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UnitedHealth

unh · NYSE Healthcare
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Ticker unh
Exchange NYSE
Sector Healthcare
Industry Medical - Healthcare Plans
Employees 10,000+
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FY2012 Annual Report · UnitedHealth
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 2012 Annual Report

ADAPTABLE
ENTERPRISE.
CONSTANT
VALUES.

Helping People 
Live Healthier Lives

www.unitedhealthgroup.com

UnitedHealth Group Center 
9900 Bren Road East, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343

100-12310 4/13 

©2013 UnitedHealth Group. All Rights Reserved. UnitedHealth Group is a registered trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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OUR MISSION

Our mission is to help people live healthier lives. Our role is to help make health care work better for everyone. 

We seek to enhance the 

performance of the health 

We work with health care 

professionals and other key 

We support the physician/

patient relationship and 

system and improve the overall 

partners to expand access to 

empower people with the 

health and well-being of the 

quality health care so people 

information, guidance and tools 

people we serve and their 

get the care they need at an 

they need to make personal 

communities.

affordable price. 

health choices and decisions.

OUR CULTURE

The people of this company share basic values that inspire 

and preserved through truthfulness, integrity, active 

our behavior as individuals and thus as an institution: 

engagement and collaboration with our colleagues 

Integrity. We are dedicated to the highest levels of 

personal and institutional integrity. We make honest 

commitments and work to honor those commitments 

and clients. We encourage the variety of thoughts and 

perspectives that reflect the diversity of our markets, 

customers and workforce.

consistently. We are ethical people. We strive to deliver on 

Innovation. We pursue a course of continuous, positive 

our promises and we have the courage to acknowledge 

and practical innovation, using our deep experience in 

mistakes and do what is needed to address them.

health care to be thoughtful advocates of change and 

Compassion. We try to walk in the shoes of the people 

we serve and the people we work with. Our job is to 

listen with empathy and then respond appropriately and 

to use the insights we gain to invent a better future that 

will make the health care environment work and serve 

everyone more fairly, productively and consistently.

quickly with service and advocacy for each individual, 

Performance. We are committed to deliver and 

each group or community and for society as a whole.  

demonstrate excellence in everything we do. We will be 

We are grateful to have a role in serving people and 

accountable and responsible for consistently delivering 

society in an area so vitally human as their health.

high-quality and superior results that make a difference 

Relationships. We build trust through cultivating 

relationships and working in productive collaboration  

with government, employers, physicians, nurses and 

other health care professionals, hospitals and the 

individual consumers of health care. Trust is earned 

in the lives of the people we touch. We continue to 

challenge ourselves to strive for even better outcomes  

in all key performance areas. 

INVESTOR INFORMATION

Market price of common stock
The following table shows the range of high and low sales 

Investor relations
You can contact UnitedHealth Group Investor Relations  

prices for the company’s common stock as reported by 

to order, without charge, financial documents such as  

the New York Stock Exchange, where it trades under the 

the Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Annual Report  

symbol UNH. These prices do not include commissions or 

to Shareholders.

fees associated with purchasing or selling this security.

2013
First Quarter (through March 15, 2013)

high

$58.26

2012
First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter 

2011
First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter 

$59.43

$60.75

$59.31

$58.29

$45.75

$52.64

$53.50

$51.71

low

$51.36

$49.82

$53.78

$50.32

$51.09

$36.37

$43.30

$41.27

$41.32

As of January 31, 2013, the company had 15,204 shareholders of record.

Shareholder account questions
Our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, 

can help you with a variety of shareholder-related 

services, including:

• Change of address

• Lost stock certificates

• Transfer of stock to another person

• Additional administrative services

You can write to them at: 

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 

P.O. Box 64854 

St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0854

Or you can call our transfer agent toll free at  

(800) 468-9716 or locally at (651) 450-4064.

You can email our transfer agent at: 

stocktransfer@wellsfargo.com

You can write to us at: 

Investor Relations, MN008-T930

UnitedHealth Group

P.O. Box 1459 

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-1459

You can also obtain information about UnitedHealth Group 

and its businesses, including financial documents, online at 

www.unitedhealthgroup.com.

Annual meeting
We invite UnitedHealth Group shareholders to attend our 

annual meeting, which will be held at 10 a.m. Eastern Time 

on Monday, June 3, 2013, at the following location:

Seaport Boston Hotel

Constitution Conference Room

1 Seaport Lane

Boston, Massachusetts 02210

You will need to bring appropriate proof of UnitedHealth 

Group share ownership and a photo ID with you to the 

annual meeting in order to be admitted.

Common stock dividends
In June 2012, our Board of Directors increased our cash 

dividend on common stock to an annual dividend rate of 

$0.85 per share, paid quarterly. Declaration and payment 

of future quarterly dividends is at the discretion of the 

Board and may be adjusted as business needs or market 

conditions change. Since May 2011, we had paid an annual 

cash dividend on common stock of $0.65 per share, 

distributed quarterly.

10%

This annual report is printed on recycled papers certified by Bureau Veritas per FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council™)
standards for Chain of Custody ensuring environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable
forest management, and also uses reduced VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) vegetable-based inks.

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DEAR SHAREHOLDER:

The employees of UnitedHealthcare, Optum and 

data and analysis; and broad access to secure patient 

UnitedHealth Group worked together in 2012 to 

information to help care providers make optimal and 

meaningfully advance the long-term capabilities, value, 

compassionate care decisions for their patients —  

performance and potential of this enterprise for sustained 

while modernizing the administration of physicians’ 

growth. This letter represents one of the few public 

practices, hospitals and clinics to help them become 

opportunities to recognize their extraordinary efforts and  

more sustainable resources for care.

I’m honored to do so here. Their commitment to consistent 

and ever-improving execution on behalf of those we  

serve across the diversity of our businesses truly makes  

a difference in people’s health and in their lives.

• We are committed to serving health benefit sponsors 

by providing innovative, flexible benefit designs that 

engage and incentivize consumers to embrace healthy 

behaviors — whether those benefits are purchased 

As we move forward into 2013 and the next several  

by individuals on state insurance exchanges, by small, 

years, we expect change will continue to characterize

midsized or national employers, or by state and federal 

our national health care system. We remain dedicated to  

programs. We will consistently exceed benefit sponsors’ 

creating a higher quality, more consistently effective and  

expectations, enabling them to meet their benefit 

affordable health care system to better serve the needs of all 

objectives as cost-effectively as possible, while helping 

Americans. No other organizations are more capable than 

provide greater access to better care.

Optum and UnitedHealthcare at applying innovative ways to 

improve care quality and supporting the consistent practice 

of evidence-based medicine, while improving affordability 

through the optimal organization and use of care resources.

On behalf of those invested in our efforts, we will protect 

and thoughtfully deploy your capital to build and advance

ever-improving capabilities that have durable market 

relevance and value. We will use those capabilities to grow 

In an environment of constant change,  

in profitable ways that provide distinctive returns on the 

distinctive themes are emerging:

capital entrusted to us, balancing both our social and 

• Consumers are taking a greater role and responsibility 

financial responsibilities.

in health care decision-making. They need a trusted 

In everything we do, we value integrity, compassion, respect 

navigator to guide them through the complex health 

for individuals and relationships, innovation and accountable 

care system helping them find the right care, at the 

performance. As employees of this enterprise, we have the 

right time, in the right setting. We are becoming 

opportunity to focus on creating new, adaptable approaches 

ever more consumer-focused, offering high levels 

to better health care on behalf of individuals and society 

of personalized service, dependable information, 

as a whole. We are grateful you have allowed us to hold 

personalized tools and incentives that help individuals 

this position of trust. We will continue to do our utmost 

and families live healthier lives and make wise use of 

each day to prove worthy of your trust and the trust of the 

health care resources.

people and customers we serve.

• The roles of physicians and other health care professionals 

Sincerely,

and care facilities continue to evolve. The science of 

care is advancing, along with increasing demands for 

consistency, transparency and compliance. We are 

committed to supporting this evolution with the most 

innovative yet practical technologies; insightful, reliable 

Steve Hemsley 

President and Chief Executive Officer

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

1

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PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

In pursuit of our mission during 2012, we helped deliver higher quality care to more people 

more affordably and, in the process, provided distinctive financial performance for our 

investors in a difficult economic climate. We continued on a steady growth trajectory, 

increasing the number of people we serve, revenue and earnings.

REVENUES

2011

$102B

2012

$111B

Revenues increased  

9 percent year-over-year.

$9.3B

EARNINGS FROM OPERATIONS

Net earnings were $5.5 billion, or $5.28 per 

share.* UnitedHealthcare and Optum exceeded 

their 2012 revenue and earnings outlooks.

$7.2B
$820M

OPERATING CASH FLOWS

A multiple of 1.3 times 2012 net earnings.

SHAREHOLDER DIVIDENDS

UnitedHealth Group raised its per share 

dividend by 31 percent in 2012.  

2012 return on equity was 18.7 percent.

*Attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders.

UnitedHealthcare 

Acquired a majority interest in Amil, the leading 

More than 6 million additional people including nearly 

Brazilian health care company

2 million in U.S. markets and more than 4 million in Brazil.

Largest health care company in the fastest growing market 

Optum

for benefits and services outside the United States.

Earnings increased 14 percent year-over-year.

Awarded TRICARE West Region contract  

Managing health care services for more than 2.7 million

active duty and retired military service members and their 

families. Administrative services contract worth $1.4 billion 

over five years, beginning April 2013.

2

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able to estimate the cost of more than 150 common

treatments and procedures with maximum accuracy by

drawing on the company’s actual contracted rates with 

physicians, hospitals, clinics and other health care providers 

in 96 markets. Estimates are also personalized to reflect 

an individual’s own health plan benefits.

Health4Me Mobile App provides millions of 

UnitedHealthcare employer plan participants

24/7 access to registered nurses, enables them 

to locate nearby in-network physicians, hospitals

or other medical facilities, and gives them access

to their personal health benefits information on 

their mobile devices.

AWAAA

RDS & RECOGNITION

• Named to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

• Recognized as one of America’s most community-

• World’s Most Admired Company in the Insurance

and Managed Care sector in Fortune’s 2012 rankings,
including No. 1 in innovation. 

• Corporate debt rating upgraded by Standard & Poor’s

to Single A with a Stable Outlook, making UnitedHealth 

Group the highest-rated, publicly traded managed care

organization they follow. 

• Designated to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index

and Dow Jones North America Index annually since 1999.

• Earned a top rating of 100 percent on the 2012 Corporate 

Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign.

• Ranked among the world’s top corporate citizens
on Corporate Responsibility magazine’s “100 Best
Corporate Citizens” list for 2012.

y

minded companies in the Civic 50, the first scientific

evaluation to rank the companies that use their time, 

talent and resources to improve the quality of life where

they do business.

• Rated No.1 in claims-processing accuracy among

the seven leading commercial health insurers in the

American Medical Association’s 2012 National Health 

Insurer Report Card.

• Named to the 2012 InformationWeek 500, a list of 

America’s top technology innovators.

• No. 22 in Fortune’s 2012 rankings of the 500 largest 

s

U.S. corporations.

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UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

3

WHO WE ARE

,

p y

every year.

Committed professionals serving people in all 50 states 

in the United States and in 20 other nations around 

the world.

26,000 Physicians, Nurses and Clinical Practitioners
on Staff

Helping promote evidence-based care, empowering 

people with information and supporting the physician/

patient relationship.

81 Percent Employees Engaged in Volunteer Work

96 percent of executives volunteer. Since 2007,

our employees have logged more than 1 million

volunteer hours.

$17.6 Million Contributions to Community Giving 
Campaign in 2012

Includes employee pledges and the company match  

More Than 27 Million
Personal Health Records Under Management

Servicing health information exchanges in nine states and

serving millions of consumers through our web portals  

and mobility devices.

19 Years of Longitudinal Data on 109 Million
Lives in Proprietary Databases

Plus consumer data for 200 million people.

780,000 Physicians and Care Professionals in  
Our Network

Nearly 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities  

nationwide, together capable of serving 97 percent  

of the U.S. population.

350 Million Prescriptions Processed Annually

for charitable giving.

Full-service capabilities across retail, mail and specialty

drug prescriptions.

4

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health benefits to individuals age 50 and older.

of health care delivery systems. Clients include multi

• Nearly 9 million Medicare beneficiaries — nearly one 

in five of the country’s 50 million Medicare recipients.

• More than 4.2 million seniors through stand-alone  

Part D prescription drug plans.

national and local businesses, governments, non-U.S. health

insurers and travel insurers, reinsurers and individuals and

their families.

Through our Health Services businesses, we are helping

government entities and directly through the care

make the health care system itself work better for everyone. 

delivery system.

We are focused on population health management, care 

delivery and improving the clinical and operating elements 

of the system, serving:

OptumInsight: One of the largest health information,

technology and consulting companies in the world,

providing software and information products, advisory 

• More than 61 million individuals

consulting services and business process outsourcing

• More than 66,000 retail pharmacies

• Four out of five U.S. hospitals

• Nearly 400 global life sciences companies

• Approximately 300 health plans

services and support to hospitals, physicians, commercial 

health plans, government agencies, life sciences companies

and others.

OptumRx: A pharmacy management leader in service,

affordability and clinical quality, serving more than 14 million 

OptumHealth: The leader in population health

people nationwide. OptumRx is dedicated to helping people 

management, serving the physical, emotional and financial 

achieve optimal health while maximizing cost savings,

needs of more than 61 million individuals, enabling

improving quality and safety, increasing compliance and

consumer health management and integrated care 

adherence, and reducing fraud and waste.

delivery through programs offered by employers, payers, 

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

5

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our leadership

executive Officers and leaders 

Stephen J. Hemsley  
President and  
Chief Executive officer 

Cory Alexander 
Senior Vice President,  
Government Affairs

Gail K. Boudreaux  
Executive Vice President,  
unitedHealth Group 
and Chief Executive officer,  
unitedHealthcare 

Edson Bueno, M.D. 
Founder and  
Chief Executive officer, 
Amil Participacóes S.A.

William A. Munsell  
Executive Vice President

Don Nathan  
Senior Vice President and 
Chief Communications officer 

John S. Penshorn  
Senior Vice President,  
Capital Markets Communications  
and Strategy 

Eric S. Rangen  
Senior Vice President  
and Chief Accounting officer 

Larry C. Renfro  
Executive Vice President,  
unitedHealth Group and 
Chief Executive officer, 
optum

Jeannine M. Rivet  
Executive Vice President 

Marianne D. Short  
Executive Vice President  
and Chief Legal officer 

Simon Stevens  
Executive Vice President  
and President,  
Global Health 

Lori Sweere  
Executive Vice President,  
Human Capital 

Reed V. Tuckson, M.D.  
Executive Vice President  
and Chief of Medical Affairs 

Anthony Welters  
Executive Vice President

David S. Wichmann  
Executive Vice President  
and Chief Financial officer,  
unitedHealth Group 
and President,  
unitedHealth Group operations 

Board of directors 

William C. Ballard, Jr.  
Former of Counsel,  
Greenebaum Doll &  
McDonald PLLC 

Edson Bueno, M.D. 
Founder and  
Chief Executive officer, 
Amil Participacóes S.A. 
unitedHealth Group

Richard T. Burke  
Non-Executive Chairman,  
unitedHealth Group 

Robert J. Darretta  
retired Vice Chairman  
and Chief Financial officer,  
Johnson & Johnson 

Stephen J. Hemsley  
President and  
Chief Executive officer,  
unitedHealth Group 

Michele J. Hooper  
President and  
Chief Executive officer, 
The Directors’ Council, 
a company focused on improving  
the governance processes of  
corporate boards

Rodger A. Lawson 
retired President 
and Chief Executive officer, 
Fidelity Investments — 
Financial Services 

Douglas W. Leatherdale  
retired Chairman  
and Chief Executive officer,  
The St. Paul Companies, Inc. 

Glenn M. Renwick  
President and  
Chief Executive officer,  
The Progressive Corporation 

Kenneth I. Shine, M.D.  
Executive Vice Chancellor  
for Health Affairs,  
The university of Texas System 

Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D.  
Senior Fellow,  
Project HoPE, an international  
health foundation 

audit Committee 

Glenn M. Renwick, Chair 
Robert J. Darretta 
Michele J. Hooper 

Nominating and Corporate 
Governance Committee 

Michele J. Hooper, Chair 
William C. Ballard, Jr. 
Douglas W. Leatherdale 

Compensation and  
human resources Committee

Douglas W. Leatherdale, Chair
William C. Ballard, Jr. 
Robert J. Darretta
Rodger A. Lawson

public policy strategies  
and responsibility Committee

Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D., Chair
Douglas W. Leatherdale
Kenneth I. Shine, M.D.

6 

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Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

	5 

  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR 
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2012

or

 TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission file number: 1-10864

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Minnesota 
(State or other jurisdiction of 
incorporation or organization)

UnitedHealth Group Center
9900 Bren Road East
Minnetonka, Minnesota 
(Address of principal executive offices) 

41-1321939
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

55343
(Zip Code)

(952) 936-1300
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE 
(Title of each class) 

NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, INC.
(Name of each exchange on which registered)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    o Yes   o No
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    o Yes   o No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has 
been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    o Yes   o No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive 
Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 
months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    o Yes   o No
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained 
herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by 
reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting 
company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the 
Exchange Act. (Check one)

Accelerated filer o	

Non-accelerated filer o 

Large accelerated filer o 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    o Yes   o No
The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2012 was $59,444,144,483 (based on the 
last reported sale price of $58.50 per share on June 30, 2012, on the New York Stock Exchange).*
As of January 31, 2013, there were 1,024,925,324 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, issued and outstanding.
Note that in Part III of this report on Form 10-K, we incorporate by reference certain information from our Definitive Proxy Statement for 
the 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. This document will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within the time 
period permitted by the SEC. The SEC allows us to disclose important information by referring to it in that manner. Please refer to such 
information.
*  Only shares of voting stock held beneficially by directors, executive officers and subsidiaries of the Company have been excluded in 

Smaller reporting company o

determining this number.

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UNITEDHEALTH GROUP 

Table of ConTenTs

Item 1.

Item 1A.

Item 1B.

Item 2.

Item 3.

Item 4.

Item 5.

Item 6.

Item 7.

Item 7A.

Item 8.

Item 9.

Item 9A.

Item 9B.

Item 10.

Item 11.

Item 12.

Item 13.

ParT I

Business

Risk Factors

Unresolved Staff Comments

Properties

Legal Proceedings

Mine Safety Disclosures

ParT II

Market for Registrant's Common Equity,  
Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases 
of Equity Securities

Selected Financial Data

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about 
Market Risk

Financial Statements

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants 
on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Controls and Procedures

Other Information

ParT III

Directors, Executive Officers and  
Corporate Governance

Executive Compensation

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial  
Owners and Management and Related 
Stockholder Matters

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, 
and Director Independence

Item 14.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

ParT IV

Item 15.

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

Signatures

Exhibit Index

1

15

26

26

26

26

26

29

29

47

49

82

82

85

85

85

85

86

86

86

94

95

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PART I

ITEM 1. 

Business

INTRODUCTION 

OvErvIEw
UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-
being company whose mission is to help people live 
healthier lives and help make health care work better (the 
terms “we,” “our,” “us,” “UnitedHealth Group,” or the 
“Company” used in this report refer to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated and our subsidiaries). 

We are helping individuals access quality care at an 

affordable cost; simplifying health care administration and 
delivery; strengthening the physician/patient relationship; 
promoting evidence-based care; and empowering 
physicians, health care professionals, consumers, employers 
and other participants in the health system with actionable 
data to make better, more informed decisions. 

Through our diversified family of businesses, we leverage 

core competencies in advanced, enabling technology; 
health care data, information and intelligence; and clinical 
care management and coordination to help meet the 
demands of the health system. These core competencies are 
deployed within our two distinct, but strategically aligned, 
business platforms: health benefits operating under 
UnitedHealthcare and health services operating under 
Optum. 

UnitedHealthcare provides network-based health care 

benefits for a full spectrum of customers in the health 
benefits market. UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual 
serves employers ranging from sole proprietorships 
to large, multi-site and national employers, as well as 
students and other individuals, and will serve TRICARE 
West Region members beginning April 1, 2013. 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement delivers health 
and well-being benefits for Medicare beneficiaries and 
retirees. UnitedHealthcare Community & State manages 
health care benefit programs on behalf of state Medicaid 
and community programs and their participants. 
UnitedHealthcare International includes Amil Participações 
S.A (Amil), a health care company providing health benefits 
and hospital and clinical services to individuals in Brazil, and 
other diversified global health businesses.

Optum is a health services business serving the broad 
health care marketplace, including payers, care providers, 
employers, government, life sciences companies and 
consumers, through its OptumHealth, OptumInsight and 
OptumRx businesses. These businesses have dedicated units 
that drive improved delivery, quality and cost effectiveness 
across eight business markets: integrated care delivery, 
care management, consumer engagement and support, 
distribution of benefits and services, health financial 
services, operational services and support, health care 
information technology and pharmacy.

Through UnitedHealthcare and Optum, in 2012, we 
managed nearly $150 billion in aggregate health care 
spending on behalf of the constituents and consumers we 

2012 FORM 10-K

1

served. Our revenues are derived from premiums on risk-
based products; fees from management, administrative, 
technology and consulting services; sales of a wide variety 
of products and services related to the broad health and 
well-being industry; and investment and other income. Our 
two business platforms have four reportable segments: 
•   UnitedHealthcare, which includes UnitedHealthcare 

Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement,  UnitedHealthcare Community & State and 
UnitedHealthcare International; 

•  OptumHealth; 
•  OptumInsight; and 
•  OptumRx. 
For our financial results and the presentation of certain 

other financial information by segment, see Note 13 of 
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in 
Item 8, “Financial Statements.” 

UnITEdHEalTHcarE 
UnitedHealthcare is advancing strategies to improve 
the way health care is delivered and financed, offering 
consumers a simpler, more affordable health care 
experience. Our market position is built on:

•  a national scale;
•   the breadth of our product offerings, which are 
responsive to many distinct market segments in  
health care;

•  strong local market relationships;
•  service and advanced technology; 
•  competitive medical and operating cost positions;
•  effective clinical engagement;
•   extensive expertise in distinct market segments; and
•  a commitment to innovation.
The financial results of UnitedHealthcare 

Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Community & State and 
UnitedHealthcare International have been aggregated 
in the UnitedHealthcare reportable segment due to their 
similar economic characteristics, products and services, 
customers, distribution methods, operational processes 
and regulatory environment. The domestic businesses also 
share significant common assets, including our contracted 
networks of physicians, health care professionals, hospitals 
and other facilities, information technology infrastructure 
and other resources. UnitedHealthcare utilizes the 
expertise of UnitedHealth Group affiliates for capabilities 
in specialized areas, such as OptumRx pharmacy benefit 
products and services, certain OptumHealth product 
offerings and care management and integrated care 
delivery services and OptumInsight health information 
and technology solutions, consulting and other services. 
UnitedHealthcare arranges for discounted access to care 
through networks that include a total of nearly 780,000 
physicians and other health care professionals and 
approximately 5,900 hospitals and other facilities across the 
United States (UnitedHealthcare Network). 

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2

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual 
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual works closely with 
employers and individuals to provide health benefit plans 
that provide solutions to help members live healthier lives 
and achieve meaningful cost savings. UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual offers a comprehensive array of 
consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services 
for large national employers, public sector employers, 
mid-sized employers, small businesses and individuals 
nationwide, providing nearly 27 million Americans access  
to health care as of December 31, 2012. 

Through its risk-based product offerings, 

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual assumes the risk 
of both medical and administrative costs for its customers 
in return for a monthly premium, which is typically at a 
fixed rate per individual served for a one-year period. 
When providing administrative and other management 
services to customers that elect to self-fund the health 
care costs of their employees and employees’ dependants, 
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual receives a fixed 
service fee per individual served. These customers retain 
the risk of financing medical benefits for their employees 
and employees’ dependants, while UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual provides customized services such as 
coordination and facilitation of medical and related services 
to customers, consumers and health care professionals, 
transaction processing and access to a contracted network 
of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals, 
including dental and vision. Large employer groups, such as 
those serviced by UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual 
National Accounts, typically use self-funded arrangements. 
As of December 31, 2012, UnitedHealthcare Employer & 
Individual National Accounts served 395 large employer 
groups under these arrangements, including 147 of the 
Fortune 500 companies. Smaller employer groups are 
more likely to purchase risk-based products because they 
are less willing or able to bear a greater potential liability 
for health care expenditures. UnitedHealthcare Employer 
& Individual also offers a variety of non-employer based 
insurance options for purchase by individuals, including 
students, which are designed to meet the health coverage 
needs of these consumers and their families.

As the commercial market becomes more consumer-
oriented, individuals are assuming more personal and 
financial responsibility for their care, and they are 
demanding more affordable products, greater transparency 
and choice and personalized help navigating the complex 
system. The consolidated purchasing capacity represented 
by the individuals UnitedHealth Group serves makes it 
possible for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual to 
contract for cost-effective access to a large number of 
conveniently located care professionals. Individuals served 
by UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual have access to 
91% of the physicians and other health care professionals 
and 95% of the hospitals in the broad UnitedHealthcare 
Network; certain care providers are available only to  
those consumers served through Medicare and/or  
Medicaid products. 

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual is engaging 

physicians and consumers and using information to 
promote well-informed health decisions, improved medical 
outcomes and greater efficiency. It offers consumers 
engaging and informative tools and resources that provide 
greater transparency around quality and cost, such as the 
Premium Designation® program and Health4Me for Apple® 
and Android® phones, myHealthcareCost Estimator, Health 
Care Lane and myuhc.com. These easy-to-use resources 
support better consumer decisions, affording members 
more control over their health care. 

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual’s distribution 
system consists primarily of producers (i.e., brokers and 
agents) and direct and internet sales in the individual 
market, producers in the small employer group market, 
and consultant-based or direct sales for larger employer 
and public sector segments. In recent years, the distribution 
model has been diversified to include professional 
employer organizations, associations, and private equity 
partners. UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual offers its 
products through affiliates that are licensed as insurance 
companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), or 
third party administrators (TPAs).

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual’s diverse product 
portfolio offers a continuum of benefit designs, price points 
and approaches to consumer engagement, and allows the 
flexibility to meet the needs of employers of all sizes as 
well as individuals shopping for health benefits coverage. 
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual emphasizes local 
markets and leverages its national scale to adapt products 
quickly to meet specific market needs. UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual’s major product families include:

Traditional Products. Traditional products include a full 
range of medical benefits and network options from 
managed plans such as Choice and Options PPO to more 
traditional indemnity offerings. The plans offer a full 
spectrum of covered services, including preventive care, 
direct access to specialists and catastrophic protection.

Consumer Engagement Products and Tools. Consumer 
engagement products couple plan design with financial 
accounts to increase employee ownership of their 
health and well-being. This suite of products includes 
high-deductible consumer-driven benefit plans, which 
include health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), health 
savings accounts (HSAs) and consumer activation 
services such as personalized multi-channel activation 
messaging, behavioral incentive programs and consumer 
education information. During 2012, nearly 42,000 
employer-sponsored benefit plans, including more than 
200 employers in the large group self-funded market, 
purchased an HRA or HSA product. The consumer 
engagement tools provide members with online and/or 
mobile access to benefit, cost and quality information.

Value-Based Products. UnitedHealthcare Employer 
& Individual’s suite of consumer incentive products 
increases individual awareness for heightened consumer 
responsibility and behavior change across diverse client 

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segments and funding relationships. Examples include: 
Small Business Wellness, which is a packaged wellness 
and incentives product offering gym reimbursement and 
encouraging completion of important wellness activities. 
For mid-sized clients, SimplyEngaged is a scalable activity-
based reward program that ties incentives to completion of 
health improvement activities, while SimplyEngaged Plus 
provides richer incentives for achieving health outcome 
goals. For large, self-funded customers, UnitedHealthcare 
Health Rewards program offers a flexible incentive design 
for employers to choose the right activities and biometric 
outcomes that best fit the needs of their population. 
Additionally, UnitedHealth Personal Rewards leverages a 
tailored approach to incentives by combining personalized 
scorecards with financial incentives for improving biometric 
scores, compliance with key health treatments and 
preventive care.

Essential Benefits Products. UnitedHealthcare Employer & 
Individual’s portfolio of affordable products drives value to 
consumers with lower-cost products, innovative designs and 
unique network programs that guide people to physicians 
recognized for providing quality and cost efficient care 
to their patients. These approaches are designed to 
deliver sustainable health care costs, enabling employers 
to continue to offer their employees coverage at more 
affordable prices. Products such as Catalyst, Edge, Premium 
Tiered Benefit Plan, Navigate and CORE offer solutions 
for employers looking to achieve more affordable costs 
through tiered benefit plans that enhance benefits in the 
form of greater coinsurance coverage and/or lower copays 
for using UnitedHealth Premium designated providers.

Clinical and Pharmacy Products. UnitedHealthcare Employer 
& Individual offers a comprehensive suite of clinical and 
pharmacy benefit management programs. The clinical and 
pharmacy benefit products complement the service offering 
by improving quality of care, engaging members and 
providing cost-saving options. 

All UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual members 
are provided access to clinical products with the goal of 
helping them make better health care decisions, and thus 
better use of their medical benefits, with the ultimate goal 
of improving health and decreasing medical expenses. Each 
medical plan has a core set of clinical programs embedded 
in the offering, with additional services available 
depending on funding type (fully insured and self-funded), 
line of business (Individual, Small Business, Key Accounts, 
Public Sector, and National Accounts), and clinical need. 
The spectrum of clinical programs offered to all consumers, 
regardless of their health goals – staying healthy, getting 
healthy, living with a chronic condition includes: wellness, 
decision support, utilization management, case and disease 
management, and complex condition management, 
workplace on-site programs, including Know Your Numbers 
(biometrics) and flu shots, incentives to reinforce positive 
behavior change, mental health, substance use disorder 
management, employer assistance programs and well-being 
programs. The programs promote consumer engagement, 

2012 FORM 10-K

3

health education, admission counseling before hospital 
stays, care advocacy to help avoid prolonged patients’ 
stays in the hospital, support for individuals at risk of 
needing intensive treatment and coordination of care for 
people with chronic conditions. Disease and condition 
management programs help individuals address significant, 
complex disease states, including disease-specific benefit 
offerings such as the Diabetes Health Plan.

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual’s comprehensive 

and integrated pharmaceutical management services 
promote lower costs by using formulary programs to drive 
better unit costs, encouraging consumers to use drugs that 
offer better value and outcomes, and through physician 
and consumer programs that support the appropriate use 
of drugs based on clinical evidence. 

Specialty Offerings. UnitedHealthcare Employer & 
Individual also offers a comprehensive range of dental, 
vision, life, and disability product offerings delivered 
through an integrated approach that enhances efficiency 
and effectiveness and includes a network of nearly 55,000 
vision professionals in private and retail settings, and nearly 
210,000 dental providers.

UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans. UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual’s Military & Veterans Services business 
unit has been awarded the Department of Defense’s 
(DoD) TRICARE Managed Care Support contract to provide 
health care services for active duty and retired military 
service members and their families in the West Region. 
UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans Services will be the 
Managed Care Support contractor serving more than 2.7 
million TRICARE beneficiaries in 21 states. The contract 
includes a transition period and five one-year renewals at 
the government’s option for health care operations. The first 
year of operations is anticipated to begin April 1, 2013.

UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans’ responsibility as a 
contractor is to augment the military’s direct care system by 
providing managed care support services, provider networks, 
medical management, claims/enrollment administration, and 
customer services. In partnership with government health 
programs, UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans’ mission 
is to improve the health and well-being of both those who 
currently serve in the military and have served in the military 
in the past, as well as their families, by providing innovative, 
high-quality and affordable health care solutions.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement provides health 
and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older, 
addressing their unique needs for preventive and acute 
health care services as well as for services dealing with 
chronic disease and other specialized issues for older 
individuals. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 
is fully dedicated to serving this growing senior market 
segment, providing products and services in all 50 states, 
the District of Columbia, and most U.S. territories and 
has distinct pricing, underwriting, clinical program 
management and marketing capabilities dedicated to risk-
based health products and services in this market. 

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4

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement offers a 
wide spectrum of Medicare products which may be sold 
to individuals or on a group basis, including Medicare 
Advantage plans, Medicare Part D prescription drug 
coverage and Medicare Supplement/Medigap products 
that supplement traditional fee-for-service coverage. 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement services include 
care management and clinical management programs, 
a nurse health line service, 24-hour access to health care 
information, access to discounted health services from a 
network of care providers and administrative services.
Premium revenues from the Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS) represented 29% of UnitedHealth 
Group’s total consolidated revenues for the year ended 
December 31, 2012, most of which were generated by 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement under a number 
of contracts. 

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement has extensive 

distribution capabilities and experience, including direct 
marketing to consumers on behalf of its key clients: AARP, 
the nation’s largest membership organization dedicated 
to the needs of people age 50 and over; state and U.S. 
government agencies; and employer groups. Products are 
also offered through employer groups to retirees. 

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement’s major product 

categories include:

Medicare Advantage. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement provides health care coverage for seniors and 
other eligible Medicare beneficiaries primarily through 
the Medicare Advantage program administered by CMS, 
including Medicare Advantage HMO plans, preferred 
provider organization (PPO) plans, Point-of-Service (POS) 
plans, Private-Fee-for-Service plans and Special Needs 
Plans (SNPs). Under the Medicare Advantage program, 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement provides health 
insurance coverage in exchange for a fixed monthly 
premium per member from CMS. Premium amounts 
vary based on the geographic areas in which members 
reside; demographic factors such as age, gender, and 
institutionalized status; and the health status of the 
individual. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement had 
approximately 2.6 million members enrolled in its Medicare 
Advantage products as of December 31, 2012.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement offers 
innovative care management and clinical programs, 
integrating federal, state and personal funding through 
its continuum of Medicare Advantage products. For 
high-risk patients in certain care settings and programs, 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement uses proprietary, 
automated medical record software that enables clinical 
care teams to capture and track patient data and 
clinical encounters, creating a comprehensive set of care 
information that bridges across home, hospital and nursing 
home care settings. Proprietary predictive modeling tools 
help identify members at high risk and allow care managers 
to proactively outreach to members to create individualized 
care plans and help members obtain the right care, in the 
right place, at the right time. 

Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D). UnitedHealthcare 
provides Medicare prescription drug benefits (Part D) 
to beneficiaries throughout the United States and its 
territories through its Medicare Advantage and stand-alone 
Part D plans. The portfolio of stand-alone Part D plans 
addresses a large spectrum of beneficiaries’ needs and 
preferences for their prescription drug coverage, including 
low cost prescription options. As of December 31, 2012, 
UnitedHealthcare had enrolled 6.8 million members in the 
Part D program, including 4.2 million members in the stand-
alone Part D plans and 2.6 million members in its Medicare 
Advantage plans incorporating Part D coverage. 

Medicare Supplement. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement is currently serving approximately 4 million 
seniors through various Medicare Supplement products in 
association with AARP. We offer plans in all 50 states and 
most U.S. territories. These products cover varying levels of 
coinsurance and deductible gaps that seniors are exposed 
to in the traditional Medicare program.  

UnitedHealthcare Community & State 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State is dedicated to 
providing diversified solutions to states’ programs that 
care for the economically disadvantaged, the medically 
underserved and those without the benefit of employer-
funded health care coverage in exchange for a monthly 
premium per member from the applicable state. 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State’s primary customers 
oversee Medicaid plans, the Children’s Health Insurance 
Program (CHIP), and other federal, state and community 
health care programs. States using managed care services 
for Medicaid beneficiaries select health plans using either 
a formal bid process, or award individual contracts. As of 
December 31, 2012, UnitedHealthcare Community & State 
participates in programs in 25 states and the District of 
Columbia, serving approximately 3.8 million beneficiaries. 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State serves populations 
that range in size from 9,000 people to more than 600,000 
people. For those states or counties that choose not to enter 
into risk arrangements, UnitedHealthcare Community & 
State offers a variety of management services that leverage 
its infrastructure and experience, as well as the considerable 
health care system assets of UnitedHealth Group.

The primary categories of eligibility for the programs 
served by UnitedHealthcare Community & State include 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), CHIP, 
Aged Blind and Disabled, SNPs, Long-Term Care, Childless 
Adults & Programs, Dual Medicare-Medicaid Eligible 
(dually eligible) beneficiaries and other federal and state 
health care programs (e.g., Developmentally Disabled, 
Rehabilitative Services). The health plans and care programs 
offered are designed to address the complex needs of 
the populations they serve, including the chronically ill, 
those with disabilities and people with higher risk medical, 
behavioral and social conditions. UnitedHealthcare 
Community & State leverages the national capabilities of 
UnitedHealth Group, delivering them at the local market 
level to support effective care management, regulatory 
partnerships, greater administrative efficiency, improved 

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clinical outcomes and the ability to adapt to a changing 
market environment. UnitedHealthcare Community & 
State coordinates resources among family, physicians, other 
health care providers, and government and community-
based agencies and organizations to facilitate continuous 
and effective care. For example, the Personal Care Model 
establishes an ongoing relationship between health 
care professionals and individuals who have serious and 
chronic health conditions to help them maintain the best 
possible health and functional status, whether care is 
delivered in an acute care setting, long-term care facility 
or at home. Programs for families and children focus on 
high-prevalence and debilitating chronic illnesses such as 
hypertension and cardiovascular disease, asthma, sickle 
cell disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and high-risk pregnancies. 
Programs for the long-term care population focus on 
dementia, depression, coronary disease and functional-use 
deficiencies that impede daily living.

Additionally, there are more than nine million dually 

eligible beneficiaries who typically have complex conditions 
with costs of care that are far higher than a typical 
Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary. While these individuals’ 
health needs are more complex and more costly, they 
have historically been in unmanaged environments. As of 
December 31, 2012, UnitedHealthcare serves more than 
250,000 members in legacy dually eligible programs through 
Medicare Advantage and SNPs. In 2013, UnitedHealthcare 
Community & State will help implement Ohio’s Integrated 
Medicare-Medicaid Eligible (MME) program, one of the first 
in the country under the new CMS design.

UnitedHealthcare International 
UnitedHealthcare International provides solutions for 
consumers of domestic or cross-border health care 
management, insurance, and administration services; 
regardless of their geographic location, language or cultural 
origins. UnitedHealthcare International’s goal is to create 
business solutions that are based on local infrastructure, 
culture and needs, and that blend local expertise with 
experiences from the U.S. health care industry. 

Amil. In 2012, UnitedHealthcare International acquired 
Amil, which provides health and dental benefits to 
over five million people and also operates 22 acute 
hospitals, as well as specialty clinics, primary care, and 
emergency services across Brazil, principally for the 
benefit of its members. Amil’s patients are also treated 
in its contracted provider network of 45,000 physicians 
and other health care professionals, 3,300 hospitals and 
12,000 laboratories and diagnostic imaging centers. Amil 
offers a diversified product portfolio with a wide range of 
product offerings, benefit designs, price points and values, 
including indemnity products. Amil’s products include 
various administrative services such as network access and 
administration, care management and personal health 
services and claims processing.

Other Operations. UnitedHealthcare International also 
includes other diversified global health services business 
with a variety of offerings for international customers, 

2012 FORM 10-K

5

including:

•   Network access and care coordination in the U.S. and 

overseas; 

•  TPA products and services for health plans and TPAs;
•  Brokerage services;
•  Practice management services for care providers;
•   Government and corporate consulting services for 

improving quality and efficiency; and
•  Global expatriate insurance solutions.
See Note 13 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” 
for additional information related to the revenues and 
long-lived assets of the UnitedHealthcare International 
operations. 

Optum
Optum is a health services business serving the broad health 
care marketplace including:

•   Those who need care: the consumers and patients who 
need the right support, information, resources and 
products to achieve their health goals.

•   Those who provide care: physicians and other care 
providers, hospitals and clinical facilities seeking to 
modernize in ways that enable the best patient care 
and experience possible, delivered cost-effectively.

•   Those who pay for care: insurers, employers and 

government agencies devoted to ensuring that those 
they sponsor receive high-quality care, administered 
and delivered efficiently.

•   Those who innovate for care: life sciences and  
research focused organizations dedicated to 
developing more effective approaches, enabling 
technologies and medicines that improve the delivery 
and quality of care.

Using advanced data, analytics and technology, Optum 

helps improve overall health system performance: 
optimizing care quality, reducing costs and improving 
the consumer experience and care provider performance. 
Optum is organized in three segments:  

•   OptumHealth focuses on care management, integrated 

care delivery, and consumer solutions, including 
financial services;

•   OptumInsight delivers operational services and support 

and health information technology services; and

•  OptumRx specializes in pharmacy services. 

