on February 14, 1996, and amended as of May 27, 1998 and March 1, 1999, which entitles holders of the Company's Common Stock, in the  event certain specified events occur, to acquire 1/100 of a share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock at a price of $145 per fractional share.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Shares held on behalf of minor children.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Shares held for the benefit of reporting person as of November 30, 2003 under the Humana Retirement &amp; Savings Plan including a routine disposition of shares to fund an administrative fee assessment under a Tax-Conditioned Plan, both exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).</footnote><footnote id="F4">Right to buy pursuant to the Company's 1989 Stock Option Plan for Employees.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Right to buy pursuant to the Company's 1996 Stock Incentive Plan for Employees.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting pers
on on 1/13/94 and fully vested on 9/1/99.</footnote><footnote id="F7">Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting person on 7/20/94 and fully vested on 9/1/99.</footnote><footnote id="F8">Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting person on 9/17/98, fully vested on 9/1/99 with 68,800 options expiring on 1/12/05, 36,680 options expiring on 1/9/2007 and 21,784 options expiring on 1/15/2008.</footnote><footnote id="F9">Incentive stock options granted to reporting person on 9/17/98 and fully vested on 9/1/99.</footnote><footnote id="F10">Incentive and Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting person on 9/9/99 and fully vested on 9/9/02.</footnote><footnote id="F11">Incentive and Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting person on 3/13/02, vesting in three increments each from 3/13/03 to 3/13/05.</footnote><footnote id="F12">Incentive and Non-Qualified stock options granted to reporting person on 3/13/03, NQ options vesting in three increments from 3/13/04 to 3/13/06, and ISO's vesting on
 3/13/06.</footnote><footnote id="F13">Phantom Stock Units held for the benefit of reporting person as of November 30, 2003, convertible into common stock on a 1-for-1 basis, under the Humana Excess Plan, exempt under Rule 16b-3(d).</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Arthur P. Hipwell</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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