Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Molina Healthcare, Inc., its subsidiaries, and variable interest entities in which Molina Healthcare, Inc. is considered to be the primary beneficiary. See Note 18, “Variable Interest Entities (VIEs),” for more information regarding these variable interest entities. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Financial information related to subsidiaries acquired during any year is included only for periods subsequent to their acquisition.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results as of the date and for the periods presented have been included; such adjustments consist of normal recurring adjustments.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with 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. Principal areas requiring the use of estimates include:


•	The determination of medical claims and benefits payable of our Health Plans segment;


•	Health plan contractual provisions that may limit revenue recognition based upon the costs incurred or the profits realized under a specific contract;


•	Health plan quality incentives that allow us to recognize incremental revenue if certain quality standards are met;


•	Molina Medicaid Solutions segment revenue and cost recognition;


•	Settlements under risk or savings sharing programs;


•	The assessment of deferred contract costs, deferred revenue, long-lived and intangible assets, and goodwill for impairment;


•	The determination of reserves for potential absorption of claims unpaid by insolvent providers;


•	The determination of reserves for the outcome of litigation;


•	The determination of valuation allowances for deferred tax assets; and


•	The determination of unrecognized tax benefits.

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.

Investments

Our investments are principally held in debt securities, which are grouped into two separate categories for accounting and reporting purposes: available-for-sale securities, and held-to-maturity securities. Available-for-sale securities are recorded at fair value and unrealized gains and losses, if any, are recorded in stockholders’ equity as other comprehensive income, net of applicable income taxes. Held-to-maturity securities are recorded at amortized cost, which approximates fair value, and unrealized holding gains or losses are not generally recognized. Realized gains and losses and unrealized losses judged to be other than temporary with respect to available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities are included in the determination of net income. The cost of securities sold is determined using the specific-identification method.

Our investment policy requires that all of our investments have final maturities of 10 years or less (excluding variable rate securities where interest rates may be periodically reset), and that the average maturity be three years or less. Investments and restricted investments are subject to interest rate risk and will decrease in value if market rates increase. Declines in interest rates over time will reduce our investment income.

In general, our available-for-sale securities are classified as current assets without regard to the securities’ contractual maturity dates because they may be readily liquidated. We monitor our investments for other-than-temporary impairment.

Long-Lived Assets, Including Intangible Assets

Long-Lived Assets, including Intangible Assets

Long-lived assets consist primarily of property, equipment, capitalized software (see Note 8, “Property, Equipment, and Capitalized Software”), and intangible assets (see Note 9, “Goodwill and Intangible Assets”).

Property and equipment are stated at historical cost. Replacements and major improvements are capitalized, and repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. Furniture and equipment are generally depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives ranging from three to seven years. Software developed for internal use is capitalized. Software is generally amortized over its estimated useful life of three years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the term of the lease, or over their useful lives from five to 10 years, whichever is shorter. Buildings are depreciated over their estimated useful lives of 31.5 to 40 years.

The costs associated with certain of our Molina Medicaid Solutions segment equipment and software are capitalized and recorded as deferred contract costs. Such costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life or the contract period, and the amortization is recorded within the heading “Cost of service revenue.”

Business Combinations

Accounting for acquisitions requires us to recognize separately from goodwill the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations. While we use our best estimates and assumptions to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date, our estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, we may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, or one year after the date of acquisition, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to our consolidated statements of income.

Premium Revenue - Health Plans

Premium revenue is generated primarily from our Medicaid, Medicare and Marketplace contracts, including agreements with other managed care organizations for which we operate as a subcontractor. 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 health care services, and premiums collected in advance are deferred. The state Medicaid programs and the federal Medicare program periodically adjust premiums. Additionally, 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.

The following table summarizes premium revenue for the periods indicated:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016				2015				2014
	Amount		% of Total		Amount		% of Total		Amount		% of Total
	(Dollars in millions)
California	$	2,370	14.5	%	$	2,200	16.6	%	$	1,523	16.9	%
Florida	1,926		11.7		1,199		9.0		439		4.9
Illinois	601		3.7		397		3.0		153		1.7
Michigan	1,520		9.3		1,067		8.1		781		8.7
New Mexico	1,304		7.9		1,237		9.3		1,076		11.9
New York	82		0.5		—		—		—		—
Ohio	1,961		12.0		2,034		15.4		1,553		17.2
Puerto Rico	726		4.4		567		4.3		—		—
South Carolina	378		2.3		348		2.6		381		4.2
Texas	2,454		15.0		1,961		14.8		1,318		14.6
Utah	444		2.7		331		2.5		310		3.4
Washington	2,218		13.5		1,602		12.1		1,305		14.5
Wisconsin	395		2.4		261		2.0		156		1.7
Direct delivery	13		0.1		37		0.3		28		0.3
	$	16,392	100.0	%	$	13,241	100.0	%	$	9,023	100.0	%