OptumHealtH 
OptumHealth is a diversified health and wellness business 
serving the physical, emotional and financial needs of 
more than 61 million unique individuals and enabling 
consumer health management and integrated care 
delivery through programs offered by employers, payers, 
government entities and, increasingly, directly through the 
care delivery system. OptumHealth’s products and services 
can be deployed individually or integrated to provide 
comprehensive solutions, addressing a broad base of needs 
within the health care system. OptumHealth’s solutions 
reduce costs for customers, improve workforce productivity 
and consumer satisfaction and optimize the overall health 

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6

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

and well-being of populations.

OptumHealth offers its products on a risk basis, where it 
assumes responsibility for health care costs in exchange for 
a fixed monthly premium per individual served, and on an 
administrative fee basis whereby it manages or administers 
delivery of the products or services in exchange for a fixed 
fee per individual served. For its financial services offerings, 
OptumHealth charges fees and earns investment income on 
managed funds.

OptumHealth sells its products primarily through its 
direct sales force, strategic collaborations and external 
producers in three markets: employers (which includes 
the sub-markets of large, mid and small employers), 
payers (which includes the sub-markets of health plans, 
TPAs, underwriter/stop-loss carriers and individual market 
intermediaries) and government entities (which includes 
states, CMS, DoD, Veterans Administration and other 
federal procurement). As provider reimbursement models 
evolve, care providers are emerging as a fourth market for 
the health management, financial services and integrated 
care delivery businesses.

OptumHealth is organized into three major operating 
groups: Care Management, Integrated Care Delivery and 
Consumer Solutions.

Care Management. Care Management includes Specialty 
Networks and Health Management Solutions.

•   Specialty Networks: Within Specialty Networks, 
OptumHealth serves over 55 million people in 
two primary ways: 1) creating access to networks 
of provider specialists in the areas of behavioral 
health management (e.g., mental health, substance 
abuse), global well-being (e.g., international work/
life solutions), chronic physical health management 
(e.g., chiropractic, physical therapy), and complex 
medical conditions (e.g., transplant, infertility); 
and 2) managing the care and health needs for 
consumers through a variety of programs utilizing 
predictive modeling, evidence-based clinical outcomes 
management and peer support. Specialty Networks 
addresses areas likely to have significant variation 
in clinical practice, where a disciplined, evidence-
based approach can drive improved health outcomes 
and reduced costs. These range from relatively 
commonly accessed services (e.g., behavioral health 
and chiropractic) to less common procedures such as 
transplant, infertility, bariatric surgery and kidney 
disease/end stage renal disease.  

•   Health Management Solutions: OptumHealth serves 
more than 40 million people with population health 
management solutions (e.g., care management 
and advocacy, health and wellness, and complex 
conditions including cancer, neonatal and maternity) 
and decision support solutions (e.g., insurance choices 
and treatment and health care provider options). 
This comprehensive solution set empowers consumers 
to take more control of their health and well-being 
and enables their collaboration with specialty care 
providers, which is critical to decisions that drive 
medical costs, including hospitalization and surgery.

Integrated Care Delivery. Integrated Care Delivery is 
defined by the types of care delivery support services 
provided within OptumHealth’s two businesses: 
Collaborative Care and Logistics Health, Inc. (LHI). 
Collaborative Care is driven by the recognition that 
the market is moving to a collaborative network 
aligned around the concept of total population health 
management and outcomes based reimbursement. 
Collaborative Care’s local care delivery systems deploy 
a core set of technology, risk management, analytical 
and clinical capabilities and tools to assist physicians 
in delivering high-quality care across the populations 
they serve. Collaborative Care’s complex population 
management services augment primary care physicians 
to deliver services outside of hospitals to vulnerable, 
chronically ill populations. Collaborative Care also delivers 
care to approximately 1 million people through a spectrum 
of models ranging from medical clinics to contracts with 
individual practice association networks. LHI designs and 
implements mobile care delivery solutions, providing 
occupational health, medical and dental readiness services, 
treatments and immunization programs for the U.S. 
military and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS), as well as for many commercial companies. 

Consumer Solutions. Consumer Solutions includes consumer 
and marketing capabilities, such as distribution and 
financial services. 

•   Distribution: Connextions is a growth, retention 

and service solutions company meeting consumer 
distribution needs in the health care market. Through 
a combination of technology, campaign management 
and customer service, Connextions has developed 
a consumer relationship management and sales 
distribution platform. Services offered include call 
center support, software, data analysis, certified 
insurance brokers and trained nurses, which allow 
health care payers and providers to acquire, retain, 
schedule, refer and manage large populations of 
individual health care consumers. Connextions is also 
an enabler of health insurance exchange solutions, 
with private exchange business today.

•   Financial Services: Dedicated solely to providing 
financial solutions for the health care market, 
OptumHealth Financial Services helps organizations 
and individuals optimize their health care finances. 
As a leading provider of consumer health care 
accounts (e.g., HSAs, flexible spending accounts), 
OptumHealth’s tax-favored accounts enable individuals 
to save money today and build health savings for 
the future. Organizations rely upon OptumHealth 
to manage and improve their cash flows through 
turnkey electronic payment solutions (e.g., remittance 
advices, funds transfers), health care-related lending 
and credit (e.g., financing of care provider medical 
equipment acquisitions) and financial risk protection 
for third party payers and self-funded employers (e.g., 
comprehensive stop loss insurance coverage). Financial 
services includes Optum Bank. As of December 31, 
2012, Financial Services had $1.8 billion in customer 

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assets under management and during 2012 processed 
$66 billion in medical payments to physicians and other 
health care providers. 

health intelligence and are organized around hospital and 
physician practice needs for:

•   Financial Performance Improvement: Provides 

2012 FORM 10-K

7

OptumInsIght 
OptumInsight is a health care information, technology, 
operational services and consulting company providing 
software and information products, advisory consulting 
services, and business process outsourcing services and 
support to participants in the health care industry. Hospitals, 
physicians, commercial health plans, government agencies, 
life sciences companies and other organizations that 
comprise the health care system work with OptumInsight 
to reduce costs, meet compliance mandates, improve 
clinical performance and adapt to the changing health 
system landscape. As of December 31, 2012, OptumInsight’s 
products and services are used by four out of five hospitals, 
tens of thousands of physician practices and other health 
care facilities, approximately 300 health plans, nearly 400 
global life sciences companies, and many government 
agencies, as well as other UnitedHealth Group businesses. 
Many of OptumInsight’s software and information 

products, advisory consulting arrangements, and 
outsourcing contracts are performed over an extended 
period, often several years. OptumInsight maintains an 
order backlog to track unearned revenues under these 
long-term arrangements. The backlog consists of estimated 
revenue from signed contracts, other legally binding 
agreements and anticipated contract renewals based on 
historical experience that either have not started but are 
anticipated to begin in the near future, or are in process 
and have not been completed. OptumInsight’s aggregate 
backlog at December 31, 2012 was $4.6 billion, of which 
$2.7 billion is expected to be realized within the next 12 
months. This includes $1.0 billion related to intersegment 
agreements, all of which are included in the current portion 
of the backlog. OptumInsight cannot provide any assurance 
that it will be able to realize all of the revenues included in 
backlog due to uncertainty regarding the timing and scope 
of services, the potential for cancellation, non-renewal, or 
early termination of service arrangements. OptumInsight’s 
aggregate backlog at December 31, 2011 was $4.0 billion.
OptumInsight’s products and services are sold primarily 
through a direct sales force. OptumInsight’s products are 
also supported and distributed through an array of alliance 
and business partnerships with other technology vendors, 
who integrate and interface its products with  
their applications.

OptumInsight’s technology products and services 
solutions are offered through four integrated market 
groups. These market groups are care providers (e.g., 
physician practices and hospitals), commercial payers, 
governments and life sciences. 

Care Providers. The Provider Solutions businesses combine 
a comprehensive range of technology and information 
products, advisory consulting, and outsourcing services 
focused on hospitals, integrated delivery networks, and 
physician practices. These solutions help drive financial 
performance, meet compliance requirements and deliver 

comprehensive revenue cycle management technology 
and services, claims integrity and coding solutions, 
and full business process outsourcing for hospitals and 
physicians practices to drive higher net patient revenue 
and lower operational costs;

•   Quality Measurements and Compliance: Delivers 

real-time medical necessity reviews and retrospective 
appeals management services to more than 2,400 
hospitals in all 50 states;

•   Clinical Workflow and Connectivity: Provides high-
acuity and ambulatory clinical workflow, clinical 
cost and performance analytics and benchmarks and 
electronic medical records software that makes hospital 
departments and physician practices more efficient, 
improves patient experience, and enables sharing of 
clinical data in integrated care settings; and

•   Accountable Care Solutions: Working with early 

adopters of Accountable Care Organization models 
to build the administrative, analytics, compliance, 
and care management infrastructure to succeed in 
outcomes-based payment models.

Commercial Payers. OptumInsight’s Payer Solutions group 
serves clients that offer commercial health insurance or 
privately administer health insurance programs on behalf 
of federal or state governments (e.g., Medicare Advantage 
or Managed Medicaid). The business offers technology, 
services and consulting capabilities that supplement 
OptumInsight’s clients’ existing operations, as well as fully 
outsourced solutions. The business addresses diverse needs 
for payer clients, serving four primary areas:  

•   Network Performance: Comprehensive offerings 

to enhance performance of provider networks and 
improve population health, including network design, 
management and operation services, as well as 
analytical tools that support care management;
•   Clinical Performance and Compliance: Services that 

align clinical quality and performance with financial 
outcomes for payers, such as Medicare risk adjustment 
and CMS star rating system services and quality 
improvement consulting;

•   Operational Efficiency and Payment Integrity: A 
spectrum of offerings focused on improving the 
efficiency and cost-effectiveness of payer operations. 
Solutions assist in addressing a wide variety of 
operational improvement opportunities such as process 
improvement and automation, fraud and abuse, claims 
payment accuracy and coordination of benefits; and
•   Risk Optimization: Solutions help payers to grow and 
improve financial performance through predictive 
analytics and risk management services. Offerings 
include actuarial services, rating and underwriting 
products, and membership population modeling, as 
well as analytics and consulting.

Governments. OptumInsight Government Solutions helps 
state and federal governments improve the efficiency and 

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UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

quality of health and human services programs by offering 
a broad range of solutions including: 

•   Financial Management and Program Integrity: 

Improves the accuracy and efficiency of provider 
payments through prospective and retrospective 
analysis of claims transactions, driving detection of 
fraud and abuse and checking payment accuracy; 

•   Consulting: Provides policy and compliance consulting 

including health policy advisory services; and

•   Data and Analytics Technology and Systems Integration: 
Measures and identifies opportunities for improvement 
in cost, network performance, and care management 
for populations of covered members. Government 
Solutions builds and manages health care specific data 
model and warehouse solutions for Federal and State 
based programs and applies business intelligence to 
analyze and drive decision making to improve cost, 
clinical outcomes, and member satisfaction.

Life Sciences. OptumInsight’s Life Sciences business 
addresses the changing global economic and regulatory 
competitive landscape by assisting life sciences clients in 
identifying, analyzing and measuring the value of their 
products. Life Sciences provides expertise in using real-
world evidence to support market access and positioning of 
products, to deliver strategic regulatory services, to provide 
insights into patient reported outcomes and to optimize 
and manage risk to Life Sciences’ clients. Products include:

•   Market Access and Reimbursement: Utilizes real-world 
evidence to drive increased drug revenues and pricing 
and reimbursements strategies; 

•   Health Economics Outcomes and Late Phase Research: 
decreased commercialization costs through health 
economics and outcomes research and late phase/Phase 
IV research studies;

•   Data and Informatics Services;
•   Regulatory Consulting: Focuses on design and 

execution of multi-national regulatory strategies 
to help clients speed regulatory approval and 
maintain compliance with dynamic regulations across 
geographies;

•   Epidemiology and Drug Safety: Designs and executes 

epidemiology studies to understand detailed drug safety 
profiles and build integrated plans to address safety 
issues with regulators, providers, and patients; and
•   Patient-Reported Outcomes: Drives collection and 
understanding of patient reported outcomes to 
inform comparative effectiveness research, patient 
engagement and adherence, and population health 
management.

OptumRx 
OptumRx provides a full range of pharmacy benefit 
management (PBM) services to more than 14 million 
people nationwide, processing over 350 million adjusted 
retail, mail and specialty drug prescriptions and managing 
more than $25 billion in pharmaceutical spending 
annually. Its PBM services include benefit plan design 
and consultation, claims processing, manufacturer 

rebate contracting and administration, retail pharmacy 
network management services, mail order and specialty 
pharmacy services, Medicare Part D services, and a variety 
of clinical services, such as formulary management and 
compliance, drug utilization review and disease and 
drug therapy management services. The mail order and 
specialty pharmacy fulfillment capabilities of OptumRx 
are an important strategic component of its business, 
providing patients with convenient access to maintenance 
medications, offering a broad range of complex drug 
therapies and patient management services for individuals 
with chronic health conditions, and enabling OptumRx to 
manage its clients’ drug costs through operating efficiencies 
and economies of scale.  

OptumRx provides PBM services to nearly all members 
enrolled in the benefit plans that offer pharmacy benefits 
of UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare & Retirement and 
Community & State businesses and also serves a portion 
of UnitedHealthcare’s Employer & Individual’s commercial 
members. In 2013, OptumRx will in-source approximately 
12 million of UnitedHealthcare’s commercial members 
who currently receive PBM services from Express Scripts’ 
subsidiary, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. OptumRx also 
provides PBM services to non-affiliated external clients, 
including public and private sector employer groups, 
insurance companies, Taft-Hartley Trust Funds, TPAs, 
managed care organizations, Medicare-contracted plans, 
Medicaid plans and other sponsors of health benefit plans 
and individuals throughout the U.S. OptumRx’s distribution 
system consists primarily of health insurance brokers and 
other health care consultants and direct sales.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION 

Most of our health and well-being services are regulated 
by U.S. federal and state as well as non-U.S. regulatory 
agencies that generally have discretion to issue regulations 
and interpret and enforce laws and rules. These regulations 
can vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and 
the interpretation of existing laws and rules also may change 
periodically. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 
and a reconciliation measure, the Health Care and Education 
Reconciliation Act of 2010, which we refer to together as 
the Health Reform Legislation, were signed into law in the 
first quarter of 2010 and, after being challenged, were 
substantially upheld in a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 
the second quarter of 2012. The Health Reform Legislation, 
portions of which are summarized below, alters the 
regulatory environment in which we operate, in some cases 
to a significant degree. U.S. federal and state governments 
continue to enact and consider various legislative and 
regulatory proposals that could materially impact certain 
aspects of the health care system. New laws, regulations 
and rules, or changes in the interpretation of existing laws, 
regulations and rules, as well as a result of changes in the 
political climate, could adversely affect our business. 

In the event we fail to comply with, or we fail to respond 

quickly and appropriately to changes in, applicable laws, 
regulations and rules, our business, results of operations, 

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financial position and cash flows could be materially 
and adversely affected. See Item 1A, “Risk Factors” for a 
discussion of the risks related to compliance with federal, 
state and international laws and regulations. 

HealtH Care reforms 
The Health Reform Legislation expands access to coverage 
and modifies aspects of the commercial insurance market, 
as well as the Medicaid and Medicare programs, CHIP and 
other aspects of the health care system. Certain provisions 
of the Health Reform Legislation have already taken effect 
and other provisions become effective at various dates 
over the next several years. The U.S. Department of Labor 
(DOL), HHS and the U.S. Treasury Department have issued 
or proposed regulations on a number of aspects of Health 
Reform Legislation, but final rules and interim guidance on 
other key aspects of the legislation remain pending. 

The following outlines certain provisions of the Health 
Reform Legislation that are currently effective, currently 
effective with phased implementation or are expected to 
take effect in the coming years.

Currently Effective: The Health Reform Legislation 
mandated the expansion of dependant coverage to include 
adult children until age 26; eliminated certain annual 
and lifetime caps on the dollar value of certain essential 
health benefits; eliminated pre-existing condition limits for 
enrollees under age 19; prohibited certain policy rescissions; 
prohibited plans and issuers from charging higher cost 
sharing (copayments or coinsurance) for emergency services 
that are obtained outside of a plan’s network; and included 
a requirement to provide coverage for preventive services 
without cost to members (for non-grandfathered plans). 

Commercial fully insured health plans in the large 
employer group, small employer group and individual 
markets with medical loss ratios below certain targets (85% 
for large employer groups, 80% for small employer groups 
and 80% for individuals, as calculated under the definitions 
in the Health Reform Legislation and regulations, subject 
to state specific exceptions) are required to rebate ratable 
portions of their premiums to their customers annually. 
The Health Reform Legislation also mandated certain 
changes to coverage determination and appeals processes, 
including: expanding the definition of “adverse benefit 
determination” to include rescissions; extending external 
review rights of adverse benefit determinations to insured 
and self-funded plans; and improving the clarity of and 
expanding the types of information in adverse benefit 
determination notices. 

2012 FORM 10-K

9

In addition, as required under the Health Reform 

Legislation, HHS established a federal premium rate review 
process, which generally applies to proposed rate increases 
equal to or exceeding 10%. The regulations further require 
commercial health plans to provide to the states and HHS 
extensive information supporting any rate increases subject 
to the new federal rate review process. The regulations 
clarify that HHS review will not supersede existing state 
review and approval processes, but plans deemed to have a 
history of “unreasonable” rate increases may be prohibited 
from participating in the state-based exchanges that are 
scheduled to become active under the Health Reform 
Legislation in 2014. Under current regulations, the HHS 
rate review process would apply only to health plans in the 
individual and small group markets.

CMS reduced or froze benchmarks which affect our 
Medicare Advantage reimbursements from CMS between 
2009 and 2011, and in 2012, additional cuts to Medicare 
Advantage benchmarks began to take effect (benchmarks 
will ultimately range from 95% of Medicare fee-for-service 
rates in high cost areas to 115% in low cost areas), with 
changes continuing to be phased-in over the next one to 
five years, depending on the level of benchmark reduction 
in a county. In addition to other measures, quality bonuses 
may partially offset these anticipated benchmark reductions. 
CMS quality rating bonuses are paid to certain qualifying 
plans for a three year period that began in 2012. Quality 
bonuses are based upon STAR ratings at the local plan level, 
as determined by CMS, and are dependent on numerous 
factors, including member satisfaction and member 
behavior in the context of obtaining preventive screens.

Effective 2013: Effective beginning in 2013 with 
respect to services performed after 2009, the Health 
Reform Legislation limits the deductibility of executive 
compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal 
Revenue Code for insurance providers if at least 25% of the 
insurance provider’s gross premium revenue from health 
business is derived from health insurance plans that meet 
the minimum creditable coverage requirements. 

Effective 2013/2014: The Health Reform Legislation 
provides for an increase in Medicaid fee-for-service and 
managed care program reimbursements for primary care 
services provided by primary care doctors (family medicine, 
general internal medicine or pediatric medicine) to 100% 
of the Medicare payment rates for 2013 and 2014, and 
provides 100% federal financing for the difference in rates 
based on rates applicable on July 1, 2009. 

Currently Effective with Phased Implementation: The 
Health Reform Legislation also mandated consumer 
discounts on brand name and generic prescription drugs 
for Part D plan participants in the coverage gap. These 
consumer discounts will gradually increase over the next 
several years, which will decrease consumer out-of-pocket 
drug spending within the coverage gap, shifting a portion 
of these costs to the plan sponsor. In 2012, the discount on 
brand name prescription drugs was 50% while the discount 
on generic prescription drugs was 14%.

Effective 2014: A number of the provisions of the Health 
Reform Legislation are scheduled to take effect in 2014, 
including: an annual insurance industry assessment ($8 
billion to be levied on the insurance industry in 2014 
increasing to $14.3 billion by 2018 with increasing annual 
amounts thereafter), which is not deductible for income 
tax purposes; a transitional reinsurance program ($25 
billion over a three-year period), which will be funded by 
a $5.25 per member per month fee (as currently estimated 
by HHS), on all comprehensive lines of business (including 

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UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

risk-based and self-insured) with only insurance plans for 
individuals eligible for reinsurance recoveries; a permanent 
risk adjustment program designed to promote stability 
in the individual and small employer group marketplace 
by transferring funds among competing plans based on 
variance in risk populations; all individual and group health 
plans must offer coverage on a guaranteed issue and 
guaranteed renewal basis during annual open enrollment 
and special enrollment periods and cannot apply pre-
existing condition exclusions or health status rating 
adjustments; all individual and small group plans must 
provide certain essential health benefits, with member 
cost-sharing limitations and no annual limits on essential 
benefits coverage; establishment of state-based exchanges 
for individuals and small employers as well as certain 
CHIP eligibles; a temporary risk corridor program that 
limits the losses and gains of insurers that offer products 
on exchanges; introduction of plan designs based on set 
actuarial values to increase comparability of competing 
products on the exchanges and limit member cost-sharing 
obligations; and establishment of minimum medical loss 
ratio of 85% for Medicare Advantage plans, as calculated 
under rules that have not yet been issued. 

The Health Reform Legislation and the related federal 
and state regulations will impact how we do business and 
could restrict revenue and enrollment growth in certain 
products and market segments, restrict premium growth 
rates for certain products and market segments, increase 
our medical and administrative costs, expose us to an 
increased risk of liability (including increasing our liability 
in federal and state courts for coverage determinations 
and contract interpretation) or put us at risk for loss of 
business. In addition, our results of operations, financial 
position, including our ability to maintain the value of our 
goodwill, and cash flows could be materially and adversely 
affected by such changes. The Health Reform Legislation 
may also create new or expand existing opportunities for 
business growth, but due to its complexity, the impact of 
the Health Reform Legislation remains difficult to predict 
and is not yet fully known. See also Item 1A, “Risk Factors” 
for a discussion of the risks related to the Health Reform 
Legislation and related matters. 

Other Federal laws and regulatiOn 
We are subject to various levels of U.S. federal 
regulation. For example, when we contract with the 
federal government, we are subject to federal laws and 
regulations relating to the award, administration and 
performance of U.S. government contracts. CMS regulates 
our UnitedHealthcare businesses, and certain aspects of 
our Optum businesses. Our UnitedHealthcare Medicare 
& Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Community & State and 
OptumHealth businesses submit information relating to 
the health status of enrollees to CMS (or state agencies) for 
purposes of determining the amount of certain payments 
to us. CMS also has the right to audit performance to 
determine compliance with CMS contracts and regulations 
and the quality of care given to Medicare beneficiaries. 
Beginning in 2014, our commercial business may be subject 

to audit related to the risk adjustment and reinsurance 
data. See Note 12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” and 
Item 1A, “Risk Factors” for a discussion of audits by CMS.
Our UnitedHealthcare reportable segment, through 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State, also has Medicaid 
and CHIP contracts that are subject to federal regulations 
regarding services to be provided to Medicaid enrollees, 
payment for those services and other aspects of these 
programs. There are many regulations surrounding 
Medicare and Medicaid compliance, and the regulatory 
environment with respect to these programs has become 
and will continue to become increasingly complex as a 
result of the Health Reform Legislation. In addition, our 
UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans business and certain 
of Optum’s businesses hold contracts with federal agencies 
including the DoD and we are subject to federal law and 
regulations relating to the administration of these contracts. 
Certain of UnitedHealthcare’s and Optum’s businesses, 
such as UnitedHealthcare’s eyeglass manufacturing activities 
and Optum’s high acuity clinical workflow software, hearing 
aid products, and clinical research activities, are subject 
to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), and the clinical research activities are also subject 
to laws and regulations outside of the United States that 
regulate clinical trials. Laws and regulations relating to 
consumer protection, anti-fraud and abuse, anti-kickbacks, 
false claims, prohibited referrals, inappropriately reducing 
or limiting health care services, anti-money laundering, 
securities and antitrust also affect us. 

HIPAA, GLBA and Other Privacy and Security Regulation. 
The administrative simplification provisions of the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996, as amended (HIPAA), apply to both the group and 
individual health insurance markets, including self-funded 
employee benefit plans. HIPAA requires guaranteed health 
care coverage for small employers and certain eligible 
individuals. It also requires guaranteed renewability for 
employers and individuals and limits exclusions based 
on pre-existing conditions. Federal regulations related 
to HIPAA include minimum standards for electronic 
transactions and code sets, and for the privacy and security 
of protected health information. The HIPAA privacy 
regulations do not preempt more stringent state laws and 
regulations that may also apply to us. 

Federal privacy and security requirements change 

frequently because of legislation, regulations and judicial 
or administrative interpretation. For example, the U.S. 
Congress enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act of 2009 (ARRA), which significantly amends, and adds 
new privacy and security provisions to HIPAA and imposes 
additional requirements on uses and disclosures of health 
information. ARRA includes new contracting requirements 
for HIPAA business associate agreements; extends parts of 
HIPAA privacy and security provisions to business associates; 
adds new federal data breach notification requirements for 
covered entities and business associates and new reporting 
requirements to HHS and the Federal Trade Commission 

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(FTC) and, in some cases, to the local media; strengthens 
enforcement and imposes higher financial penalties for 
HIPAA violations and, in certain cases, imposes criminal 
penalties for individuals, including employees. In January 
2013, HHS issued its final regulations implementing the 
ARRA amendments to HIPAA and updating the HIPAA 
privacy, security and enforcement rules. In the conduct of 
our business, we may act, depending on the circumstances, 
as either a covered entity or a business associate. Federal 
consumer protection laws may also apply in some instances 
to privacy and security practices related to personally 
identifiable information. The use and disclosure of 
individually identifiable health data by our businesses is 
also regulated in some instances by other federal laws, 
including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) or state 
statutes implementing GLBA, which generally require 
insurers to provide customers with notice regarding how 
their non-public personal health and financial information 
is used and the opportunity to “opt out” of certain 
disclosures before the insurer shares such information with 
a third party, and which generally require safeguards for 
the protection of personal information. See Item 1A, “Risk 
Factors” for a discussion of the risks related to compliance 
with HIPAA, GLBA and other privacy-related regulations. 

ERISA. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act 
of 1974, as amended (ERISA), regulates how goods 
and services are provided to or through certain types 
of employer-sponsored health benefit plans. ERISA is a 
set of laws and regulations that is subject to periodic 
interpretation by the DOL as well as the federal courts. 
ERISA places controls on how our business units may do 
business with employers who sponsor employee benefit 
health plans, particularly those that maintain self-funded 
plans. Regulations established by the DOL provide 
additional rules for claims payment and member appeals 
under health care plans governed by ERISA. Additionally, 
some states require licensure or registration of companies 
providing third-party claims administration services for 
health care plans. 

State LawS and ReguLation 
Health Care Regulation. Our insurance and HMO 
subsidiaries must be licensed by the jurisdictions in which 
they conduct business. All of the states in which our 
subsidiaries offer insurance and HMO products regulate 
those products and operations. These states require 
periodic financial reports and establish minimum capital 
or restricted cash reserve requirements. The National 
Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has adopted 
model regulations that, when implemented by states would 
require certain governance practices substantially similar 
to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and expand insurance 
company and HMO risk and solvency assessment reporting. 
We expect that states will adopt these or similar measures 
over the next few years, expanding the scope of regulations 
relating to corporate governance and internal control 
activities of HMOs and insurance companies. Certain states 
have also adopted their own regulations for minimum 

2012 FORM 10-K

11

medical loss ratios with which health plans must comply. 
In addition, a number of state legislatures have enacted 
or are contemplating significant reforms of their health 
insurance markets, either independent of or to comply with 
or be eligible for grants or other incentives in connection 
with the Health Reform Legislation. We expect the states 
to continue to introduce and pass similar laws in 2013, and 
this will affect our operations and our financial results.

Health plans and insurance companies are also regulated 

under state insurance holding company regulations. Such 
regulations generally require registration with applicable 
state departments of insurance and the filing of reports 
that describe capital structure, ownership, financial 
condition, certain intercompany transactions and general 
business operations. Some state insurance holding company 
laws and regulations require prior regulatory approval of 
acquisitions and material intercompany transfers of assets, 
as well as transactions between the regulated companies 
and their parent holding companies or affiliates. These laws 
may restrict the ability of our regulated subsidiaries to pay 
dividends to our holding companies. 

In addition, some of our business and related activities 
may be subject to other health care-related regulations and 
requirements, including PPO, managed care organization 
(MCO), utilization review (UR) or TPA-related regulations 
and licensure requirements. These regulations differ from 
state to state, and may contain network, contracting, 
product and rate, and financial and reporting requirements. 
There are laws and regulations that set specific standards 
for delivery of services, appeals, grievances and payment of 
claims, adequacy of health care professional networks, fraud 
prevention, protection of consumer health information, 
pricing and underwriting practice and covered benefits and 
services. State health care anti-fraud and abuse prohibitions 
encompass a wide range of activities, including kickbacks 
for referral of members, billing unnecessary medical 
services and improper marketing. Certain of our businesses 
are subject to state general agent, broker, and sales 
distributions laws and regulations. Our UnitedHealthcare 
Community & State, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement and certain Optum businesses are subject to 
regulation by state Medicaid agencies that oversee the 
provision of benefits to our Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries 
and to our dually eligible beneficiaries. We also contract 
with state governmental entities and are subject to state 
laws and regulations relating to the award, administration 
and performance of state government contracts. 

Guaranty Fund Assessments. Under state guaranty fund 
laws, certain insurance companies (and HMOs in some 
states), including those issuing health, long-term care, 
life and accident insurance policies, doing business in 
those states can be assessed (up to prescribed limits) for 
certain obligations to the policyholders and claimants of 
insolvent insurance companies that write the same line 
or lines of business. Assessments generally are based on a 
formula relating to premiums in the state compared to the 
premiums of other insurers and could be spread out over 
a period of years. Some states permit member insurers to 

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UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

recover assessments paid through full or partial premium 
tax offsets.

Pharmacy Regulation. OptumRx’s mail order pharmacies 
must be licensed to do business as pharmacies in the states 
in which they are located. Our mail order pharmacies 
must also register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
Administration and individual state controlled substance 
authorities to dispense controlled substances. In many 
of the states where our mail order pharmacies deliver 
pharmaceuticals there are laws and regulations that require 
out-of-state mail order pharmacies to register with that 
state’s board of pharmacy or similar regulatory body. These 
states generally permit the pharmacy to follow the laws 
of the state in which the mail order pharmacy is located, 
although some states require that we also comply with 
certain laws in that state. Our mail order pharmacies 
maintain certain Medicare and state Medicaid provider 
numbers as pharmacies providing services under these 
programs. Participation in these programs requires the 
pharmacies to comply with the applicable Medicare and 
Medicaid provider rules and regulations. Other laws and 
regulations affecting our mail order pharmacies include 
federal and state statutes and regulations governing 
the labeling, packaging, advertising and adulteration of 
prescription drugs and dispensing of controlled substances. 
See Item 1A, “Risk Factors” for a discussion of the risks 
related to our PBM businesses. 

Privacy and Security Laws. States have adopted regulations 
to implement provisions of the GLBA. Like HIPAA, GLBA 
allows states to adopt more stringent requirements 
governing privacy protection. A number of states have 
also adopted other laws and regulations that may affect 
our privacy and security practices, for example, state laws 
that govern the use, disclosure and protection of social 
security numbers and sensitive health information or that 
are designed to protect credit card account data. State and 
local authorities increasingly focus on the importance of 
protecting individuals from identity theft, with a significant 
number of states enacting laws requiring businesses to 
notify individuals of security breaches involving personal 
information. State consumer protection laws may also 
apply to privacy and security practices related to personally 
identifiable information, including information related 
to consumers and care providers. Additionally, different 
approaches to state privacy and insurance regulation and 
varying enforcement philosophies in the different states may 
materially and adversely affect our ability to standardize our 
products and services across state lines. See Item 1A, “Risk 
Factors” for a discussion of the risks related to compliance 
with state privacy and security-related regulations. 

Corporate Practice of Medicine and Fee-Splitting Laws. 
Certain of our businesses function as direct service 
providers to care delivery systems and, as such, are subject 
to additional laws and regulations. Some states have 
corporate practice of medicine laws that prohibit certain 
entities from practicing medicine or employing physicians 
to practice medicine. Additionally, some states prohibit 

certain entities from sharing in the fees or revenues of a 
professional practice (fee-splitting). These prohibitions may 
be statutory or regulatory, or may be a matter of judicial 
or regulatory interpretation. These laws, regulations and 
interpretations have, in certain states, been subject to 
limited judicial and regulatory interpretation and are 
subject to change.

Consumer Protection Laws. Certain businesses participate 
in direct-to-consumer activities and are subject to emerging 
regulations applicable to on-line communications and other 
general consumer protection laws and regulations.

Banking Regulation
Optum Bank is subject to regulation by federal banking 
regulators, including the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation (FDIC), which performs annual examinations 
to ensure that the bank is operating in accordance 
with federal safety and soundness requirements, and 
the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which may 
perform periodic examinations to ensure that the bank 
is in compliance with applicable consumer protection 
statutes, regulations and agency guidelines. Optum Bank 
is also subject to supervision and regulation by the Utah 
State Department of Financial Institutions, which carries 
out annual examinations to ensure that the bank is 
operating in accordance with state safety and soundness 
requirements and performs periodic examinations of 
the bank’s compliance with applicable state banking 
statutes, regulations and agency guidelines. In the event 
of unfavorable examination results from any of these 
agencies, the bank could be subjected to increased 
operational expenses and capital requirements, enhanced 
governmental oversight and monetary penalties.

inteRnational Regulation
Certain of our businesses and operations are international 
in nature and are subject to regulation in the jurisdictions 
in which they are organized or conduct business. These 
regulatory regimes encompass tax, licensing, tariffs, 
intellectual property, investment, management control, 
labor, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and privacy and data 
protection regulations (including requirements for 
cross-border data transfers) that vary from jurisdiction 
to jurisdiction, among other matters. We have recently 
acquired and may in the future acquire or commence 
additional businesses based outside of the United States, 
increasing our exposure to non-U.S. regulatory regimes. For 
example, our acquisition of Amil subjects us to Brazilian 
laws and regulations affecting the managed care and 
insurance industries and regulation by Brazilian regulators 
including the national regulatory agency for private health 
insurance and plans, the Agência Nacional de Saúde 
Suplementar (ANS), whose approach to the interpretation, 
implementation and enforcement of industry regulations 
could differ from the approach taken by U.S. regulators. For 
more information about the Amil acquisition, see Note 6 
of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statement included 
in Item 8, “Financial Statements.” In addition, our non-U.S. 
businesses and operations are also subject to U.S. laws that 

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2012 FORM 10-K

13

the level and quality of products and services; care 
delivery; network and clinical management capabilities; 
market share; product distribution systems; efficiency 
of administration operations; financial strength and 
marketplace reputation. If we fail to compete effectively 
to maintain or increase our market share, including 
maintaining or increasing enrollments in businesses 
providing health benefits, our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows could be materially 
and adversely affected. See Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” for 
additional discussion of our risks related to competition. 

EMPLOYEES

As of December 31, 2012, we employed approximately 
133,000 individuals. We believe our employee relations are 
generally positive. 

regulate the conduct and activities of U.S.-based businesses 
operating abroad, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Audits And investigAtions 
We have been and may in the future become involved in 
various governmental investigations, audits and reviews. 
These include routine, regular and special investigations, 
audits and reviews by CMS, state insurance and health 
and welfare departments, state attorneys general, the 
Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the Office of 
Personnel Management, the Office of Civil Rights, the FTC, 
U.S. Congressional committees, the U.S. Department of 
Justice (DOJ), U.S. Attorneys, the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (SEC), the Brazilian securities regulator, the 
Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), the Internal 
Revenue Service (IRS), the Brazilian federal revenue 
service - the Secretaria da Receita Federal (SRF), the DOL, 
the FDIC and other governmental authorities. Certain of 
our businesses have been reviewed or are currently under 
review, including for, among other things, compliance with 
coding and other requirements under the Medicare risk-
adjustment model. Such government investigations, audits 
and reviews can result in assessment of damages, civil or 
criminal fines or penalties, or other sanctions, including loss 
of licensure or exclusion from participation in government 
programs. In addition, disclosure of any adverse 
investigation, audit results or sanctions could adversely 
affect our reputation in various markets and make it more 
difficult for us to sell our products and services while 
retaining our current business. 

COMPETITION 

As a diversified health and well-being services company, 
we operate in highly competitive markets. Our competitors 
include managed health care companies, insurance 
companies, HMOs, TPAs and business services outsourcing 
companies, health care professionals that have formed 
networks to directly contract with employers or with CMS, 
specialty benefit providers, government entities, disease 
management companies, and various health information 
and consulting companies. For our UnitedHealthcare 
businesses, competitors include Aetna Inc., Cigna 
Corporation, Coventry Health Care, Inc., Health Net, Inc., 
Humana Inc., Kaiser Permanente, WellPoint, Inc., numerous 
for-profit and not-for-profit organizations operating under 
licenses from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and, 
with respect to our Brazilian operations, several established 
competitors in Brazil, and other enterprises that serve more 
limited geographic areas. For our OptumRx businesses, 
competitors include CVS Caremark Corporation, Express 
Scripts, Inc. and Catamaran Corporation. Our OptumHealth 
and OptumInsight reportable segments also compete with 
a broad and diverse set of businesses. New entrants into 
the markets in which we compete, as well as consolidation 
within these markets, also contribute to a competitive 
environment. We believe the principal competitive 
factors that can impact our businesses relate to the sales, 
marketing and pricing of our products and services; product 
innovation; consumer engagement and satisfaction; 

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14

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT 

The following sets forth certain information regarding our executive officers as of February 6, 2013, including the business 
experience of each executive officer during the past five years: 

Name

Stephen J. Hemsley

David S. Wichmann

Gail K. Boudreaux

Eric S. Rangen

Larry C. Renfro

Marianne D. Short

Lori Sweere

Age

Position

60

50

52

56

59

61

54

President and Chief Executive Officer

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of UnitedHealth 
Group and President of UnitedHealth Group Operations

Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive 
Officer of UnitedHealthcare

Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive 
Officer of Optum

Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Executive Vice President of Human Capital

Our Board of Directors elects executive officers annually. 
Our executive officers serve until their successors are duly 
elected and qualified.

Mr. Hemsley is President and Chief Executive Officer of 
UnitedHealth Group, has served in that capacity since 
January 2008, and has been a member of the Board of 
Directors since February 2000. 

Mr. Wichmann is Executive Vice President and Chief 
Financial Officer of UnitedHealth Group and President of 
UnitedHealth Group Operations and has served in that 
capacity since January 2011. Mr. Wichmann has served as 
Executive Vice President and President of UnitedHealth 
Group Operations since April 2008. From January 2008 
to April 2008, Mr. Wichmann served as Executive Vice 
President of UnitedHealth Group and President of the 
Commercial Markets Group (now UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual). 

Ms. Boudreaux is Executive Vice President of 
UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive Officer of 
UnitedHealthcare and has served in that capacity since 
January 2011. Ms. Boudreaux has overall responsibility 
for all UnitedHealthcare health benefits businesses. 
Ms. Boudreaux served as Executive Vice President of 
UnitedHealth Group and President of UnitedHealthcare 
from May 2008 to January 2011. Prior to joining 
UnitedHealth Group, Ms. Boudreaux served as Executive 
Vice President of Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC) 
from January 2008 to April 2008. 

Mr. Rangen is Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting 
Officer of UnitedHealth Group and has served in that 
capacity since January 2008. 

Mr. Renfro is Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth 
Group and Chief Executive Officer of Optum and has 
served in that capacity since July 2011. From January 2011 
to July 2011, Mr. Renfro served as Executive Vice President 
of UnitedHealth Group. From October 2009 to January 
2011, Mr. Renfro served as Executive Vice President of 

UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive Officer of the 
Public and Senior Markets Group. From January 2009 to 
October 2009, Mr. Renfro served as Executive Vice President 
of UnitedHealth Group and Chief Executive Officer of 
Ovations (now UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement). 
Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Mr. Renfro served 
as President of Fidelity Developing Businesses at Fidelity 
Investments and as a member of the Fidelity Executive 
Committee from June 2008 to January 2009. From January 
2008 to May 2008, Mr. Renfro held several senior positions 
at AARP Services Inc., including President and Chief 
Executive Officer of AARP Services Inc., Chief Operating 
Officer of AARP Services Inc., President and Chief Executive 
Officer of AARP Financial and President of the AARP Funds.

Ms. Short is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer 
of UnitedHealth Group and has served in that capacity since 
January 2013. Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Ms. 
Short served as the Managing Partner at Dorsey & Whitney 
LLP from 2008 to 2012.

Ms. Sweere is Executive Vice President of Human Capital of 
UnitedHealth Group and has served in that capacity since 
January 2008. 

