Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)	Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) The Joseph M. Molina, M.D. Professional Corporations (JMMPC) were created to further advance our direct delivery business. JMMPC’s primary shareholder is Dr. J. Mario Molina, who is a member of our board of directors. Dr. Molina is paid no salary and receives no dividends in connection with his work for, or ownership of, JMMPC. JMMPC provides primary care medical services through its employed physicians and other medical professionals. JMMPC also provides certain specialty referral services to our California health plan members through a contracted provider network. Substantially all of the individuals served by JMMPC are members of our California, Florida, New Mexico, Utah and Washington health plans. These health plans have entered into primary care services agreements with JMMPC, under which the health plans paid $31 million to JMMPC for health care services provided in each of the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. JMMPC does not have agreements to provide professional medical services with any other entities. Separately, the primary care services agreements direct our health plans to either fund JMMPC’s operating deficits, or receive JMMPC’s operating surpluses, such that JMMPC will derive no profit or loss. Because the MMM services agreements described below mitigate the likelihood of significant operating deficits or surpluses, such payments are generally insignificant. Our wholly owned subsidiary, Molina Medical Management, Inc. (MMM), has entered into services agreements with JMMPC to provide clinic facilities, clinic administrative support staff, patient scheduling services and medical supplies to JMMPC. The services agreements were designed such that JMMPC will operate at break even, ensuring the availability of quality care and access for our health plan members. The services agreements provide that the administrative fees charged to JMMPC by MMM are reviewed annually to assure the achievement of this goal. For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, JMMPC paid $13 million and $14 million, respectively, to MMM for clinic administrative services. We have determined that JMMPC is a VIE, and that we are its primary beneficiary. We have reached this conclusion under the power and benefits criterion model according to GAAP. Specifically, we have the power to direct the activities (excluding clinical decisions) that most significantly affect JMMPC’s economic performance, and the obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits that are potentially significant to the VIE, under the agreements described above. Because we are its primary beneficiary, we have consolidated JMMPC. JMMPC’s assets may be used to settle only JMMPC’s obligations, and JMMPC’s creditors have no recourse to the general credit of Molina Healthcare, Inc. As of March 31, 2017, JMMPC had total assets of $17 million, and total liabilities of $17 million. As of December 31, 2016, JMMPC had total assets of $18 million, and total liabilities of $18 million. Our maximum exposure to loss as a result of our involvement with JMMPC is generally limited to the amounts needed to fund JMMPC’s ongoing payroll, employee benefits and medical care costs associated with JMMPC’s specialty referral activities. We believe that such loss exposures will be insignificant to our consolidated operating results and cash flows for the foreseeable future.

Variable Interest Entities (VIEs)

The Joseph M. Molina, M.D. Professional Corporations (JMMPC) were created to further advance our direct delivery business. JMMPC’s primary shareholder is Dr. J. Mario Molina, who is a member of our board of directors. Dr. Molina is paid no salary and receives no dividends in connection with his work for, or ownership of, JMMPC. JMMPC provides primary care medical services through its employed physicians and other medical professionals. JMMPC also provides certain specialty referral services to our California health plan members through a contracted provider network. Substantially all of the individuals served by JMMPC are members of our California, Florida, New Mexico, Utah and Washington health plans. These health plans have entered into primary care services agreements with JMMPC, under which the health plans paid $31 million to JMMPC for health care services provided in each of the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. JMMPC does not have agreements to provide professional medical services with any other entities.

Separately, the primary care services agreements direct our health plans to either fund JMMPC’s operating deficits, or receive JMMPC’s operating surpluses, such that JMMPC will derive no profit or loss. Because the MMM services agreements described below mitigate the likelihood of significant operating deficits or surpluses, such payments are generally insignificant.

Our wholly owned subsidiary, Molina Medical Management, Inc. (MMM), has entered into services agreements with JMMPC to provide clinic facilities, clinic administrative support staff, patient scheduling services and medical supplies to JMMPC. The services agreements were designed such that JMMPC will operate at break even, ensuring the availability of quality care and access for our health plan members. The services agreements provide that the administrative fees charged to JMMPC by MMM are reviewed annually to assure the achievement of this goal. For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, JMMPC paid $13 million and $14 million, respectively, to MMM for clinic administrative services.

We have determined that JMMPC is a VIE, and that we are its primary beneficiary. We have reached this conclusion under the power and benefits criterion model according to GAAP. Specifically, we have the power to direct the activities (excluding clinical decisions) that most significantly affect JMMPC’s economic performance, and the obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits that are potentially significant to the VIE, under the agreements described above. Because we are its primary beneficiary, we have consolidated JMMPC. JMMPC’s assets may be used to settle only JMMPC’s obligations, and JMMPC’s creditors have no recourse to the general credit of Molina Healthcare, Inc. As of March 31, 2017, JMMPC had total assets of $17 million, and total liabilities of $17 million. As of December 31, 2016, JMMPC had total assets of $18 million, and total liabilities of $18 million.

Our maximum exposure to loss as a result of our involvement with JMMPC is generally limited to the amounts needed to fund JMMPC’s ongoing payroll, employee benefits and medical care costs associated with JMMPC’s specialty referral activities. We believe that such loss exposures will be insignificant to our consolidated operating results and cash flows for the foreseeable future.