Certain components of premium revenue are subject to accounting estimates and fall into the following categories:

Contractual Provisions That May Adjust or Limit Revenue or Profit

Medicaid

Medical Cost Floors (Minimums), and Medical Cost Corridors. A portion of our premium revenue may be returned if certain minimum amounts are not spent on defined medical care costs. In the aggregate, we recorded a liability under the terms of such contract provisions of $272 million and $214 million at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, to amounts due government agencies. Approximately $244 million and $208 million of the liability accrued at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, relates to our participation in Medicaid Expansion programs.

In February 2017, the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) notified us that it has disallowed certain medically related administrative expenses and other items in the computation of its Medicaid Expansion risk corridor; this corridor was effective January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2016. Although we disagree with their contractual interpretations, we deferred premium revenue amounting to approximately $45 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, as a result of this communication, because such revenue is presently subject to refund or adjustment. Of this amount, $29 million relates to dates of service prior to 2016. At December 31, 2016, our aggregate Medicaid Expansion risk corridor payable to HSD is $145 million. We intend to appeal HSD’s ruling on this matter.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, our California health plan received a contract amendment from the California Department of Healthcare Services that allowed us to deduct certain tax expenses in the computation of its Medicaid Expansion minimum medical loss ratio; this minimum medical loss ratio was effective January 1, 2014, through June 30, 2016. As a result of this contract amendment, we increased premium revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016, by approximately $68 million, of which $35 million related to periods prior to 2016.

In certain circumstances, the health plans may receive additional premiums if amounts spent on medical care costs exceed a defined maximum threshold. Receivables relating to such provisions were insignificant at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

Profit Sharing and Profit Ceiling. Our contracts with certain states contain profit-sharing or profit ceiling 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. Liabilities for profits in excess of the amount we are allowed to retain under these provisions were insignificant at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

Retroactive Premium Adjustments. In the first quarter of 2016, our Florida health plan recorded a retroactive increase to Medicaid premium revenue of approximately $18 million relating to dates of service prior to 2016.

Medicare

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 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) practices. Consolidated balance sheet amounts related to anticipated Medicare risk adjustment premiums and Medicare Part D settlements were insignificant at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

Minimum MLR. Additionally, federal regulations have established a minimum annual medical loss ratio (Minimum MLR) of 85% for the Medicare. The medical loss ratio represents medical costs as a percentage of premium revenue. Federal regulations specifically 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. We recognize estimated rebates under the Minimum MLR as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income.

Marketplace

Premium Stabilization Programs. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established Marketplace premium stabilization programs effective January 1, 2014. These programs, commonly referred to as the “3R’s,” include a permanent risk adjustment program, a transitional reinsurance program, and a temporary risk corridor program. We record receivables or payables related to the 3R programs and the Minimum MLR when the amounts are reasonably estimable as described below, and, for receivables, collection is reasonably assured. Our receivables (payables) for each of these programs, as of the dates indicated, were as follows:



	December 31, 2016								December 31, 2015
	Current Benefit Year			Prior Benefit Years		Total			December 31, 2015
	(In millions)
Risk adjustment	$	(522	)	$	—	$	(522	)	$	(214	)
Reinsurance	51			4		55			36
Risk corridor	(1		)	—		(1		)	(10		)
Minimum MLR	(1		)	—		(1		)	(3		)

•

Risk adjustment: Under this permanent program, 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 transfer payment into the pool if their composite risk scores are below the average risk score, and will receive a risk transfer payment from the pool if their composite risk scores are above the average risk score. 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. On June 30, 2016, CMS released the final update on risk transfer and reinsurance payments for the 2015 benefit year, and we adjusted our accruals accordingly. Our risk transfer payment was approximately $40 million more than our estimate as of December 31, 2015.

•

Reinsurance: This program is designed to provide reimbursement to insurers for high cost members. Our health plans pay an annual contribution on a per-member basis, and are eligible for recoveries if claims for individual members exceed a specified threshold, up to a maximum amount. We recognize the assessments to fund the transitional reinsurance program as a reduction to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income. We recognize recoveries under the reinsurance program as a reduction to medical care costs in our consolidated statements of income. This three-year program ended December 31, 2016.