AdditionAl informAtion 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated was incorporated in 
January 1977 in Minnesota. Our executive offices are 
located at UnitedHealth Group Center, 9900 Bren Road 
East, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343; our telephone number 
is (952) 936-1300. 

You can access our website at www.unitedhealthgroup.

com to learn more about our Company. From that site, 
you can download and print copies of our annual reports 
to shareholders, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly 
reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, 
along with amendments to those reports. You can also 
download from our website our Articles of Incorporation, 
bylaws and corporate governance policies, including our 
Principles of Governance, Board of Directors Committee 
Charters, and Code of Conduct. We make periodic reports 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   14

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and amendments available, free of charge, as soon as 
reasonably practicable after we file or furnish these 
reports to the SEC. We will also provide a copy of any 
of our corporate governance policies published on our 
website free of charge, upon request. To request a copy 
of any of these documents, please submit your request 
to: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, 9900 Bren Road 
East, Minnetonka, MN 55343, Attn: Corporate Secretary. 
Information on or linked to our website is neither part of 
nor incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on 
Form 10-K or any other SEC filings.

Our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, 
can help you with a variety of shareholder-related services, 
including change of address, lost stock certificates, transfer 
of stock to another person and other administrative 
services. You can write to our transfer agent at: Wells Fargo 
Shareowner Services, P.O. Box 64854, St. Paul, Minnesota 
55164-0854, email stocktransfer@wellsfargo.com, or 
telephone (800) 468-9716 or (651) 450-4064. 

ITEM 1A. 

Risk Factors 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
The statements, estimates, projections, guidance or outlook 
contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include 
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the 
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). 
When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in 
future filings by us with the SEC, in our news releases, 
presentations to securities analysts or investors, and in 
oral statements made by or with the approval of one of 
our executive officers, the words or phrases “believe,” 
“expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” 
project,” “should” or similar expressions are intended to 
identify such forward-looking statements. These statements 
are intended to take advantage of the “safe harbor” 
provisions of the PSLRA. These forward-looking statements 
involve risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual 
results to differ materially from the results discussed in the 
forward-looking statements.

The following discussion contains cautionary 

statements regarding our business that investors and 
others should consider. We do not undertake to address 
or update forward-looking statements in future filings 
or communications regarding our business or results of 
operations, and do not undertake to address how any 
of these factors may have caused results to differ from 
discussions or information contained in previous filings 
or communications. In addition, any of the matters 
discussed below may have affected past, as well as current, 
forward-looking statements about future results. Any 
or all forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K and 
in any other public filings or statements we make may 
turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate 
assumptions we might make or by known or unknown 
risks and uncertainties. Many factors discussed below 
will be important in determining future results. By their 
nature, forward-looking statements are not guarantees 

2012 FORM 10-K

15

of future performance or results and are subject to risks, 
uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict 
or quantify. Actual future results may vary materially from 
expectations expressed in this report or any of our prior 
communications. 

If we fail to effectively estimate, price for and manage our 
medical costs, the profitability of our risk-based products 
and services could decline and could materially and 
adversely affect our results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows. 

Under our risk-based benefit product arrangements, 
we assume the risk of both medical and administrative 
costs for our customers in return for monthly premiums. 
Premium revenues from risk-based benefits products 
comprise approximately 90% of our total consolidated 
revenues. We generally use approximately 80% to 85% 
of our premium revenues to pay the costs of health care 
services delivered to these customers. The profitability 
of these products depends in large part on our ability to 
predict, price for, and effectively manage medical costs. 
In this regard, the Health Reform Legislation established 
minimum medical loss ratios for certain health plans and 
authorized HHS to maintain an annual price increase review 
process for commercial health plans, which could make it 
more difficult for us to price our products competitively. 
See the risk factor below relating to health care reform 
for further discussion of these provisions. In addition, 
our OptumHealth Collaborative Care business negotiates 
capitation arrangements with commercial third party 
payers. Under the typical capitation arrangement, the 
health care provider receives a fixed percentage of a third 
party payer’s premiums to cover all or a defined portion 
of the medical costs provided to the capitated member. If 
we fail to accurately predict, price for or manage the costs 
of providing care to our capitated members, our results of 
operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We manage medical costs through underwriting criteria, 
product design, negotiation of favorable provider contracts 
and care management programs. Total medical costs are 
affected by the number of individual services rendered 
and the cost of each service. Our premium revenue on 
commercial policies is typically at a fixed rate per individual 
served for a 12-month period and is generally priced one to 
four months before the contract commences. Our revenue 
on Medicare policies is based on bids submitted in June the 
year before the contract year. We base the premiums we 
charge and our Medicare bids on our estimates of future 
medical costs over the fixed contract period; however, 
many factors may cause actual costs to exceed what was 
estimated and reflected in premiums or bids. These factors 
may include medical cost inflation, increased use of services, 
increased cost of individual services, natural catastrophes 
or other large-scale medical emergencies, epidemics, the 
introduction of new or costly treatments and technology, 
new mandated benefits (such as the expansion of essential 
benefits coverage) or other regulatory changes and insured 
population characteristics. Relatively small differences 
between predicted and actual medical costs or utilization 

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16

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

rates as a percentage of revenues can result in significant 
changes in our financial results. For example, if our 2012 
medical costs for commercial insured products were 1% 
higher, without proportionally higher revenues from such 
products, our annual net earnings for 2012 would have 
been reduced by approximately $215 million, excluding any 
offsetting impact from premium rebates.

In addition, the financial results we report for any 
particular period include estimates of costs that have 
been incurred for which claims are still outstanding. These 
estimates involve an extensive degree of judgment. If these 
estimates prove too low, our results of operations could be 
materially and adversely affected. 

Our business activities are highly regulated; new laws 
or regulations or changes in existing laws or regulations 
or their enforcement or application could materially and 
adversely affect our results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows. 

Our business is regulated at the federal, state, local and 

international levels. Our insurance and HMO subsidiaries 
must be licensed by and are subject to the regulations 
of the jurisdictions in which they conduct business. For 
example, states require periodic financial reports and 
enforce minimum capital or restricted cash reserve 
requirements. Health plans and insurance companies are 
also regulated under state insurance holding company 
regulations, and some of our activities may be subject to 
other health care-related regulations and requirements, 
including those relating to PPOs, MCOs, utilization review 
and TPA-related regulations and licensure requirements. 
Some of our UnitedHealthcare and Optum businesses 
hold or provide services related to government contracts 
and are subject to U.S. federal and state and non-
U.S. self-referral, anti-kickback, medical necessity, risk 
adjustment, false claims, debt collection and other laws 
and regulations governing government contractors and 
the use of government funds. In addition, under state 
guaranty fund laws, certain health, life and accident 
insurance companies and, in certain cases, HMOs can be 
assessed (up to prescribed limits) for certain obligations 
to the policyholders and claimants of insolvent insurance 
companies that write the same line or lines of business in 
these states, which would expose our business to the risk of 
insolvency of a competitor in these states.

Certain of our Optum businesses are also subject to 

regulatory and other risks and uncertainties, some of which 
are distinct from those faced by our insurance and HMO 
subsidiaries, including, for example, FDA regulations, state 
telemedicine regulations and state corporate practice of 
medicine doctrines and fee-splitting rules, some of which 
could impact our relationships with physicians, hospitals and 
customers. Additionally, OptumHealth participates in the 
emerging private exchange markets and it is not yet known 
to what extent the states will issue new regulations that 
apply to private exchanges. These risks and uncertainties 
may materially and adversely affect our ability to market our 
products and services, or to do so at targeted margins, or 
increase the regulatory burdens under which we operate.

The laws and rules governing our business and 
interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to 
frequent change, and the integration into our businesses 
of entities that we acquire may affect the way in which 
existing laws and rules apply to us. The broad latitude 
given to the agencies administering, interpreting and 
enforcing current and future regulations governing our 
business could force us to change how we do business, 
restrict revenue and enrollment growth, increase our health 
care and administrative costs and capital requirements, 
or expose us to increased liability in courts for coverage 
determinations, contract interpretation and other actions.
We must also obtain and maintain regulatory approvals 
to market many of our products, increase prices for certain 
regulated products and complete certain acquisitions 
and dispositions or integrate certain acquisitions. For 
example, premium rates for our health insurance and/or 
managed care products are subject to regulatory review or 
approval in many states and by the federal government, 
and a number of states have enhanced (or are proposing 
to enhance) their rate review processes. In addition, 
geographic and product expansions may be subject to 
state and federal regulatory approvals. Delays in obtaining 
necessary approvals or our failure to obtain or maintain 
adequate approvals could materially and adversely affect 
our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. 
Some of our businesses and operations are international 
in nature and consequently face political, economic, legal, 
compliance, regulatory, operational and other risks and 
exposures that are unique and vary by jurisdiction. The 
regulatory environments and associated requirements 
and uncertainties regarding tax, licensing, tariffs, 
intellectual property, privacy, data protection, investment, 
management control, labor relations, fraud and corruption 
present compliance requirements and uncertainties for 
us that are different from those faced by U.S.-based 
businesses. We have recently acquired and may in the 
future acquire or commence additional businesses based 
outside of the United States. For example, our acquisition 
of Amil in October 2012 subjects us to Brazilian laws and 
regulations affecting the managed care and insurance 
industries, which vary from comparable U.S. laws and 
regulations, and regulation by Brazilian regulators, 
whose approach to the interpretation, implementation 
and enforcement of industry regulations could differ 
from the approach taken by U.S. regulators. For more 
information about the Amil acquisition, see Note 6 of 
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included 
in Item 8, “Financial Statements.” In addition, our non-U.S. 
businesses and operations are also subject to U.S. laws that 
regulate the conduct and activities of U.S.-based businesses 
operating abroad, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices 
Act. Our failure to comply with U.S. or non-U.S. laws and 
regulations governing our conduct outside the United 
States or to establish constructive relations with non-U.S. 
regulators could adversely affect our ability to market our 
products and services, or to do so at targeted margins, 
which may have a material adverse effect on our business, 
financial condition and results of operations. 

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The health care industry is also regularly subject to 
negative publicity, including as a result of governmental 
investigations, adverse media coverage and political debate 
surrounding industry regulation. Negative publicity may 
adversely affect our stock price, damage our reputation in 
various markets or foster an increasingly active regulatory 
environment, which, in turn, could further increase the 
regulatory burdens under which we operate and our costs 
of doing business.

For a discussion of various laws and regulations that 
impact our businesses, see Item 1, “Business - Government 
Regulation.” 

The implementation of the Health Reform Legislation and 
other reforms could materially and adversely affect the 
manner in which we conduct business and our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. 

The Health Reform Legislation expands access to 

coverage and modifies aspects of the commercial insurance 
market, as well as the Medicaid and Medicare programs, 
CHIP and other aspects of the health care system. Among 
other things, the Health Reform Legislation includes 
guaranteed coverage and expanded benefit requirements, 
eliminates pre-existing condition exclusions and annual 
and lifetime maximum limits, restricts the extent to which 
policies can be rescinded, establishes minimum medical 
loss ratios, creates a federal premium review process, 
imposes new requirements on the format and content 
of communications (such as explanations of benefits, or 
EOBs) between health insurers and their members, grants 
to members new and additional appeal rights, imposes 
new and significant taxes on health insurers and health 
care benefits, reduces the Medicare Part D coverage gap 
and reduces payments to private plans offering Medicare 
Advantage.

Certain provisions of the Health Reform Legislation 
have already taken effect, and other provisions become 
effective at various dates over the next several years. HHS, 
the DOL and the Treasury Department have issued or 
proposed regulations on a number of aspects of Health 
Reform Legislation, but final rules and interim guidance on 
other key aspects of the legislation remain pending. Due 
to the complexity of the Health Reform Legislation, the 
impact of the Health Reform Legislation remains difficult to 
predict and is not yet fully known. For example, effective in 
2011, the Health Reform Legislation established minimum 
medical loss ratios for all commercial health plans in the 
large employer group, small employer group and individual 
markets (85% for large employer groups, 80% for small 
employer groups and 80% for individuals, calculated 
under the definitions in the Health Reform Legislation and 
regulations), subject to state specific exceptions. Companies 
with medical loss ratios below these targets are required 
to rebate ratable portions of their premiums to their 
customers annually. The medical loss ratios that determine 
the size of the rebates will be measured by state, by group 
size and by licensed subsidiary. This disaggregation of 
insurance pools into much smaller pools will likely decrease 
the predictability of results for any given pool and could 

2012 FORM 10-K

17

lead to variation over time in the estimates of rebates 
owed in total. Effective in 2014, Medicare Advantage plans 
will be required to maintain a minimum medical loss ratio 
of 85%, although the rules expected to set forth the basis 
for calculating this medical loss ratio have not yet been 
issued. Some state Medicaid programs are also imposing 
medical loss ratio requirements on Medicaid managed care 
organizations, which generally require such plans to rebate 
ratable portions of their premiums to their state customers 
if they cannot demonstrate they have met the minimum 
medical loss ratios. Depending on our calculations of the 
medical loss ratios for each of our plans and the manner 
in which we adjust our business model in light of these 
requirements, there could be meaningful disruptions in 
local health care markets, and our market share, results 
of operations, financial position and cash flows could be 
materially and adversely affected.

In addition, the Health Reform Legislation requires the 
establishment of state-based health insurance exchanges 
for individuals and small employers by 2014. The types of 
exchange participation requirements ultimately enacted by 
each state, the availability of federal subsidies for premiums 
and cost-sharing reductions within exchanges, the potential 
for differential imposition of state benefit mandates inside 
and outside the exchanges, the operation of reinsurance, 
risk corridors and risk adjustment mechanisms inside and 
outside the exchanges and the possibility that certain states 
may restrict the ability of health plans to continue to offer 
coverage to individuals and small employers outside of the 
exchanges could result in disruptions in local health care 
markets and our results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.
The Health Reform Legislation also includes specific 
reforms for the individual and small group marketplace, 
scheduled to take effect in January 2014, including adjusted 
community rating requirements (which include elimination 
of health status and gender rating factors), essential health 
benefit requirements (expected to result in benefit changes 
for many members) and actuarial value requirements likely 
to result in expanded benefits or reduced member cost 
sharing (or a combination of both) for some policyholders. 
Although HHS issued proposed regulations related to these 
provisions in late 2012, the federal regulations are not 
yet final and most states have not issued implementing 
regulations or guidance with respect to these provisions. 
Depending on the timing and outcome of the final federal 
regulations and required state regulations or guidance, 
there could be disruptions in local health care markets and 
our results of operations, financial position and cash flows 
could be materially and adversely affected.

The Health Reform Legislation includes a “maintenance 
of effort” (MOE) provision that requires states to maintain 
their eligibility rules for adults covered by Medicaid, 
until the Secretary of HHS determines that an insurance 
exchange is operational in a given state, scheduled for 
January 2014, and for children covered by Medicaid or CHIP, 
through federal fiscal year 2019. States with, or projecting, 
a budget deficit may apply for an exception to the MOE 

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18

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

provision. If states are successful in obtaining MOE waivers 
and allow certain Medicaid programs to expire, we could 
experience reduced Medicaid enrollment, which could 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

Under the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2012 decision, state 

participation in the Health Reform Legislation’s Medicaid 
expansion is voluntary. Several states have indicated 
they may not expand their Medicaid programs based on 
concerns over costs when expanded federal funding pares 
down, starting in 2017. The extent to which states expand 
their Medicaid programs, or discontinue current expansion 
programs, could adversely impact our Medicaid enrollment 
levels, which could in turn materially and adversely affect 
our results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

Several of the provisions in the Health Reform Legislation 

will likely increase our medical cost trends. Examples of 
these provisions are the excise tax on medical devices, 
annual fees on prescription drug manufacturers, enhanced 
coverage requirements (including essential health benefit 
requirements and phased-in closing of the coverage gap 
for Medicare Part D participants), the prohibition of pre-
existing condition exclusions and the implementation 
of adjusted community rating requirements. The annual 
insurance industry assessment ($8 billion to be levied on 
the insurance industry in 2014 increasing to $14.3 billion 
by 2018 with increasing annual amounts thereafter), 
which is not deductible for income tax purposes, and the 
temporary reinsurer’s fee ($25 billion to be levied on all 
commercial lines of business including insured and self-
funded arrangements, over a three-year period starting 
in 2014), will increase our operating costs. Premium 
increases or benefit reductions will be necessary to offset 
the impact these and other provisions will have on our 
medical and operating costs. These premium increases 
are often subject to state regulatory approval, and the 
Federal government is encouraging states to intensify their 
reviews of requests for rate increases by commercial health 
plans and providing funding to assist in those state-level 
reviews. We have begun to experience greater regulatory 
challenges to appropriate premium rate increases in several 
states, including California and New York. In addition, 
as required under the Health Reform Legislation, HHS 
established a federal premium rate review process, which 
became effective in September 2011 and generally applies 
to proposed rate increases equal to or exceeding 10%. The 
regulations further require commercial health plans in the 
individual and small group markets to provide to the states 
and HHS extensive information supporting rate increases. If 
we are not able to secure approval for adequate premium 
increases to offset increases in our cost structure or if 
consumers forego coverage as a result of such premium 
increases, our margins, results of operations, financial 
position and cash flows could be materially and adversely 
affected. In addition, plans deemed to have a history of 
“unreasonable” rate increases may be prohibited from 
participating in the state-based exchanges that become 
active under the Health Reform Legislation in 2014. Under 

the regulations, the HHS rate review process would  
apply only to health plans in the individual and small  
group markets.

We also expect that implementation of the Health 

Reform Legislation will increase the demand for products 
and capabilities offered by our Optum businesses. We 
have made and will continue to make strategic decisions 
and investments based, in part, on these assumptions, 
and our results of operations, financial position and 
cash flows could be materially and adversely affected if 
fewer individuals gain coverage under the Health Reform 
Legislation than we expect or we are unable to attract 
these new individuals to our UnitedHealthcare offerings, or 
if the demand for our Optum businesses does not increase. 

Future regulatory or legislative action could further 
impact the implementation of Health Reform Legislation. 
For example, Congress may attempt to amend or withhold 
the funding necessary to implement the Health Reform 
Legislation. In addition, a number of state legislatures 
have enacted or are contemplating significant reforms of 
their health insurance markets, either independent of or 
to comply with or be eligible for grants or other incentives 
in connection with the Health Reform Legislation. 
New federal or state laws and regulations could force 
us to materially change how we do business and any 
amendment, withholding of funding, extended delays in 
the issuance of necessary federal and state implementing 
regulations or guidance or other uncertainty regarding the 
Health Reform Legislation could materially and adversely 
impact our ability to capitalize on the opportunities 
presented by the legislation or cause us to incur additional 
costs of compliance or reverse some of the changes we 
have already implemented. In addition, our market share, 
our results of operations, our financial position, including 
our ability to maintain the value of our goodwill, and our 
cash flows could be materially and adversely affected by 
legislative and regulatory changes. 

For additional information regarding the Health Reform 
Legislation, see Item 1, “Business - Government Regulation” 
and Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Executive 
Overview - Regulatory Trends and Uncertainties.” 

As a result of our participation in various government 
health care programs, both as a payer and as a service 
provider to payers, we are exposed to additional risks 
associated with program funding, enrollments, payment 
adjustments, audits and government investigations that 
could materially and adversely affect our business, results 
of operations, financial position and cash flows. 

We participate in various federal, state and local 

government health care coverage programs, including as 
a payer in Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, various 
Medicaid programs, CHIP and our TRICARE West contract 
with the DoD, and receive substantial revenues from these 
programs. We also provide services to payers through our 
Optum businesses. These programs generally are subject 
to frequent changes, including changes that may reduce 
the number of persons enrolled or eligible for coverage, 

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reduce the amount of reimbursement or payment levels, 
reduce our participation in certain service areas or markets, 
or increase our administrative or medical costs under such 
programs. Revenues for these programs are dependent 
upon periodic funding from the federal government 
or applicable state governments and allocation of the 
funding through various payment mechanisms. Funding 
for these government programs is dependent upon many 
factors outside of our control, including general economic 
conditions and budgetary constraints at the federal or 
applicable state level, and general political issues and 
priorities. For example, CMS has in the past reduced or 
frozen Medicare Advantage benchmarks and additional 
cuts to Medicare Advantage benchmarks are expected in 
the next few years. Although we have adjusted members’ 
benefits and premiums on a selective basis, terminated 
benefit plans in certain counties, and intensified both our 
medical and operating cost management in response to 
these benchmark reductions, there can be no assurance 
that we will be able to execute successfully on these 
or other strategies to address changes in the Medicare 
Advantage program. A reduction or less than expected 
increase, or a protracted delay, in government funding for 
these programs or change in allocation methodologies may 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

Under the Medicaid Managed Care program, state 

Medicaid agencies are periodically required by federal law 
to seek bids from eligible health plans to continue their 
participation in the acute care Medicaid health programs. 
If we are not successful in obtaining renewals of state 
Medicaid Managed Care contracts, we risk losing the 
members that were enrolled in those Medicaid plans. Under 
the Medicare Part D program, to qualify for automatic 
enrollment of low income members, our bids must result in 
an enrollee premium below a regional benchmark, which 
is calculated by the government after all regional bids 
are submitted. If the enrollee premium is not below the 
government benchmark, we risk losing the members who 
were auto-assigned to us and we will not have additional 
members auto-assigned to us. For example, we lost 
approximately 470,000 of our auto-enrolled low-income 
subsidy members in 2012 because certain of our bids 
exceeded thresholds set by the government. In general, 
our bids are based upon certain assumptions regarding 
enrollment, utilization, medical costs, and other factors. 
In the event any of these assumptions are materially 
incorrect, either as a result of unforeseen changes to the 
Medicare program or other programs on which we bid, or 
our competitors submit bids at lower rates than our bids, 
our results of operations, financial position and cash flows 
could be materially and adversely affected.

Many of the government health care coverage programs 
in which we participate are subject to the prior satisfaction 
of certain conditions or performance standards or 
benchmarks. For example, as part of the Health Reform 
Legislation, CMS has developed a system entitling plans 
that meet certain quality ratings at the local plan level to 

2012 FORM 10-K

19

various quality bonus payments. In addition, under the 
Health Reform Legislation, Congress authorized CMS and 
the states to implement MME managed care demonstration 
programs to serve dually eligible beneficiaries to improve 
the coordination of their care. Health plan participation in 
these demonstration programs is subject to CMS approval 
of specified care delivery models and the satisfaction of 
conditions to participation, including meeting certain 
performance requirements. Any changes in standards or 
care delivery models that apply to government health care 
programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and the MME 
demonstration programs for dually eligible beneficiaries, 
or our inability to meet government performance 
requirements or to match the performance of our 
competitors could result in limitations to our participation 
in or exclusion from these or other government programs, 
which in turn could materially and adversely affect our 
results of operations, financial position and cash flows. 
CMS uses various payment mechanisms to allocate 
funding for Medicare programs, including adjusting 
monthly capitation payments to Medicare Advantage 
plans and Medicare Part D plans according to the predicted 
health status of each beneficiary as supported by data 
from health care providers as well as, for Medicare Part 
D plans, risk-sharing provisions based on a comparison of 
costs predicted in our annual bids to actual prescription 
drug costs. Some state Medicaid programs utilize a similar 
process. For example, our UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement and UnitedHealthcare Community & State 
businesses submit information relating to the health status 
of enrollees to CMS or state agencies for purposes of 
determining the amount of certain payments to us. CMS 
and the Office of Inspector General for HHS periodically 
perform risk adjustment data validation (RADV) audits 
of selected Medicare health plans to validate the coding 
practices of and supporting documentation maintained by 
health care providers, and certain of our local plans have 
been audited. Such audits have in the past resulted and 
could in the future result in retrospective adjustments to 
payments made to our health plans, fines, corrective action 
plans or other adverse action by CMS. In February 2012, 
CMS published a final RADV audit and payment adjustment 
methodology. The methodology contains provisions 
allowing retroactive contract level payment adjustments for 
the year audited, beginning with 2011 payments, using an 
extrapolation of the “error rate” identified in audit samples 
and, for Medicare Advantage plans, after considering a 
fee-for-service (FFS) “error rate” adjuster that will be used 
in determining the payment adjustment. Depending on the 
plans selected for audit, if any, and the error rate found in 
those audits, if any, potential payment adjustments could 
have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

We have been and may in the future become involved in 

various governmental investigations, audits, reviews and 
assessments. These include routine, regular and special 
investigations, audits and reviews by CMS, state insurance 
and health and welfare departments, state attorneys 

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20

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

general, the OIG, the Office of Personnel Management, 
the Office of Civil Rights, the FTC, U.S. Congressional 
committees, the DOJ, U.S. Attorneys, the SEC, the CVM, the 
IRS, the SRF, the DOL, the FDIC and other governmental 
authorities. Certain of our businesses have been reviewed 
or are currently under review, including for, among other 
things, compliance with coding and other requirements 
under the Medicare risk-adjustment model. Such 
investigations, audits or reviews sometimes arise out of or 
prompt claims by private litigants or whistleblowers that, 
among other things, we failed to disclose certain business 
practices or, as a government contractor, submitted false 
claims to the government. Governmental investigations, 
audits, reviews and assessments could expand to subjects 
beyond those targeted by the original investigation, audit, 
review, assessment or private action and could lead to 
government actions, which could result in the assessment 
of damages, civil or criminal fines or penalties, or other 
sanctions, including restrictions or changes in the way 
we conduct business, loss of licensure or exclusion from 
participation in government programs, any of which could 
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. See Note 12 
of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included 
in Item 8, “Financial Statements” for a discussion of certain 
of these matters.

If we fail to comply with applicable privacy and security 
laws, regulations and standards, including with respect 
to third-party service providers that utilize sensitive 
personal information on our behalf, or if we fail to address 
emerging security threats or detect and prevent privacy 
and security incidents, our business, reputation, results 
of operations, financial position and cash flows could be 
materially and adversely affected. 

The collection, maintenance, protection, use, 
transmission, disclosure and disposal of sensitive 
personal information are regulated at the federal, state, 
international and industry levels and requirements are 
imposed on us by contracts with customers. These laws, 
rules and requirements are subject to change. Further, 
many of our businesses are subject to the Payment Card 
Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), which is a 
multifaceted security standard that is designed to protect 
credit card account data as mandated by payment card 
industry entities. See Item 1, “Business - Government 
Regulation” for additional information. HIPAA also requires 
business associates as well as covered entities to comply 
with certain privacy and security requirements. Even 
though we provide for appropriate protections through 
our contracts with our third-party service providers and 
in certain cases assess their security controls, we still have 
limited oversight or control over their actions and practices. 
Our facilities and systems and those of our third-party 
service providers may be vulnerable to privacy and security 
incidents; security attacks and breaches; acts of vandalism 
or theft; computer viruses; coordinated attacks by activist 
entities; emerging cybersecurity risks; misplaced or lost 
data; programming and/or human errors; or other similar 

events. Emerging and advanced security threats, including 
coordinated attacks, require additional layers of security 
which may disrupt or impact efficiency of operations. 
Compliance with new privacy and security laws, 
regulations and requirements may result in increased 
operating costs, and may constrain our ability to manage 
our business model. For example, final HHS regulations 
released in January 2013 implementing the ARRA 
amendments to HIPAA may further restrict our ability to 
collect, disclose and use sensitive personal information 
and may impose additional compliance requirements on 
our business. In addition, HHS has announced that it will 
continue its audit program to assess HIPAA compliance 
efforts by covered entities. Although we are not aware of 
HHS plans to audit any of our covered entities, an audit 
resulting in findings or allegations of noncompliance could 
have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows.

Noncompliance or findings of noncompliance with 
applicable laws, regulations or requirements, or the 
occurrence of any privacy or security breach involving the 
misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure 
of sensitive personal information, whether by us or by 
one of our third-party service providers, could have a 
material adverse effect on our reputation and business, 
including mandatory disclosure to the media, significant 
increases in the cost of managing and remediating privacy 
or security incidents and material fines, penalties and 
litigation awards, among other consequences, any of which 
could have a material and adverse effect on our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. 

Our businesses providing PBM services face regulatory 
and other risks and uncertainties associated with the PBM 
industry that may differ from the risks of our business of 
providing managed care and health insurance products. 
We provide PBM services through our OptumRx and 
UnitedHealthcare businesses. Each business is subject to 
federal and state anti-kickback and other laws that govern 
their relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, 
physicians, pharmacies, customers and consumers. OptumRx 
also conducts business as a mail order pharmacy and 
specialty pharmacy, which subjects it to extensive federal, 
state and local laws and regulations. In addition, federal 
and state legislatures regularly consider new regulations 
for the industry that could materially and adversely 
affect current industry practices, including the receipt or 
disclosure of rebates from pharmaceutical companies, 
the development and use of formularies, and the use 
of average wholesale prices. See Item 1, “Business - 
Government Regulation” for a discussion of various  
federal and state laws and regulations governing our  
PBM businesses.

Our PBM businesses would also be materially and 

adversely affected by an inability to contract on favorable 
terms with pharmaceutical manufacturers and other 
suppliers, and could face potential claims in connection 
with purported errors by our mail order or specialty 
pharmacies, including in connection with the risks inherent 

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in the packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals and 
other health care products. Disruptions at any of our mail 
order or specialty pharmacies due to an accident or an 
event that is beyond our control could affect our ability 
to timely process and dispense prescriptions and could 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows.

In addition, our PBM businesses provide services to 

sponsors of health benefit plans that are subject to ERISA. 
The DOL, which is the agency that enforces ERISA, could 
assert that the fiduciary obligations imposed by the 
statute apply to some or all of the services provided by our 
PBM businesses even where our PBM businesses are not 
contractually obligated to assume fiduciary obligations. 
In the event a court were to determine that fiduciary 
obligations apply to our PBM businesses in connection with 
services for which our PBM businesses are not contractually 
obligated to assume fiduciary obligations, we could be 
subject to claims for breaches of fiduciary obligations or 
entering into certain prohibited transactions.

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual recently began to 
transition pharmacy benefit management for approximately 
12 million of its commercial members, including pharmacy 
claims adjudication and customer service, from Express 
Scripts’ subsidiary, Medco Health Solutions, Inc., to OptumRx. 
If our customers are not satisfied with our pharmacy 
benefit management services as a result of this transition, 
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual could face loss 
of business, which could adversely impact our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows.

If we fail to compete effectively to maintain or increase 
our market share, including maintaining or increasing 
enrollments in businesses providing health benefits, our 
results of operations, financial position and cash flows 
could be materially and adversely affected. 

Our businesses compete throughout the United States 
and face significant competition in all of the geographic 
markets in which we operate. We compete with other 
companies on the basis of many factors, including price 
of benefits offered and cost and risk of alternatives, 
location and choice of health care providers, quality of 
customer service, comprehensiveness of coverage offered, 
reputation for quality care, financial stability and diversity 
of product offerings. For our UnitedHealthcare businesses, 
competitors include Aetna Inc., Cigna Corporation, 
Coventry Health Care, Inc., Health Net, Inc., Humana Inc., 
Kaiser Permanente, WellPoint, Inc., numerous for-profit 
and not-for-profit organizations operating under licenses 
from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and, with 
respect to our Brazilian operations, several established 
competitors in Brazil, and other enterprises that serve more 
limited geographic areas. For our OptumRx businesses, 
competitors include CVS Caremark Corporation, Express 
Scripts, Inc. and Catamaran Corporation. Our OptumHealth 
and OptumInsight reportable segments also compete with 
a broad and diverse set of businesses.

In particular markets, competitors may have greater 
capabilities, resources or market share; a more established 

2012 FORM 10-K

21

reputation; superior supplier or health care professional 
arrangements; better existing business relationships; or 
other factors that give such competitors a competitive 
advantage. In addition, significant merger and acquisition 
activity has occurred in the industries in which we operate, 
both among our competitors and suppliers (including 
hospitals, physician groups and other care professionals). 
Consolidation may make it more difficult for us to retain 
or increase our customer base, improve the terms on 
which we do business with our suppliers, or maintain or 
increase profitability. If we do not compete effectively 
in our markets, if we set rates too high or too low in 
highly competitive markets, if we do not design and 
price our products properly and competitively, if we are 
unable to innovate and deliver products and services that 
demonstrate value to our customers, if we do not provide a 
satisfactory level of services, if membership or demand for 
other services does not increase as we expect or declines, 
or if we lose accounts with more profitable products while 
retaining or increasing membership in accounts with less 
profitable products, our business, results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows could be materially and 
adversely affected.

If we fail to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships 
with physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers, 
our business could be materially and adversely affected. 
We contract with physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical 
benefit service providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, 
and other health care providers for services. Our results 
of operations and prospects are substantially dependent 
on our continued ability to contract for these services 
at competitive prices. Failure to develop and maintain 
satisfactory relationships with health care providers, 
whether in-network or out-of-network, could materially 
and adversely affect our business, results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows.

In any particular market, physicians and health care 

providers could refuse to contract, demand higher 
payments, or take other actions that could result in higher 
medical costs, less desirable products for customers or 
difficulty meeting regulatory or accreditation requirements. 
In some markets, certain health care providers, particularly 
hospitals, physician/hospital organizations or multi-specialty 
physician groups, may have significant market positions 
or near monopolies that could result in diminished 
bargaining power on our part. In addition, accountable 
care organizations (ACOs), practice management 
companies, which aggregate physician practices for 
administrative efficiency and marketing leverage, and other 
organizational structures that physicians, hospitals and 
other care providers choose may change the way that these 
providers interact with us and may change the competitive 
landscape. Such organizations or groups of physicians 
may compete directly with us, which may impact our 
relationships with these providers or affect the way that we 
price our products and estimate our costs and may require 
us to incur costs to change our operations, and our results 
of operations, financial position and cash flows could be 

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22

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

adversely affected. In addition, if these providers refuse 
to contract with us, use their market position to negotiate 
favorable contracts or place us at a competitive disadvantage, 
our ability to market products or to be profitable in those 
areas could be materially and adversely affected. 

We have capitation arrangements with some physicians, 

hospitals and other health care providers. Capitation 
arrangements limit our exposure to the risk of increasing 
medical costs, but expose us to risk related to the adequacy 
of the financial and medical care resources of the health 
care provider. To the extent that a capitated health 
care provider organization faces financial difficulties or 
otherwise is unable to perform its obligations under the 
capitation arrangement, we may be held responsible 
for unpaid health care claims that should have been 
the responsibility of the capitated health care provider 
and for which we have already paid the provider under 
the capitation arrangement. Further, payment or other 
disputes between a primary care provider and specialists 
with whom the primary care provider contracts can result 
in a disruption in the provision of services to our members 
or a reduction in the services available to our members. 
There can be no assurance that health care providers 
with whom we contract will properly manage the costs of 
services, maintain financial solvency or avoid disputes with 
other providers. Any of these events could have a material 
adverse effect on the provision of services to our members 
and our operations. 

Some providers that render services to our members 
do not have contracts with us. In those cases, we do not 
have a pre-established understanding about the amount 
of compensation that is due to the provider for services 
rendered to our members. In some states, the amount of 
compensation due to these out-of-network providers is 
defined by law or regulation, but in most instances, it is 
either not defined or it is established by a standard that 
does not clearly specify dollar terms. In some instances, 
providers may believe that they are underpaid for their 
services and may either litigate or arbitrate their dispute 
with us or try to recover from our members the difference 
between what we have paid them and the amount they 
charged us. For example, we are involved in litigation 
with out-of-network providers, as described in more 
detail in “Litigation Matters” in Note 12 of Notes to the 
Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, 
“Financial Statements.” 

The success of certain Optum businesses, particularly 
Collaborative Care, depends on maintaining satisfactory 
physician relationships. The primary care physicians that 
practice medicine or contract with our affiliated physician 
organizations could terminate their provider contracts 
or otherwise become unable or unwilling to continue 
practicing medicine or contracting with us. If we are unable 
to maintain satisfactory relationships with primary care 
physicians, or to retain enrollees following the departure of 
a physician, our revenues could be materially and adversely 
affected. In addition, our affiliated physician organizations 
contract with health insurance and HMO competitors of 

UnitedHealthcare. If our affiliated physician organizations 
fail to maintain relationships with these health insurance  
or HMO companies, or to adequately price their contracts 
with these third party payers, our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows could be materially and 
adversely affected. 

In addition, physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical 

benefit service providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, 
and certain health care providers are customers of our 
Optum businesses. Given the importance of health care 
providers and other constituents to our businesses, failure 
to maintain satisfactory relationships with them could 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

Because of the nature of our business, we are routinely 
subject to various litigation actions, which could damage 
our reputation and, if resolved unfavorably, could result 
in substantial penalties and/or monetary damages and 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows.

Because of the nature of our business, we are routinely 
made party to a variety of legal actions related to, among 
other things, the design, management and delivery of our 
product and service offerings. These matters have included 
or could in the future include claims related to health care 
benefits coverage and payment (including disputes with 
enrollees, customers, and contracted and non-contracted 
physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals), 
tort (including claims related to the delivery of health 
care services, such as medical malpractice by health care 
practitioners who are employed by us, have contractual 
relationships with us, or serve as providers to our managed 
care networks), contract and labor disputes, tax claims and 
claims related to disclosure of certain business practices. We 
are also party to certain class action lawsuits brought by 
health care professional groups and consumers. In addition, 
we periodically acquire businesses or commence operations 
in jurisdictions outside of the United States, where 
contractual rights, tax positions and applicable regulations 
may be subject to interpretation or uncertainty to a 
greater degree than in the United States, and therefore 
subject to dispute by customers, government authorities or 
others. We are largely self-insured with regard to litigation 
risks. Although we maintain excess liability insurance 
with outside insurance carriers for claims in excess of our 
self-insurance, certain types of damages, such as punitive 
damages in some circumstances, are not covered by 
insurance. We record liabilities for our estimates of the 
probable costs resulting from self-insured matters; however, 
it is possible that the level of actual losses will significantly 
exceed the liabilities recorded.  

A description of significant legal actions in which we 
are currently involved is included in Note 12 of Notes to 
the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, 
“Financial Statements.” We cannot predict the outcome of 
these actions with certainty, and we are incurring expenses 
in resolving these matters. The legal actions we face or may 
face in the future could further increase our cost of doing 

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business and materially and adversely affect our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. In addition, 
certain legal actions could result in adverse publicity, which 
could damage our reputation and materially and adversely 
affect our ability to retain our current business or grow our 
market share in select markets and businesses.

Any failure by us to successfully manage our strategic 
alliances or complete, manage or integrate acquisitions 
and other significant strategic transactions could materially 
and adversely affect our business, prospects, results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. 

As part of our business strategy, we frequently engage 

in discussions with third parties regarding possible 
investments, acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances, 
joint ventures, and outsourcing transactions and often 
enter into agreements relating to such transactions. For 
example, we have a strategic alliance with AARP under 
which we provide AARP-branded Medicare Supplement 
insurance to AARP members and other AARP-branded 
products and services to both AARP members and non-
members. If we fail to meet the needs of AARP and its 
members, including by developing additional products and 
services, pricing our products and services competitively 
or responding effectively to applicable federal and state 
regulatory changes, our alliance with the AARP could be 
damaged or terminated, which in turn could adversely 
impact our reputation, business and results of operations. 
Further, if we fail to identify and complete successfully 
transactions that further our strategic objectives, we may 
be required to expend resources to develop products 
and technology internally, we may be at a competitive 
disadvantage or we may be adversely affected by negative 
market perceptions, any of which may have a material 
adverse effect on our results of operations, financial 
position or cash flows. For acquisitions, success is also 
dependent upon efficiently integrating the acquired 
business into our existing operations. We are required 
to integrate these businesses into our internal control 
environment, which may present challenges that are 
different than those presented by organic growth and that 
may be difficult to manage. If we are unable to successfully 
integrate and grow these acquisitions and to realize 
contemplated revenue synergies and cost savings, our 
business, prospects, results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. 

As we continue to expand our business outside the 
United States, acquired foreign businesses, such as Amil, 
will present challenges that are different from those 
presented by acquisitions of domestic businesses, including 
adapting to new markets, business, labor and cultural 
practices and regulatory environments that are materially 
different from what we have experienced in our U.S. 
operations. For more information on the Amil acquisition, 
see Note 6 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.” 
Adapting to these challenges could require us to devote 
significant senior management and other resources to the 
acquired businesses before we realize anticipated benefits 

2012 FORM 10-K

23

or synergies from the acquired businesses. These challenges 
vary widely by country and may include political instability, 
government intervention, discriminatory regulation, and 
currency exchange controls or other restrictions that could 
prevent us from transferring funds from these operations 
out of the countries in which our acquired businesses 
operate or converting local currencies that we hold 
into U.S. dollars or other currencies. If we are unable to 
successfully manage our foreign acquisitions, our business, 
prospects, results of operations and financial position could 
be materially and adversely affected. 

