Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Regulatory Capital Requirements and Dividend Restrictions Our health plans, which are operated by our wholly owned subsidiaries in the states in which our health plans operate, are subject to state laws and regulations that, among other things, require the maintenance of minimum levels of statutory capital, as defined by each state. Regulators in some states may also attempt to enforce capital requirements that require the retention of net worth in excess of amounts formally required by statute or regulation. Such statutes, regulations and informal capital requirements also restrict the timing, payment, and amount of dividends and other distributions that may be paid to us as the sole stockholder. To the extent our subsidiaries must comply with these regulations, they may not have the financial flexibility to transfer funds to us. Based on current statutes and regulations, the net assets in these subsidiaries (after intercompany eliminations) which may not be transferable to us in the form of loans, advances, or cash dividends was approximately $1,777 million at March 31, 2018, and $1,691 million at December 31, 2017. Because of the statutory restrictions that inhibit the ability of our health plans to transfer net assets to us, the amount of retained earnings readily available to pay dividends to our stockholders is generally limited to cash, cash equivalents and investments (excluding restricted investments) held by the parent company—Molina Healthcare, Inc. Such cash, cash equivalents and investments (excluding restricted investments) amounted to $706 million and $696 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted rules effective December 31, 1998, which, if implemented by the states, set minimum capitalization requirements for insurance companies, HMOs, and other entities bearing risk for health care coverage. The requirements take the form of risk-based capital (RBC) rules which may vary from state to state. All of the states and Commonwealth in which our health plans operate, except California, Florida and New York, have adopted these rules. Such requirements, if adopted by California, Florida and New York, may increase the minimum capital required for those states. As of March 31, 2018, our health plans had aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $1,904 million compared with the required minimum aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $1,181 million. All of our health plans were in compliance with the minimum capital requirements at March 31, 2018. We have the ability, and have committed to provide, additional capital to each of our health plans as necessary to ensure compliance with statutory capital and surplus requirements. Legal Proceedings The health care and Medicaid-related business process outsourcing industries are subject to numerous laws and regulations of federal, state, and local governments. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be subject to government review and interpretation, as well as regulatory actions unknown and unasserted at this time. Penalties associated with violations of these laws and regulations include significant fines, exclusion from participating in publicly funded programs, and the repayment of previously billed and collected revenues. We are involved in legal actions in the ordinary course of business, some of which seek monetary damages, including claims for punitive damages, which are not covered by insurance. We have accrued liabilities for certain matters for which we deem the loss to be both probable and reasonably estimable, but the outcome of legal actions is inherently uncertain and our estimates of such losses could change as a result of further developments of these matters. For certain pending matters, accruals have not been established because such matters have not progressed sufficiently through discovery, and/or development of important factual information and legal issues is insufficient to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any. An adverse determination in one or more of these pending matters could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. Steamfitters Local 449 Pension Plan v. Molina Healthcare, Inc, et al. On April 27, 2018, the Steamfitters Local 449 Pension Plan filed a class action securities complaint in the Central District Court of California against the Company and its former executive officers, J. Mario Molina, John C. Molina, Terry P. Bayer, and Rick Hopfer, Case 2:18-cv-03579. The complaint purports to seek recovery on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased Molina common stock between October 31, 2014 and August 2, 2017 for alleged violations under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The plaintiff alleges the defendants misled investors regarding the scalability of the Company’s administrative infrastructure during the identified class period. The Company believes it has meritorious defenses to the alleged claims and intends to defend the matter vigorously. States’ Budgets Nearly all of our premium revenues come from the joint federal and state funding of the Medicaid and CHIP programs. The states and Commonwealth in which we operate our health plans regularly face significant budgetary pressures.

Commitments and Contingencies

Regulatory Capital Requirements and Dividend Restrictions

Our health plans, which are operated by our wholly owned subsidiaries in the states in which our health plans operate, are subject to state laws and regulations that, among other things, require the maintenance of minimum levels of statutory capital, as defined by each state. Regulators in some states may also attempt to enforce capital requirements that require the retention of net worth in excess of amounts formally required by statute or regulation. Such statutes, regulations and informal capital requirements also restrict the timing, payment, and amount of dividends and other distributions that may be paid to us as the sole stockholder. To the extent our subsidiaries must comply with these regulations, they may not have the financial flexibility to transfer funds to us. Based on current statutes and regulations, the net assets in these subsidiaries (after intercompany eliminations) which may not be transferable to us in the form of loans, advances, or cash dividends was approximately $1,777 million at March 31, 2018, and $1,691 million at December 31, 2017. Because of the statutory restrictions that inhibit the ability of our health plans to transfer net assets to us, the amount of retained earnings readily available to pay dividends to our stockholders is generally limited to cash, cash equivalents and investments (excluding restricted investments) held by the parent company—Molina Healthcare, Inc. Such cash, cash equivalents and investments (excluding restricted investments) amounted to $706 million and $696 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted rules effective December 31, 1998, which, if implemented by the states, set minimum capitalization requirements for insurance companies, HMOs, and other entities bearing risk for health care coverage. The requirements take the form of risk-based capital (RBC) rules which may vary from state to state. All of the states and Commonwealth in which our health plans operate, except California, Florida and New York, have adopted these rules. Such requirements, if adopted by California, Florida and New York, may increase the minimum capital required for those states.

As of March 31, 2018, our health plans had aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $1,904 million compared with the required minimum aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $1,181 million. All of our health plans were in compliance with the minimum capital requirements at March 31, 2018. We have the ability, and have committed to provide, additional capital to each of our health plans as necessary to ensure compliance with statutory capital and surplus requirements.

Legal Proceedings

The health care and Medicaid-related business process outsourcing industries are subject to numerous laws and regulations of federal, state, and local governments. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be subject to government review and interpretation, as well as regulatory actions unknown and unasserted at this time. Penalties associated with violations of these laws and regulations include significant fines, exclusion from participating in publicly funded programs, and the repayment of previously billed and collected revenues.

We are involved in legal actions in the ordinary course of business, some of which seek monetary damages, including claims for punitive damages, which are not covered by insurance. We have accrued liabilities for certain matters for which we deem the loss to be both probable and reasonably estimable, but the outcome of legal actions is inherently uncertain and our estimates of such losses could change as a result of further developments of these matters. For certain pending matters, accruals have not been established because such matters have not progressed sufficiently through discovery, and/or development of important factual information and legal issues is insufficient to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any. An adverse determination in one or more of these pending matters could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Steamfitters Local 449 Pension Plan v. Molina Healthcare, Inc, et al. On April 27, 2018, the Steamfitters Local 449 Pension Plan filed a class action securities complaint in the Central District Court of California against the Company and its former executive officers, J. Mario Molina, John C. Molina, Terry P. Bayer, and Rick Hopfer, Case 2:18-cv-03579. The complaint purports to seek recovery on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased Molina common stock between October 31, 2014 and August 2, 2017 for alleged violations under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The plaintiff alleges the defendants misled investors regarding the scalability of the Company’s administrative infrastructure during the identified class period. The Company believes it has meritorious defenses to the alleged claims and intends to defend the matter vigorously.

States’ Budgets

Nearly all of our premium revenues come from the joint federal and state funding of the Medicaid and CHIP programs. The states and Commonwealth in which we operate our health plans regularly face significant budgetary pressures.