•

Risk corridor: This program is intended to limit gains and losses of insurers by comparing allowable costs to a target amount as defined by CMS. Variances from the target amount exceeding certain thresholds may result in amounts due to or receivables due from CMS. Due to uncertainties as to the amount of federal funding available to support the risk corridor program, we do not recognize amounts receivable under this program. Our estimate of the unrecorded receivable for the Marketplace risk corridor amounted to approximately $142 million as of December 31, 2016. Of this total amount, $52 million relates to the 2015 benefit year and $90 million relates to the year ended December 31, 2016. All liabilities are recognized as incurred. We estimate our ultimate premium based on insurance policy year-to-date experience, and recognize estimated premiums relating to the risk corridor program as an adjustment to premium revenue in our consolidated statements of income. This three-year program ended December 31, 2016.

Additionally, the ACA established a Minimum MLR of 80% for the Marketplace. The medical loss ratio represents medical costs as a percentage of premium revenue. Federal regulations specifically define what constitutes medical costs and premium revenue. If the Minimum MLR is not met, we may be required to pay rebates to our Marketplace policyholders. Each of the 3R programs 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.

Quality Incentives

At several of our health plans, revenue ranging from approximately 1% to 3% of certain health plan premiums is earned only if certain performance measures are met.

Medical Care Costs - Health Plans

Expenses related to medical care services are captured in the following categories:

Fee-for-service expenses. Nearly all hospital services and the majority of our primary care and physician specialist services and LTSS costs are paid on a fee-for-service basis. Under fee-for-service arrangements, we retain the financial responsibility for medical care provided and incur costs based on actual utilization of services. Such expenses are recorded in the period in which the related services are dispensed. The costs of drugs administered in a physician or hospital setting that are not billed through our pharmacy benefit manager are included in fee-for-service costs.

Pharmacy expenses. All drug, injectibles, and immunization costs paid through our pharmacy benefit manager are classified as pharmacy expenses. As noted above, drugs and injectibles not paid through our pharmacy benefit manager are included in fee-for-service costs, except in those limited instances where we capitate drug and injectible costs.

Capitation expenses. Many of our primary care physicians and a small portion of our specialists and hospitals are paid on a capitated basis. Under capitation arrangements, we pay a fixed amount PMPM to the provider without regard to the frequency, extent, or nature of the medical services actually furnished. Under capitated arrangements, we remain liable for the provision of certain health care services. Capitation payments are fixed in advance of the periods covered and are not subject to significant accounting estimates. These payments are expensed in the period the providers are obligated to provide services. The financial risk for pharmacy services for a small portion of our membership is delegated to capitated providers.

Direct delivery expenses. All costs associated with our direct delivery of medical care are separately identified.

Other medical expenses. All medically related administrative costs, certain provider incentive costs, and other health care expenses are classified as other medical expenses. Medically related administrative costs include, for example, expenses relating to health education, quality assurance, case management, care coordination, disease management, and 24-hour on-call nurses. Salary and benefit costs are a substantial portion of these expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, medically related administrative costs were $488 million, $398 million, and $263 million, respectively.

The following table provides the details of our consolidated medical care costs for the periods indicated (dollars in millions, except PMPM amounts):



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016						2015						2014
	Amount		PMPM		% of Total		Amount		PMPM		% of Total		Amount		PMPM		% of Total
Fee-for-service	$	10,993	$	217.84	74.4	%	$	8,572	$	218.35	72.7	%	$	5,673	$	202.87	70.2	%
Pharmacy	2,213		43.84		15.0		1,610		41.01		13.7		1,273		45.54		15.8
Capitation	1,218		24.13		8.2		982		25.02		8.3		748		26.77		9.3
Direct delivery	78		1.55		0.5		128		3.26		1.1		96		3.44		1.2
Other	272		5.39		1.9		502		12.79		4.2		286		10.22		3.5
Total	$	14,774	$	292.75	100.0	%	$	11,794	$	300.43	100.0	%	$	8,076	$	288.84	100.0	%

Our medical care costs include amounts that have been paid by us through the reporting date, as well as estimated liabilities for medical care costs incurred but not paid by us as of the reporting date. Such medical care cost liabilities include, among other items, unpaid fee-for-service claims, capitation payments owed providers, unpaid pharmacy invoices, and various medically related administrative costs that have been incurred but not paid. We use judgment to determine the appropriate assumptions for determining the required estimates.