Additionally, foreign currency exchange rates and 
fluctuations may have an impact on our shareholders’ 
equity from period to period, which could adversely affect 
our debt to debt-plus-equity ratio, and the future costs 
of or revenues and cash flows from our international 
operations, and any measures we may implement to reduce 
the effect of volatile currencies may be costly or ineffective.   

Sales of our products and services are dependent on our 
ability to attract, retain and provide support to a network 
of independent producers and consultants. 

Our products are sold in part through independent 
producers and consultants who assist in the production 
and servicing of business. We typically do not have long-
term contracts with our producers and consultants, who 
generally are not exclusive to us and who typically also 
recommend and/or market health care products and 
services of our competitors. As a result, we must compete 
intensely for their services and allegiance. Our sales would 
be materially and adversely affected if we were unable to 
attract or retain independent producers and consultants 
or if we do not adequately provide support, training and 
education to them regarding our product portfolio, or 
if our sales strategy is not appropriately aligned across 
distribution channels. 

Because producer commissions are included as 
administrative expenses under the medical loss ratio 
requirements of the Health Reform Legislation, these 
expenses will be under the same cost reduction pressures as 
other administrative costs. Our relationships with producers 
could be materially and adversely impacted by changes in 
our business practices and the nature of our relationships to 
address these pressures, including potential reductions  
in commissions. 

In addition, there have been a number of investigations 

regarding the marketing practices of producers selling 
health care products and the payments they receive. These 
have resulted in enforcement actions against companies 
in our industry and producers marketing and selling these 
companies’ products. These investigations and enforcement 
actions could result in penalties and the imposition 
of corrective action plans, which could materially and 
adversely impact our ability to market our products.

Unfavorable economic conditions could materially and 
adversely affect our revenues and our results of operations. 
Unfavorable economic conditions may impact demand 
for certain of our products and services. For example, high 
unemployment rates have caused and could continue to 

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24

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

cause lower enrollment or lower rates of renewal in our 
employer group plans and our non-employer individual 
plans. Unfavorable economic conditions have also caused 
and could continue to cause employers to stop offering 
certain health care coverage as an employee benefit or 
elect to offer this coverage on a voluntary, employee-
funded basis as a means to reduce their operating costs. 
In addition, unfavorable economic conditions could 
adversely impact our ability to increase premiums or result 
in the cancellation by certain customers of our products 
and services. All of these could lead to a decrease in 
our membership levels and premium and fee revenues 
and could materially and adversely affect our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. 

During a prolonged unfavorable economic environment, 

state and federal budgets could be materially and 
adversely affected, resulting in reduced reimbursements 
or payments in our federal and state government health 
care coverage programs, including Medicare, Medicaid 
and CHIP. A reduction in state Medicaid reimbursement 
rates could be implemented retrospectively to payments 
already negotiated and/or received from the government 
and could materially and adversely affect our results of 
operations, financial position and cash flows. In addition, 
the state and federal budgetary pressures could cause the 
government to impose new or a higher level of taxes or 
assessments for our commercial programs, such as premium 
taxes on insurance companies and health maintenance 
organizations and surcharges or fees on select fee-for-
service and capitated medical claims, and could materially 
and adversely affect our results of operations, financial 
position and cash flows. 

In addition, a prolonged unfavorable economic 

environment could adversely impact the financial position 
of hospitals and other care providers, which could 
materially and adversely affect our contracted rates with 
these parties and increase our medical costs or materially 
and adversely affect their ability to purchase our service 
offerings. Further, unfavorable economic conditions could 
adversely impact the customers of our Optum businesses, 
including health plans, HMOs, hospitals, care providers, 
employers and others, which could, in turn, materially and 
adversely affect Optum’s financial results.

Our investment portfolio may suffer losses, which could 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

Market fluctuations could impair our profitability and 

capital position. Volatility in interest rates affects our 
interest income and the market value of our investments 
in debt securities of varying maturities, which comprise 
the vast majority of the fair value of our investments as 
of December 31, 2012. Relatively low interest rates on 
investments, such as those experienced during recent years, 
have adversely impacted our investment income, and a 
prolonged low interest rate environment could further 
adversely affect our investment income. In addition, a 
delay in payment of principal and/or interest by issuers, or 
defaults by issuers (primarily from investments in corporate 

and municipal bonds), could reduce our net investment 
income and we may be required to write down the value 
of our investments, which could materially and adversely 
affect our profitability and shareholders’ equity. 

We also allocate a small proportion of our portfolio 

to equity investments, which are subject to greater 
volatility than fixed income investments. General economic 
conditions, stock market conditions, and many other factors 
beyond our control can materially and adversely affect 
the value of our equity investments and may result in 
investment losses. 

There can be no assurance that our investments will 

produce total positive returns or that we will not sell 
investments at prices that are less than their carrying 
values. Changes in the value of our investment assets, 
as a result of interest rate fluctuations, changes in issuer 
financial conditions, illiquidity or otherwise, could have 
an adverse effect on our shareholders’ equity. In addition, 
if it became necessary for us to liquidate our investment 
portfolio on an accelerated basis, it could have a material 
adverse effect on our results of operations and the capital 
position of regulated subsidiaries. 

If the value of our intangible assets is materially impaired, 
our results of operations, shareholders’ equity and debt 
ratings could be materially and adversely affected. 

Goodwill and other intangible assets were $36.0 billion 

as of December 31, 2012, representing 44% of our total 
consolidated assets. We periodically evaluate our goodwill 
and other intangible assets to determine whether all or a 
portion of their carrying values may be impaired, in which 
case a charge to earnings may be necessary. For example, 
the manner in or the extent to which the Health Reform 
Legislation is implemented may impact our ability to 
maintain the value of our goodwill and other intangible 
assets in our business. Similarly, the value of our goodwill 
may be materially and adversely impacted if businesses 
that we acquire perform in a manner that is inconsistent 
with our assumptions. In addition, from time to time we 
divest businesses, and any such divestiture could result 
in significant asset impairment and disposition charges, 
including those related to goodwill and other intangible 
assets. Any future evaluations requiring an impairment of 
our goodwill and other intangible assets could materially 
and adversely affect our results of operations and 
shareholders’ equity in the period in which the impairment 
occurs. A material decrease in shareholders’ equity could, 
in turn, adversely impact our debt ratings or potentially 
impact our compliance with our debt covenants. 

If we fail to properly maintain the integrity or availability 
of our data or to strategically implement new or upgrade 
or consolidate existing information systems, or if our 
technology products do not operate as intended, our 
business could be materially and adversely affected. 
Our ability to adequately price our products and 

services, to provide effective service to our customers in 
an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, and to accurately 
report our results of operations depends on the integrity 
of the data in our information systems. As a result of 

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technology initiatives and recently enacted regulations, 
changes in our system platforms and integration of 
new business acquisitions, we periodically consolidate, 
integrate, upgrade and expand our information systems 
capabilities. Our information systems require an ongoing 
commitment of significant resources to maintain, protect 
and enhance existing systems and develop new systems 
to keep pace with continuing changes in information 
processing technology, evolving systems and regulatory 
standards, emerging cybersecurity risks and threats, and 
changing customer patterns. If the information we rely 
upon to run our businesses was found to be inaccurate 
or unreliable or if we fail to maintain or protect our 
information systems and data integrity effectively, we 
could lose existing customers, have difficulty attracting 
new customers, have problems in determining medical 
cost estimates and establishing appropriate pricing, have 
difficulty preventing, detecting and controlling fraud, 
have disputes with customers, physicians and other health 
care professionals, have regulatory sanctions or penalties 
imposed, have increases in operating expenses or suffer 
other adverse consequences. There can be no assurance 
that our process of consolidating the number of systems we 
operate, upgrading and expanding our information systems 
capabilities, protecting our systems against cybersecurity 
risks and threats, enhancing our systems and developing 
new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in 
information processing technology will be successful or 
that additional systems issues will not arise in the future. 
Failure to protect, consolidate and integrate our systems 
successfully could result in higher than expected costs and 
diversion of management’s time and energy, which could 
materially and adversely affect our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows. 

Certain of our businesses sell and install hardware 
and software products, and these products may contain 
unexpected design defects or may encounter unexpected 
complications during installation or when used with other 
technologies utilized by the customer. Connectivity among 
competing technologies is becoming increasingly important 
in the health care industry. A failure of our technology 
products to operate as intended and in a seamless fashion 
with other products could materially and adversely affect 
our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. 
In addition, uncertain and rapidly evolving U.S. federal 
and state, non-U.S. and international laws and regulations 
related to the health information technology market may 
present compliance challenges and could materially and 
adversely affect the configuration of our information 
systems and platforms, and our ability to compete in  
this market.

If we are not able to protect our proprietary rights to our 
databases and related products, our ability to market our 
knowledge and information-related businesses could be 
hindered and our results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. 

We rely on our agreements with customers, 

confidentiality agreements with employees, and our 

2012 FORM 10-K

25

trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and patents to 
protect our proprietary rights. These legal protections 
and precautions may not prevent misappropriation of 
our proprietary information. In addition, substantial 
litigation regarding intellectual property rights exists in the 
software industry, and we expect software products to be 
increasingly subject to third-party infringement claims as 
the number of products and competitors in this industry 
segment grows. Such litigation and misappropriation of our 
proprietary information could hinder our ability to market 
and sell products and services and our results of operations, 
financial position and cash flows could be materially and 
adversely affected. 

Our ability to obtain funds from some of our subsidiaries 
is restricted and if we are unable to obtain sufficient funds 
from our subsidiaries to fund our obligations, our results of 
operations and financial position could be materially and 
adversely affected. 

Because we operate as a holding company, we are 
dependent upon dividends and administrative expense 
reimbursements from some of our subsidiaries to fund 
our obligations. Many of these subsidiaries are regulated 
by departments of insurance. We are also required by law 
or regulation to maintain specific prescribed minimum 
amounts of capital in these subsidiaries. The levels of 
capitalization required depend primarily upon the 
volume of premium revenues generated by the applicable 
subsidiary. A significant increase in premium volume will 
require additional capitalization from us. In most states, 
we are required to seek prior approval by these state 
regulatory authorities before we transfer money or pay 
dividends from these subsidiaries that exceed specified 
amounts. An inability of our regulated subsidiaries to 
pay dividends to their parent companies in the desired 
amounts or at the time of our choosing could adversely 
affect our ability to reinvest in our business through capital 
expenditures or business acquisitions, as well as our ability 
to maintain our corporate quarterly dividend payment 
cycle, repurchase shares of our common stock and repay 
our debt. If we are unable to obtain sufficient funds from 
our subsidiaries to fund our obligations, our results of 
operations and financial position could be materially and 
adversely affected. 

Downgrades in our credit ratings, should they occur, may 
adversely affect our business, financial condition and 
results of operations. 

Claims paying ability, financial strength, and credit 

ratings by Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating 
Organizations are important factors in establishing the 
competitive position of insurance companies. Ratings 
information is broadly disseminated and generally used 
throughout the industry. We believe our claims paying 
ability and financial strength ratings are important factors 
in marketing our products to certain of our customers. Our 
credit ratings impact both the cost and availability of future 
borrowings. Each of the credit rating agencies reviews its 
ratings periodically and there can be no assurance that 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   25

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26

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

current credit ratings will be maintained in the future. Our 
ratings reflect each credit rating agency’s opinion of our 
financial strength, operating performance and ability to 
meet our debt obligations or obligations to policyholders. 
Downgrades in our credit ratings, should they occur, may 
adversely affect our results of operations, financial position 
and cash flows.

ITEM 1B. 

Unresolved Staff Comments 

None. 

ITEM  2. 

Properties 

To support our business operations in the United States 
and other countries we own and lease real properties. Our 
various reportable segments use these facilities for their 
respective business purposes, and we believe these current 
facilities are suitable for their respective uses and are 
adequate for our anticipated future needs.

ITEM 3. 

Legal Proceedings

See Note 12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.”

ITEM  4. 

Mine Safety Disclosures

N/A

PART II 

ITEM 5. 

  Market For Registrant’s Common 
Equity, Related Stockholder 
Matters And Issuer Purchases Of 
Equity Securities 

MARKET PRICES 
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock 
Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol UNH. On January 31, 
2013, there were 15,204 registered holders of record of our 
common stock. The per share high and low common stock 
sales prices reported by the NYSE were as follows: 

2013 
First quarter 
(through February 6, 2013)

High 
$57.83 

Low 
$51.36 

Cash 
Dividends 
Declared
$0.2125 

2012
First quarter 
Second quarter 
Third quarter 
Fourth quarter 

2011
First quarter 
Second quarter 
Third quarter 
Fourth quarter 

$59.43 
$60.75 
$59.31 
$58.29 

$49.82 
$53.78 
$50.32 
$51.09 

$0.1625
$0.2125
$0.2125
$0.2125

$45.75 
$52.64 
$53.50 
$51.71 

$36.37 
$43.30 
$41.27 
$41.32 

$0.1250
$0.1625
$0.1625
$0.1625

DIVIDEND POLICY 
In June 2012, our Board of Directors increased our cash 
dividend on common stock to an annual dividend rate of 
$0.85 per share, paid quarterly. Since May 2011, we had 
paid an annual cash dividend on common stock of $0.65 
per share, distributed quarterly. Declaration and payment 
of future quarterly dividends is at the discretion of the 
Board and may be adjusted as business needs or market 
conditions change. 

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2012 FORM 10-K

27

ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities (a)
Fourth Quarter 2012

For the Month Ended 

October 31, 2012 
November 30, 2012 
December 31, 2012 
Total 

Total Number 
of Shares 
Purchased 

(in millions) 

— 
— 
9  
9 

Average Price 
Paid per Share 

$ 

$ 

— 
— 
54 
54 

Total Number of 
Shares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly 
Announced Plans 
or Programs 

Maximum Number
of Shares That May
Yet Be Purchased
Under The Plans
or Programs

(in millions) 
— 
— 
9 
9

(in millions)
94
94
85

(a)   In November 1997, our Board of Directors adopted a share repurchase program, which the Board evaluates periodically. 
In June 2012, the Board renewed and expanded our share repurchase program with an authorization to repurchase up 
to 110 million shares of our common stock in open market purchases or other types of transactions (including prepaid or 
structured repurchase programs). There is no established expiration date for the program. 

UNREGISTERED SALE OF EQUITY SECURITIES
On November 2, 2012, we issued and sold, in reliance on 
Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 
8 million shares of our common stock to CSHG 1122 
FUNDO DE INVESTIMENTO MULTIMERCADO - CRÉDITO 
PRIVADO INVESTIMENTO NO EXTERIOR, a fund wholly 
beneficially owned by Dr. Edson de Godoy Bueno, a 
member of our Board of Directors. We received net 
proceeds of approximately $470 million in cash and did 
not pay underwriting or placement discounts or fees in the 
transaction. Dr. Bueno has agreed to hold the shares for five 
years from the date of sale, subject to certain exceptions.

PERFORMANCE GRAPHS 
The following two performance graphs compare our 
total return to shareholders with the returns of indexes 
of other specified companies and the S&P 500 Index. 
The first graph compares the cumulative five-year total 
return to shareholders on our common stock relative to 

the cumulative total returns of the S&P 500 index and a 
customized peer group of certain Fortune 50 companies 
(the “Fortune 50 Group”), for the five-year period ended 
December 31, 2012. The second graph compares our 
cumulative total return to shareholders with the S&P 500 
Index and an index of a group of peer companies selected 
by us for the five-year period ended December 31, 2012. We 
are not included in either the Fortune 50 Group index in 
the first graph or the peer group index in the second graph. 
In calculating the cumulative total shareholder return of 
the indexes, the shareholder returns of the Fortune 50 
Group companies in the first graph and the peer group 
companies in the second graph are weighted according 
to the stock market capitalizations of the companies 
at January 1 of each year. The comparisons assume the 
investment of $100 on December 31, 2007 in our common 
stock and in each index, and that dividends were reinvested 
when paid. 

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28

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Fortune 50 Group 
The Fortune 50 Group consists of the following companies: American International Group, Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc., 
Cardinal Health, Inc., Citigroup Inc., General Electric Company, International Business Machines Corporation and Johnson & 
Johnson. Although there are differences in terms of size and industry, like UnitedHealth Group, all of these companies are 
large multi-segment companies using a well-defined operating model in one or more broad sectors of the economy. 

CoMpArISon oF 5 YeAr CuMuLAtIVe totAL return
Among unitedHealth Group, the S&p 500 Index, and Fortune 50 Group

$120

$100

$80

$60

$40

$20

$0

12/07

12/08

12/09

12/10

12/11

12/12

UnitedHealth Group

S&P 500

Fortune 50

UnitedHealth Group 
S&P 500 Index 
Fortune 50 Group 

12/07 

12/08 

$  100.00 
100.00 
100.00 

$ 

45.74 
63.00 
52.66 

$ 

12/09 
52.49 
79.67 
58.88 

$ 

12/10 
62.93 
91.67 
69.57 

$ 

12/11 

89.48 
93.61 
69.55 

$ 

12/12

97.17
108.59
82.41

The stock price performance included in this graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance. 

peer Group 
The companies included in our peer group are Aetna Inc., Cigna Corporation, Coventry Health Care, Inc., Humana Inc. and 
WellPoint, Inc. We believe that this peer group reflects publicly traded peers to our UnitedHealthcare businesses. 

CoMpArISon oF 5 YeAr CuMuLAtIVe totAL return
Among unitedHealth Group, the S&p 500 Index, and a peer Group

$120

$100

$80

$60

$40

$20

$0

12/07

12/08

12/09

12/10

12/11

12/12

UnitedHealth Group

S&P 500

Peer Group

UnitedHealth Group 
S&P 500 Index 
Peer Group 

12/07 

12/08 

$  100.00 
100.00 
100.00 

$ 

45.74 
63.00 
44.58 

$ 

12/09 
52.49 
79.67 
60.73 

$ 

12/10 
62.93 
91.67 
62.11 

$ 

12/11 

89.48 
93.61 
80.06 

$ 

12/12

97.17
108.59
83.33

The stock price performance included in this graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   28

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ITEM 6. 

Selected Financial Data 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 

(In millions, except percentages and per share data) 
Consolidated operating results

Revenues 
Earnings from operations 
Net earnings 
Return on shareholders’ equity (a) 
Basic earnings per share attributable to  
  UnitedHealth Group common shareholders 
Diluted earnings per share attributable to  
   UnitedHealth Group common shareholders 
Cash dividends declared per common share 

Consolidated cash flows from (used for) 

Operating activities 
Investing activities 
Financing activities 

Consolidated financial condition

(As of December 31)
Cash and investments 
Total assets 
Total commercial paper and long-term debt 
Shareholders’ equity 
Debt to debt-plus-equity ratio 

2012 FORM 10-K

29

2012 

For the Years Ended December 31,
2009 
2010 
2011 

2008

$ 110,618 
9,254 
5,526 

$ 101,862 
8,464 
5,142 

$  94,155 
7,864 
4,634 

$  87,138 
6,359 
3,822 

$  81,186
5,263
2,977

18.7% 

18.9% 

18.7% 

17.3% 

14.9%

$ 

5.38 

$ 

4.81 

$ 

4.14 

$ 

3.27 

$ 

2.45

5.28 
  0.8000 

4.73 
  0.6125 

4.10 
  0.4050 

3.24 
  0.0300 

2.40
  0.0300

$  7,155 
(8,649) 
471 

$  6,968 
(4,172) 
(2,490) 

$  6,273 
(5,339) 
(1,611) 

$  5,625 
(976) 
(2,275) 

$  4,238
(5,072)
(605)

$  29,148 
  80,885 
  16,754 
  31,178 

$  28,172 
  67,889 
  11,638 
  28,292 

$  25,902 
  63,063 
  11,142 
  25,825 

$  24,350 
  59,045 
  11,173 
  23,606 

$  21,575
  55,815
  12,794
  20,780

35.0% 

29.1% 

30.1% 

32.1% 

38.1%

(a)   Return on equity is calculated as net earnings divided by average equity. Average equity is calculated using the equity 

balance at the end of the preceding year and the equity balances at the end of the four quarters of the year presented.  

Financial Highlights should be read with the accompanying Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition 
and Results of Operations in Item 7 and the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.”

ITEM 7. 

  Management’s Discussion And 
Analysis Of Financial Condition  
And Results Of Operations

The following discussion should be read together with the 
accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes 
to the Consolidated Financial Statements thereto. Readers 
are cautioned that the statements, estimates, projections 
or outlook contained in this report, including discussions 
regarding financial prospects, economic conditions, trends 
and uncertainties contained in this Item 7, may constitute 
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the 
PSLRA. These forward-looking statements involve risks 
and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to 
differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-
looking statements. A description of some of the risks and 
uncertainties can be found further below in this Item 7 and 
in Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”  

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW 

GEnEral
UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-being 
company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives 
and making health care work better. We offer a broad 
spectrum of products and services through two distinct 
platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health 
care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which 
provides information and technology-enabled health 
services. Further information on our business is included in 
Item 1, “Business” and additional information on the our 
segments can be found in this Item 7 and in Note 13 to the 
Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8, “Financial 
Statements.”

rEvEnuEs
Our revenues are primarily comprised of premiums derived 
from risk-based health insurance arrangements in which 
the premium is typically at a fixed rate per individual served 

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30

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

for a one-year period, and we assume the economic risk 
of funding our customers’ health care benefits and related 
administrative costs. We also generate revenues from fee-
based services performed for customers that self-insure 
the health care costs of their employees and employees’ 
dependants. For both risk-based and fee-based health 
care benefit arrangements, we provide coordination and 
facilitation of medical services; transaction processing; 
health care professional services; and access to contracted 
networks of physicians, hospitals and other health care 
professionals. We also generate service revenues from our 
Optum businesses relating to care management, consumer 
engagement and support, distribution of benefits and 
services, health financial services, operational services and 
support, health care information technology and pharmacy 
services. Product revenues are mainly comprised of products 
sold by our pharmacy benefit management business. We 
derive investment income primarily from interest earned on 
our investments in debt securities; investment income also 
includes gains or losses when investment securities are sold, 
or other-than-temporarily impaired.

Pricing Trends. We seek to price our products consistent 
with anticipated underlying medical trends, while balancing 
growth, margins, competitive dynamics, cost increases 
for the industry fees and tax provisions of Health Reform 
Legislation and premium rebates at the local market level. 
We endeavor to sustain a commercial medical care ratio in 
a stable range for an equivalent mix of business. Changes in 
business mix and Health Reform Legislation may impact our 
premiums, medical costs and medical care ratio. Further, 
we continue to expect premium rates to be under pressure 
through continued market competition in commercial 
products and government payment rates. Aggregating 
UnitedHealthcare’s businesses, we expect the medical care 
ratio to rise over time as we continue to grow in the senior 
and public markets and participate in the health benefit 
exchange market in 2014.

In the commercial market segment, we expect pricing to 
continue to be highly competitive in 2013. We plan to hold 
to our pricing disciplines and, considering the competitive 
environment and persistently weak employment and new 
business formation rates, we expect continued pressure on 
our commercial risk-based product membership in 2013. 
Additionally, self-insured membership as a percent of total 
commercial membership is expected to continue to increase 
at a modest pace in 2013 and beyond, due in part to the 
emerging popularity of midsize employers moving to self-
funded arrangements.

In government programs, we are seeing continuing 

rate pressures, and rate changes for some Medicaid 
programs are slightly negative. Unlike in prior years, recent 
Medicaid reductions have generally not been mitigated 
by corresponding benefit reductions or care provider fee 
schedule reductions by the state sponsor. We continue 
to take a prudent, market-sustainable posture for both 
new bids and maintenance of existing Medicaid contracts. 
Medicare funding is similarly pressured; see further 
discussion below in “Regulatory Trends and Uncertainties.” 

We expect these factors to result in pressure on gross 
margin percentages for our Medicare and Medicaid 
programs in 2013.

In 2013, UnitedHealthcare created a new affordable 

“Basic Plan” for Medicare Part D consumers and reclassified 
its large 4 million member Medicare Part D plan to an 
“Enhanced Plan” status with CMS. The change to Enhanced 
Plan status changes the seasonal pattern of earnings to 
later in the year with no material impact expected on full 
year profitability.

Operating COsts
Medical Costs. Medical costs represent the costs of our 
obligations for claims and/or benefits of our risk-based 
insurance arrangements. Our operating results depend 
in large part on our ability to effectively estimate, price 
for and manage our medical costs through underwriting 
criteria, product design, negotiation of favorable care 
provider contracts and care coordination programs. 
Controlling medical costs requires a comprehensive and 
integrated approach to organize and advance the full 
range of interrelationships among patients/consumers, 
health professionals, hospitals, pharmaceutical/technology 
manufacturers and other key stakeholders.

Medical costs include estimates of our obligations 
for medical care services rendered on behalf of insured 
consumers for which we have not yet received or processed 
claims, and our estimates for physician, hospital and 
other medical cost disputes. In every reporting period, our 
operating results include the effects of more completely 
developed medical costs payable estimates associated with 
previously reported periods.

Our medical care ratio, calculated as medical costs as a 
percentage of premium revenues, reflects the combination 
of pricing, rebates, benefit designs, consumer health care 
utilization and comprehensive care facilitation efforts. 

Medical Cost Trends. In 2012, we managed our commercial 
medical cost trend to a level under 5.5 percent. In 2013, 
we expect a slight increase in trend from 2012, albeit 
with relatively consistent unit cost and utilization trends 
compared to 2012. We expect our total trend will be driven 
primarily by continued unit cost pressure from health care 
providers as they try to compensate for soft utilization 
trends and cross-subsidization pressure due to their 
government reimbursement levels.  

Underlying utilization trends declined significantly 
in 2010 and increased modestly in 2011 and 2012. Use 
of outpatient services has been the primary driver of 
utilization trend increase, with inpatient utilization 
declining. We also experienced an increase in prescription 
drug costs in 2012 and expect that trend to continue due 
to unit cost pressure and a trend towards expensive new 
specialty drugs. As we move into 2013, we believe current 
utilization trends are slightly below what we believe to be 
normal utilization levels. The weak economic environment, 
combined with our medical cost management, has had 
a favorable impact on utilization trends. We believe 
our alignment of progressive benefit designs, consumer 

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2012 FORM 10-K

31

engagement, clinical management, pay-for-performance 
reimbursement programs for care providers and network 
resources is favorably controlling medical and pharmacy 
costs, enhancing affordability and quality for our customers 
and members and helping to drive strong market response 
and growth. 

This trend is creating the need for health management 

services that can coordinate care around the primary 
care physician and for investment in new clinical and 
administrative information and management systems, 
providing growth opportunities for our Optum business 
platform. 

Operating Costs. Operating costs are primarily comprised 
of costs related to employee compensation and benefits, 
agent and broker commissions, premium taxes and 
assessments, professional fees, advertising and occupancy 
costs. We seek to improve our operating cost ratio, 
calculated as operating costs as a percentage of total 
revenues, for an equivalent mix of business. However, 
changes in business mix, such as increases in the size of our 
health services businesses or an increase in the delivery of 
medical services on an integrated basis may impact our 
operating costs and operating cost ratio.

Other Business trends
Our businesses participate in the U.S., Brazilian and certain 
other health economies. In the U.S., health care spending 
comprises approximately 18% of gross domestic product 
and has grown consistently for many years. We expect 
overall spending on health care to continue to grow in 
the future, due to inflation, medical technology and 
pharmaceutical advancement, regulatory requirements, 
demographic trends in the population and national interest 
in health and well-being. The rate of market growth 
may be affected by a variety of factors, including macro-
economic conditions and regulatory changes, including 
in the U.S. enacted health care reforms, which could also 
impact our results of operations.

Delivery System and Payment Modernization. The market 
is changing based on demographic shifts, new regulations, 
political forces and both payer and patient expectations. 
These factors are creating market pressures to change from 
fee-for-service models to new delivery models focused 
on the holistic health of the consumer, integrated care 
across care providers and pay-for-performance payment 
structures. Health plans and care providers are being 
called upon to work together to close gaps in care and 
improve the overall care for people, improve the health 
of a population and reduce the cost of care. The focus 
on delivery system modernization and payment reform 
is critical and the alignment of incentives between key 
constituents remains an important theme. We have 
seen increased participation in incentive-based payment 
models such as pay for performance, shared savings, 
bundled/episode payment and Patient-Centered Medical 
Home models (PCMHs). We also have seen continued 
development and deployment of risk-based accountable 
care models designed to modernize local delivery systems 
by better coordinating care, reducing the fragmentation 
of treatments between multiple care providers in the 
current system, limiting unnecessary hospital admissions 
and readmissions, focusing on preventive care, breaking 
down reimbursement and treatment “silos,” and improving 
quality and outcomes.

Government Reliance on Private Sector. The government, 
as a benefit sponsor, has been increasingly relying on 
private sector solutions. We expect this trend to continue 
as we believe the private sector provides a more flexible, 
better managed, higher quality health care experience than 
do traditional passive indemnity programs typically used in 
governmental benefit programs.   

States are struggling to balance unprecedented budget 

pressures with increases in their Medicaid expenditures. 
At the same time, many are expanding their interest in 
managed care with particular emphasis on consumers 
who have complex and expensive health care needs. More 
and more, Medicaid managed care is being viewed as an 
effective method to improve quality and manage costs. 
Additionally, there are more than nine million individuals 
eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Dually eligible 
beneficiaries typically have complex conditions with costs of 
care that are far higher than a typical Medicare or Medicaid 
beneficiary. While these individuals’ health needs are more 
complex and more costly, they have historically been in 
unmanaged environments. This provides UnitedHealthcare 
an opportunity to integrate Medicare and Medicaid 
financing to fund efforts to optimize the health status 
of this frail population through close coordination of 
care. As of December 31, 2012, UnitedHealthcare served 
more than 250,000 members in legacy dually eligible 
programs through Medicare Advantage and SNPs. In 2013, 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State will help implement 
Ohio’s MME program, one of the first in the country under 
the new CMS design. 

regulatOry trends and uncertainties
Following is a summary of management’s view of the trends 
and uncertainties related to some of the key provisions of 
the Health Reform Legislation and other regulatory items; 
for additional information regarding the Health Reform 
Legislation and Regulatory Trends and Uncertainties, see 
Item 1, “Business - Government Regulation” and Item 1A, 
“Risk Factors.”

Commercial Rate Increase Review. The Health Reform 
Legislation requires HHS to maintain an annual review of 
“unreasonable” increases in premium rates for commercial 
health plans. HHS established a review threshold of annual 
premium rate increases generally at or above 10% and 
clarified that HHS review will not supersede existing state 
review and approval procedures. Premium rate review 
legislation (ranging from new or enhanced rate filing 
requirements to prior approval requirements) has been 
introduced or passed in more than half of the states as of 
the date of this report. 

The competitive forces common in our markets do not 
support unjustifiable rate increases. We have experienced 

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32

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

and expect to continue to experience a tight, competitive 
commercial pricing environment. Further, our rates and rate 
filings are developed using methods consistent with the 
standards of actuarial practices. We anticipate requesting 
rate increases above 10% in a number of markets due to 
the combination of medical cost trends and the incremental 
costs of health care reform. We have begun to experience 
greater regulatory challenges to appropriate premium rate 
increases in several states, including California and New 
York. Depending on the level of scrutiny by the states, there 
is a broad range of potential business impacts. For example, 
it may become more difficult to price our commercial risk 
business consistent with expected underlying cost trends, 
leading to the risk of operating margin compression in the 
commercial health benefits business. 

Medicare Advantage Rates and Minimum Loss Ratios. 
Medicare Advantage pricing benchmarks have been 
cut over the last several years and additional cuts were 
implemented in 2012, with changes to continue to be 
phased in over the next one to five years (benchmarks 
will ultimately range from 95% of Medicare fee-for-
service rates in high cost areas to 115% in low cost areas), 
depending on the level of benchmark reduction in a 
county. Additionally, Congress passed the Budget Control 
Act of 2011, which as amended by the American Taxpayer 
Relief Act of 2012, would trigger automatic across-the-
board budget cuts (sequestration), including a reduction in 
outlays for Medicare starting in March 2013, absent further 
Congressional action. Further, beginning in 2014, Medicare 
Advantage plans will be required to have a minimum 
medical loss ratio of 85%. CMS has not yet issued guidance 
as to how this requirement will be calculated for Medicare 
Advantage plans. 

A significant portion of our network contracts are 
tied to Medicare reimbursement levels. However, future 
Medicare Advantage rates may be outpaced by underlying 
medical cost trends, placing continued importance on 
effective medical management and ongoing improvements 
in administrative costs. There are a number of annual 
adjustments we can and are making to our operations, 
which may partially offset any impact from these rate 
reductions. For example, we seek to intensify our medical 
and operating cost management, adjust members’ 
benefits and decide on a county-by-county basis in which 
geographies to participate. Additionally, achieving high 
quality scores from CMS for improving upon certain clinical 
and operational performance standards will impact future 
quality bonuses that may offset these anticipated rate 
reductions. The expanded stars bonus program is set to 
expire in 2014. In 2015, quality bonus payments will only be 
paid to 4 and 5 star plans per PPACA (compared to current 
bonuses that are available to certain qualifying plans rated 
3 stars or higher). Approximately 60% and 10% of our 
current Medicare Advantage members are enrolled in plans 
that will be rated 3.5 stars or higher and 4 stars or higher, 
respectively for the 2014 payment year based on scoring 
released by CMS in October 2012. Updated scores, to be 
released in October 2013, will determine what portion of 

our Medicare Advantage membership will reside in a 4 
star or 5 star plan and qualify for quality bonus payments 
in 2015. Although we are dedicating substantial resources 
to improving our quality scores and star ratings, if we are 
unable to significantly increase the level of membership 
in plans with a rating of 4 stars or higher for the 2015 
payment year, our 2015 results of operations and cash flows 
could be adversely impacted.

We also may be able to mitigate the effects of reduced 

funding by increasing enrollment due, in part, to the 
increasing number of people eligible for Medicare in 
coming years. Compared to 2011, our 2012 Medicare 
Advantage membership has increased by 400,000 
consumers, or 18%, including acquisitions. Longer term, 
market wide decreases in the availability or relative quality 
of Medicare Advantage products may increase demand for 
other senior health benefits products such as our Medicare 
Supplement and Medicare Part D insurance offerings.

Industry Fees and Taxes. The Health Reform Legislation 
includes an annual, non-deductible insurance industry tax 
to be levied proportionally across the insurance industry 
for risk-based products, beginning January 1, 2014. The 
amount of the annual tax is $8 billion in 2014, $11.3 
billion in 2015 and 2016, $13.9 billion in 2017 and $14.3 
billion in 2018. For 2019 and beyond, the amount will be 
equal to the annual tax for the preceding year increased 
by the rate of premium growth for the preceding year. 
The annual tax will be allocated based on the ratio of 
an entity’s net premiums written during the preceding 
calendar year to the total health insurance industry’s net 
premiums written for any U.S. health risk-based products 
during the preceding calendar year, subject to certain 
exceptions. This tax will first be paid and expensed in 
2014; however, because our policies are annual, we have 
included the tax and other Health Reform Legislation 
cost factors in our 2013 rate filings relating to 2014 rate 
periods and any related premium increases for 2013 policies 
that have coverage into 2014 will increase the amount of 
premium recognized in 2013. Our effective income tax rate 
will increase significantly in 2014 as a result of the non-
deductibility of these taxes.

With the introduction of state health insurance exchanges 

in 2014, the Health Reform Legislation includes three 
programs designed to stabilize the health insurance markets. 
These programs are: a transitional reinsurance program; 
a temporary risk corridors program; and a permanent risk 
adjustment program. The transitional reinsurance program 
is a temporary program which will be funded on a per capita 
basis from all commercial lines of business including insured 
and self-funded arrangements ($25 billion over a three-
year period beginning in 2014 of which $20 billion (subject 
to increases based on state decisions) will fund the state 
reinsurance pools and $5 billion funds the U.S. Treasury). The 
terms of the specific reinsurance programs to be used in each 
state are not yet known.

It is our intention to pass these taxes and fees on to 
customers through increases in rates and/or decreases in 
benefits, subject to regulatory approval.

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   32

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State-Based Exchanges and Coverage Expansion. 
Effective in 2014, state-based exchanges are required to 
be established for individuals and small employers with 
enrollment processes scheduled to commence in October 
of 2013. We expect to selectively respond and participate in 
exchanges as they are introduced to the market. Our level 
of participation in state-based exchanges will be driven 
by how we assess each local market’s current and future 
prospects, including how the exchange and its rules are 
set up state-by-state and, our market position relative to 
others in the market. Our participation will likely evolve 
and change over time as the exchange markets mature. 
Exchanges will create new market dynamics that could 
impact our existing businesses, depending on the ultimate 
member migration patterns for each market, its pace and its 
impact on our established membership. For example, certain 
small employers may no longer offer health benefits to their 
employees and larger employers may elect to convert their 
benefit plans from risk-based to self-funded programs. 

2012 FORM 10-K

33

The Health Reform Legislation also provides for 

expanded Medicaid coverage effective in January 2014. 
These measures remain subject to implementation at the 
state level. 

Individual & Small Group Market Reforms. The Health 
Reform Legislation includes several provisions that will 
take effect on January 1, 2014 and are expected to alter 
the individual and small group marketplace. Although HHS 
issued proposed regulations in late 2012, these regulations 
are not yet final. Key provisions include: (1) adjusted 
community rating requirements, which will change how 
individual and small group plans are rated in many states 
and are expected to result in significant adjustments in 
some policyholders’ rates during the transition period; (2) 
essential health benefit requirements, which will result 
in benefit changes for many individual and small group 
policyholders and will also impact rates; and (3) actuarial 
value requirements, which will significantly impact benefit 
designs (e.g. member cost sharing requirements) and could 
also significantly impact rates for some policyholders. 

RESULTS SUMMARY

(in millions, except percentages and per share data) 

Revenues:

Premiums 
Services 
Products 
Investment and other income 

For the Years Ended December 31, 
2011 

2010 

2012 

Increase/ 
(Decrease) 
2012 vs. 2011 

Increase/ 
(Decrease)
2011 vs. 2010

$  99,728  $  91,983  $  85,405  $  7,745 
824 
161 
26 

7,437 
2,773 
680 

5,819 
2,322 
609 

6,613 
2,612 
654 

8%  $  6,578 
794 
290 
45 

12 
6 
4 

8%
14
12
7

Total revenues 

  110,618 

  101,862 

  94,155 

8,756 

9 

7,707 

8

Operating costs:
Medical costs 
Operating costs 
Cost of products sold 
Depreciation and amortization 

Total operating costs 

Earnings from operations 

Interest expense 

Earnings before income taxes 
Provision for income taxes 

Net earnings 

  80,226 
  17,306 
2,523 
1,309 

  74,332 
  15,557 
2,385 
1,124 

  68,841 
  14,270 
2,116 
1,064 

  101,364 

  93,398 

  86,291 

9,254 
(632) 

8,622  
(3,096) 

8,464 
(505) 

7,959  
(2,817) 

7,864 
(481) 

7,383  
(2,749) 

$  5,526  $  5,142  $  4,634  $ 

5,894 
1,749 
138 
185 

7,966 

790 
127 

663 
279 

384 

8 
11 
6 
16 

9 

9 
25 

8 
10 

7%  $ 

5,491 
1,287 
269 
60 

7,107 

600 
24 

576 
68 

508 

8
9
13
6

8

8
5

8
2

11%

Diluted earnings per share attributable to  
   UnitedHealth Group common shareholders 
Medical care ratio (a) 
Operating cost ratio 
Operating margin 
Tax rate 
Net margin 
Return on equity (b) 

$ 

5.28  $ 
80.4%  
15.6 
8.4 
35.9 
5.0 
18.7%  

4.73  $ 
80.8%  
15.3 
8.3 
35.4 
5.0 
18.9 % 

4.10  $ 
80.6%  
15.2 
8.4 
37.2 
4.9 
18.7 % 

0.55 
(0.4)% 
0.3 
0.1 
0.5 
— 
(0.2)% 

12%  $ 

0.63 

15%

0.2%
0.1
(0.1)
(1.8)
0.1
0.2%

(a)   Medical care ratio is calculated as medical costs divided by premium revenue.
(b)   Return on equity is calculated as net earnings divided by average equity. Average equity is calculated using the equity 

balance at the end of the preceding year and the equity balances at the end of the four quarters of the year presented. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   33

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which carry comparatively higher operating costs, as well as 
investments in the OptumRx pharmacy management services 
and UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans businesses. 

Income Tax Rate
The increase in our effective income tax rate for 2012 was 
due to the favorable resolution of various tax matters in 
2011, which lowered the 2011 effective income tax rate. 

RepoRtable segments
We have four reportable segments across our two business 
platforms, UnitedHealthcare and Optum:

•   UnitedHealthcare, which includes UnitedHealthcare 

Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & 
Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Community & State, and 
UnitedHealthcare International;

•   OptumHealth;
•  OptumInsight; and
•  OptumRx.
See Note 13 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 

Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” and 
Item 1, “Business” for a description of how each of our 
reportable segments derives its revenues.

