2.2.0.7falseMedicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract10401 - Disclosure - Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contracttruefalsefalsefalse1USDfalsefalseUnit13Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0$20unh_MedicarePartDPharmacyBenefitsContractAbstractunhfalsenadurationMedicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringMedicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract [Abstract]false31unh_MedicarePartDPharmacyBenefitsContractDisclosureTextBlockunhfalsenadurationDescribes Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage offered under the contracts with the Centers for Medicare and...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabelfalse1falsefalsefalsefalse00<div>
<p style="margin-top: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"><b>4. Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract </b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include the following amounts associated with the Medicare Part D program: </font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;"> </p>
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<tr><td width="50%"> </td>
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<tr><td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
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<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="6" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>September 30, 2010</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="6" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>December 31, 2009</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap">
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>(in millions)</b></font></p></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="2" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>CMS Subsidies (a)</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="2" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>Risk-Share</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="2" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>CMS Subsidies (a)</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="border-bottom: rgb(0,0,0) 1px solid;" valign="bottom" colspan="2" align="center"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="1"><b>Risk-Share</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#cceeff"><td valign="top">
<p style="text-indent: -1em; margin-left: 1em;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Other current receivables</font></p></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> 0</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> 0</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> 271</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> 0</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top">
<p style="text-indent: -1em; margin-left: 1em;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Other policy liabilities</font></p></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">544</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">353</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">0</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font class="_mt" size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">268</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"> </font></td></tr></table>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;"> </p>
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<tr><td valign="top" width="4%" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">(a)</font></td>
<td class="MetaData" valign="top" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Includes the Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy. </font></td></tr></table>
<p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">The Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy represent cost reimbursements under the Medicare Part D program. The Company is fully reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for costs incurred for these contract elements and, accordingly, there is no insurance risk to the Company. Amounts received for these subsidies are not reflected as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as deposits in other policy liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2009, the amounts received for these subsidies were insufficient to cover the costs incurred for these contract elements; therefore, the Company recorded a receivable in other current receivables in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. </font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Premiums from CMS are subject to risk-sharing provisions based on a comparison of the Company's annual bid estimates of prescription drug costs and the actual costs incurred. Variances may result in CMS making additional payments to the Company or require the Company to remit funds to CMS subsequent to the end of the year. The Company records risk-share adjustments to premium revenue and other policy liabilities or other current receivables in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. </font></p> </div>4. Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract
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