The most important element in estimating our medical care costs is our estimate for fee-for-service claims which have been incurred but not paid by us. These fee-for-service costs that have been incurred but have not been paid at the reporting date are collectively referred to as medical costs that are incurred but not paid (IBNP). Our IBNP claims reserve, as reported in our balance sheet, represents our best estimate of the total amount of claims we will ultimately pay with respect to claims that we have incurred as of the balance sheet date. We estimate our IBNP monthly using actuarial methods based on a number of factors. For further information, see Note 11, “Medical Claims and Benefits Payable.”

We report reinsurance premiums as a reduction to premium revenue, while related reinsurance recoveries are reported as a reduction to medical care costs. We limit our risk of catastrophic losses by maintaining high deductible reinsurance coverage. Such reinsurance coverage does not relieve us of our primary obligation to our policyholders. We do not consider this coverage to be material because the cost is not significant and the likelihood that coverage will apply is low.

Taxes Based on Premiums

Health Insurer Fee (HIF). The federal government under the ACA imposes an annual fee, or excise tax, on health insurers for each calendar year. The HIF is based on a company’s share of the industry’s net premiums written during the preceding calendar year, and is non-deductible for income tax purposes. We recognize expense for the HIF over the year on a straight-line basis. Within our Medicaid program, we must secure additional reimbursement from our state partners for this added cost. We recognize the related revenue when we have obtained a contractual commitment or payment from a state to reimburse us for the HIF; such HIF revenue is recognized ratably throughout the year. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 provided for a HIF moratorium in 2017. Therefore, there will be no HIF revenue or expenses in 2017.

Premium and Use Tax. Certain of our health plans are assessed a tax based on premium revenue collected. The premium revenues we receive from these states include the premium tax assessment. We have reported these taxes on a gross basis, as premium tax revenue and as premium tax expenses in the consolidated statements of income.

Premium Deficiency Reserves on Loss Contracts

We assess the profitability of our medical care policies to identify groups of contracts where current operating results or forecasts indicate probable future losses. If anticipated future variable costs exceed anticipated future premiums and investment income, a premium deficiency reserve is recognized.

Service Revenue and Cost of Service Revenue - Molina Medicaid Solutions

Service Revenue and Cost of Service Revenue — Molina Medicaid Solutions Segment

The payments received by our Molina Medicaid Solutions segment under its state contracts are based on the performance of multiple services. The first of these is the design, development and implementation (DDI) of a Medicaid management information system (MMIS). An additional service, following completion of DDI, is the operation of the MMIS under a business process outsourcing (BPO) arrangement. When providing BPO services (which include claims payment and eligibility processing) we also provide the state with other services including both hosting and support, and maintenance.

We have evaluated our Molina Medicaid Solutions contracts to determine if such arrangements include a software element. Based on this evaluation, we have concluded that these arrangements do not include a software element, and are therefore multiple-element service arrangements.

Additionally, we evaluate each required deliverable under our multiple-element service arrangements to determine whether it qualifies as a separate unit of accounting. Such evaluation is generally based on whether the deliverable has standalone value to the customer. If the deliverable has standalone value, the arrangement’s consideration that is fixed or determinable is then allocated to each separate unit of accounting based on the relative selling price of each deliverable. In general, the consideration allocated to each unit of accounting is recognized as the related goods or services are delivered, limited to the consideration that is not contingent.

We have concluded that the various service elements in our Molina Medicaid Solutions contracts represent a single unit of accounting due to the fact that DDI, which is the only service performed in advance of the other services (all other services are performed over an identical period), does not have standalone value because our DDI services are not sold separately by any vendor and the customer could not resell our DDI services. Further, we have no objective and reliable evidence of fair value for any of the individual elements in these contracts, and at no point in the contract will we have objective and reliable evidence of fair value for the undelivered elements in the contracts. We lack objective and reliable evidence of the fair value of the individual elements of our Molina Medicaid Solutions contracts for the following reasons:


•	Each contract calls for the provision of its own specific set of services. While all contracts support the system of record for state MMIS, the actual services we provide vary significantly between contracts; and


•	The nature of the MMIS installed varies significantly between our older contracts (proprietary mainframe systems) and our new contracts (commercial off-the-shelf technology solutions).