Transactions between reportable segments principally 
consist of sales of pharmacy benefit products and services 
to UnitedHealthcare customers by OptumRx, certain 
product offerings and care management and integrated 
care delivery services sold to UnitedHealthcare by 
OptumHealth, and health information and technology 
solutions, consulting and other services sold to 
UnitedHealthcare by OptumInsight. These transactions 
are recorded at management’s estimate of fair value. 
Intersegment transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

34

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

SELECTED OPERATING PERFORMANCE AND 
OTHER SIGNIFICANT ITEMS

The following represents a summary of select 2012 year-
over-year operating comparisons to 2011 and other 2012 
significant items.

•   Consolidated revenues increased 9% and 
UnitedHealthcare revenues increased 8%.

•   UnitedHealthcare medical enrollment grew by 6.4 

million people, including 4.4 million people served in 
Brazil as a result of the Amil acquisition; Medicare Part 
D stand-alone membership decreased by 0.6 million 
people. 

•   The consolidated medical care ratio of 80.4% 

decreased 40 basis points.

•   Earnings from operations increased 8% at 

UnitedHealthcare and 14% at Optum.

•   Net earnings of $5.5 billion and diluted earnings per 
share of $5.28 increased 7% and 12%, respectively. 
•   $1.1 billion in cash was held by non-regulated entities 

as of December 31, 2012.

•   2012 debt offerings amounted to $4 billion, including 

the August debt exchange. 

•   Cash paid for acquisitions in 2012, net of cash assumed, 

totaled $6.5 billion, including the fourth quarter 
acquisition of approximately 65% of the outstanding 
shares of Amil. We also plan to acquire an additional 
25% of Amil in the first half of 2013. See Note 6 
of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” for further 
detail on Amil.

•   We repurchased 57 million shares for $3.1 billion and 

paid dividends of $0.8 billion. 

2012 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS  
COMPARED TO 2011 RESULTS

Consolidated FinanCial Results
Revenues
Revenue increases in 2012 were driven by growth in 
the number of individuals served and premium rate 
increases related to underlying medical cost trends in our 
UnitedHealthcare businesses and growth in our Optum 
health service and technology offerings.

Medical Costs
Medical costs increased in 2012 due to risk-based 
membership growth in our public and senior markets 
businesses, unit cost inflation across all businesses and 
continued moderate increases in health system use, 
partially offset by an increase in favorable medical 
reserve development. Unit cost increases represented the 
primary driver of our medical cost trend, with the largest 
contributor being price increases to hospitals.  

Operating Costs
The increases in our operating costs for 2012 were due 
to business growth, including increases in revenues from 
UnitedHealthcare fee-based benefits and Optum services, 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   34

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The following table presents reportable segment financial information:

(in millions, except percentages) 

Revenues:
UnitedHealthcare 

OptumHealth 
OptumInsight 
OptumRx 

Total Optum 

Eliminations 

Consolidated revenues 

Earnings from operations
UnitedHealthcare 

OptumHealth 
OptumInsight 
OptumRx 

Total Optum 

For the Years Ended December 31, 
2011 

2010 

2012 

2012 FORM 10-K

35

Increase/ 
(Decrease) 
2012 vs. 2011 

Increase/ 
(Decrease)
2011 vs. 2010

$ 103,419  $  95,336  $  88,730  $  8,083 

8% 

$  6,606 

7%

8,147 
2,882 
  18,359 

6,704 
2,671 
  19,278 

4,565 
2,342 
  16,724 

  29,388 
  (22,189) 

  28,653 
  (22,127) 

  23,631 
  (18,206) 

1,443  22 
8 
(5) 

211 
(919) 

735 

3 
62  — 

2,139 
329 
2,554 

5,022 
3,921 

47
14
15

21
22

$ 110,618  $ 101,862  $  94,155  $  8,756 

9% 

$  7,707 

8%

$  7,815  $  7,203  $  6,740  $ 

612 

8% 

$ 

463 

7%

561 
485 
393 
1,439 

423 
381 
457 
1,261 

511 
84 
529 
1,124 

138  33 
104  27 
(64)  (14) 
178  14 

(88)  (17)
297  354
(72)  (14)
12
137 

Consolidated earnings from operations 

$  9,254  $  8,464  $  7,864  $ 

790 

9% 

$ 

600 

8%

Operating margin 
UnitedHealthcare 
OptumHealth 
OptumInsight 
OptumRx 

Total Optum 

Consolidated operating margin 

7.6%  
6.9 
16.8 
2.1 
4.9 
8.4%  

7.6%  
6.3 
14.3 
2.4 
4.4 
8.3%  

7.6%  

11.2 
3.6 
3.2 
4.8 
8.4%  

— % 
0.6 
2.5 
(0.3) 
0.5 
0.1% 

— %

(4.9)
10.7
(0.8)
(0.4)
(0.1)%

UnitedHealthcare
The following table summarizes UnitedHealthcare revenue by business:

(in millions, except percentages) 

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement (a) 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State (a) 
UnitedHealthcare International 

For the Years Ended December 31, 
2011 

2012 

2010 

Increase/ 
(Decrease) 
2012 vs. 2011 

Increase/ 
(Decrease)
2011 vs. 2010

$  46,596  $  45,404  $  42,550  $  1,192 
  39,257 
  16,422 
1,144 

  34,933 
  14,954 
45 

  33,018 
  13,123 
39 

4,324  12 
1,468  10 
1,099  nm 

3% 

$  2,854 
1,915 
1,831 
6 

7%
6
14
15

Total UnitedHealthcare revenue 

$ 103,419  $  95,336  $  88,730  $  8,083 

8% 

$  6,606 

7%

nm = not meaningful

(a)   In the fourth quarter of 2012, UnitedHealthcare reclassified 75,000 dually eligible enrollees to UnitedHealthcare 

Community & State from UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement to better reflect how these members are served. 
Earlier periods presented have been conformed to reflect this change.The following table summarizes the number of 
individuals served by our UnitedHealthcare businesses, by major market segment and funding arrangement:

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36

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

The following table summarizes the number of individuals served by our UnitedHealthcare businesses, by major market 
segment and funding arrangement:

(in thousands, except percentages) 

Commercial risk-based 
Commercial fee-based 

Total commercial 

Medicare Advantage (a) 
Medicaid (a) 
Medicare Supplement (Standardized) 

Total public and senior 

International 

December 31, 
2011 

2010 

2012 

Increase/ 
(Decrease) 
2012 vs. 2011 

Increase/ 
(Decrease)
2011 vs. 2010

9,340 
  17,585 

9,550 
  16,320 

9,405 
  15,405 

(210) 
1,265 

(2)% 
8 

145 
915 

2%
6

  26,925 

  25,870 

  24,810 

1,055 

4 

1,060 

2,565 
3,830 
3,180 

9,575 

4,425 

2,165 
3,600 
2,935 

8,700 

— 

2,005 
3,385 
2,770 

8,160 

400  18 
6 
230 
8 
245 

875  10 

160 
215 
165 

540 

— 

4,425  nm 

—  —

4

8
6
6

7

Total UnitedHealthcare - medical 

  40,925 

  34,570 

  32,970 

6,355  18% 

1,600 

5%

Supplemental Data:

Medicare Part D stand-alone 

nm= not meaningful

4,225 

4,855 

4,530 

(630)  (13)% 

325 

7%

(a)   Earlier periods presented above have been recast such that all periods presented reflect the dually eligible enrollment 

change from Medicare Advantage to Medicaid discussed above.

Commercial risk-based membership decreased in 2012 
due to a competitive market environment, conversions 
to fee-based products by large public sector clients that 
we retained and other decreases in the public sector. 
In fee-based commercial products, the increase was 
due to a number of new business awards and strong 
customer retention. Medicare Advantage increased due to 
strengthened execution in product design, marketing and 
local engagement, which drove sales growth, combined 
with the addition of 185,000 Medicare Advantage members 
from 2012 acquisitions. Medicaid growth was due to a 
combination of winning new state accounts and growth 
within existing state customers, partially offset by a 
fourth quarter market withdrawal from one product in a 
specific region, affecting 175,000 beneficiaries. Medicare 
Supplement growth was due to strong retention and 
new sales. In our Medicare Part D stand-alone business, 
membership decreased primarily as a result of the first 
quarter 2012 loss of approximately 470,000 auto-assigned 
low-income subsidy Medicare Part D beneficiaries, due 
to pricing benchmarks for the government-subsidized 
low income Medicare Part D market coming in below 
our bids in a number of regions. International represents 
commercial membership in Brazil added as a result of the 
Amil acquisition in 2012.

UnitedHealthcare’s revenue growth in 2012 was primarily 

due to growth in the number of individuals served, 
commercial premium rate increases related to expected 
increases in underlying medical cost trends and the impact 
of lower premium rebates.

UnitedHealthcare’s earnings from operations for 2012 

increased compared to the prior year primarily due to 
the factors that increased revenues combined with an 
improvement in the medical care ratio driven by effective 
management of medical costs and increased favorable 
medical reserve development. The favorable development 

for 2012 was driven by lower than expected health system 
utilization levels and increased efficiency in claims handling 
and processing. 

In March 2012, UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans 
was awarded the TRICARE West Region Managed Care 
Support Contract. The contract, for health care operations, 
includes a transition period and five one-year renewals at 
the government’s option. The first year of operations is 
anticipated to begin April 1, 2013. The base administrative 
services contract is expected to generate a total of $1.4 
billion in revenues over the five years.

Optum. Total revenues increased in 2012 due to business 
growth and 2011 acquisitions at OptumHealth, partially 
offset by a reduction in pharmacy service revenues related 
to reduced levels of UnitedHealthcare Part D prescription 
drug membership and related prescription volumes.

Optum’s earnings from operations and operating margin 
for 2012 increased compared to 2011 due to improvements 
in operating cost structure stemming from advances in 
business simplification, integration and overall efficiency 
and revenue growth in higher margin products.

The results by segment were as follows:

OptumHealth
Revenue increases at OptumHealth for 2012 were primarily 
due to market expansion, including growth related to 2011 
acquisitions in integrated care delivery, and strong overall 
business growth.

Earnings from operations for 2012 and operating 

margins increased compared to 2011 primarily due to gains 
in operating efficiency and cost management as well as 
increases in earnings from integrated care operations. 

OptumInsight
Revenues at OptumInsight for 2012 increased primarily due 
to the impact of growth in compliance services for care 

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providers and payment integrity offerings for commercial 
payers, which was partially offset by the June 2011 
divestiture of the clinical trials services business.

The increases in earnings from operations and operating 

margins for 2012 reflect an improved mix of services and 
advances in operating efficiency and cost management.

OptumRx
The decreases in OptumRx revenues in 2012 were due 
to the reduction in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Part D 
plan participants. Intersegment revenues eliminated in 
consolidation were $15.6 billion for 2012 and $16.7 billion 
for 2011.

OptumRx earnings from operations and operating 
margins for 2012 decreased primarily due to decreased 
prescription volume in the Medicare Part D business and 
investments to support growth initiatives, which were 
partially offset by earnings contributions from specialty 
pharmacy growth and greater use of generic medications. 

Over the course of 2013, we will consolidate and manage 

our commercial pharmacy benefit programs from Express 
Scripts’ subsidiary, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. As a result 
of this transition, OptumRx expects to add approximately 
12 million members throughout 2013.

2011 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS  
COMPARED TO 2010 RESULTS

Consolidated FinanCial Results

Revenues
The increases in revenues for 2011 were driven by strong 
organic growth in the number of individuals served in our 
UnitedHealthcare businesses, commercial premium rate 
increases reflecting underlying medical cost trends and 
revenue growth across all Optum businesses.

Medical Costs
Medical costs for 2011 increased due to risk-based 
membership growth in our commercial and public and 
senior markets businesses and continued increases in the 
cost per service paid for health system use, and a modest 
increase in health system utilization, mainly in outpatient 
and physician office settings.

For each period, our operating results include the effects 

of revisions in medical cost estimates related to prior 
periods. Changes in medical cost estimates related to prior 
periods, resulting from more complete claim information 
identified in the current period, are included in total 
medical costs reported for the current period. For 2011 and 
2010 there was $720 million and $800 million, respectively, 
of net favorable medical cost development related to prior 
fiscal years. The favorable development in both periods 
was primarily driven by continued improvements in claims 
submission timeliness, which resulted in higher completion 
factors and lower than expected health system utilization 
levels. The favorable development in 2010 also benefited 
from a reduction in reserves needed for disputed claims 
from care providers; and favorable resolution of certain 
state-based assessments. 

2012 FORM 10-K

37

Operating Costs
The increase in our operating costs for 2011 was due to 
business growth, including an increased mix of Optum 
and UnitedHealthcare fee-based and service revenues, 
which have higher operating costs, and increased spending 
related to reform readiness and compliance. These 
factors were partially offset by overall operating cost 
management and the increase in 2010 operating costs due 
to the goodwill impairment and charges for a business 
line disposition of certain i3-branded clinical trial service 
businesses. 

Income Tax Rate
The effective income tax rate for 2011 decreased compared 
to the prior year due to favorable resolution of various 
historical tax matters in the current year as well as a higher 
effective income tax rate in 2010, due to the cumulative 
implementation of certain changes under the Health 
Reform Legislation.

RepoRtable segments

UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare’s revenue growth for 2011 was due 
to growth in the number of individuals served across 
our businesses and commercial premium rate increases 
reflecting expected underlying medical cost trends.

UnitedHealthcare’s earnings from operations for 2011 
increased compared to the prior year as revenue growth 
and improvements in the operating cost ratio more than 
offset increased compliance costs and an increase to the 
medical care ratio, which was primarily due to the initiation 
of premium rebate obligations in 2011, and lower favorable 
reserve development levels. 

Optum 
Total revenue for these businesses increased in 2011 due 
to business growth and acquisitions at OptumHealth and 
OptumInsight and growth in customers served through 
pharmaceutical benefit management programs at OptumRx.
Optum’s operating margin for 2011 was down compared 

to 2010. The decrease was due to changes in business mix 
within Optum’s businesses and realignment of certain 
internal business arrangements.

The results by segment were as follows:

OptumHealth
Increased revenues at OptumHealth for 2011 were primarily 
due to expansions in service offerings through acquisitions 
in clinical services, as well as growth in consumer and 
population health management offerings.  

Earnings from operations for 2011 and operating margin 

decreased compared to 2010. The decreases reflect the 
impact from internal business and service arrangement 
realignments and the mix effect of growth and expansion 
in newer businesses such as clinical services.

OptumInsight
Increased revenues at OptumInsight for 2011 were due 
to the impact of organic growth and the full-year impact 
of 2010 acquisitions, which were partially offset by the 
divestiture of the clinical trials services business in June 2011.

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   37

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38

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

The increases in earnings from operations and operating 
margins for 2011 reflect an increased mix of higher margin 
services in 2011 as well as the effect on 2010 earnings 
from operations and operating margin of the goodwill 
impairment and charges for a business line disposition of 
certain i3-branded clinical trial service businesses. 

OptumRx
The increase in OptumRx revenues for 2011 was due to 
increased prescription volumes, primarily due to growth 
in customers served through Medicare Part D prescription 
drug plans by our UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 
business, and a favorable mix of higher revenue specialty 
drug prescriptions. Intersegment revenues eliminated in 
consolidation were $16.7 billion and $14.4 billion for 2011 
and 2010, respectively.

OptumRx earnings from operations and operating 
margins for 2011 decreased as the mix of lower margin 
specialty pharmaceuticals and Medicaid business and 
investments to support growth initiatives including the 
in-sourcing of our commercial pharmacy benefit programs 
more than offset the earnings contribution from higher 
revenues and greater use of generic medications.

LIQUIDITY, FINANCIAL CONDITION  
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Liquidity

Introduction
We manage our liquidity and financial position in the 
context of our overall business strategy. We continually 
forecast and manage our cash, investments, working 
capital balances and capital structure to meet the short- 
and long-term obligations of our businesses while seeking 
to maintain liquidity and financial flexibility. Cash flows 
generated from operating activities are principally from 
earnings before non-cash expenses. 

Our regulated subsidiaries generate significant cash flows 

from operations and are subject to financial regulations 
and standards in their respective jurisdictions. These 

standards, among other things, require these subsidiaries 
to maintain specified levels of statutory capital, as defined 
by each jurisdiction, and restrict the timing and amount 
of dividends and other distributions that may be paid to 
their parent companies. In the United States, most of these 
regulations and standards are generally consistent with 
model regulations established by the NAIC. Except in the 
case of extraordinary dividends, these standards generally 
permit dividends to be paid from statutory unassigned 
surplus of the regulated subsidiary and are limited based 
on the regulated subsidiary’s level of statutory net income 
and statutory capital and surplus. These dividends are 
referred to as “ordinary dividends” and generally can be 
paid without prior regulatory approval. If the dividend, 
together with other dividends paid within the preceding 
twelve months, exceeds a specified statutory limit or is paid 
from sources other than earned surplus, the entire dividend 
is generally considered an “extraordinary dividend” and 
must receive prior regulatory approval. In 2012, based on 
the 2011 statutory net income and statutory capital and 
surplus levels, the maximum amount of ordinary dividends 
which could be paid by our U.S. regulated subsidiaries to 
their parent companies was $4.6 billion.

In 2012, our regulated subsidiaries paid their parent 

companies dividends of $4.9 billion, including $1.2 billion of 
extraordinary dividends. In 2011, our regulated subsidiaries 
paid their parent companies dividends of $4.5 billion, 
including $1.1 billion of extraordinary dividends. 

Our non-regulated businesses also generate cash flows 

from operations for general corporate use. Cash flows 
generated by these entities, combined with dividends from 
our regulated entities and financing through the issuance 
of long term debt as well as issuance of commercial paper 
or drawings under our committed credit facility, further 
strengthen our operating and financial flexibility. We 
use these cash flows to expand our businesses through 
acquisitions, reinvest in our businesses through capital 
expenditures, repay debt, and return capital to our 
shareholders through shareholder dividends and/or 
repurchases of our common stock, depending on  
market conditions.

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   38

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Summary of our Major Sources and Uses of Cash

(in millions) 

Sources of cash: 

Cash provided by operating activities 
Proceeds from issuances of long-term debt and 

       commercial paper, net of repayments 
Proceeds from common stock issuances 
Net proceeds from customer funds administered 
Other 

Total sources of cash 

Uses of cash:

Cash paid for acquisitions, 

net of cash assumed and dispositions 

Common stock repurchases 
Purchases of investments, 

net of sales and maturities 

Purchases of property, equipment and 

capitalized software, net of dispositions 

Cash dividends paid 
Net cash paid for customer funds administered 
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest shares 
Other 

For the Years Ended December 31, 
2011 

2010 

2012 

2012 FORM 10-K

39

Increase/ 
(Decrease) 
2012 vs. 2011 

Increase/ 
(Decrease)
2011 vs. 2010

$  7,155  $  6,968  $  6,273 

$ 

187 

$  695

4,567 
1,078 
— 
— 

346 
381 
37 
391 

94 
272 
974 
20 

  12,800 

8,123 

7,633

 4,221 
  697 
(37) 
  (391) 

(6,280) 
(3,084) 

(1,459) 
(2,994) 

(2,304) 
(2,517) 

  (4,821) 
(90) 

(1,299) 

(1,695) 

(2,157) 

  396  

(1,070) 
(820) 
(324) 
(319) 
(627) 

(1,018) 
(651) 
—  
—  
—  

(878) 
(449) 
—  
—  
(5) 

(52) 
  (169) 
  (324) 
  (319) 
  (627) 

  252
  109
  (937)
  371

  845
  (477)

  462

  (140)
  (202)
  —
  —
5

Total uses of cash 

  (13,823) 

(7,817) 

(8,310) 

Net (decrease) increase in cash 

$  (1,023)  $ 

306   $ 

(677) 

$  (1,329) 

$  983

2012 Cash Flows Compared to 2011 Cash Flows
Cash flows from operating activities for 2012 increased 
$187 million, or 3% from 2011 due to increased net income 
and related tax accruals, which were partially offset by the 
payment in 2012 of 2011 premium rebate obligations as 
2012 was the first year rebate payments were made under 
the Health Reform Legislation.

Cash flows used for investing activities increased $4.5 
billion, or 107%, primarily due to increased investments 
in acquisitions in 2012. See Note 6 of Notes to the 
Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, 
“Financial Statements” for further information on 2012 
acquisitions.

Cash flows from financing activities increased $3.0 
billion primarily due to increases in long-term debt, 
commercial paper and common stock issuances, partially 
offset by increases in cash paid for customer funds related 
to Part D and increased shareholder dividend payments. 
The increases in long-term debt, commercial paper and 
common stock issuances were primarily related to the Amil 
acquisition.

2011 Cash Flows Compared to 2010 Cash Flows
Cash flows from operating activities increased $695 million, 
or 11%, from 2010. The increase was primarily driven by 
growth in net earnings and changes in various working 
capital accounts, which were partially offset by a reduction 
in unearned revenues due to the early receipt of certain 
2011 state Medicaid premium payments in 2010, which 
increased 2010 cash from operating activities. 

Cash flows used for investing activities decreased 
$1.2 billion, or 22%, primarily due to relatively lower 
investments in acquisitions in 2011 and a decrease in net 
purchases of investments. 

Cash flows used for financing activities increased 
$879 million, or 55%, primarily due to increased share 
repurchases and cash dividends in 2011, partially offset by 
an increase in net borrowings.

FInancIal conDItIon
As of December 31, 2012, our cash, cash equivalent and 
available-for-sale investment balances of $28.3 billion 
included $8.4 billion of cash and cash equivalents (of which 
$1.1 billion was held by non-regulated entities), $19.2 
billion of debt securities and $677 million of investments 
in equity securities and venture capital funds. Given the 
significant portion of our portfolio held in cash equivalents, 
we do not anticipate fluctuations in the aggregate fair 
value of our financial assets to have a material impact 
on our liquidity or capital position. The use of different 
market assumptions or valuation methodologies, especially 
those used in valuing our $241 million of available-
for-sale Level 3 securities (those securities priced using 
significant unobservable inputs), may have an effect on the 
estimated fair value amounts of our investments. Due to 
the subjective nature of these assumptions, the estimates 
may not be indicative of the actual exit price if we had sold 
the investment at the measurement date. Other sources 
of liquidity, primarily from operating cash flows and our 
commercial paper program, which is supported by our 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   39

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40

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

bank credit facilities, reduce the need to sell investments 
during adverse market conditions. See Note 4 of Notes to 
the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, 
“Financial Statements” for further detail of our fair value 
measurements.

Our cash equivalent and investment portfolio had a 
weighted-average duration of 2.1 years and a weighted-
average credit rating of “AA” as of December 31, 2012. 
Included in the debt securities balance was $1.9 billion of 
state and municipal obligations that are guaranteed by a 
number of third parties. Due to the high underlying credit 
ratings of the issuers, the weighted-average credit rating of 
these securities with and without the guarantee was “AA” 
as of December 31, 2012. We do not have any significant 
exposure to any single guarantor (neither indirect through 
the guarantees, nor direct through investment in the 
guarantor). When multiple credit ratings are available for 
an individual security, the average of the available ratings is 
used to determine the weighted-average credit rating.

Capital ResouRCes and uses of liquidity
In addition to cash flow from operations and cash and cash 
equivalent balances available for general corporate use, our 
capital resources and uses of liquidity are as follows:

Commercial Paper. We maintain a commercial paper 
borrowing program, which facilitates the private placement 
of unsecured debt through third-party broker-dealers. 
The commercial paper program is supported by the bank 
credit facilities described below. As of December 31, 2012, 
we had $1.6 billion of commercial paper outstanding at a 
weighted-average annual interest rate of 0.3%.

Bank Credit Facilities. We have $3.0 billion five-year and 
$1.0 billion 364-day revolving bank credit facilities with 
21 banks, which mature in November 2017 and November 
2013, respectively. These facilities provide liquidity support 
for our $4.0 billion commercial paper program and are 
available for general corporate purposes. There were no 
amounts outstanding under these facilities as of December 
31, 2012. The interest rates on borrowings are variable 
depending on term and are calculated based on the LIBOR 
plus a credit spread based on our senior unsecured credit 
ratings. As of December 31, 2012, the annual interest 

rates on these facilities, had they been drawn, would have 
ranged from 1.0% to 1.3%.

Our bank credit facilities contain various covenants, 
including requiring us to maintain a debt to debt-plus-
equity ratio of not more than 50%. Our debt to debt-plus-
equity ratio, calculated as the sum of debt divided by the 
sum of debt and shareholders’ equity, which reasonably 
approximates the actual covenant ratio, was 35.0% as of 
December 31, 2012. We were in compliance with our debt 
covenants as of December 31, 2012.

Long-term debt. Periodically, we access capital markets 
and issue long-term debt for general corporate purposes, 
for example, to meet our working capital requirements, 
to refinance debt, to finance acquisitions or for share 
repurchases.

In connection with the Amil acquisition, we assumed 
variable rate debt denominated in Brazilian Reais, Amil’s 
functional currency. The total Brazilian Real denominated 
long-term debt outstanding at December 31, 2012 was 
$611 million, and had an aggregate weighted average 
interest rate of approximately 9%. For more detail on the 
Amil debt see Note 8 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.”
In October 2012, we issued $2.5 billion in senior 

unsecured notes, which included: $625 million of 0.850% 
fixed-rate notes due October 2015, $625 million of 1.400% 
fixed-rate notes due October 2017, $625 million of 2.750% 
fixed-rate notes due February 2023 and $625 million of 
3.950% fixed-rate notes due October 2042. 

In August 2012, we completed an exchange of $1.1 
billion of our zero coupon senior unsecured notes due 
November 2022 for $0.5 billion additional issuance of our 
2.875% notes due in March 2022, $0.1 billion additional 
issuance of our 4.375% notes due March 2042 and $0.1 
billion in cash. The transaction was undertaken to increase 
financial flexibility and reduce interest expense. 

In March 2012, we issued $1.0 billion in senior unsecured 
notes. The issuance included $600 million of 2.875% fixed-
rate notes due March 2022 and $400 million of 4.375% 
fixed-rate notes due March 2042.

Credit Ratings. Our credit ratings at December 31, 2012 were as follows:

Senior unsecured debt 
Commercial paper 

Moody’s 

Ratings 
A3 
P-2 

  outlook 
  Negative 
  n/a 

 standard & poor’s 
  Ratings 
  A 
  A-1 

  outlook 
  Stable 
  n/a 

  fitch 

  Ratings 
  A- 
  F1 

  outlook 
  Stable 
  n/a 

  a.M. Best
  Ratings    outlook
  Stable
  n/a

  bbb+ 
  AMB-2 

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The availability of financing in the form of debt or equity 
is influenced by many factors, including our profitability, 
operating cash flows, debt levels, credit ratings, debt 
covenants and other contractual restrictions, regulatory 
requirements and economic and market conditions. For 
example, a significant downgrade in our credit ratings 
or conditions in the capital markets may increase the 
cost of borrowing for us or limit our access to capital. We 
have adopted strategies and actions toward maintaining 
financial flexibility to mitigate the impact of such factors on 
our ability to raise capital.

Share Repurchase Program. Under our Board of Directors’ 
authorization, we maintain a share repurchase program. 
Repurchases may be made from time to time in open 
market purchases or other types of transactions (including 
prepaid or structured share repurchase programs), subject 
to certain Board restrictions. In June 2012, our Board 
renewed and expanded our share repurchase program with 
an authorization to repurchase up to 110 million shares of 
our common stock. As of December 31, 2012, we had Board 
authorization to purchase up to an additional 85 million 
shares of our common stock. For details of our 2012 share 
repurchases, see Note 10 of Notes to the Consolidated 

2012 FORM 10-K

41

Financial Statements included in Item 8, “Financial 
Statements.”

Dividends. In June 2012, our Board of Directors increased 
our cash dividend to shareholders to an annual dividend 
rate of $0.85 per share, paid quarterly. Since May 2011, 
we had paid an annual dividend of $0.65 per share, paid 
quarterly. Declaration and payment of future quarterly 
dividends is at the discretion of the Board and may be 
adjusted as business needs or market conditions change. 
For details of our dividend payments, see Note 10 of Notes 
to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 
8, “Financial Statements.”

Amil Tender Offer. During the fourth quarter of 2012, 
we purchased approximately 65% of the outstanding 
shares of Amil for $3.5 billion. We expect to acquire an 
additional 25% ownership interest during the first half 
of 2013 through a tender offer for Amil’s publicly traded 
shares. The tender offer price will be at the same price paid 
to Amil’s controlling shareholders, adjusted for statutory 
interest under Brazilian law from the date of payment to 
the controlling shareholders to the date of payment to the 
tendering minority shareholders.

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42

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS

The following table summarizes future obligations due by period as of December 31, 2012, under our various contractual 
obligations and commitments: 

(in millions) 
Debt (a) 
Operating leases 
Purchase obligations (b) 
Future policy benefits (c) 
Unrecognized tax benefits (d) 
Other liabilities recorded on the  
   Consolidated Balance Sheet (e) 
Other obligations (f) 
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (g) 

$ 

2013 

2014 to 2015  2016 to 2017 

3,413 
380 
137 
135 
11 

89 
50 
1,393 

$ 

3,271 
676 
184 
256 
— 

18 
144 
182 

$ 

3,384 
510 
7 
265 
— 

6 
60 
546 

Thereafter 
$  16,769 
556 
— 
1,923 
60 

Total
$  26,837
2,122
328
2,579
71

1,511 
43 
— 

1,624
297
2,121

Total contractual obligations 

$ 

5,608 

$ 

4,731 

$ 

4,778 

$  20,862 

$  35,979

(a)   Includes interest coupon payments and maturities at par or put values. For variable rate debt, the rates in effect 
at December 31, 2012 were used to calculate the interest coupon payments. The table also assumes amounts are 
outstanding through their contractual term. See Note 8 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in 
Item 8, “Financial Statements” for more detail. 

(b)   Includes fixed or minimum commitments under existing purchase obligations for goods and services, including 

agreements that are cancelable with the payment of an early termination penalty. Excludes agreements that are 
cancelable without penalty and excludes liabilities to the extent recorded in our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of 
December 31, 2012. 

(c)   Future policy benefits represent account balances that accrue to the benefit of the policyholders, excluding surrender 

charges, for universal life and investment annuity products and for long-duration health policies sold to individuals for 
which some of the premium received in the earlier years is intended to pay benefits to be incurred in future years. See 
Note 2 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” for more detail. 

(d)   As the timing of future settlements is uncertain, the long-term portion has been classified as “Thereafter.”
(e)   Includes obligations associated with contingent consideration and other payments related to business acquisitions, 
certain employee benefit programs, charitable contributions related to the PacifiCare acquisition and various other 
long-term liabilities. Due to uncertainty regarding payment timing, obligations for employee benefit programs, 
charitable contributions and other liabilities have been classified as “Thereafter.”

(f)   Includes remaining capital commitments for venture capital funds and other funding commitments. 
(g)   Includes commitments to purchase the remaining publicly traded Amil shares as well as the put/call for the shares 

owned by Amil’s remaining non-public shareholders. See Note 6 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” for more detail. 

We do not have other significant contractual obligations 
or commitments that require cash resources; however, 
we continually evaluate opportunities to expand our 
operations. This includes internal development of new 
products, programs and technology applications, and may 
include acquisitions.  

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

As of December 31, 2012, we were not involved in any 
off-balance sheet arrangements (as that phrase is defined 
by SEC rules applicable to this report) which have or are 
reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our 
financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS 

We have determined that there have been no recently issued, 
but not yet adopted, accounting standards that will have a 
material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

Critical accounting estimates are those estimates that 
require management to make challenging, subjective or 
complex judgments, often because they must estimate the 
effects of matters that are inherently uncertain and may 
change in subsequent periods. Critical accounting estimates 
involve judgments and uncertainties that are sufficiently 
sensitive and may result in materially different results under 
different assumptions and conditions. 

Medical Costs Payable
Each reporting period, we estimate our obligations for 
medical care services that have been rendered on behalf 
of insured consumers but for which claims have either 
not yet been received or processed and for liabilities for 
physician, hospital and other medical cost disputes. We 
develop estimates for medical care services incurred but 
not reported using an actuarial process that is consistently 
applied, centrally controlled and automated. The actuarial 
models consider factors such as time from date of service 

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to claim receipt, claim processing backlogs, seasonal 
variances in medical care consumption, health care 
professional contract rate changes, medical care utilization 
and other medical cost trends, membership volume and 
demographics, the introduction of new technologies, 
benefit plan changes, and business mix changes related 
to products, customers and geography. Depending on the 
health care professional and type of service, the typical 
billing lag for services can be up to 90 days from the date 
of service. Substantially all claims related to medical care 
services are known and settled within nine to twelve 
months from the date of service. As of December 31, 2012, 
our days outstanding in medical payables was 49 days. 
Each period, we re-examine previously established 
medical costs payable estimates based on actual claim 
submissions and other changes in facts and circumstances. 
As more complete claim information becomes available, 
we adjust the amount of the estimates and include the 
changes in estimates in medical costs in the period in which 
the change is identified. In every reporting period, our 
operating results include the effects of more completely 
developed medical costs payable estimates associated with 
previously reported periods. If the revised estimate of prior 
period medical costs is less than the previous estimate, we 
will decrease reported medical costs in the current period 
(favorable development). If the revised estimate of prior 
period medical costs is more than the previous estimate, we 
will increase reported medical costs in the current period 
(unfavorable development). Medical costs in 2012, 2011, 
and 2010 included favorable medical cost development 
related to prior years of $860 million, $720 million and $800 
million, respectively.  

In developing our medical costs payable estimates, we 

apply different estimation methods depending on the 
month for which incurred claims are being estimated. For 
example, we actuarially calculate completion factors using 
an analysis of claim adjudication patterns over the most 
recent 36-month period. A completion factor is an actuarial 
estimate, based upon historical experience and analysis of 
current trends, of the percentage of incurred claims during 
a given period that have been adjudicated by us at the date 
of estimation. For months prior to the most recent three 
months, we apply the completion factors to actual claims 
adjudicated-to-date to estimate the expected amount of 
ultimate incurred claims for those months. For the most 
recent three months, we estimate claim costs incurred 
primarily by applying observed medical cost trend factors to 
the average per member per month (PMPM) medical costs 
incurred in prior months for which more complete claim 
data is available, supplemented by a review of near-term 
completion factors. This approach is consistently applied 
from period to period. 

Completion Factors. Completion factors are the most 
significant factors we use in developing our medical costs 
payable estimates for older periods, generally periods 
prior to the most recent three months. The completion 
factor includes judgments in relation to claim submissions 
such as the time from date of service to claim receipt, 

2012 FORM 10-K

43

claim inventory levels and claim processing backlogs as 
well as other factors. If actual claims submission rates 
from providers (which can be influenced by a number of 
factors including provider mix and electronic versus manual 
submissions) or our claim processing patterns are different 
than estimated, our reserves may be significantly impacted.
The following table illustrates the sensitivity of these factors 

and the estimated potential impact on our medical costs 
payable estimates for those periods as of December 31, 2012:  

Completion Factors 
Increase (Decrease) in Factors 

Increase (Decrease)
In Medical Costs Payable
(in millions)

(0.75)% 
(0.50) 
(0.25) 
0.25 
0.50 
0.75 

$ 

261
173
87
(86)
(172)
(257)

Medical cost PMPM trend factors. Medical cost PMPM 
trend factors are significant factors we use in developing 
our medical costs payable estimates for the most recent 
three months. Medical cost trend factors are developed 
through a comprehensive analysis of claims incurred in 
prior months, provider contracting and expected unit costs, 
benefit design, and by reviewing a broad set of health 
care utilization indicators including, but not limited to, 
pharmacy utilization trends, inpatient hospital census 
data and incidence data from the National Centers for 
Disease Control. We also consider macroeconomic variables 
such as gross-domestic product growth, employment and 
disposable income. A large number of factors can cause the 
medical cost trend to vary from our estimates including: 
our ability and practices to manage medical costs, changes 
in level and mix of services utilized, mix of benefits offered 
including the impact of co-pays and deductibles, changes in 
medical practices, catastrophes and epidemics. 

The following table illustrates the sensitivity of these 
factors and the estimated potential impact on our medical 
costs payable estimates for the most recent three months as 
of December 31, 2012: 

Medical Costs PMPM Trend 
Increase (Decrease) in Factors 

 3% 
 2 
 1 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 

$ 

Increase (Decrease)
In Medical Costs Payable
(in millions)
505
337
168
(168)
(337)
(505)

The analyses above include outcomes that are considered 
reasonably likely based on our historical experience estimating 
liabilities for incurred but not reported benefit claims. 
Our estimate of medical costs payable represents 
management’s best estimate of our liability for unpaid 
medical costs as of December 31, 2012, developed using 

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44

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

consistently applied actuarial methods. Management 
believes the amount of medical costs payable is reasonable 
and adequate to cover our liability for unpaid claims as 
of December 31, 2012; however, actual claim payments 
may differ from established estimates as discussed above. 
Assuming a hypothetical 1% difference between our 
December 31, 2012 estimates of medical costs payable and 
actual medical costs payable, excluding AARP Medicare 
Supplement Insurance and any potential offsetting impact 
from premium rebates, 2012 net earnings would have 
increased or decreased by $62 million. 

Revenues 
Revenues are principally derived from health care insurance 
premiums. We recognize premium revenues in the period 
eligible individuals are entitled to receive health care services. 
Customers are typically billed monthly at a contracted rate 
per eligible person multiplied by the total number of people 
eligible to receive services, as recorded in our records. 

Effective in 2011, U.S. commercial health plans with 
medical loss ratios on fully insured products, as calculated 
under the definitions in the Health Reform Legislation, that 
fall below certain targets are required to rebate ratable 
portions of their premiums to their customers annually. 
Premium revenues are recognized based on the estimated 
premiums earned net of projected rebates because we 
are able to reasonably estimate the ultimate premiums 
of these contracts. Each period, we estimate premium 
rebates based on the expected financial performance of 
the applicable contracts within each defined aggregation 
set (e.g., by state, group size and licensed subsidiary). 
The most significant factors in estimating the financial 
performance are current and future premiums and medical 
claim experience, effective tax rates and expected changes 
in business mix. The estimated ultimate premium is revised 
each period to reflect current and projected experience.  

Our Medicare Advantage and Part D premium 

revenues are subject to periodic adjustment under CMS’ 
risk adjustment payment methodology. The CMS risk 
adjustment model provides higher per member payments 
for enrollees diagnosed with certain conditions and lower 
payments for enrollees who are healthier. We and health 
care providers collect, capture, and submit available 
diagnosis data to CMS within prescribed deadlines. CMS 
uses submitted diagnosis codes, demographic information, 
and special statuses to determine the risk score for most 
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. CMS also retroactively 
adjusts risk scores during the year based on additional data. 
We estimate risk adjustment revenues based upon the data 
submitted and expected to be submitted to CMS. As a result 
of the variability of factors that determine such estimations, 
the actual amount of CMS’ retroactive payments could be 
materially more or less than our estimates. This may result 
in favorable or unfavorable adjustments to our Medicare 
premium revenue and, accordingly, our profitability. Risk 
adjustment data for certain of our plans is subject to review 
by the government, including audit by regulators. See 
Note 12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8, “Financial Statements” for additional 
information regarding these audits.

Goodwill and intanGible assets 
Goodwill. Goodwill represents the amount of the purchase 
price in excess of the fair values assigned to the underlying 
identifiable net assets of acquired businesses. Goodwill 
is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment 
test. Tests are performed more frequently if events occur 
or circumstances change that would more likely than 
not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its 
carrying amount. 

To determine whether goodwill is impaired, we perform a 

multi-step impairment test. First, we can elect to perform a 
qualitative assessment of each reporting unit to determine 
whether facts and circumstances support a determination 
that their fair values are greater than their carrying values. 
If the qualitative analysis is not conclusive, or if we elect 
to proceed directly with quantitative testing, we will then 
measure the fair values of the reporting units and compare 
them to their aggregate carrying values, including goodwill. 
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 to the carrying amount of goodwill 
to determine whether goodwill is impaired.  

We estimate the fair values of our reporting units using 

discounted cash flows, which include assumptions about 
a wide variety of internal and external factors. Significant 
assumptions used in the impairment analysis 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. For each reporting unit, comparative 
market multiples are used to corroborate the results of our 
discounted cash flow test. 

Forecasts and long-term growth rates used for our 
reporting units are consistent with, and use inputs from, 
our internal long-term business plan and strategy. Key 
assumptions used in these forecasts include:

•   Revenue trends. Key drivers for each reporting unit 
are determined and assessed. Significant factors 
include: membership growth, medical trends, and the 
impact and expectations of regulatory environments. 
Additional macro-economic assumptions around 
unemployment, GDP growth, interest rates, and 
inflation are also evaluated and incorporated.

