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BENEFITS PAYABLE
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Insurance [Abstract]  
BENEFITS PAYABLE BENEFITS PAYABLE
On a consolidated basis, which represents our Insurance segment net of eliminations, activity in benefits payable was as follows for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:
202420232022
 (in millions)
Balances at January 1$10,241 $9,264 $8,289 
Acquisitions— 62 — 
Incurred related to:
Current year101,365 89,266 76,105 
Prior years(701)(872)(415)
Total incurred100,664 88,394 75,690 
Paid related to:
Current year(91,281)(79,545)(67,287)
Prior years(9,184)(7,934)(7,428)
Total paid(100,465)(87,479)(74,715)
Balances at December 31$10,440 $10,241 $9,264 
The total estimate of benefits payable for claims incurred but not reported, or IBNR, is included within the net
incurred claims amounts. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, benefits payable included IBNR of approximately $7.3 billion and $6.6 billion, primarily associated with claims incurred in each respective year. The cumulative number of reported claims as of December 31, 2024 was approximately 224.4 million for claims incurred in 2024, 211.4 million for claims incurred in 2023, and 182.8 million for claims incurred in 2022.
    Amounts incurred related to prior years vary from previously estimated liabilities as the claims ultimately are settled. Negative amounts reported for incurred related to prior years result from claims being ultimately settled for amounts less than originally estimated (favorable development).
As previously discussed, our reserving practice is to consistently recognize the actuarial best estimate of our ultimate liability for claims. Actuarial standards require the use of assumptions based on moderately adverse experience, which generally results in favorable reserve development, or reserves that are considered redundant. We experienced favorable medical claims reserve development related to prior fiscal years of $701 million in 2024, $872 million in 2023, and $415 million in 2022.
The medical claims reserve development for 2024, 2023, and 2022 primarily reflects the consistent application of trend and completion factors estimated using an assumption of moderately adverse conditions. The favorable development recognized in 2024 and 2023 primarily resulted from trend factors developing more favorably than originally expected. The favorable development recognized in 2022 resulted primarily from trend factors developing more favorably than originally expected with completion factors remaining largely unchanged, resulting in lower overall development as compared to 2024 and 2023.
Incurred and Paid Claims Development
The following discussion provides information about incurred and paid claims development as of December 31, 2024, net of reinsurance, as well as cumulative claim frequency and the total of IBNR included within the net incurred claims amounts. The information about incurred and paid claims development for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is presented as supplementary information.
    Claims frequency is measured as medical fee-for-service claims for each service encounter with a unique provider identification number. Our claims frequency measure includes claims covered by deductibles as well as claims under capitated arrangements. Claim counts may vary based on product mix and the percentage of delegated capitation arrangements.
    The following tables provide information about incurred and paid claims development as of December 31, 2024, net of reinsurance.
Incurred Claims, Net of Reinsurance
For the Years Ended December 31,
Claims Incurred Year2022
Unaudited		2023
Unaudited		2024
(in millions)
2022 & Prior$76,105 $75,447 $75,399 
202389,328 88,675 
2024101,365 
 Total$265,439 
Cumulative Paid Claims, Net of Reinsurance
For the Years Ended December 31,
Claims Incurred Year2022
Unaudited		2023
Unaudited		2024
(in millions)
2022 & Prior$67,287 $74,989 $75,399 
202379,545 88,319 
202491,281 
 Total254,999 
Benefits payable, net of reinsurance$10,440 
For additional information regarding our benefits payable and benefits expense recognition, refer to Note 2 to the audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" in this Form 10-K.