Because we have determined the services provided under our Molina Medicaid Solutions contracts represent a single unit of accounting, and because we are unable to determine a pattern of performance of services during the contract period, we recognize all revenue (both the DDI and BPO elements) associated with such contracts on a straight-line basis over the period during which BPO, hosting, and support and maintenance services are delivered. Therefore, absent any contingencies as discussed in the following paragraph, or contract extensions, we would recognize all revenue associated with those contracts over the initial contract period. When a contract is extended, we generally consider the extension to be a continuation of the single unit of accounting; therefore, the deferred revenue as of the extension date is recognized prospectively over the new remaining term of the contract. In cases where there is no DDI element associated with our contracts, BPO revenue is recognized on a monthly basis as specified in the applicable contract or contract extension.

Provisions specific to each contract may, however, lead us to modify this general principle. In those circumstances, the right of the state to refuse acceptance of services, as well as the related obligation to compensate us, may require us to delay recognition of all or part of our revenue until that contingency (the right of the state to refuse acceptance) has been removed. In those circumstances, we defer recognition of any contingent revenue (whether DDI, BPO services, hosting, and support and maintenance services) until the contingency has been removed.

Costs associated with our Molina Medicaid Solutions contracts include software related costs and other costs. With respect to software related costs, we apply the guidance for internal-use software and capitalize external direct costs of materials and services consumed in developing or obtaining the software, and payroll and payroll-related costs associated with employees who are directly associated with and who devote time to the computer software project. With respect to all other direct costs, such costs are expensed as incurred, unless corresponding revenue is being deferred. If revenue is being deferred, direct costs relating to delivered service elements are deferred as well and are recognized on a straight-line basis over the period of revenue recognition, in a manner consistent with our recognition of revenue that has been deferred. Such direct costs can include:


•	Transaction processing costs;


•	Employee costs incurred in performing transaction services;


•	Vendor costs incurred in performing transaction services;


•	Costs incurred in performing required monitoring of and reporting on contract performance;


•	Costs incurred in maintaining and processing member and provider eligibility; and


•	Costs incurred in communicating with members and providers.

The recoverability of deferred contract costs associated with a particular contract is analyzed on a periodic basis using the undiscounted estimated cash flows of the whole contract over its remaining contract term. If such undiscounted cash flows are insufficient to recover the long-lived assets and deferred contract costs, the deferred contract costs are written down by the amount of the cash flow deficiency. If a cash flow deficiency remains after reducing the balance of the deferred contract costs to zero, any remaining long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment. Any such impairment recognized would equal the amount by which the carrying value of the long-lived assets exceeds the fair value of those assets.

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 a maximum maturity of 10 years and an average duration of three years or less. Restricted investments are invested principally in certificates of deposit and U.S. treasury securities. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited because our payors consist principally of the governments of each state in which our health plan subsidiaries operate.

Risks and Uncertainties

Our profitability depends in large part on our ability to accurately predict and effectively manage medical care costs. We continually review our medical costs in light of our underlying claims experience and revised actuarial data. However, several factors could adversely affect medical care costs. These factors, which include changes in health care practices, inflation, new technologies, major epidemics, natural disasters, and malpractice litigation, are beyond our control and may have an adverse effect on our ability to accurately predict and effectively control medical care costs. Costs in excess of those anticipated could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

We operate health plans primarily as a direct contractor with the states (or Commonwealth), and in Los Angeles County, California, as a subcontractor to another health plan holding a direct contract with the state. We are therefore dependent upon a small number of contracts to support our revenue. The loss of any one of those contracts could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. Our ability to arrange for the provision of medical services to our members is dependent upon our ability to develop and maintain adequate provider networks. Our inability to develop or maintain such networks might, in certain circumstances, have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted and Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Goodwill Impairment. In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, impairment charges will be based on the first step in the two-step impairment test under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other. ASU 2017-04 is effective for us beginning January 1, 2020; early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. We are evaluating the effect of this guidance.

Business Combinations. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which changes the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities is considered a business. ASU 2017-01 is effective for us beginning January 1, 2018, and interim periods thereafter on a prospective basis. Adoption of this guidance may be significant to us depending on the size and nature of potential future acquisitions. For future Health Plans segment acquisitions under which the fair value of the assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset, such as contract rights, the acquisitions will be recorded as asset acquisitions rather than business combinations. The chief difference between an asset acquisition and a business combination is that goodwill only arises in business combinations.

Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. Rather than generally recognizing credit losses when it is probable that the loss has been incurred, the revised guidance requires companies to recognize an allowance for credit losses for the difference between the amortized cost basis of a financial instrument and the amount of amortized cost that the company expects to collect over the instrument’s contractual life. ASU 2016-13 is effective for us beginning January 1, 2020, and must be adopted as a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings; early adoption is permitted. We are evaluating the effect of this guidance.