•   Medical cost trends. See further discussion of medical 

costs trends within Medical Costs above. Similar factors 
are considered in estimating our long-term medical 
trends at the reporting unit level. 

•   Operating productivity. We forecast expected 

operating cost levels based on historical levels and 
expectations of future operating cost productivity 
initiatives.

•   Capital levels. The capital structure and requirements 

for each business is considered.

Although we believe that the financial projections used 

are reasonable and appropriate for all of our reporting 
units, due to the long-term nature of the forecasts there 
is significant uncertainty inherent in those projections. 
That uncertainty is increased by the impact of health care 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   44

3/28/13   3:53 AM

reforms as discussed in Item 1, “Business - Government 
Regulation”. For additional discussions regarding how the 
enactment or implementation of health care reforms and 
how other factors could affect our business and the related 
long-term forecasts, see Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in Part I 
and “Regulatory Trends and Uncertainties” above. 

Discount rates are determined for each reporting unit 
and include consideration of the implied risk inherent in 
their forecasts. This risk is evaluated using comparisons 
to market information such as peer company weighted 
average costs of capital and peer company stock prices 
in the form of revenue and earnings multiples. Beyond 
our selection of the most appropriate risk-free rates and 
equity risk premiums, our most significant estimates in the 
discount rate determinations involve our adjustments to the 
peer company weighted average costs of capital that reflect 
reporting unit-specific factors. Such adjustments include 
the addition of size premiums and company-specific risk 
premiums intended to compensate for apparent forecast 
risk. We have not made any adjustments to decrease a 
discount rate below the calculated peer company weighted 
average cost of capital for any reporting unit. Company-
specific adjustments to discount rates are subjective and 
thus are difficult to measure with certainty. 

The passage of time and the availability of additional 

information regarding areas of uncertainty in regards 
to the reporting units’ operations could cause these 
assumptions to change in the future.

We elected to bypass the optional qualitative reporting 

unit fair value assessment and completed our annual 
quantitative tests for goodwill impairment as of January 1, 
2013. All of our reporting units had fair values substantially 
in excess of their carrying values, thus we concluded that 
there was no need for any impairment of our goodwill 
balances as of December 31, 2012. 

Intangible assets. Separately-identifiable intangible assets 
are acquired in business combinations and are assets 
that represent future expected benefits but lack physical 
substance (e.g., membership lists, customer contracts, 
trademarks and technology). Our intangible assets are 
initially recorded at their fair values. Finite-lived intangible 
assets are amortized over their expected useful lives, 
while indefinite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for 
impairment on at least an annual basis. Both finite-lived 
and indefinite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for 
impairment between annual periods if an event occurs or 
circumstances change that may indicate impairment. Our 
most significant intangible assets are customer-related 
intangibles, which represent 77% of our total intangible 
asset balance of $4.7 billion.

Customer-related intangible assets acquired in 
business combinations are typically valued using an 
income approach based on discounted future cash flows 
attributable to customers that exist as of the date of 
acquisition. The most significant assumptions used in the 
valuation of customer-related assets include: projected 
revenue and earnings growth, retention rate, perpetuity 
growth rate and discount rate. These initial valuations and 
the embedded assumptions contain uncertainty to the 

2012 FORM 10-K

45

extent that those assumptions and estimates may ultimately 
differ from actual results (e.g., customer turnover may be 
higher or lower than the assumed retention rate suggested).

Our finite-lived intangible assets are subject to 

impairment tests when events or circumstances indicate 
that an asset’s (or asset group’s) carrying value may 
exceed its estimated fair value. Consideration is given on 
a quarterly basis to a number of potential impairment 
indicators including: changes in the use of the assets, 
changes in legal or other business factors that could 
affect value, experienced or expected operating cash-
flow deterioration or losses, adverse changes in customer 
populations, adverse competitive or technological advances 
that could impact value, and other factors. Following the 
identification of any potential impairment indicators, we 
would calculate the estimated fair value of a finite-lived 
intangible asset (or asset group) using the undiscounted 
cash flows that are expected to result from the use of the 
asset or related group of assets. If it is determined that an 
impairment exists, the amount by which the carrying value 
exceeds its estimated fair value would be recorded as  
an impairment. 

Our indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested for 
impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently if 
impairment indicators exist. To determine if an indefinite-
lived intangible asset is impaired, we assess qualitative 
factors to determine whether the existence of events and 
circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that 
the indefinite-lived intangible asset’s carrying value exceeds 
its fair value. If, after assessing the totality of events and 
circumstances, we conclude that it is not more likely than 
not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset’s carrying 
value exceeds its fair value, no impairment exists and no 
further testing is performed. If we conclude otherwise, 
we would perform a quantitative analysis by comparing 
its estimated fair value to its carrying value. If the carrying 
value exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment would 
be recorded for the amount by which the carrying value 
exceeds its estimated fair value. 

Intangible assets were not impaired in 2012.

Investments 
As of December 31, 2012, we had investments with a 
carrying value of $21 billion, primarily held in marketable 
debt securities. Our investments are principally classified 
as available-for-sale and are recorded at fair value. We 
exclude gross unrealized gains and losses on available-for-
sale investments from earnings and report net unrealized 
gains or losses, net of income tax effects, as a separate 
component in shareholders’ equity. We continually monitor 
the difference between the cost and fair value of our 
investments. As of December 31, 2012, our investments had 
gross unrealized gains of $825 million and gross unrealized 
losses of $9 million. 

For debt securities, if we intend to either sell or 

determine that we will be more likely than not be required 
to sell the security before recovery of the entire amortized 
cost basis or maturity of the security, we recognize the 
entire impairment in earnings. If we do not intend to sell 
the debt security and we determine that we will not be 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   45

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46

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

more likely than not be required to sell the debt security 
but we do not expect to recover the entire amortized 
cost basis, the impairment is bifurcated into the amount 
attributed to the credit loss, which is recognized in 
earnings, and all other causes, which are recognized in 
other comprehensive income. 

For equity securities, we recognize impairments in other 

comprehensive income if we expect to hold the equity 
security until fair value increases to at least the equity 
security’s cost basis and we expect that increase in fair value 
to occur in a reasonably forecasted period. If we intend to 
sell the equity security or if we believe that recovery of fair 
value to cost will not occur in the near term, we recognize 
the impairment in our income statement. 

The most significant judgments and estimates related to 
investments are related to determination of their fair values 
and the other-than-temporary impairment assessment.

Fair values. Fair values of available-for-sale debt and 
equity securities are based on quoted market prices, 
where available. We obtain one price for each security 
primarily from a third-party pricing service (pricing service), 
which generally uses quoted or other observable inputs 
for the determination of fair value. The pricing service 
normally derives the security prices through recently 
reported trades for identical or similar securities, making 
adjustments through the reporting date based upon 
available observable market information. For securities not 
actively traded, the pricing service may use quoted market 
prices of comparable instruments or discounted cash flow 
analyses, incorporating inputs that are currently observable 
in the markets for similar securities. Inputs that are often 
used in the valuation methodologies include, but are not 
limited to, benchmark yields, credit spreads, default rates 
and prepayment speeds, and non-binding broker quotes. 
As we are responsible for the determination of fair value, 
we perform quarterly analyses on the prices received from 
the pricing service to determine whether the prices are 
reasonable estimates of fair value. Specifically, we compare:
•   the prices received from the pricing service to prices 

reported by a secondary pricing service, its custodian, 
its investment consultant and/or third-party investment 
advisors; and

•   changes in the reported market values and returns to 
relevant market indices and our expectations to test 
the reasonableness of the reported prices. 

Based on our internal price verification procedures  

and our review of the fair value methodology 
documentation provided by independent pricing service, 
we have not historically adjusted the prices obtained  
from the pricing service. 

Other-than-temporary impairment assessment. Individual 
securities with fair values lower than costs are reviewed for 
impairment considering the following factors: our intent to 
sell the security or the likelihood that we will be required 
to sell the security before recovery of the entire amortized 
cost, the length of time and extent of impairment and the 
financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as 
well as specific events or circumstances that may influence 

the operations of the issuer. Other factors included in the 
assessment include the type and nature of the securities 
and liquidity. Given the nature of our portfolio, primarily 
investment grade securities, historical impairments were 
largely market related (e.g., interest rate fluctuations, etc.) 
as opposed to credit related. We do not expect that trend 
to change in the near term. Our large cash holdings reduce 
the risk that we will be required to sell a security. However, 
our intent to sell a security may change from period to 
period if facts and circumstances change.

We believe we will collect the principal and interest due 

on our debt securities with an amortized cost in excess 
of fair value. The unrealized losses of $9 million and $32 
million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, were 
primarily caused by market interest rate increases and not 
by unfavorable changes in the credit standing. We manage 
our investment portfolio to limit our exposure to any one 
issuer or market sector, and largely limit our investments to 
U.S. government and agency securities; state and municipal 
securities; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate 
debt obligations, substantially all of investment-grade 
quality. Securities downgraded below policy minimums 
after purchase will be disposed of in accordance with our 
investment policy. Total other-than-temporary impairments 
during 2012, 2011 and 2010 were $6 million, $12 million 
and $23 million, respectively. Our cash equivalent and 
investment portfolio had a weighted-average duration of 
2.1 years and a weighted-average credit rating of “AA” 
as of December 31, 2012. We have minimal securities 
collateralized by sub-prime or Alt-A securities, and a 
minimal amount of commercial mortgage loans in default. 
The judgments and estimates related to fair value and 
other-than-temporary impairment may ultimately prove to 
be inaccurate due to many factors including: circumstances 
may change over time, industry sector and market factors 
may differ from expectations and estimates or we may 
ultimately sell a security we previously intended to hold. 
Our assessment of the financial condition and near-term 
prospects of the issuer may ultimately prove to be inaccurate 
as time passes and new information becomes available 
including current facts and circumstances changing, or as 
unknown or estimated unlikely trends develop. 

As discussed further in Item 7A “Quantitative and 

Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” a 1% increase 
in market interest rates has the effect of decreasing the fair 
value of our investment portfolio by $656 million.

Income Taxes 
Our provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and 
liabilities, and uncertain tax positions reflect our assessment 
of estimated future taxes to be paid on items in the 
consolidated financial statements. 

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences 

between financial reporting and tax reporting bases of 
assets and liabilities, as well as net operating loss and tax 
credit carryforwards for tax purposes. We have established 
a valuation allowance against certain deferred tax assets 
based on the weight of available evidence (both positive 
and negative) for which it is more-likely-than-not that some 
portion, or all, of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.  

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   46

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An uncertain tax position is recognized when it is more 

likely than not that the position will be sustained upon 
examination, including resolutions of any related appeals 
or litigation processes, based on the technical merits. We 
prepare and file tax returns based on our interpretation 
of tax laws and regulations and record estimates based on 
these judgments and interpretations. In the normal course 
of business, our tax returns are subject to examination by 
various taxing authorities. Such examinations may result 
in future tax and interest assessments by these taxing 
authorities. Inherent uncertainties exist in estimates of 
tax positions due to changes in tax law resulting from 
legislation, regulation and/or as concluded through the 
various jurisdictions’ tax court systems. 

The significant assumptions and estimates described 

above are important contributors to our ultimate effective 
tax rate in each year. A hypothetical increase or decrease in 
our effective tax rate by 1% on our 2012 earnings before 
income taxes would have caused the provision for income 
taxes and net earnings to change by $86 million. 

Contingent LiabiLities 
Because of the nature of our businesses, we are routinely 
involved in various disputes, legal proceedings and 
governmental audits and investigations. We record 
liabilities for our estimates of the probable costs resulting 
from these matters where appropriate. Our estimates 
are developed in consultation with legal counsel, if 
appropriate, and are based upon an analysis of potential 
results, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement 
strategies and considering our insurance coverage, if any, 
for such matters. 

Estimates of costs resulting from legal and regulatory 

matters involving us are inherently difficult to predict, 
particularly where the matters: involve indeterminate 
claims for monetary damages or may involve fines, 
penalties or punitive damages; present novel legal 
theories or represent a shift in regulatory policy; involve 
a large number of claimants or regulatory bodies; are in 
the early stages of the proceedings; or could result in a 
change in business practices. Accordingly, in many cases, 
we are unable to estimate the losses or ranges of losses 
for those matters where there is a reasonable possibility 
or it is probable that a loss may be incurred. Similarly, the 
assessment of the likelihood of assertion of unasserted 
claims involves significant judgment. 

Given this inherent uncertainty, it is possible that 
future results of operations for any particular quarterly 
or annual period could be materially affected by changes 
in our estimates or assumptions. We evaluate our related 
disclosures each reporting period. See Note 12 of Notes 
to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 
8, “Financial Statements” for discussion of specific legal 
proceedings including an assessment of whether a reasonable 
estimate of the losses or range of loss could be determined. 

LEGAL MATTERS

A description of our legal proceedings is included in Note 
12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8 “Financial Statements.” 

2012 FORM 10-K

47

CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT RISK

Investments in financial instruments such as marketable 
securities and accounts receivable may subject us to 
concentrations of credit risk. Our investments in marketable 
securities are managed under an investment policy 
authorized by our Board of Directors. This policy limits 
the amounts that may be invested in any one issuer and 
generally limits our investments to U.S. government 
and agency securities, state and municipal securities and 
corporate debt obligations that are investment grade. 
Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts 
receivable are limited due to the large number of employer 
groups and other customers that constitute our client 
base. As of December 31, 2012, we had an aggregate $1.9 
billion reinsurance receivable resulting from the sale of our 
Golden Rule Financial Corporation life and annuity business 
in 2005. We regularly evaluate the financial condition of 
the reinsurer and only record the reinsurance receivable 
to the extent that the amounts are deemed probable of 
recovery. As of December 31, 2012, the reinsurer was rated 
by A.M. Best as “A+.” As of December 31, 2012, there were 
no other significant concentrations of credit risk.

iteM 7a. 

 Quantitative And Qualitative 
Disclosures About Market Risk

Our primary market risks are exposures to (a) changes 
in interest rates that impact our investment income and 
interest expense and the fair value of certain of our fixed-
rate investments and debt, (b) foreign currency exchange 
rate risk of the U.S. dollar primarily to the Brazilian Real 
and (c) changes in equity prices that impact the value of our 
equity investments.

As of December 31, 2012, we had $9.4 billion of cash, 
cash equivalents and investments on which the interest 
rates received vary with market interest rates, which may 
materially impact our investment income. Also, $6.7 billion of 
our debt and deposit liabilities as of December 31, 2012 were 
at interest rates that vary with market rates, either directly or 
through the use of related interest rate swap contracts.

The fair value of certain of our fixed-rate investments 

and debt also varies with market interest rates. As of 
December 31, 2012, $19.1 billion of our investments were 
fixed-rate debt securities and $13.6 billion of our debt was 
non-swapped fixed-rate term debt. An increase in market 
interest rates decreases the market value of fixed-rate 
investments and fixed-rate debt. Conversely, a decrease in 
market interest rates increases the market value of fixed-
rate investments and fixed-rate debt.

We manage exposure to market interest rates by 
diversifying investments across different fixed income 
market sectors and debt across maturities, as well as 
endeavoring to match our floating-rate assets and liabilities 
over time, either directly or periodically through the use of 
interest rate swap contracts. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   47

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48

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

The following tables summarize the impact of hypothetical changes in market interest rates across the entire yield curve 

by 1% or 2% as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 on our investment income and interest expense per annum, and the fair 
value of our investments and debt (in millions, except percentages):

Increase (Decrease) in Market Interest Rate 
 2 % 
 1 
(1) 
(2) 

Increase (Decrease) in Market Interest Rate 
 2% 
 1 
(1) 
(2) 

nm = not meaningful

$ 

Investment 
Income Per 
Annum (a) 
189 
94 
(18) 
nm 

$ 

Investment 
Income Per 
Annum (a) 
199 
99 
(12) 
nm 

December 31, 2012

Interest  
Expense Per 
Annum (a) 
134 
$ 
67 
(14) 
nm 

Fair Value of 
Investments (b) 

Fair Value of
Debt

$ 

(1,303) 
(656) 
518 
686 

$ 

(2,200)
(1,194)
1,366 
2,747 

December 31, 2011

Interest  
Expense Per 
Annum (a) 
28 
$ 
14 
(4) 
nm 

Fair Value of 
Investments (b) 

Fair Value of
Debt

$ 

(1,239) 
(622) 
586 
885 

$ 

(1,946)
(1,082)
1,086
2,343

(a)   Given the low absolute level of short-term market rates on our floating-rate assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2012 
and 2011, the assumed hypothetical change in interest rates does not reflect the full 100 basis point reduction in interest 
income or interest expense as the rate cannot fall below zero and thus the 200 basis point reduction is not meaningful.
(b)   As of December 31, 2012, some of our investments had interest rates below 2% so the assumed hypothetical change in 

the fair value of investments does not reflect the full 200 basis point reduction.

With the Amil acquisition, we have an exposure to 

changes in the value of the Brazilian Real to the U.S. Dollar 
in translation of Amil’s operating results at the average 
exchange rate over the accounting period, and Amil’s assets 
and liabilities at the spot rate at the end of the accounting 
period. The gains or losses resulting from translating foreign 
currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in 
shareholders’ equity and comprehensive income. 
An appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the 
Brazilian Real reduces the carrying value of the net 
assets denominated in Brazilian Real. For example, as 
of December 31, 2012 a hypothetical 10% increase in 
the value of the U.S. Dollar against the Brazilian Real 
would cause a reduction in net assets of $510 million. We 
manage exposure to foreign currency risk by conducting 
our international business operations primarily in their 

functional currencies. We funded certain cash needs of 
Amil through intercompany notes. At December 31, 2012, 
we had currency swaps with a total notional amount of 
$256 million hedging the U.S. dollar to the Brazilian Real to 
provide a cash flow hedge on the principal amount of the 
intercompany notes to Amil.

As of December 31, 2012, we had $677 million of 
investments in equity securities, including employee 
savings plan related investments of $348 million and 
venture capital funds, a portion of which were invested in 
various public and non-public companies concentrated in 
the areas of health care delivery and related information 
technologies. Market conditions that affect the value of 
health care or technology stocks will impact the value of 
our equity investments.

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   48

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2012 FORM 10-K

49

ITEM 8. 

Financial Statements

TablE of ConTEnTs

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Description of Business

Basis of Presentation, Use of Estimates and 
Significant Accounting Policies

Investments

Fair Value

Property, Equipment and Capitalized Software

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

7. Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable

8.

9.

10

11

11.

13.

Commercial Paper and Long-Term Debt

Income Taxes

Shareholders’ Equity

Share-Based Compensation

Commitments and Contingencies

Segment Financial Information

14. Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

56

56

62

65

69

69

71

72

74

76

77

78

79

82

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   49

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50

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

RepoRt of Independent RegIsteRed publIc 
AccountIng fIRm 
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries: 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance 
sheets of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries 
(the “Company”) as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, 
and the related consolidated statements of operations, 
comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows 
for each of the three years in the period ended December 
31, 2012. These consolidated financial statements are 
the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our 
responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated 
financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the 

standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight 
Board (United States). Those standards require that we 
plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance 
about whether the consolidated financial statements are 
free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, 
on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and 
disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. An 
audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used 
and significant estimates made by management, as well as 
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for 
our opinion.

In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements 
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position 
of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries as 
of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the results of their 
operations and their cash flows for each of the three years 
in the period ended December 31, 2012, in conformity with 
accounting principles generally accepted in the United 
States of America. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards 
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States), the Company’s internal control over financial 
reporting as of December 31, 2012, based on the criteria 
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework 
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of 
the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 6, 
2013, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting.

/S/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 6, 2013

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   50

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UnitedHealtH GroUp
Consolidated BalanCe sHeets

(in millions, except per share data) 
assets
Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents 
Short-term investments 
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $189 and $196 
Other current receivables, net of allowances of $206 and $72 
Assets under management 
Deferred income taxes 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

Total current assets 
Long-term investments 
Property, equipment and capitalized software, net of accumulated  
   depreciation and amortization of $2,564 and $2,440 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 

of $1,824 and $1,451 

Other assets 

total assets 

liabilities and shareholders’ equity 
Current liabilities: 

2012 FORM 10-K

51

december 31, 2012 

december 31, 2011

$ 

8,406 
3,031 
2,709 
2,889 
2,773 
463 
781 

21,052 
17,711 

3,939 
31,286 

4,682 
2,215 

$ 

9,429
2,577
2,294
2,255
2,708
472
615

20,350
16,166

2,515
23,975

2,795
2,088

$ 

80,885 

$ 

67,889

Medical costs payable 
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 
Other policy liabilities 
Commercial paper and current maturities of long-term debt 
Unearned revenues 

$ 

Total current liabilities 
Long-term debt, less current maturities 
Future policy benefits 
Deferred income taxes 
Other liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest 
Shareholders’ equity: 

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value - 10 shares authorized; 
   no shares issued or outstanding 
Common stock, $0.01 par value - 3,000 shares authorized;
   1,019 and 1,039 issued and outstanding 
Additional paid-in capital 
Retained earnings 
Accumulated other comprehensive income 

Total shareholders’ equity 

total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 

$ 

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

11,004 
6,984 
4,910 
2,713 
1,505 

27,116 
14,041 
2,444 
2,450 
1,535 

47,586 

2,121 

— 

10 
66 
30,664 
438 

31,178 

80,885 

$ 

$ 

9,799
6,853
5,063
982
1,225

23,922
10,656
2,445
1,351
1,223

39,597

—

—

10
—
27,821
461

28,292

67,889

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   51

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52

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UnitedHealtH GroUp
Consolidated statements of operations

(in millions, except per share data) 

revenues: 

Premiums 
Services 
Products 
Investment and other income 

Total revenues 

operating costs:
Medical costs 
Operating costs 
Cost of products sold 
Depreciation and amortization 

Total operating costs 

earnings from operations 
Interest expense 

earnings before income taxes 
Provision for income taxes 

net earnings 

earnings per share attributable to UnitedHealth Group 

common shareholders: 
Basic 

Diluted 

Basic weighted-average number of common  
   shares outstanding 
dilutive effect of common stock equivalents 

diluted weighted-average number of common  
   shares outstanding 

anti-dilutive shares excluded from the calculation of  
   dilutive effect of common stock equivalents 
Cash dividends declared per common share 

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

for the Years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

99,728 
7,437 
2,773 
680 

110,618 

80,226 
17,306 
2,523 
1,309 

101,364 

9,254 
(632) 

8,622 
(3,096) 

5,526 

5.38 

5.28 

1,027 
19 

1,046 

$ 

91,983 
6,613 
2,612 
654 

101,862 

74,332 
15,557 
2,385 
1,124 

93,398 

8,464 
(505) 

7,959 
(2,817) 

$ 

5,142 

$ 

$ 

4.81 

4.73 

1,070 
17 

1,087 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

85,405
5,819
2,322
609

94,155

68,841
14,270
2,116
1,064

86,291

7,864
(481)

7,383
(2,749)

4,634

4.14

4.10

1,120
11

1,131

17 
0.8000 

$ 

47 
0.6125 

$ 

94
0.4050

$ 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   52

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UnitedHealtH GroUp 
Consolidated statements of CompreHensive inCome

(in millions) 

net earnings 

Other comprehensive (loss) income:

Gross unrealized holding gains on investment 

securities during the period 

Income tax expense 

Total unrealized gains, net of tax 

Gross reclassification adjustment for 

net realized gains included in net earnings 

Income tax effect 

Total reclassification adjustment, net of tax 

Foreign currency translation adjustments 

Other comprehensive (loss) income 

Comprehensive income 

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

2012 FORM 10-K

53

for the Years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

5,526 

$ 

5,142 

$ 

4,634

217  
(78) 

139 

(156) 
57 

(99) 

(63) 

(23) 

422  
(154) 

268 

(113) 
41 

(72) 

13 

209 

74
(26)

48

(71)
26

(45)

(4)

(1)

$ 

5,503 

$ 

5,351 

$ 

4,633

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   53

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54

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UnitedHealtH GroUp
Consolidated statements of CHanGes in sHareHolders’ eqUity

accumulated other  
Comprehensive  
income (loss)  

net 

foreign 
Currency 

(in millions) 
Balance at January 1, 2010 
Net earnings 
Other comprehensive income 
Issuances of common stock, 
   and related tax effects 
Share-based compensation, 
   and related tax benefits 
Common stock repurchases 
Cash dividends paid on  
   common stock 
Balance at december 31, 2010 
Net earnings 
Other comprehensive income 
Issuances of common stock, 
   and related tax effects 
Share-based compensation, 
   and related tax benefits 
Common stock repurchases 
Cash dividends paid on  
   common stock 
Balance at december 31, 2011 
Net earnings 
Other comprehensive income 
Issuances of common stock, 
   and related tax effects 
Share-based compensation, 
   and related tax benefits 
Common stock repurchases 
Acquisition of noncontrolling 

interest 

Cash dividends paid on  
   common stock 
Balance at december 31, 2012 

 Common stock  

shares 
1,147 

amount  
11 
$ 

additional 
paid-in 
Capital  
$  — 

15 

— 

  207 

(76) 

— 

  345 
(552) 

1,086 

11 

  — 

18 

— 

  308 

(65) 

(1) 

  453 
(761) 

1,039 

10 

  — 

retained   
earnings  
$  23,342 
4,634 

(1,965) 

(449) 
  25,562 
5,142 

(2,232) 

(651) 
  27,821 
5,526 

37 

— 

  704 

(57) 

— 

  594 
 (1,221) 

(11) 

(1,863) 

Unrealized  translation 
Gains on 

(losses) 
investments  Gains  
$  (24) 

$  277 

3 

(4) 

280 

(28) 

196 

13 

476 

(15) 

40 

(63) 

total
equity
$  23,606
4,634
(1)

207

345
(2,517)

(449)
  25,825
5,142
209

308

453
(2,994)

(651)
  28,292
5,526
(23)

704

594
(3,084)

(11)

1,019 

$ 

10 

$  66 

(820) 
$  30,664 

$  516 

$  (78) 

(820)
$  31,178

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   54

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UnitedHealtH GroUp
Consolidated statements of CasH flows

(in millions) 

operating activities
Net earnings 
Non-cash items:

Depreciation and amortization 
Deferred income taxes 
Share-based compensation 
Other, net 

Net change in other operating items, net of effects 
from acquisitions and changes in AARP balances:
Accounts receivable 
Other assets 
Medical costs payable 
Accounts payable and other liabilities 
Other policy liabilities 
Unearned revenues 

Cash flows from operating activities 

investing activities
Purchases of investments 
Sales of investments 
Maturities of investments 
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash assumed 
Cash received from dispositions 
Purchases of property, equipment and capitalized software 
Proceeds from disposal of property, equipment 

and capitalized software 

Cash flows used for investing activities 

financing activities
Common stock repurchases 
Proceeds from common stock issuances 
Cash dividends paid 
Proceeds from (repayments of) commercial paper, net 
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 
Repayments of long-term debt 
Interest rate swap termination 
Customer funds administered 
Checks outstanding 
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest shares 
Other, net 

Cash flows from (used for) financing activities 

(decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 

supplemental cash flow disclosures
Cash paid for interest 
Cash paid for income taxes 

See Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 

2012 FORM 10-K

55

for the Years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

5,526 

$ 

5,142 

$ 

4,634

1,309 
308 
421 
(231) 

(130) 
(295) 
101 
199 
(81) 
28 

7,155 

(9,903) 
3,794 
4,810 
(6,280) 
— 
(1,070) 

— 

(8,649) 

(3,084) 
1,078 
(820) 
1,587 
3,966 
(986) 
— 
(324) 
(202) 
(319) 
(425) 

471 

(1,023) 
9,429 

8,406 

600 
2,666 

$ 

$ 

1,124 
59 
401 
(67) 

(267) 
(121) 
377 
146 
482 
(308) 

6,968 

(9,895) 
3,949 
4,251 
(1,844) 
385 
(1,067) 

49 

(4,172) 

(2,994) 
381 
(651) 
(933) 
2,234 
(955) 
132 
37 
206 
— 
53 

(2,490) 

306 
9,123 

9,429 

472 
2,739 

$ 

$ 

1,064
45
326
203

(16)
84
(88)
(341)
10
352

6,273

(7,855)
2,593
3,105
(2,323)
19
(878)

—

(5,339)

(2,517)
272
(449)
930
747
(1,583)
—
974
(5)
—
20

(1,611)

(677)
9,800

9,123

509
2,725

$ 

$ 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   55

3/28/13   3:53 AM

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
56

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.  DEscRIPTION Of BUsINEss
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (also referred to as 
“UnitedHealth Group” and “the Company”) is a diversified 
health and well-being company whose mission is to  
help people live healthier lives and make health care  
work better. 

The Company helps individuals access quality care at an 
affordable cost; simplifying health care administration and 
delivery; strengthening the physician/patient relationship; 
promoting evidence-based care; and empowering 
physicians, health care professionals, consumers, employers 
and other participants in the health system with actionable 
data to make better, more informed decisions.  

Through the Company’s diversified family of businesses, 

it leverages core competencies in advanced, enabling 
technology; health care data, information and intelligence; 
and clinical care management and coordination to help 
meet the demands of the health system. See Note 13 for a 
description of the Company’s reportable segments and how 
the segments generate their revenues. 

2.   BAsIs Of PREsENTATION, UsE Of EsTImATEs AND 

sIGNIfIcANT AccOUNTING POLIcIEs

Basis of Presentation
The Company has prepared the Consolidated Financial 
Statements according to United States of America (U.S.) 
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and 
has included the accounts of UnitedHealth Group and its 
subsidiaries. The Company has eliminated intercompany 
balances and transactions. 

Use of Estimates
These Consolidated Financial Statements include certain 
amounts based on the Company’s best estimates and 
judgments. The Company’s most significant estimates 
relate to medical costs payable, premium rebates and risk-
adjusted and risk-sharing provisions related to revenues, 
valuation and impairment analysis of goodwill and other 
intangible assets, estimates of other policy liabilities and 
other current receivables, valuations of investments, 
and estimates and judgments related to income taxes 
and contingent liabilities. These estimates require the 
application of complex assumptions and judgments, often 
because they involve matters that are inherently uncertain 
and will likely change in subsequent periods. The impact 
of any changes in estimates is included in earnings in the 
period in which the estimate is adjusted.

Revenues 
Premium revenues are primarily derived from risk-based 
health insurance arrangements in which the premium is 
typically at a fixed rate per individual served for a one-
year period, and the Company assumes the economic 
risk of funding its customers’ health care and related 
administrative costs. 

Premium revenues are recognized in the period in which 

eligible individuals are entitled to receive health care 
benefits. Health care premium payments received from its 
customers in advance of the service period are recorded 
as unearned revenues. Effective in 2011, U.S. commercial 
health plans with medical loss ratios on fully insured 
products, as calculated under the definitions in the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act and a reconciliation 
measure, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation 
Act of 2010 (together, Health Reform Legislation) and 
implementing regulations, that fall below certain targets 
are required to rebate ratable portions of their premiums 
annually. Premium revenues are recognized based on 
the estimated premiums earned net of projected rebates 
because the Company is able to reasonably estimate 
the ultimate premiums of these contracts. Each period, 
the Company estimates premium rebates based on the 
expected financial performance of the applicable contracts 
within each defined aggregation set (e.g., by state, group 
size and licensed subsidiary). The most significant factors 
in estimating the financial performance are current and 
future premiums and medical claim experience, effective 
tax rates and expected changes in business mix. The 
estimated ultimate premium is revised each period to 
reflect current and projected experience. The Company also 
records premium revenues from capitation arrangements at 
its OptumHealth businesses.

The Company’s Medicare Advantage and Part D premium 

revenues are subject to periodic adjustment under the 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) risk 
adjustment payment methodology. CMS deploys a risk 
adjustment model that apportions premiums paid to 
all health plans according to health severity and certain 
demographic factors. The CMS risk adjustment model 
provides higher per member payments for enrollees 
diagnosed with certain conditions and lower payments 
for enrollees who are healthier. Under this risk adjustment 
methodology, CMS calculates the risk adjusted premium 
payment using diagnosis data from hospital inpatient, 
hospital outpatient and physician treatment settings. 
The Company and health care providers collect, capture, 
and submit the necessary and available diagnosis data to 
CMS within prescribed deadlines. The Company estimates 
risk adjustment revenues based upon the diagnosis data 
submitted and expected to be submitted to CMS. Risk 
adjustment data for certain of the Company’s plans is 
subject to review by the government, including audit 
by regulators. See Note 12 for additional information 
regarding these audits. 

Service revenues consist primarily of fees derived from 
services performed for customers that self-insure the health 
care costs of their employees and employees’ dependants. 
Under service fee contracts, the Company recognizes 
revenue in the period the related services are performed. 
The customers retain the risk of financing health care 
costs for their employees and employees’ dependants, 
and the Company administers the payment of customer 
funds to physicians and other health care professionals 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   56

3/28/13   3:53 AM

from customer-funded bank accounts. As the Company has 
neither the obligation for funding the health care costs, 
nor the primary responsibility for providing the medical 
care, the Company does not recognize premium revenue 
and medical costs for these contracts in its Consolidated 
Financial Statements. 

For both risk-based and fee-based customer 

arrangements, the Company provides coordination and 
facilitation of medical services; transaction processing; 
customer, consumer and care professional services; and 
access to contracted networks of physicians, hospitals 
and other health care professionals. These services are 
performed throughout the contract period.

For the Company’s OptumRx pharmacy benefits 

management (PBM) business, revenues are derived from 
products sold through a contracted network of retail 
pharmacies or mail services, and from administrative 
services, including claims processing and formulary design 
and management. Product revenues include ingredient 
costs (net of rebates), a negotiated dispensing fee and 
customer co-payments for drugs dispensed through the 
Company’s mail-service pharmacy. In retail pharmacy 
transactions, revenues recognized exclude the member’s 
applicable co-payment. Product revenues are recognized 
when the prescriptions are dispensed through the retail 
network or received by consumers through the Company’s 
mail-service pharmacy. Service revenues are recognized 
when the prescription claim is adjudicated. The Company 
has entered into retail service contracts in which it is 
primarily obligated to pay its network pharmacy providers 
for benefits provided to their customers regardless if 
the Company is paid. The Company is also involved in 
establishing the prices charged by retail pharmacies, 
determining which drugs will be included in formulary 
listings and selecting which retail pharmacies will be 
included in the network offered to plan sponsors’ members. 
As a result, revenues are reported on a gross basis.

Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable 
Medical costs and medical costs payable include estimates 
of the Company’s obligations for medical care services 
that have been rendered on behalf of insured consumers, 
but for which claims have either not yet been received 
or processed, and for liabilities for physician, hospital 
and other medical cost disputes. The Company develops 
estimates for medical costs incurred but not reported using 
an actuarial process that is consistently applied, centrally 
controlled and automated. The actuarial models consider 
factors such as time from date of service to claim receipt, 
claim processing backlogs, care provider contract rate 
changes, medical care utilization and other medical cost 
trends. The Company estimates liabilities for physician, 
hospital and other medical cost disputes based upon an 
analysis of potential outcomes, assuming a combination 
of litigation and settlement strategies. Each period, the 
Company re-examines previously established medical costs 
payable estimates based on actual claim submissions and 
other changes in facts and circumstances. As the medical 
costs payable estimates recorded in prior periods develop, 

2012 FORM 10-K

57

the Company adjusts the amount of the estimates and 
includes the changes in estimates in medical costs in the 
period in which the change is identified. Medical costs also 
include the direct cost of patient care rendered through 
OptumHealth.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments 
Cash and cash equivalents are highly liquid investments 
that have an original maturity of three months or less.  
The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates 
their carrying value because of the short maturity of  
the instruments. 

The Company had checks outstanding of $1.3 billion 

and $1.5 billion as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, 
respectively, which were classified as Accounts Payable and 
Accrued Liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and 
the change in this balance has been reflected as Checks 
Outstanding within financing activities in the Consolidated 
Statements of Cash Flows. The outstanding checks are all 
related to zero balance accounts; the Company does not 
net checks outstanding with deposits in other accounts.
Investments with maturities of less than one year 

are classified as short-term. Because of regulatory 
requirements, certain investments are included in long-term 
investments regardless of their maturity date. The Company 
classifies these investments as held-to-maturity and reports 
them at amortized cost. Substantially all other investments 
are classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair value 
based on quoted market prices, where available. 

The Company excludes unrealized gains and losses 

on investments in available-for-sale securities from 
earnings and reports them as comprehensive income 
and, net of income tax effects, as a separate component 
of shareholders’ equity. To calculate realized gains and 
losses on the sale of investments, the Company specifically 
identifies the cost of each investment sold. 

The Company evaluates an investment for impairment by 
considering the length of time and extent to which market 
value has been less than cost or amortized cost, the financial 
condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as well 
as specific events or circumstances that may influence the 
operations of the issuer and the Company’s intent to sell the 
security or the likelihood that it will be required to sell the 
security before recovery of the entire amortized cost. 

•   For debt securities, if the Company intends to either 
sell or determines that it will be more likely than not 
be required to sell a security before recovery of the 
entire amortized cost basis or maturity of the security, 
the Company recognizes the entire impairment in 
Investment and Other Income. If the Company does not 
intend to sell the debt security and it determines that 
it will not be more likely than not be required to sell 
the security but it does not expect to recover the entire 
amortized cost basis, the impairment is bifurcated 
into the amount attributed to the credit loss, which is 
recognized in earnings, and all other causes, which are 
recognized in other comprehensive income. 
•   For equity securities, the Company recognizes 

impairments in other comprehensive income if it 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   57

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58

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

expects to hold the security until fair value increases 
to at least the security’s cost basis and it expects 
that increase in fair value to occur in a reasonably 
forecasted period. If the Company intends to sell the 
equity security or if it believes that recovery of fair 
value to cost will not occur in a reasonably forecasted 
period, the Company recognizes the impairment in 
Investment and Other Income.

New information and the passage of time can change 
these judgments. The Company manages its investment 
portfolio to limit its exposure to any one issuer or 
market sector, and largely limits its investments to U.S. 
government and agency securities; state and municipal 
securities; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate debt 
obligations, substantially all of which are investment grade 
quality. Securities downgraded below policy minimums 
after purchase will be disposed of in accordance with the 
investment policy. 

Assets Under Management 
The Company provides health insurance products and 
services to members of AARP under a Supplemental 
Health Insurance Program (the AARP Program), and 
to AARP members and non-members under separate 
Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D arrangements. 
The products and services under the AARP Program 
include supplemental Medicare benefits (AARP Medicare 
Supplement Insurance), hospital indemnity insurance, 
including insurance for individuals between 50 to 64 years 
of age, and other related products. 

The Company’s arrangements with AARP extend to 
December 31, 2017 for the AARP Program and give the 
Company an exclusive right to use the AARP brand on 
the Company’s Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D 
offerings until December 31, 2014, subject to certain  
limited exclusions. 

Pursuant to the Company’s agreement, AARP Program 
assets are managed separately from its general investment 
portfolio and are used to pay costs associated with the 
AARP Program. These assets are invested at the Company’s 
discretion, within investment guidelines approved by AARP. 
The Company does not guarantee any rates of return on 
these investments and, upon transfer of the AARP Program 
contract to another entity, the Company would transfer 
cash equal in amount to the fair value of these investments 
at the date of transfer to that entity. Because the purpose 
of these assets is to fund the medical costs payable, the 
rate stabilization fund (RSF) liabilities and other related 
liabilities associated with this AARP contract, assets under 
management are classified as current assets, consistent 
with the classification of these liabilities. Interest earnings 
and realized investment gains and losses on these assets 
accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP policyholders 
through the RSF. Accordingly, they are not included in the 
Company’s earnings. Interest income and realized gains and 
losses related to assets under management are recorded as 
an increase to the RSF and were $109 million, $99 million 
and $107 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. 
The effects of changes in balance sheet amounts 

associated with the AARP Program also accrue to the overall 
benefit of the AARP policyholders through the RSF balance. 
Accordingly, the Company excludes the effect of such 
changes in its Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. For 
more detail on the RSF, see “Other Policy Liabilities” below.

Other Current Receivables 
Other current receivables include amounts due from 
pharmaceutical manufacturers for rebates and Medicare 
Part D drug discounts, reinsurance and other miscellaneous 
amounts due to the Company. 