Stock Compensation. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, statutory tax and classification in the statement of cash flows. We will adopt ASU 2016-09 in the first quarter of 2017. We are unable to quantify the impact of adoption, however, because such impact is dependent on future stock prices which cannot be predicted. However, we expect that adoption will not have a significant impact on net income, basic and diluted earnings per share, deferred tax assets and net cash from operations, or our effective tax rate.

Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as modified by ASU 2017-03, Transition and Open Effective Date Information. Under ASU 2016-02, an entity will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by leases on the entity’s balance sheet for both finance and operating leases. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, an entity can elect to not recognize lease assets and lease liabilities and expense the lease over a straight-line basis for the term of the lease. ASU 2016-02 will require new disclosures that depict the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows pertaining to an entity’s leases. ASU 2016-02 is effective for us beginning January 1, 2019 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Under this guidance, we will record assets and liabilities relating primarily to our long-term office leases, and are currently evaluating the effect to our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), as modified by:


•	ASU 2015-14, Deferral of the Effective Date;


•	ASU 2016-08, Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net);


•	ASU 2016-10, Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing;


•	ASU 2016-12, Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients;


•	ASU 2016-20, Technical corrections and improvements to Topic 606; and


•	ASU 2017-03, Overall Transition and Open Effective Date Information.

ASU 2014-09 will supersede existing revenue recognition standards with a single model unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards (e.g., an insurance entity’s insurance contracts). The new model requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, new and enhanced disclosures will be required.

We have determined that our Health Plans segment, which comprises the vast majority of our operations, is excluded from the scope of ASU 2014-09, because the recognition of revenue under our Health Plans segment insurance contracts is dictated by other accounting standards governing insurers.

For our Molina Medicaid Solutions segment, we have determined that certain revenue and costs will no longer be deferred and recognized over the service delivery period. Rather, revenue will be recognized based on the expected cost plus gross margin method, and costs will be recognized as incurred. We are currently in the process of quantifying the impact to our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

Two adoption methods are permitted under ASU 2014-09. Under the full retrospective method, the financial statement adjustments are applied to each reporting period presented. Under the modified retrospective method, the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance is reflected as an adjustment to beginning retained earnings as of the date of adoption. We intend to adopt this standard on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) did not have, or are not believed by management to have, a significant impact on our present or future consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Short-Duration Contracts. In the fourth quarter of 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-09, Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts, which requires additional disclosure on the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses. It requires additional disclosure only and had an insignificant impact to our consolidated financial statements. The new disclosures are reported in Note 11, “Medical Claims and Benefits Payable.”

Receivables

Receivables consist primarily of amounts due from government Medicaid agencies, which may be subject to potential retroactive adjustments. Because all of our receivable amounts are readily determinable and substantially all of our creditors are governmental authorities, our allowance for doubtful accounts is insignificant. Any amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged to expense when such determination is made.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment test. We are required to test at least annually for impairment, or more frequently if adverse events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset may be impaired. When testing goodwill for impairment, we may first assess qualitative factors, such as industry and market factors, cost factors, and changes in overall performance, to determine if it is more likely than not that the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. If our qualitative assessment indicates that goodwill impairment is more likely than not, we perform additional quantitative analysis. We may also elect to skip the qualitative testing and proceed directly to the quantitative testing.

Under the quantitative test we first measure the fair values of our reporting units and compare them to the carrying values of the respective units, including goodwill. Second, if the fair value is less than the carrying value of the reporting unit, then the implied value of goodwill would be calculated and compared with the carrying amount of goodwill to determine the impairment charge, if any.

We estimate the fair values of our reporting units using discounted cash flows. In the discounted cash flow analyses, we must make assumptions about a wide variety of internal and external factors. Significant assumptions include financial projections of free cash flow (including significant assumptions about operations, capital requirements and income taxes), long-term growth rates for determining terminal value beyond the discretely forecasted periods, and discount rates.

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes is determined using an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is generally greater than the U.S. federal statutory rate primarily because of state taxes, nondeductible expenses such as the HIF, certain compensation, and other general and administrative expenses. The effective tax rate may be subject to fluctuations during the year, particularly as a result of the level of pretax earnings, and also as new information is obtained. Such information may affect the assumptions used to estimate the annual effective tax rate, including factors such as 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.