The Company’s PBM businesses contract with 

pharmaceutical manufacturers, some of whom provide 
rebates based on use of the manufacturers’ products by its 
PBM businesses’ affiliated and non-affiliated clients. The 
Company accrues rebates as they are earned by its clients 
on a monthly basis based on the terms of the applicable 
contracts, historical data and current estimates. The PBM 
businesses bill these rebates to the manufacturers on a 
monthly or quarterly basis depending on the contractual 
terms. The PBM businesses record rebates attributable to 
affiliated clients as a reduction to medical costs. Rebates 
attributable to non-affiliated clients are accrued as rebates 
receivable and a reduction of cost of products sold with 
a corresponding payable for the amounts of the rebates 
to be remitted to non-affiliated clients in accordance 
with their contracts and recorded in the Consolidated 
Statements of Operations as a reduction of Product 
Revenue. The Company generally receives rebates from two 
to five months after billing. 

For details on the Company’s Medicare Part D receivables 

see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” below. 

For details on the Company’s reinsurance receivable see 
“Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable” below. 

Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits
The Company serves as a plan sponsor offering Medicare 
Part D prescription drug insurance coverage under contracts 
with CMS. Under the Medicare Part D program, there 
are seven separate elements of payment received by the 
Company during the plan year. These payment elements 
are as follows: 

•   CMS Premium. CMS pays a fixed monthly premium per 

member to the Company for the entire plan year. 

•   Member Premium. Additionally, certain members pay a 
fixed monthly premium to the Company for the entire 
plan year. 

•   Low-Income Premium Subsidy. For qualifying low-
income members, CMS pays some or all of the 
member’s monthly premiums to the Company on the 
member’s behalf. 

•   Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy. CMS pays the 

Company a cost reimbursement estimate monthly to 
fund the CMS obligation to pay approximately 80% 
of the costs incurred by individual members in excess 
of the individual annual out-of-pocket maximum. A 
settlement is made with CMS based on actual cost 
experience, after the end of the plan year. 

•   Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy. For 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   58

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qualifying low-income members, CMS pays on the 
member’s behalf some or all of a member’s cost sharing 
amounts, such as deductibles and coinsurance. The cost 
sharing subsidy is funded by CMS through monthly 
payments to the Company. The Company administers 
and pays the subsidized portion of the claims on behalf 
of CMS, and a settlement payment is made between 
CMS and the Company based on actual claims and 
premium experience, after the end of the plan year. 
•   CMS Risk-Share. Premiums from CMS are subject to 

risk corridor provisions that compare costs targeted in 
the Company’s annual bids by product and region to 
actual prescription drug costs, limited to actual costs 
that would have been incurred under the standard 
coverage as defined by CMS. Variances of more than 
5% above or below the original bid submitted by 
the Company may result in CMS making additional 
payments to the Company or require the Company to 
refund to CMS a portion of the premiums it received. 
The Company estimates and recognizes an adjustment 
to premium revenues related to the risk corridor 
payment settlement based upon pharmacy claims 
experience to date. The estimate of the settlement 
associated with these risk corridor provisions requires 
the Company to consider factors that may not be 
certain, including estimates of eligible pharmacy 
costs and member eligibility status differences with 
CMS. The Company records risk-share adjustments to 
Premium Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of 
Operations and Other Policy Liabilities or Other Current 
Receivables in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 
•   Drug Discount. Beginning in 2011, Health Reform 

Legislation mandated a consumer discount of 50% 
on brand name prescription drugs for Part D plan 
participants in the coverage gap. This discount is 

2012 FORM 10-K

59

funded by CMS and pharmaceutical manufacturers 
while the Company administers the application of 
these funds. Amounts received are not reflected as 
premium revenues, but rather are accounted for 
as deposits. The Company records a liability when 
amounts are received from CMS and a receivable when 
the Company bills the pharmaceutical manufacturers. 
Related cash flows are presented as Customer Funds 
Administered within financing activities in the 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

The CMS Premium, the Member Premium, and the 
Low-Income Premium Subsidy represent payments for the 
Company’s insurance risk coverage under the Medicare 
Part D program and, therefore, are recorded as Premium 
Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. 
Premium revenues are recognized ratably over the period in 
which eligible individuals are entitled to receive prescription 
drug benefits. The Company records premium payments 
received in advance of the applicable service period in 
Unearned Revenues in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 
The Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-

Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy (Subsidies) represent 
cost reimbursements under the Medicare Part D program. 
Amounts received for these Subsidies are not reflected 
as premium revenues, but rather are accounted for as 
receivables and/or deposits. Related cash flows are presented 
as Customer Funds Administered within financing activities 
in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Pharmacy benefit costs and administrative costs under 
the contract are expensed as incurred and are recognized 
in Medical Costs and Operating Costs, respectively, in the 
Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

The final 2012 risk-share amount is expected to be 

settled during the second half of 2013, and is subject to the 
reconciliation process with CMS. 

The Consolidated Balance Sheets include the following amounts associated with the Medicare Part D program: 

(in millions) 

Subsidies 

Drug Discount  Risk-Share 

Subsidies 

Drug Discount 

Risk-Share

Other current receivables 
Other policy liabilities 

$ 

461 
— 

$ 

314 
319 

$ 

— 
438 

$ 

— 
70 

$ 

509 
649 

$ 

—
170

December 31, 2012 

December 31, 2011

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   59

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60

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

As of January 1, 2013, certain changes were made to the 

The Company estimates the fair values of its reporting 

Medicare Part D coverage by CMS, including: 

  The initial coverage limit increased to $2,970 from $2,930 
in 2012. 

  The catastrophic coverage begins at $6,734 as compared 
to $6,658 in 2012. 

  The annual out-of-pocket maximum increased to $4,750 
from $4,700 in 2012. 

  The discounts on prescription drugs within the coverage 
gap increased to 52.5% from 50% in 2012 for brand name 
drugs and to 21% from 14% in 2012 for generic drugs.  

Property, Equipment and Capitalized Software 
Property, equipment and capitalized software are stated 
at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. 
Capitalized software consists of certain costs incurred 
in the development of internal-use software, including 
external direct costs of materials and services and applicable 
payroll costs of employees devoted to specific software 
development. The Company reviews property, equipment 
and capitalized software for events or changes in 
circumstances that would indicate that it might not recover 
their carrying value. If the Company determines that an asset 
may not be recoverable, an impairment charge is recorded. 
The Company calculates depreciation and amortization 
using the straight-line method over the estimated useful 
lives of the assets. The useful lives for property, equipment 
and capitalized software are: 

Furniture, fixtures and equipment 
Buildings 
Leasehold improvements 

Capitalized software 

3 to 7 years
35 to 40 years
 7 years or length 
of lease term, 
whichever is shorter
3 to 5 years

Goodwill 
Goodwill represents the amount of the purchase price 
in excess of the fair values assigned to the underlying 
identifiable net assets of acquired businesses. Goodwill 
is not amortized, but is subject to an annual impairment 
test. Tests are performed more frequently if events occur 
or circumstances change that would more likely than 
not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its 
carrying amount. 

To determine whether goodwill is impaired, the 

Company performs a multi-step impairment test. First, the 
Company can elect to perform a qualitative assessment 
of each reporting unit to determine whether facts and 
circumstances support a determination that their fair 
values are greater than their carrying values. If the 
qualitative analysis is not conclusive, or if the Company 
elects to proceed directly with quantitative testing, it will 
then measure the fair values of the reporting units and 
compare them to their aggregate carrying values, including 
goodwill. 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 to the carrying amount 
of goodwill to determine whether goodwill is impaired.  

units using discounted cash flows. To determine fair 
values, the Company must make assumptions about a 
wide variety of internal and external factors. Significant 
assumptions used in the impairment analysis 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, and discount rates. Comparative market 
multiples are used to corroborate the results of the 
discounted cash flow test.

The Company elected to bypass the optional qualitative 

reporting-unit fair value assessment and completed its 
annual quantitative test for goodwill impairment as of 
January 1, 2013. As of December 31, 2012, no reporting 
unit had a fair value less than its carrying value and the 
Company concluded that there was no need for any 
impairment of its goodwill balances.

Intangible assets
Separately-identifiable intangible assets are acquired 
in business combinations and are assets that represent 
future expected benefits but lack physical substance (e.g., 
membership lists, customer contracts, trademarks and 
technology). The Company’s intangible assets are initially 
recorded at their fair values. Finite-lived intangible assets 
are amortized over their expected useful lives.

The Company’s intangible assets are subject to 

impairment tests when events or circumstances indicate 
that an intangible asset’s (or asset group’s) may be 
impaired. The Company’s indefinite lived intangible assets 
are also tested for impairment annually. There were no 
material impairments of intangible assets during the year 
ended December 31, 2012.

Other Policy Liabilities 
Other policy liabilities include the RSF associated with the 
AARP Program (described below), health savings account 
deposits, deposits under the Medicare Part D program 
(see “Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits” above), accruals 
for premium rebate payments under the Health Reform 
Legislation, the current portion of future policy benefits 
and customer balances. Customer balances represent excess 
customer payments and deposit accounts under experience-
rated contracts. At the customer’s option, these balances 
may be refunded or used to pay future premiums or claims 
under eligible contracts. 

Underwriting gains or losses related to the AARP 

Program are directly recorded as an increase or decrease 
to the RSF and accrue to the overall benefit of the AARP 
policyholders, unless cumulative net losses were to exceed 
the balance in the RSF. The primary components of the 
underwriting results are premium revenue, medical costs, 
investment income, administrative expenses, member 
service expenses, marketing expenses and premium taxes. 
To the extent underwriting losses exceed the balance in the 
RSF, losses would be borne by the Company. Deficits may 
be recovered by underwriting gains in future periods of 
the contract. To date, the Company has not been required 
to fund any underwriting deficits. Changes in the RSF are 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   60

3/28/13   3:53 AM

reported in Medical Costs in the Consolidated Statement of 
Operations. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the balance 
in the RSF was $1.3 billion.

Income Taxes 
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized 
for the differences between the financial and income tax 
reporting bases of assets and liabilities based on enacted tax 
rates and laws. The deferred income tax provision or benefit 
generally reflects the net change in deferred income tax 
assets and liabilities during the year, excluding any deferred 
income tax assets and liabilities of acquired businesses. The 
current income tax provision reflects the tax consequences 
of revenues and expenses currently taxable or deductible on 
various income tax returns for the year reported. 

Future Policy Benefits and Reinsurance Receivable
Future policy benefits represent account balances that 
accrue to the benefit of the policyholders, excluding 
surrender charges, for universal life and investment annuity 
products and for long-duration health policies sold to 
individuals for which some of the premium received in 
the earlier years is intended to pay benefits to be incurred 
in future years. As a result of the 2005 sale of the life 
and annuity business within the Company’s Golden Rule 
Financial Corporation subsidiary under an indemnity 
reinsurance arrangement, the Company has maintained 
a liability associated with the reinsured contracts, as it 
remains primarily liable to the policyholders, and has 
recorded a corresponding reinsurance receivable due from 
the purchaser. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 
an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance receivable, of which 
$135 million was recorded in Other Current Receivables 
and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other Assets in the 
Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2011, 
the Company had an aggregate $1.9 billion reinsurance 
receivable, of which $125 million was recorded in Other 
Current Receivables and $1.8 billion was recorded in Other 
Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company 
evaluates the financial condition of the reinsurer and 
only records the reinsurance receivable to the extent of 
probable recovery. As of December 31, 2012, the reinsurer 
was rated by A.M. Best as “A+.” 

Foreign currency translation
Assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations 
denominated in non-U.S. dollar functional currencies are 
translated into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates as 
of the end of each accounting period. Related revenue 
and expenses are translated at average exchange rates 
during the accounting period. The gains or losses resulting 
from translating foreign currency financial statements 
into U.S. dollars are included in shareholders’ equity and 
comprehensive income. 

Noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling interests in the Company’s subsidiaries 
whose redemption is outside the control of the Company 
are classified as temporary equity. The redeemable 
noncontrolling interests are primarily related to holders of 
Amil Participações S.A. (Amil) shares. Amil was acquired in 

2012 FORM 10-K

61

2012, see Note 6 for more information. During 2012, the 
Company purchased noncontrolling interest shares for $319 
million, of which $11 million was recorded as a reduction 
of Additional Paid-In Capital. For the year ended December 
31, 2012, the Company’s net earnings attributable to 
redeemable noncontrolling interests was nil and other 
noncontrolling interest activity was not material. 

Policy Acquisition Costs 
The Company’s short duration health insurance contracts 
typically have a one-year term and may be canceled by 
the customer with at least 30 days notice. Costs related to 
the acquisition and renewal of short duration customer 
contracts are charged to expense as incurred. 

Share-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes compensation expense for 
share-based awards, including stock options, stock-settled 
stock appreciation rights (SARs) and restricted stock and 
restricted stock units (collectively, restricted shares), on a 
straight-line basis over the related service period (generally 
the vesting period) of the award, or to an employee’s 
eligible retirement date under the award agreement, if 
earlier. Restricted shares vest ratably, primarily over three to 
four years and compensation expense related to restricted 
shares is based on the share price on date of grant. Stock 
options and SARs vest ratably over four to six years and 
may be exercised up to 10 years from the date of grant. 
Compensation expense related to stock options and SARs is 
based on the fair value at date of grant, which is estimated 
on the date of grant using a binomial option-pricing 
model. Under the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase 
Plan (ESPP) eligible employees are allowed to purchase 
the Company’s stock at a discounted price, which is 85% 
of the lower market price of the Company’s common 
stock at the beginning or at the end of the six-month 
purchase period. Share-based compensation expense for all 
programs is recognized in Operating Costs in the Company’s 
Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

Net Earnings Per Common Share 
The Company computes basic net earnings per common 
share by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average 
number of common shares outstanding during the 
period. The Company determines diluted net earnings per 
common share using the weighted-average number of 
common shares outstanding during the period, adjusted 
for potentially dilutive shares associated with stock options, 
SARs, restricted shares and the ESPP, using the treasury 
stock method. The treasury stock method assumes a 
hypothetical issuance of shares to settle the share-based 
awards, with the assumed proceeds used to purchase 
common stock at the average market price for the period. 
Assumed proceeds include the amount the employee must 
pay upon exercise, any unrecognized compensation cost 
and any related excess tax benefit. The difference between 
the number of shares assumed issued and number of shares 
assumed purchased represents the dilutive shares. 

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   61

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62

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

(FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-
04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to 
Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure 
Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs” (ASU 2011-04). This 
update provides guidance on how fair value measurement 
should be applied where existing GAAP already requires 
or permits fair value measurements. In addition, ASU 
2011-04 requires expanded disclosures regarding fair 
value measurements. ASU 2011-04 became effective 
for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The adoption of the 
measurement guidance of ASU 2011-04 did not have a 
material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. 
The new disclosures have been included with the 
Company’s fair value disclosures in Note 4.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, 
“Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) - Presentation of 

Comprehensive Income” (ASU 2011-05). ASU 2011-05 
requires entities to present the total of comprehensive 
income, the components of net income, and the 
components of other comprehensive income either in a 
single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in 
two separate but consecutive statements and eliminates the 
option to present the components of other comprehensive 
income as a part of the statement of equity. ASU 2011-05 
became effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2012. The 
Company presented separate Consolidated Statements of 
Comprehensive Income, which appear consecutive to the 
Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The Company has determined that there have been no 

other recently adopted or issued accounting standards 
that had or will have a material impact on its Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

3.  Investments
A summary of short-term and long-term investments is as follows:

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012
Debt securities - available-for-sale:

Amortized 
Cost 

Gross 
Unrealized 
Gains 

Gross
Unrealized 
Losses 

Fair 
value

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

$ 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 

Equity securities - available-for-sale 
Debt securities - held-to-maturity: 

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

Total debt securities - held-to-maturity 

2,501 
6,282 
6,930 
2,168 
538 

18,419 

668 

168 
30 
641 

839 

$ 

38 
388 
283 
70 
36 

815 

10 

6 
— 
2 

8 

Total investments 

$ 

19,926 

$ 

833 

December 31, 2011
Debt securities - available-for-sale: 

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

$ 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 

Equity securities - available-for-sale 
Debt securities - held-to-maturity:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

Total debt securities - held-to-maturity 

2,319 
6,363 
5,825 
2,279 
476 

17,262 

529 

166 
13 
18 

197 

$ 

54 
403 
205 
74 
28 

764 

23 

7 
— 
— 

7 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1) 
(3) 
(4) 
— 
— 

(8) 

(1) 

— 
— 
— 

— 

(9) 

— 
(1) 
(23) 
— 
— 

(24) 

(8) 

— 
— 
— 

— 

$ 

2,538
6,667
7,209
2,238
574

19,226

677

174
30
643

847

$ 

20,750

$ 

2,373
6,765
6,007
2,353
504

18,002

544

173
13
18

204

Total investments 

$ 

17,988 

$ 

794 

$ 

(32) 

$ 

18,750

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   62

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2012 FORM 10-K

63

The fair values of the Company’s mortgage-backed securities by credit rating (when multiple credit ratings are available for 
an individual security, the average of the available ratings is used) and origination as of December 31, 2012 were as follows:

(in millions) 

2012 
2011 
2010 
2007 
2006 
Pre - 2006 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total 

Non-Investment  Total Fair

AAA 

$ 

123 
27 
— 
88 
137 
167 
  2,238 

$  2,780 

AA 

$  — 
— 
3 
— 
— 
5 
— 

$ 

8 

A 

$  — 
— 
— 
— 
11 
— 
— 

$ 

11 

Grade 

$  — 
— 
— 
2 
8 
3 
— 

$ 

13 

Value

$  123
27
3
90
156
175
  2,238

$  2,812

The Company includes in the non-investment grade column in the table above any securities backed by Alt-A or sub-prime 
mortgages and any commercial mortgage loans in default. 
The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale debt securities as of December 31, 2012, by contractual maturity, 
were as follows:

(in millions) 

Due in one year or less 
Due after one year through five years 
Due after five years through ten years 
Due after ten years 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Total debt securities - available-for-sale 

Amortized 
Cost 

$  3,107 
  6,249 
  4,695 
  1,662 
  2,168 
538 
$ 18,419 

Fair
Value

$  3,120
  6,471
  5,039
  1,784
  2,238
574
$ 19,226

The amortized cost and fair value of held-to-maturity debt securities as of December 31, 2012, by contractual maturity, were 
as follows:

(in millions) 

Due in one year or less 
Due after one year through five years 
Due after five years through ten years 
Due after ten years 
Total debt securities - held-to-maturity 

Amortized 
Cost 

$ 

$ 

435 
126 
177 
101 
839 

Fair
Value

$  436
129
180
102
$  847

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   63

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64

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

The fair value of available-for-sale investments with gross unrealized losses by major security type and length of time that 
individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position were as follows:

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012
Debt securities - available-for-sale: 

Less Than 12 Months 
Gross  
Unrealized 
Losses  

Fair  
Value 

12 Months or Greater 
 Gross  
Unrealized   
Losses  

Fair  
Value  

Total

Fair  
Value  

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

U.S. government and agency obligations  $ 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

183 
362 
695 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 

$  1,240 

Equity securities - available-for-sale 

$ 

13 

December 31, 2011
Debt securities - available-for-sale:
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

$ 
85 
  1,496 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 

$  1,581 

Equity securities - available-for-sale 

$ 

24 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1) 
(3) 
(4) 

(8) 

(1) 

(1) 
(22) 

(23) 

(7) 

$  — 
— 
— 

$  — 
— 
— 

$ 

183 
362 
695 

$  — 

$  — 

$  1,240 

$  — 

$  — 

$ 

13 

$ 

$ 

$ 

21 
28 

49 

3 

$  — 
(1) 

$ 

$ 

(1) 

(1) 

$ 
106 
  1,524 

$  1,630 

$ 

27 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1)
(3)
(4)

(8)

(1)

(1)
(23)

(24)

(8)

The unrealized losses from all securities as of December 31, 2012 were generated from approximately 1,300 positions out 
of a total of 18,000 positions. The Company believes that it will collect the principal and interest due on its investments that 
have an amortized cost in excess of fair value. The unrealized losses were primarily caused by interest rate increases and 
not by unfavorable changes in the credit ratings associated with these securities. At each reporting period, the Company 
evaluates securities for impairment when the fair value of the investment is less than its amortized cost. The Company 
evaluated the underlying credit quality and credit ratings of the issuers, noting neither a significant deterioration since 
purchase nor other factors leading to an other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI). As of December 31, 2012, the Company 
did not have the intent to sell any of the securities in an unrealized loss position.

A portion of the Company’s investments in equity securities and venture capital funds consists of investments held 
in various public and nonpublic companies concentrated in the areas of health care services and related information 
technologies. Market conditions that affect the value of health care and related technology stocks will likewise impact the 
value of the Company’s equity portfolio. The equity securities and venture capital funds were evaluated for severity and 
duration of unrealized loss, overall market volatility and other market factors.

Net realized gains included in Investment and Other Income on the Consolidated Statements of Operations were from the 

following sources:

(in millions) 

Total OTTI 

Portion of loss recognized in other comprehensive income 
Net OTTI recognized in earnings 
Gross realized losses from sales 
Gross realized gains from sales 

Net realized gains 

For the Years Ended December 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

$ 

(6) 

— 
(6) 
(13) 
175 

156 

$ 

$ 

(12) 

— 
(12) 
(11) 
136 

113 

$ 

$ 

(23)

—
(23)
(6)
100

71

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   64

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4.  Fair Value
Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value 
in the Consolidated Financial Statements or have fair 
values disclosed in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial 
Statements. These assets and liabilities are classified into 
one of three levels of a hierarchy defined by GAAP. In 
instances in which the inputs used to measure fair value 
fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the fair 
value measurement is categorized in its entirety based on 
the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value 
measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment 
of the significance of a particular item to the fair value 
measurement in its entirety requires judgment, including 
the consideration of inputs specific to the asset or liability. 

The fair value hierarchy is summarized as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets
liabilities in active markets. 

Level 2 — Other observable inputs, either directly or
indirectly, including:
•   Quoted prices for similar assets/liabilities in active 

markets;

•   Quoted prices for identical or similar assets/liabilities 
in non-active markets (e.g., few transactions, limited 
information, non-current prices, high variability  
over time);

•   Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable 

for the asset/liability (e.g., interest rates, yield curves, 
implied volatilities, credit spreads); and

•   Inputs that are corroborated by other observable 

market data.

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that cannot be
corroborated by observable market data.
Transfers between levels, if any, are recorded as of the 
beginning of the reporting period in which the transfer 
occurs; there were no transfers between Levels 1, 2 or 3 of 
any financial assets or liabilities during 2012 or 2011.

Non-financial assets and liabilities or financial assets 

and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a 
nonrecurring basis are subject to fair value adjustments 
only in certain circumstances, such as when the Company 
records an impairment. There were no significant fair value 
adjustments for these assets and liabilities recorded during 
the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010.

The following methods and assumptions were used 
to estimate the fair value and determine the fair value 
hierarchy classification of each class of financial instrument 
included in the tables below:

Cash and Cash Equivalents. The carrying value of cash 
and cash equivalents approximates fair value as maturities 
are less than three months. Fair values of cash equivalent 
instruments that do not trade on a regular basis in active 
markets are classified as Level 2.

Debt and Equity Securities. Fair values of debt and equity 
securities are based on quoted market prices, where 
available. The Company obtains one price for each security 

2012 FORM 10-K

65

primarily from a third-party pricing service (pricing service), 
which generally uses quoted or other observable inputs for 
the determination of fair value. The pricing service normally 
derives the security prices through recently reported trades 
for identical or similar securities, and, if necessary, makes 
adjustments through the reporting date based upon 
available observable market information. For securities not 
actively traded, the pricing service may use quoted market 
prices of comparable instruments or discounted cash flow 
analyses, incorporating inputs that are currently observable 
in the markets for similar securities. Inputs that are often 
used in the valuation methodologies include, but are not 
limited to, benchmark yields, credit spreads, default rates, 
prepayment speeds and non-binding broker quotes. As 
the Company is responsible for the determination of fair 
value, it performs quarterly analyses on the prices received 
from the pricing service to determine whether the prices 
are reasonable estimates of fair value. Specifically, the 
Company compares the prices received from the pricing 
service to a secondary pricing source, prices reported by 
its custodian, its investment consultant and third-party 
investment advisors. Additionally, the Company compares 
changes in the reported market values and returns to 
relevant market indices to test the reasonableness of the 
reported prices. The Company’s internal price verification 
procedures and reviews of fair value methodology 
documentation provided by independent pricing services 
have not historically resulted in adjustment in the prices 
obtained from the pricing service.

Fair values of debt securities that do not trade on a 
regular basis in active markets but are priced using other 
observable inputs are classified as Level 2. 

Fair value estimates for Level 1 and Level 2 equity 

securities are based on quoted market prices for actively 
traded equity securities and/or other market data for 
the same or comparable instruments and transactions in 
establishing the prices. 

The Company’s Level 3 equity securities are primarily 
investments in venture capital securities. The fair values of 
Level 3 investments in venture capital portfolios are estimated 
using a market valuation technique that relies heavily on 
management assumptions and qualitative observations. 
Under the market approach, the fair values of the Company’s 
various venture capital investments are computed using 
limited quantitative and qualitative observations of activity 
for similar companies in the current market. The Company’s 
market modeling utilizes, as applicable, transactions for 
comparable companies in similar industries and having similar 
revenue and growth characteristics; and similar preferences 
in their capital structure. Key significant unobservable inputs 
in the market technique include implied earnings before 
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) 
multiples and revenue multiples. Additionally, the fair value 
of certain of the Company’s venture capital securities are 
based off of recent transactions in inactive markets for 
identical or similar securities. Significant changes in any of 
these inputs could result in significantly lower or higher fair 
value measurements. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   65

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66

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Throughout the procedures discussed above in relation to 

the Company’s processes for validating third party pricing 
information, the Company validates the understanding 
of assumptions and inputs used in security pricing and 
determines the proper classification in the hierarchy based 
on that understanding.

AARP Program-related Investments. AARP Program-related 
investments consist of debt and equity securities held to 
fund costs associated with the AARP Program and are 
priced and classified using the same methodologies as the 
Company’s debt and equity securities.

Interest Rate and Currency Swaps. Fair values of the 
Company’s swaps are estimated using the terms of the 

swaps and publicly available information including market 
yield curves. Because the swaps are unique and not actively 
traded but are valued using other observable inputs, the 
fair values are classified as Level 2.

Long-term debt. The fair value of the Company’s  
long-term debt is estimated and classified using the  
same methodologies as the Company’s investments in  
debt securities.

AARP Program-related Other Liabilities. AARP Program-
related other liabilities consist of liabilities that represent 
the amount of net investment gains and losses related 
to AARP Program-related investments that accrue to the 
benefit of the AARP policyholders.

The following table presents a summary of fair value measurements by level and carrying values for items measured at 
fair value on a recurring basis in the Consolidated Balance Sheets excluding AARP related assets and liabilities, which are 
presented in a separate table below:

Quoted Prices 
in Active 
Markets 
(Level 1) 

Other 
Observable 
Inputs 
(Level 2) 

Unobservable 
Inputs 
(Level 3) 

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012
Cash and cash equivalents 
Debt securities - available-for-sale:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 
Equity securities - available-for-sale 

Interest rate swap assets 

Total assets at fair value 

Percentage of total assets at fair value 

Interest rate and currency swap liabilities 

December 31, 2011
Cash and cash equivalents 
Debt securities - available-for-sale:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total debt securities - available-for-sale 
Equity securities - available-for-sale 

$ 

7,615 

$ 

791 

$ 

1,752 
— 
13 
— 
— 

1,765 
450 

— 

786 
6,667 
7,185 
2,238 
568 

17,444 
3 

14 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

9,830 

$ 

18,252 

35% 

— 

8,569 

1,551 
— 
16 
— 
— 

1,567 
333 

$ 

$ 

64% 

14 

860 

822 
6,750 
5,805 
2,353 
497 

16,227 
2 

Total
Fair and
Carrying 
Value

$ 

8,406

2,538
6,667
7,209
2,238
574

19,226
677

14

$ 

28,323

100%

14

9,429

2,373
6,765
6,007
2,353
504

18,002
544

— 

— 
— 
11 
— 
6 

17 
224 

— 

241 

— 
15 
186 
— 
7 

208 
209 

417 

1% 

— 

— 

$ 

$ 

Total assets at fair value 

$ 

10,469 

$ 

17,089 

$ 

$ 

27,975

Percentage of total assets at fair value 

37% 

61% 

2% 

100%

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   66

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2012 FORM 10-K

67

The following table presents a summary of fair value measurements by level and carrying values for certain financial 

instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the Consolidated Balance Sheets:

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012
Debt securities - held-to-maturity:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

Total debt securities - held-to-maturity 

Long-term debt 

December 31, 2011
Debt securities - held-to-maturity: 

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 

Total debt securities - held-to-maturity 

Long-term debt 

Quoted Prices 
in Active 
Markets 
(Level 1) 

Other 

Observable  Unobservable 

Inputs 
(Level 2) 

Inputs 
(Level 3) 

Total 
Fair 
Value 

Total
Carrying 
Value

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

174 
— 
10 

184 

— 

173 
— 
9 

182 

— 

$ 

$ 

— 
1 
346 

347 

$  17,034 

$ 

$ 

— 
1 
9 

10 

$  13,149 

$  — 
29 
287 

$ 

316 

$  — 

$  — 
12 
— 

$ 

12 

$  — 

$ 

$ 

174 
30 
643 

847 

$ 

$ 

168
30
641

839

$ 17,034 

$ 15,167

$ 

$ 

173 
13 
18 

204 

$ 

$ 

166
13
18

197

$ 13,149 

$ 11,638

The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for accounts and other current receivables, unearned 

revenues, commercial paper, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value because of their short-term 
nature. These assets and liabilities are not listed in the table above. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances 
of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs is as follows:

(in millions) 

Securities  Securities 

Total 

Securities  Securities 

Total 

Securities  Securities 

Total

December 31, 2012 
Equity 

Debt 

December 31, 2011 
Equity 

Debt  

December 31, 2010 
Equity

Debt  

$  208  $  209 
71 
(34) 
— 

11 
— 
(1) 

$  417 
82 
(34) 
(1) 

$  141 
92 
  — 
(25) 

$ 

208  $  349 
127 
(17) 
(32) 

35 
(17)   
(7)   

$  120 
43 
(4) 
(20) 

$  312 
45 
(167) 
  — 

$  432
88
(171)
(20)

Balance at beginning of period 
Purchases 
Sales 
Settlements 
Net unrealized (losses) gains 

in accumulated other 
comprehensive income 
Net realized gains (losses) in  

9

11
—

— 

(14) 

(14) 

  — 

(4)   

(4) 

  — 

9 

investment and other income 

Transfers to held-to-maturity 

— 
(201) 

13 
(21) 

13 
(222) 

  — 
  — 

(6)   
— 

(6) 
  — 

2 
  — 

9 
  — 

Balance at end of period 

$ 

17  $  224 

$  241 

$  208 

$ 

209  $  417 

$  141 

$  208 

$  349

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   67

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68

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

The following table presents quantitative information regarding unobservable inputs that were significant to the 

valuation of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs:

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012

Equity securities - available-for-sale

Fair 
Value 

Valuation Technique 

Unobservable Input 

Low 

High

Venture capital portfolios 

$193 

Market approach - comparable companies 

Revenue multiple 

EBITDA multiple 

31 

Market approach - recent transactions 

Inactive market transactions 

1.0 

8.0 

N/A 

10.0

10.0

N/A

Total equity securities

available-for-sale 

$224 

Also included in the Company’s assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs were $17 million of 

available-for-sale debt securities at December 31, 2012, which were not significant.

The Company elected to measure the entirety of the AARP Assets Under Management at fair value pursuant to the fair 
value option. See Note 2 for further detail on AARP. The following table presents fair value information about the AARP 
Program-related financial assets and liabilities:

(in millions) 

December 31, 2012
Cash and cash equivalents 
Debt securities:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total debt securities 
Equity securities - available-for-sale 

Total assets at fair value 

Other liabilities 

December 31, 2011
Cash and cash equivalents 
Debt securities:

U.S. government and agency obligations 
State and municipal obligations 
Corporate obligations 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 
Non-U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities 

Total debt securities 
Equity securities - available-for-sale 

Total assets at fair value 

Other liabilities 

Quoted Prices 
in Active 
Markets 
(Level 1) 

Other 
Observable 
Inputs 
(Level 2) 

Total
Fair and
Carrying
Value

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

230 

545 
— 
— 
— 
— 

545 
— 

775 

23 

257 

566 
— 
— 
— 
— 

566 
— 

823 

27 

$ 

— 

$ 

230

244 
51 
1,118 
427 
155 

1,995 
3 

1,998 

58 

10 

214 
25 
1,048 
436 
150 

1,873 
2 

1,885 

49 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

789
51
1,118
427
155

2,540
3

2,773

81

267

780
25
1,048
436
150

2,439
2

2,708

76

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   68

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5.  ProPerty, equiPment and CaPitalized Software
A summary of property, equipment and capitalized software is as follows:  

(in millions) 

Land and improvements 
Buildings and improvements 
Computer equipment 
Furniture and fixtures 
Less accumulated depreciation 

Property and equipment, net 

Capitalized software 
Less accumulated amortization 

Capitalized software, net 

Total property, equipment and capitalized software, net 

2012 FORM 10-K

69

december 31, 2012 

december 31, 2011

$ 

$ 

358 
1,910 
1,447 
488 
(1,542) 

2,661 

2,300 
(1,022) 

1,278 

3,939 

$ 

$ 

45
1,052
1,345
274
(1,424)

1,292

2,239
(1,016)

1,223

2,515

Depreciation expense for property and equipment for 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $449 million, $386 million and $398 million, 
respectively. Amortization expense for capitalized software for 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $412 million, $377 million and $349 
million, respectively. 

6.  Goodwill and other intanGible aSSetS
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill, by reportable segment, were as follows:

(in millions) 

unitedhealthcare  optumhealth 

optuminsight 

optumrx 

Consolidated

Balance at January 1, 2011 
Acquisitions 
Dispositions 
Adjustments, net 

Balance at December 31, 2011 
Acquisitions 
Adjustments and foreign  
   currency effects, net 

$ 

$ 

17,837 
101 
(2) 
(4) 

17,932 
6,557 

(30) 

$ 

760 
1,353 
— 
— 

2,113 
705 

— 

$ 

3,308 
— 
(214) 
(4) 

3,090 
98 

(19) 

Balance at December 31, 2012 

$ 

24,459 

$ 

2,818 

$ 

3,169 

$ 

840 
— 
— 
— 

840 
— 

— 

840 

$ 

22,745
1,454
(216)
(8)

23,975
7,360

(49)

$ 

31,286

In October 2012, the Company purchased approximately 60% of the outstanding shares of Amil for approximately $3.2 
billion in a private transaction. Later in the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company purchased an additional 17.8 million shares 
of Amil for $0.3 billion, bringing the stake in Amil attributable to the Company to approximately 65% of Amil’s outstanding 
shares. Amil is a health care company located in Brazil, providing health and dental benefits, hospital and clinical services, 
and advanced care management resources to more than 5 million people. The total consideration paid and fair value of the 
noncontrolling interest exceeded the estimated fair value of the net tangible assets acquired by $5.9 billion, of which $1.0 
billion has been allocated to finite-lived intangible assets, $0.6 billion to indefinite-lived intangible assets and $4.3 billion 
to goodwill. To estimate the acquisition date fair value of the noncontrolling interest of $2.2 billion, the Company utilized 
the public share price as of the date of acquisition. Contingent liabilities were measured based on the probable amount 
that could be reasonably estimated. The results of operations and financial condition of Amil have been included in the 
Company’s consolidated results and the results of the UnitedHealthcare reportable segment since the acquisition date. The 
pro-forma effects of this acquisition on the Company’s results of operations were not material. In conjunction with the 2012 
purchases, the Company generated Brazilian tax deductible goodwill of approximately $2.7 billion. 

Because of the acquisition of a controlling interest in Amil, the Company is required by Brazilian law to commence a 

mandatory tender offer for the remaining publicly traded shares. The Company expects to acquire an additional 25% 
ownership interest during the first half of 2013 through this tender offer. The tender offer price will be at the same price 
paid to Amil’s controlling shareholders, adjusted for statutory interest under Brazilian law from the date of payment to the 
controlling shareholders to the date of payment to the tendering minority shareholders. The remaining 10% stake in Amil 
is held by shareholders, including Amil’s CEO, who has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since October 
2012, who have committed to retain the shares for at least five years. They have the right to put the shares to the Company 
and the Company has the right to call these shares upon expiration of the five year term, unless accelerated upon certain 
events, at fair market value. Related to this acquisition, Amil’s CEO invested approximately $470 million in unregistered 
UnitedHealth Group common shares in the fourth quarter of 2012 and has committed to hold those shares for the same five 
year term, subject to certain exceptions. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   69

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70

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Acquired net tangible assets and liabilities for Amil at acquisition date were:

(in millions) 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Investments 
Accounts receivable and other current assets 
Property, equipment and other long-term assets 
Medical costs payable 
Other current liabilities 
Contingent liabilities 
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities 

$ 

240
341
207
1,266
586
638
270
569

Since the Amil acquisition occurred in the fourth quarter, the purchase price allocation is subject to adjustment as valuation 
analyses, primarily related to intangible and fixed assets and contingent and tax liabilities, are finalized.

For the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, aggregate consideration paid, net of cash assumed, for 

acquisitions excluding Amil was $3.3 billion, $1.8 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively. These acquisitions were not material 
to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

The gross carrying value, accumulated amortization and net carrying value of other intangible assets were as follows: 

December 31, 2012 

December 31, 2011 

Gross 

Net    

 Gross  

Net

(in millions) 

Customer-related 
Trademarks and technology 
Trademarks - indefinite-lived 
Other 

Carrying   Accumulated  Carrying  
Amortization  

Value  

Value 

  Carrying  Accumulated   Carrying

Value   Amortization  

Value

$  5,229 
445 
611 
221 

$  (1,629) 
(146) 
— 
(49) 

$  3,600 
299 
611 
172 

$  3,766 
368 
— 
112 

$  (1,310) 
(98) 
— 
(43) 

$  2,456
270
—
69

Total 

$  6,506 

$  (1,824) 

$  4,682 

$  4,246 

$  (1,451) 

$  2,795

The acquisition date fair values and weighted-average useful lives assigned to finite-lived intangible assets acquired in 
business combinations consisted of the following by year of acquisition:

2012 

2011

(in millions, except years) 
Customer-related 
Trademarks and technology 
Other 

Weighted-  
Average 

Weighted- 
Average
Fair Value   Useful Life   Fair Value   Useful Life
$  1,530 
79 
111 

  8 years 
  4 years 
 15 years 

  9 years
  5 years
 15 years

187 
49 
5 

$ 

Total acquired finite-lived intangible assets 

$  1,720 

  9 years 

$ 

241 

  9 years

Estimated full year amortization expense relating to intangible assets for each of the next five years ending December 31 is 
as follows:

(in millions) 

2013 
2014 
2015 
2016 
2017 

$ 

545
527
506
480
456

Amortization expense relating to intangible assets for 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $448 million, $361 million and $317 million, 
respectively. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   70

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2012 FORM 10-K

71

7.  Medical costs and Medical costs Payable
The following table provides details of the Company’s favorable medical reserve development: 

(in millions) 

Related to Prior Years 

For the years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

860 

$ 

720 

$ 

800 

The favorable development for 2012, 2011 and 2010 was driven by lower than expected health system utilization levels 
and increased efficiency in claims handling and processing. The favorable development for 2010 was also impacted by 
a reduction in reserves needed for disputed claims from care providers; and favorable resolution of certain state-based 
assessments. 

The following table shows the components of the change in medical costs payable for the years ended December 31: 

(in millions) 

Medical costs payable, beginning of period 
Acquisitions 
Reported medical costs:

Current year 
Prior years 

Total reported medical costs 

Claim payments:

Payments for current year 
Payments for prior year 

Total claim payments 
Medical costs payable, end of period 

2012 

$ 

9,799 
1,029 

81,086 
(860) 

80,226 

(71,832) 
(8,218) 
(80,050) 
11,004 

$ 

2011 

$ 

9,220 
155 

75,052 
(720) 

74,332 

(65,763) 
(8,145) 
(73,908) 
9,799 

$ 

2010

$ 

9,362 
— 

69,641 
(800)

68,841 

(60,949)
(8,034)
(68,983)
9,220

$ 

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72

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

8.  CommerCial PaPer and long-Term debT
Commercial paper and long-term debt consisted of the following:

(in millions) 

december 31, 2012 
Carrying 
Value 

Par  
Value 

Fair 
Value 

december 31, 2011 
Carrying 
Value  

Fair
Value

Par 
Value  

Commercial Paper 
5.500% senior unsecured notes due November 2012 
4.875% senior unsecured notes due February 2013 
4.875% senior unsecured notes due April 2013 
4.750% senior unsecured notes due February 2014 
5.000% senior unsecured notes due August 2014 
4.875% senior unsecured notes due March 2015 (a) 
0.850% senior unsecured notes due October 2015 (a) 
5.375% senior unsecured notes due March 2016 
1.875% senior unsecured notes due November 2016 
5.360% senior unsecured notes due November 2016 
6.000% senior unsecured notes due June 2017 
1.400% senior unsecured notes due October 2017 (a) 
6.000% senior unsecured notes due November 2017 
6.000% senior unsecured notes due February 2018 
3.875% senior unsecured notes due October 2020 
4.700% senior unsecured notes due February 2021 
3.375% senior unsecured notes due November 2021 (a)  
2.875% senior unsecured notes due March 2022 
0.000% senior unsecured notes due November 2022 
2.750% senior unsecured notes due February 2023 (a) 
5.800% senior unsecured notes due March 2036 
6.500% senior unsecured notes due June 2037 
6.625% senior unsecured notes due November 2037 
6.875% senior unsecured notes due February 2038 
5.700% senior unsecured notes due October 2040 
5.950% senior unsecured notes due February 2041 
4.625% senior unsecured notes due November 2041 
4.375% senior unsecured notes due March 2042 
3.950% senior unsecured notes due October 2042 

$  1,587 
— 
534 
409 
172 
389 
416 
625 
601 
400 
95 
441 
625 
156 
  1,100 
450 
400 
500 
  1,100 
15 
625 
850 
500 
650 
  1,100 
300 
350 
600 
502 
625 

$  1,587 
— 
534 
411 
178 
411 
444 
623 
660 
397 
95 
489 
622 
170 
  1,120 
442 
417 
512 
998 
9 
619 
845 
495 
645 
  1,084 
298 
348 
593 
486 
611 

$  1,587 
— 
536 
413 
180 
414 
453 
627 
682 
412 
110 
528 
626 
191 
  1,339 
499 
466 
533 
  1,128 
11 
631 
  1,025 
659 
860 
  1,510 
364 
440 
641 
521 
622 

$  — 
352 
534 
409 
172 
389 
416 
— 
601 
400 
95 
441 
— 
156 
  1,100 
450 
400 
500 
— 
  1,095 
— 
850 
500 
650 
  1,100 
300 
350 
600 
— 
— 

$  — 
363 
540 
421 
184 
423 
458 
— 
678 
397 
95 
499 
— 
173 
  1,123 
442 
419 
497 
— 
619 
— 
844 
495 
645 
  1,084 
298 
348 
593 
— 
— 

$  —
366
556
427
185
424
460
—
689
400
110
518
—
183
  1,308
478
450
517
—
696
—
  1,017
636
834
  1,475
359
430
631
—
—

Total U.S. Dollar denominated debt 

  16,117 

  16,143 

  18,008 

  11,860 

  11,638 

  13,149

Cetip Interbank Deposit Rate (CDI) + 1.3% 

Subsidiary floating debt due October 2013 

CDI + 1.45 % Subsidiary floating debt due October 2014 
110% CDI Subsidiary floating debt due December 2014  
CDI + 1.6% Subsidiary floating debt due October 2015   
Brazilian Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) 
+ 7.61% Subsidiary floating debt due October 2015 

147 
147 
147 
74 

73 

Total Brazilian Real denominated debt (in U.S. Dollars)   

588 

148 
149 
151 
76 

87 

611 

150 
150 
147 
76 

90 

613 

— 
— 
— 
— 

— 

— 

— 
— 
— 
— 

— 

— 

—
—
—
—

—

—

Total commercial paper and long-term debt 

$ 16,705 

$ 16,754 

$ 18,621 

$ 11,860 

$ 11,638 

$ 13,149

(a)   In 2012, the Company entered into interest rate swap contracts with a notional amount of $2.8 billion hedging these 

fixed-rate debt instruments. See below for more information on the Company’s interest rate swaps.

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Maturities of commercial paper and long-term debt for the years ending December 31 are as follows: 

(in millions) 

2013 (a) 
2014 
2015 
2016 
2017 
Thereafter 

2012 FORM 10-K

73

$  2,713
920
1,175
1,152
1,281
9,513

(a)  Includes $33 million of debt subject to acceleration clauses.

Long-Term Debt
In August 2012, the Company completed an exchange of 
$1.1 billion of its zero coupon senior unsecured notes due 
November of 2022 for $0.5 billion additional issuance of 
its 2.875% notes due in March 2022, $0.1 billion additional 
issuance of its 4.375% notes due March 2042 and $0.1 
billion in cash.  

Commercial Paper and Bank Credit Facilities
Commercial paper consists of short-duration, senior 
unsecured debt privately placed on a discount basis 
through broker-dealers. As of December 31, 2012, the 
Company’s outstanding commercial paper had a weighted-
average annual interest rate of 0.3%.

The Company has $3.0 billion five-year and $1.0 billion 
364-day revolving bank credit facility with 21 banks, which 
mature in November 2017 and November 2013, respectively. 
These facilities provide liquidity support for the Company’s 
$4.0 billion commercial paper program and are available 
for general corporate purposes. There were no amounts 
outstanding under these facilities as of December 31, 2012. 
The interest rates on borrowings are variable based on term 
and are calculated based on the London Interbank Offered 
Rate (LIBOR) plus a credit spread based on the Company’s 
senior unsecured credit ratings. As of December 31, 2012, 
the annual interest rates on both of the credit facilities, had 
they been drawn, would have ranged from 1.0% to 1.3%.

Debt Covenants
The Company’s bank credit facilities contain various 
covenants including requiring the Company to maintain 
a debt to debt-plus-equity ratio not more than 50%. The 
Company was in compliance with its debt covenants as of 
December 31, 2012.

Interest Rate and Currency Swap Contracts
In 2012, the Company entered into interest rate swap 
contracts to convert a portion of its interest rate exposure 
from fixed rates to floating rates to more closely align 
interest expense with interest income received on its cash 
equivalent and variable rate investment balances. The 
floating rates are benchmarked to LIBOR. The swaps are 
designated as fair value hedges on the Company’s fixed-
rate debt. Since the critical terms of the swaps match 
those of the debt being hedged, they are assumed to be 
highly effective hedges and all changes in fair value of the 
swaps are recorded as an adjustment to the carrying value 
of the related debt with no net impact recorded in the 
Consolidated Statements of Operations. Both the hedge 
fair value changes and the offsetting debt adjustments 
are recorded in Interest Expense on the Consolidated 
Statements of Operations. The net fair value of these swaps 
was $3 million at December 31, 2012 and is recorded in 
Other Long-Term Assets for $14 million and Other Long-
Term Liabilities for $11 million in the Consolidated Balance 
Sheets.

In December 2012, the Company entered into currency 

swap contracts to hedge the foreign currency exposure 
on the principal amount of intercompany borrowings 
denominated in Brazilian Real. The currency swaps have a 
notional amount of $256 million and mature on December 
31, 2013. As of December 31, 2012, the fair value of the 
currency swap liability was $3 million, which was recorded 
in Other Current Liabilities in the Company’s Consolidated 
Balance Sheets. 

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74

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

9.  Income Taxes
The components of the provision for income taxes for the years ended December 31 are as follows: 

(in millions) 

Current Provision:

Federal 
State and local 

Total current provision 
Deferred provision 

Total provision for income taxes 

2012 

2011 

2010

$ 

$ 

2,638 
150 

2,788 
308 

3,096 

$ 

2,608 
150 

2,758 
59 

$ 

2,817 

$ 

$ 

2,524
180

2,704
45

2,749

The reconciliation of the tax provision at the U.S. Federal Statutory Rate to the provision for income taxes for the years 
ended December 31 is as follows: 

(in millions, except percentages) 

2012 

2011 

2010

Tax provision at the U.S. federal statutory rate 
State income taxes, net of federal benefit 
Settlement of state exams, net of federal benefit 
Tax-exempt investment income 
Non-deductible compensation 
Other, net 

$ 3,018  
143  
2 
(59) 
22  
(30) 

35.0% 
1.7 
— 
(0.7) 
0.2 
(0.3) 

$ 2,785  
136  
(29) 
(63) 
10  
(22) 

35.0% 
1.7 
(0.4) 
(0.8) 
0.1 
(0.2) 

$  2,584 
129 
(3) 
(65) 
64 
40 

35.0%
1.7
—
(0.9)
0.9
0.5

Provision for income taxes 

$ 3,096  

35.9% 

$ 2,817  

35.4% 

$  2,749 

37.2%

The higher effective income tax rate for 2012 as compared to 2011 resulted from the favorable resolution of various tax 
matters in 2011. The 2010 effective income tax rates were at higher levels due to the cumulative implementation of changes 
under the Health Reform Legislation.

The components of deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 are as follows:   

(in millions) 

Deferred income tax assets: 

Accrued expenses and allowances 
U.S. Federal and State net operating loss carryforwards 
Share-based compensation 
Long term liabilities 
Medical costs payable and other policy liabilities 
Non-U.S. tax loss carryforwards 
Unearned revenues 
Unrecognized tax benefits 
Domestic other 
Foreign other 

Subtotal 
Less: valuation allowances 

Total deferred income tax assets 

Deferred income tax liabilities:

U.S. Federal and State intangible assets 
Non-U.S. goodwill and intangible assets 
Capitalized software development 
Net unrealized gains on investments 
Depreciation and amortization 
Prepaid expenses 
Foreign other 

Total deferred income tax liabilities 

Net deferred income tax liabilities 

2012 

2011

$ 

$ 

306 
276 
238 
160 
149 
126 
64 
25 
93 
142 

1,579 
(271) 

1,308 

(1,335) 
(640) 
(482) 
(296) 
(249) 
(113) 
(179) 

(3,294) 

(1,986) 

$ 

$ 

259 
247
417
155
166
—
56
44
192
—

1,536
(184)

1,352

(1,148)
— 
(465)
(275)
(256)
(86)
—

(2,230)

(878)

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2012 FORM 10-K

75

Valuation allowances are provided when it is considered more likely than not that deferred tax assets will not be realized. 

The valuation allowances primarily relate to future tax benefits on certain federal, state and non-U.S. net operating loss 
carryforwards. Federal net operating loss carryforwards of $105 million expire beginning in 2019 through 2032, state net 
operating loss carryforwards expire beginning in 2013 through 2032. Substantially all of the non-U.S. tax loss carryforwards 
have indefinite carryforward periods. 

As of December 31, 2012 the Company had $94 million of undistributed earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries that are 
intended to be reinvested in non-U.S. operations. Because these earnings are considered permanently reinvested, no U.S. 
tax provision has been accrued related to the repatriation of these earnings. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of 
U.S. tax that might be payable on the eventual remittance of such earnings.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31 is as follows: 

(in millions) 

Gross unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of period 
Gross increases:

Current year tax positions 
Prior year tax positions 

Gross decreases:

Prior year tax positions 
Settlements 
Statute of limitations lapses 

2012 

2011 

2010

$ 

129 

$ 

220 

$ 

220

6 
18 

(48) 
(10) 
(14) 

11 
10 

(34) 
(25) 
(53) 

13
30

—
—
(43)

Gross unrecognized tax benefits, end of period 

$ 

81 

$ 

129 

$ 

220

The Company classifies interest and penalties associated 
with uncertain income tax positions as income taxes within 
its Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company 
recognized tax benefits from the net reduction of interest 
and penalties accrued of $20 million and $12 million 
during the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, 
respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the 
Company recognized $15 million of interest expense and 
penalties. The Company had $23 million and $41 million of 
accrued interest and penalties for uncertain tax positions 
as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These 
amounts are not included in the reconciliation above. As of 
December 31, 2012, the total amount of unrecognized tax 
benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax 
rate, was $77 million. 

The Company currently files income tax returns in the 

U.S., various states and foreign jurisdictions. The U.S. 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has completed exams on the 

consolidated income tax returns for fiscal years 2011 and 
prior. The Company’s 2012 tax year is under advance review 
by the IRS under its Compliance Assurance Program. With 
the exception of a few states, the Company is no longer 
subject to income tax examinations prior to 2007. The 
Brazilian federal revenue service - Secretaria da Receita 
Federal (SRF) may audit the Company’s Brazilian subsidiaries 
for a period of five years from the date on which corporate 
income taxes should have been paid and/or the date 
when the tax return was filed. Estimated taxes are paid 
monthly or quarterly with an annual return due on June 30 
following the end of the taxable year.

The Company believes it is reasonably possible that its 
liability for unrecognized tax benefits will decrease in the 
next twelve months by $37 million as a result of audit 
settlements and the expiration of statutes of limitations in 
certain major jurisdictions. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   75

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76

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

10.  ShareholderS’ equity

Regulatory Capital and Dividend Restrictions 
The Company’s regulated subsidiaries are subject to 
regulations and standards in their respective jurisdictions. 
These standards, among other things, require these 
subsidiaries to maintain specified levels of statutory capital, 
as defined by each jurisdiction, and restrict the timing and 
amount of dividends and other distributions that may be 
paid to their parent companies. In the United States, most 
of these regulations and standards are generally consistent 
with model regulations established by the National 
Association of Insurance Commissioners. Except in the 
case of extraordinary dividends, these standards generally 
permit dividends to be paid from statutory unassigned 
surplus of the regulated subsidiary and are limited based on 
the regulated subsidiary’s level of statutory net income and 
statutory capital and surplus. These dividends are referred 
to as “ordinary dividends” and generally can be paid 
without prior regulatory approval. If the dividend, together 
with other dividends paid within the preceding twelve 
months, exceeds a specified statutory limit or is paid from 
sources other than earned surplus, it is generally considered 
an “extraordinary dividend” and must receive prior 
regulatory approval. In 2012, based on the 2011 statutory 
net income and statutory capital and surplus levels, the 
maximum amount of ordinary dividends that could have 
been paid by the Company’s U.S. regulated subsidiaries to 
their parent companies was $4.6 billion. 

For the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company’s 

regulated subsidiaries paid their parent companies 
dividends of $4.9 billion, including $1.2 billion of 
extraordinary dividends. For the year ended December 
31, 2011, the Company’s regulated subsidiaries paid their 
parent companies dividends of $4.5 billion, including $1.1 
billion of extraordinary dividends. As of December 31, 2012, 
$1.1 billion of the Company’s $8.4 billion of cash and cash 
equivalents was held by non-regulated entities.

The Company’s regulated subsidiaries had estimated 

aggregate statutory capital and surplus of approximately $13 
billion as of December 31, 2012; regulated entity statutory 
capital exceeded aggregate minimum capital requirements. 
Optum Bank must meet minimum requirements for Tier 
1 leverage capital, Tier 1 risk-based capital, and Total risk-
based capital of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 

(FDIC) to be considered “Well Capitalized” under the 
capital adequacy rules to which it is subject. At December 
31, 2012, the Company believes that Optum Bank met the 
FDIC requirements to be considered “Well Capitalized.”

Share Repurchase Program
Under its Board of Directors’ authorization, the Company 
maintains a share repurchase program. The objectives 
of the share repurchase program are to optimize the 
Company’s capital structure and cost of capital, thereby 
improving returns to shareholders, as well as to offset the 
dilutive impact of share-based awards. Repurchases may be 
made from time to time in open market purchases or other 
types of transactions (including prepaid or structured share 
repurchase programs), subject to certain Board restrictions. 
In June 2012, the Board renewed and expanded the 
Company’s share repurchase program with an authorization 
to repurchase up to 110 million shares of its common stock. 
During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company 
repurchased 57 million shares at an average price of $54.45 
per share and an aggregate cost of $3.1 billion. As of 
December 31, 2012, the Company had Board authorization 
to purchase up to an additional 85 million shares of its 
common stock. 

Dividends
In June 2012, the Company’s Board of Directors increased 
the Company’s cash dividend to shareholders to an annual 
dividend rate of $0.85 per share, paid quarterly. Since 
May 2011, the Company had paid an annual dividend of 
$0.65 per share, paid quarterly. Declaration and payment 
of future quarterly dividends is at the discretion of the 
Board and may be adjusted as business needs or market 
conditions change.

The following table provides details of the Company’s 

dividend payments:

Payment date 

2010 
2011 
2012 

amount per 
Share  

$ 

0.4050 
0.6125 
0.8000 

total amount Paid

(in millions)

$ 

449
651
820

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11.  Share-BaSed CompenSation
The Company’s outstanding share-based awards consist mainly of non-qualified stock options, SARs and restricted shares. 
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 43 million shares available for future grants of share-based awards under its 
share-based compensation plan, including, but not limited to, incentive or non-qualified stock options, SARs and up to 16 
million of awards in restricted shares. As of December 31, 2012, there were also 20 million shares of common stock available 
for issuance under the ESPP. 

Stock Options and SARs
Stock option and SAR activity for the year ended December 31, 2012 is summarized in the table below:

2012 FORM 10-K

77

Outstanding at beginning of period 
Granted 
Exercised 
Forfeited 

Outstanding at end of period 

Exercisable at end of period 
Vested and expected to vest, end of period 

Weighted- 
average 
exercise 
price 

Weighted- 
average 
remaining 
Contractual Life 

aggregate
intrinsic Value

(in years) 

(in millions)

$ 

42 
55 
36 
43 

45 

46 
45 

4.0 

3.5 
4.0 

$ 

625

460
622

Shares 

(in millions) 
91 
2 
(29) 
(1) 

63 

53 
62 

Restricted Shares
Restricted share activity for the year ended December 31, 2012 is summarized in the table below:

(shares in millions) 

Nonvested at beginning of period 
Granted 
Vested 
Forfeited 

Nonvested at end of period 

Other Share-Based Compensation Data

(in millions, except per share amounts) 

Stock options and Sars
Weighted-average grant date fair value 

of shares granted, per share 

Total intrinsic value of stock options and SARs exercised 
restricted Shares
Weighted-average grant date fair value 

of shares granted, per share 

Total fair value of restricted shares vested 
employee Stock purchase plan
Number of shares purchased 
Share-Based Compensation items
Share-based compensation expense, before tax 
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax effects 
Income tax benefit realized from share-based award exercises 

(in millions, except years) 

Unrecognized compensation expense related to share awards 
Weighted-average years to recognize compensation expense 

Shares  

17 
7 
(14) 
(1) 

9 

Weighted-average
Grant date
Fair Value per Share

$ 

36
52
37
44

46

For the Years ended december 31,

2012 

2011 

2010

$ 

18 
559 

$ 

15 
327 

$ 

13
164

52 
716 

3 

421 
299 
461 

$ 

42 
113 

3 

401 
260 
170 

$ 

32
99

4

326
278
78

$ 

december 31, 2012

$ 

307
1.1

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   77

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78

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Share-Based Compensation Recognition and Estimates
The principal assumptions the Company used in calculating grant-date fair value for stock options and SARs were as follows:

Risk free interest rate 
Expected volatility 
Expected dividend yield 
Forfeiture rate 
Expected life in years 

2012 

2011 

2010

0.7% - 0.9% 
43.2% - 44.0% 
1.2% - 1.7% 
5.0% 
5.3 - 5.6 

0.9% - 2.3% 
44.3% - 45.1% 
1.0% - 1.4% 
5.0% 
4.9 - 5.0 

1.0% - 2.1%
45.4% - 46.2%
0.1% - 1.7%
5.0%
4.6 - 5.1

Risk-free interest rates are based on U.S. Treasury yields in 

effect at the time of grant. Expected volatilities are based 
on the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock 
and the implied volatility from exchange-traded options 
on the Company’s common stock. Expected dividend yields 
are based on the per share cash dividend paid by the 
Company’s Board of Directors. The Company uses historical 
data to estimate option and SAR exercises and forfeitures 
within the valuation model. The expected lives of options 
and SARs granted represents the period of time that the 
awards granted are expected to be outstanding based on 
historical exercise patterns.

The Company provides guarantees related to its service 
level under certain contracts. If minimum standards are not 
met, the Company may be financially at risk up to a stated 
percentage of the contracted fee or a stated dollar amount. 
None of the amounts accrued, paid or charged to income 
for service level guarantees were material as of or for the 
years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010. 

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had outstanding, 

undrawn letters of credit with financial institutions of 
$45 million and surety bonds outstanding with insurance 
companies of $432 million, primarily to bond contractual 
performance. 

Other Employee Benefit Plans 
The Company also offers a 401(k) plan for all employees. 
Compensation expense related to this plan was not 
material for the years 2012, 2011 and 2010. 

In addition, the Company maintains non-qualified, 
unfunded deferred compensation plans, which allow 
certain members of senior management and executives to 
defer portions of their salary or bonus and receive certain 
Company contributions on such deferrals, subject to plan 
limitations. The deferrals are recorded within Long-Term 
Investments with an approximately equal amount in Other 
Liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The total 
deferrals are distributable based upon termination of 
employment or other periods, as elected under each plan 
and were $348 million and $281 million as of December 31, 
2012 and 2011, respectively.  

12.  Commitments and ContingenCies
The Company leases facilities and equipment under long-
term operating leases that are non-cancelable and expire 
on various dates through 2028. Rent expense under all 
operating leases for 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $334 million, 
$295 million and $297 million, respectively. 

As of December 31, 2012, future minimum annual lease 
payments, net of sublease income, under all non-cancelable 
operating leases were as follows: 

Legal Matters
Because of the nature of its businesses, the Company is 
frequently made party to a variety of legal actions and 
regulatory inquiries, including class actions and suits 
brought by members, care providers, customers and 
regulators, relating to the Company’s businesses, including 
management and administration of health benefit 
plans and other services. These matters include medical 
malpractice, employment, intellectual property, antitrust, 
privacy and contract claims, and claims related to health 
care benefits coverage and other business practices.

The Company records liabilities for its estimates of 

probable costs resulting from these matters where 
appropriate. Estimates of costs resulting from legal and 
regulatory matters involving the Company are inherently 
difficult to predict, particularly where the matters: involve 
indeterminate claims for monetary damages or may involve 
fines, penalties or punitive damages; present novel legal 
theories or represent a shift in regulatory policy; involve 
a large number of claimants or regulatory bodies; are in 
the early stages of the proceedings; or could result in a 
change in business practices. Accordingly, the Company is 
often unable to estimate the losses or ranges of losses for 
those matters where there is a reasonable possibility or it is 
probable that a loss may be incurred.

(in millions) 

2013 
2014 
2015 
2016 
2017 
Thereafter 

Future minimum 
Lease Payments

$  380
357
319
277
233
556

Litigation Matters
Out-of-Network Reimbursement Litigation. The 
Company is involved in a number of lawsuits challenging 
reimbursement amounts for non-network health care 
services based on the Company’s use of a database 
previously maintained by Ingenix, Inc. (now known 
as OptumInsight), including putative class actions and 
multidistrict litigation brought on behalf of members of 
Aetna and WellPoint. These suits allege, among other 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   78

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things, that the database licensed to these companies by 
Ingenix was flawed and that Ingenix conspired with these 
companies to underpay their members’ claims and seek 
unspecified damages and treble damages, injunctive and 
declaratory relief, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. The 
Company is vigorously defending these suits. In 2012, the 
Company was dismissed as a party from a similar lawsuit 
involving Cigna and its members. The Company cannot 
reasonably estimate the range of loss, if any, that may 
result from these matters due to the procedural status of 
the cases, dispositive motions that remain pending, the 
absence of class certification in any of the cases, the lack of 
a formal demand on the Company by the plaintiffs, and the 
involvement of other insurance companies as defendants.

California Claims Processing Matter. On January 25, 
2008, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) issued 
an Order to Show Cause to PacifiCare Life and Health 
Insurance Company, a subsidiary of the Company, alleging 
violations of certain insurance statutes and regulations 
related to an alleged failure to include certain language in 
standard claims correspondence, timeliness and accuracy of 
claims processing, interest payments, care provider contract 
implementation, care provider dispute resolution and other 
related matters. The matter has been the subject of an 
administrative hearing before a California administrative 
law judge since December 2009. Although the Company 
believes that CDI has never issued a penalty in excess of 
$8 million, CDI is seeking a penalty of approximately $325 
million in this matter. The Company is vigorously defending 
against the claims in this matter and believes that the 
penalty requested by CDI is excessive and without merit. 
After the administrative law judge issues a ruling at the 
conclusion of the administrative proceeding, expected in 
early 2013, the California Insurance Commissioner may 
accept, reject or modify the administrative law judge’s 
ruling, issue his own decision, and impose a fine or penalty. 
The Commissioner’s decision is subject to challenge in 
court. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the range 
of loss, if any, that may result from this matter given the 
procedural status of the dispute, the novel legal issues 
presented (including the legal basis for the majority of the 
alleged violations), the inherent difficulty in predicting 
regulatory fines and penalties, and the various remedies 
and levels of judicial review available to the Company in 
the event a fine or penalty is assessed.

Government Investigations, Audits and Reviews
The Company has been and is currently involved in various 
governmental investigations, audits and reviews. These 
include routine, regular and special investigations, audits 
and reviews by CMS, state insurance and health and 
welfare departments, state attorneys general, the Office 
of the Inspector General (OIG), the Office of Personnel 
Management, the Office of Civil Rights, the Federal Trade 
Commission (FTC), U.S. Congressional committees, the U.S. 
Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Attorneys, the Securities 
and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Brazilian securities 
regulator - Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), IRS, 
SRF, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the FDIC and 

2012 FORM 10-K

79

other governmental authorities. Certain of the Company’s 
businesses have been reviewed or are currently under 
review, including for, among other things, compliance with 
coding and other requirements under the Medicare risk-
adjustment model.  

In February 2012, CMS announced a final RADV audit and 

payment adjustment methodology and that it will conduct 
RADV audits beginning with the 2011 payment year. These 
audits involve a review of medical records maintained by 
care providers and may result in retrospective adjustments 
to payments made to health plans. CMS has not 
communicated how the final payment adjustment under its 
methodology will be implemented.

Government actions can result in assessment of damages, 

civil or criminal fines or penalties, or other sanctions, 
including loss of licensure or exclusion from participation in 
government programs and could have a material effect on 
the Company’s results of operations, financial position and 
cash flows. 

13.  Segment Financial inFormation
Factors used to determine the Company’s reportable 
segments include the nature of operating activities, 
economic characteristics, existence of separate senior 
management teams and the type of information presented 
to the Company’s chief operating decision maker to 
evaluate its results of operations. Reportable segments with 
similar economic characteristics are combined. 

The following is a description of the types of products 

and services from which each of the Company’s four 
reportable segments derives its revenues:

•   UnitedHealthcare includes the combined results 
of operations of UnitedHealthcare Employer & 
Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, 
UnitedHealthcare Community & State and 
UnitedHealthcare International because they have 
similar economic characteristics, products and services, 
customers, distribution methods and operational 
processes and operate in a similar regulatory 
environment. The U.S. businesses also share significant 
common assets, including a contracted network of 
physicians, health care professionals, hospitals and 
other facilities, information technology infrastructure 
and other resources. UnitedHealthcare Employer & 
Individual offers an array of consumer-oriented health 
benefit plans and services for large national employers, 
public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small 
businesses and individuals nationwide and will serve 
TRICARE West Region members beginning April 
1, 2013. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 
provides health care coverage and health and 
well-being services to individuals age 50 and older, 
addressing their unique needs for preventive and 
acute health care services as well as services dealing 
with chronic disease and other specialized issues for 
older individuals. UnitedHealthcare Community & 
State provides health plans and care programs to 
beneficiaries of acute and long-term care Medicaid 
plans, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   79

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As a percentage of the Company’s total consolidated 

revenues, premium revenues from CMS were 29% 
for the year ended December 31, 2012, 28% for year 
ended December 31, 2011, and 27% for the year ended 
December 31, 2010, most of which were generated by 
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement and included 
in the UnitedHealthcare segment. U.S. customer revenue 
represented approximately 99% of consolidated total 
revenues during 2012. Long-lived fixed assets located in the 
U.S. represented approximately 70% of the total long-lived 
fixed assets as of December 31, 2012.

80

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Special Needs Plans, Medicare-Medicaid Eligible 
beneficiaries eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid 
and other federal, state and community health 
care programs. UnitedHealthcare International is a 
diversified global health services business with a variety 
of offerings, including international commercial health 
and dental benefits.

•   OptumHealth serves the physical, emotional and 
financial needs of individuals, enabling consumer 
health management and integrated care delivery 
through programs offered by employers, payers, 
government entities and directly with the care delivery 
system. OptumHealth offers access to networks of 
care provider specialists, health management services, 
integrated care delivery services, consumer relationship 
management and sales distribution platform services 
and financial services.

•   OptumInsight is a health care information, technology, 
operational services and consulting company providing 
software and information products, advisory consulting 
services, and business process outsourcing services and 
support to participants in the health care industry. 
Hospitals, physicians, commercial health plans, 
government agencies, life sciences companies and 
other organizations that comprise the health care 
system work with OptumInsight to reduce costs, meet 
compliance mandates, improve clinical performance 
and adapt to the changing health system landscape. 

•   OptumRx offers a multitude of pharmacy benefit 
management services and programs including 
claims processing, retail network contracting, rebate 
contracting and management, clinical programs, such 
as step therapy, formulary management and disease/
drug therapy management programs to achieve a 
low-cost, high-quality pharmacy benefit. OptumRx 
also provides patient support programs and dispensing 
of prescribed medications, including specialty 
medications, through its mail order pharmacies for its 
clients’ members.

The Company’s accounting policies for reportable 
segment operations are consistent with those described 
in the Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (see 
Note 2). Transactions between reportable segments 
principally consist of sales of pharmacy benefit products 
and services to UnitedHealthcare customers by OptumRx, 
certain product offerings and care management and 
integrated care delivery services sold to UnitedHealthcare 
by OptumHealth, and health information and technology 
solutions, consulting and other services sold to 
UnitedHealthcare by OptumInsight. These transactions 
are recorded at management’s estimate of fair value. 
Intersegment transactions are eliminated in consolidation. 
Assets and liabilities that are jointly used are assigned 
to each reportable segment using estimates of pro-rata 
usage. Cash and investments are assigned such that each 
reportable segment has working capital and/or at least 
minimum specified levels of regulatory capital. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   80

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Corporate and intersegment elimination amounts are presented to reconcile the reportable segment results to the 

consolidated results. The following table presents the reportable segment financial information:

2012 FORM 10-K

81

UnitedHealthcare  OptumHealth  OptumInsight 

OptumRx 

Total Optum 

Corporate and
Intersegment
Eliminations  Consolidated

Optum

(in millions) 

2012
Revenues - external customers:

Premiums 
Services 
Products 

Total revenues - external customers 

  102,852 

Total revenues - intersegment 
Investment and other income 

— 
567 

2,531 

5,503 
113 

$  97,985 
4,867 
— 

$  1,743 
767 
21 

$ 

— 
1,720 
87 

1,807 

1,075 
— 

$ 

$ 

— 
83 
2,665 

2,748 

$  1,743 
2,570 
2,773 

7,086 

— 
— 
— 

— 

$  99,728
7,437
2,773

  109,938

  15,611 
— 

  22,189 
113 

  (22,189) 
— 

—
680

Total revenues 

$ 103,419 

$  8,147 

$  2,882 

$  18,359 

$  29,388 

$ (22,189)  $ 110,618

Earnings from operations 
Interest expense 

$  7,815 
— 

$ 

Earnings before income taxes 

$  7,815 

$ 

561 
— 

561 

$ 

$ 

485 
— 

485 

$ 

$ 

393 
— 

393 

$  1,439 
— 

$  1,439 

Total Assets 
Purchases of property, equipment 

$  63,591 

$  8,274 

$  5,463 

$  3,466 

$  17,203 

and capitalized software 
Depreciation and amortization 

$ 
$ 

585 
794 

$ 
$ 

184 
193 

2011
Revenues - external customers:

Premiums 
Services 
Products 

$  90,487 
4,291 
— 

$  1,496 
628 
24 

Total revenues - external customers 

  94,778 

Total revenues - intersegment 
Investment and other income 

— 
558 

2,148 

4,461 
95 

$ 
$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

165 
210 

— 
1,616 
96 

1,712 

136 
112 

$ 
$ 

485 
515 

— 
78 
2,492 

2,570 

$  1,496 
2,322 
2,612 

6,430 

Earnings from operations 
Interest expense 

$  7,203 
— 

$ 

Earnings before income taxes 

$  7,203 

$ 

423 
— 

423 

$ 

$ 

381 
— 

381 

$ 

$ 

457 
— 

457 

$  1,261 
— 

$  1,261 

Total Assets 
Purchases of property, equipment  
   and capitalized software 
Depreciation and amortization 

2010
Revenues - external customers:

Premiums 
Services 
Products 

$  52,618 

$  6,756 

$  5,308 

$  3,503 

$  15,567 

$ 
$ 

635 
680 

$ 
$ 

168 
154 

$  84,158 
4,021 
— 

$  1,247 
331 
19 

$ 
$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

175 
195 

— 
1,403 
93 

1,496 

89 
95 

$ 
$ 

432 
444 

— 
64 
2,210 

2,274 

$  1,247 
1,798 
2,322 

5,367 

Total revenues - external customers 

  88,179 

Total revenues - intersegment 
Investment and other income 

— 
551 

1,597 

2,912 
56 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

— 
(632) 

$  9,254
(632)

(632)  $  8,622

91 

$  80,885

— 
— 

$  1,070
$  1,309

— 
— 
— 

— 

$  91,983
6,613
2,612

  101,208

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

— 
(505) 

$  8,464
(505)

(505)  $  7,959

(296)  $  67,889

— 
— 

$  1,067
$  1,124

— 
— 
— 

— 

$  85,405
5,819
2,322

  93,546

845 
1 

  14,449 
1 

  18,206 
58 

  (18,206) 
— 

—
609

958 
1 

  16,708 
— 

  22,127 
96 

  (22,127) 
— 

—
654

Total revenues 

$  95,336 

$  6,704 

$  2,671 

$  19,278 

$  28,653 

$ (22,127)  $ 101,862

Total revenues 

$  88,730 

$  4,565 

$  2,342 

$  16,724 

$  23,631 

$ (18,206)  $  94,155

Earnings from operations 
Interest expense 

$  6,740 
— 

$ 

Earnings before income taxes 

$  6,740 

$ 

511 
— 

511 

$ 

$ 

84 
— 

84 

$ 

$ 

529 
— 

529 

$  1,124 
— 

$  1,124 

Total Assets 
Purchases of property, equipment  
   and capitalized software 
Depreciation and amortization 
Goodwill impairment 

$  50,913 

$  3,897 

$  5,435 

$  3,087 

$  12,419 

$ 
$ 
$ 

525 
725 
— 

$ 
$ 
$ 

117 
100 
— 

$ 
$ 
$ 

156 
159 
172 

$ 
$ 
$ 

80 
80 
— 

$ 
$ 
$ 

353 
339 
172 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 
$ 

— 
(481) 

$  7,864
(481)

(481)  $  7,383

(269)  $  63,063

— 
— 
— 

$ 
878
$  1,064
172
$ 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   81

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82

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

14.  Quarterly Financial Data (unauDiteD)
Selected quarterly financial information for all quarters of 2012 and 2011 is as follows: 

(in millions, except per share data) 

March 31 

June 30 

September 30 

December 31

For the Quarter ended

2012
Revenues 
Operating costs 
Earnings from operations 
Net earnings 
Net earnings per share attributable to 

UnitedHealth Group common shareholders:

Basic 
Diluted 

2011 
Revenues 
Operating costs 
Earnings from operations 
Net earnings 
Basic net earnings per common share 
Diluted net earnings per common share 

$ 

$ 

27,282 
24,965 
2,317 
1,388 

1.34 
1.31 

25,432 
23,211 
2,221 
1,346 
1.24 
1.22 

$ 

$ 

27,265 
25,039 
2,226 
1,337 

1.30 
1.27 

25,234 
23,135 
2,099 
1,267 
1.18 
1.16 

$ 

$ 

27,302 
24,692 
2,610 
1,557 

1.52 
1.50 

25,280 
23,210 
2,070 
1,271 
1.19 
1.17 

$ 

$ 

28,769
26,668
2,101
1,244

1.22
1.20

25,916
23,842
2,074
1,258
1.19
1.17

iteM 9. 

None. 

 Changes In And Disagreements 
With Accountants On Accounting 
And Financial Disclosure 

iteM 9a. 

Controls And Procedures 

eValuatiOn OF DiSclOSure cOntrOlS  
anD PrOceDureS
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures as defined 
in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) that are designed to 
provide reasonable assurance that information required to 
be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under 
the Exchange Act is (i) recorded, processed, summarized 
and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules 
and forms; and (ii) accumulated and communicated to our 
management, including our principal executive officer and 
principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely 
decisions regarding required disclosure.

In connection with the filing of this Form 10-K, 

management evaluated, under the supervision and with 
the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief 
Financial Officer, the effectiveness of the design and 
operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of 
December 31, 2012. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief 
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that 
our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the 
reasonable assurance level as of December 31, 2012.

cHanGeS in internal cOntrOl  
OVer Financial rePOrtinG
There have been no changes in our internal control over 
financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 
2012 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely 
to materially affect, our internal control over  
financial reporting.

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   82

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RepoRt of ManageMent on InteRnal ContRol oveR 
fInanCIal RepoRtIng as of DeCeMbeR 31, 2012 
The Company’s management is responsible for establishing 
and maintaining adequate internal control over financial 
reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company’s 
internal control system is designed to provide reasonable 
assurance to our management and board of directors 
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the 
preparation of consolidated financial statements for 
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted 
accounting principles. The Company’s internal control 
over financial reporting includes those policies and 
procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records 
that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the 
transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; 
(ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are 
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated 
financial statements in accordance with generally accepted 
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures 
of the Company are being made only in accordance with 
authorizations of management and directors of the 
Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding 
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, 
use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a 
material effect on the consolidated financial statements. 
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control 

over financial reporting may not prevent or detect 
misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of 
effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that 
controls may become inadequate because of changes in 
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the 
policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

2012 FORM 10-K

83

Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s 

internal control over financial reporting as of December 
31, 2012. In making this assessment, we used the criteria 
set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - 
Integrated Framework. Management’s assessment of the 
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting 
excluded an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal 
control over financial reporting of Amil Participações S.A 
and its subsidiaries (Amil). Such exclusion was in accordance 
with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance that 
an assessment of a recently acquired business may be 
omitted in management’s report on internal control over 
financial reporting in the year of acquisition. We acquired 
a controlling interest in Amil during October 2012. Amil 
represented 10% of our consolidated total assets and 1% 
of our consolidated total revenues as of and for the year 
ended December 31, 2012. Based on our assessment and 
the COSO criteria, we believe that, as of December 31, 
2012, the Company maintained effective internal control 
over financial reporting. 

The Company’s independent registered public accounting 

firm has audited the Company’s internal control over 
financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, as stated in 
the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting 
Firm, appearing under Item 9A, which expresses an 
unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s 
internal controls over financial reporting as of December 
31, 2012. 

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   83

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84

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

RepoRt of Independent RegIsteRed  
publIc AccountIng fIRm 
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries: 

We have audited the internal control over financial 

reporting of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and 
Subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2012, 
based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated 
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring 
Organizations of the Treadway Commission. As described in 
Report of Management on Internal Control over Financial 
Reporting as of December 31, 2012, management excluded 
from its assessment the internal control over financial 
reporting at Amil Participações S.A and its subsidiaries 
(Amil), which was acquired during October 2012 and whose 
financial statements collectively constitute approximately 
10% of total assets and 1% of total revenues of the 
consolidated financial statement amounts as of and for the 
year ended December 31, 2012. Accordingly, our audit did 
not include the internal control over financial reporting 
at Amil. The Company’s management is responsible for 
maintaining effective internal control over financial 
reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of 
internal control over financial reporting, included in the 
accompanying Report of Management on Internal Control 
Over Financial Reporting as of December 31, 2012. Our 
responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. 
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards 

of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 
(United States). Those standards require that we plan 
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance 
about whether effective internal control over financial 
reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit 
included obtaining an understanding of internal control 
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and 
operating effectiveness of internal control based on the 
assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we 
considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that 
our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

A company’s internal control over financial reporting 
is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the 
company’s principal executive and principal financial 
officers, or persons performing similar functions, and 
effected by the company’s board of directors, management, 
and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance 
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the 

preparation of financial statements for external purposes 
in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles. A company’s internal control over financial 
reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) 
pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable 
detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and 
dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide 
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as 
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in 
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, 
and that receipts and expenditures of the company are 
being made only in accordance with authorizations of 
management and directors of the company; and (3) provide 
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely 
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition 
of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on 
the financial statements.

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control 

over financial reporting, including the possibility of 
collusion or improper management override of controls, 
material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be 
prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of 
any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control 
over financial reporting to future periods are subject to 
the risk that the controls may become inadequate because 
of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance 
with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material 
respects, effective internal control over financial reporting 
as of December 31, 2012, based on the criteria established 
in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the 
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway 
Commission.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards 
of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States), the consolidated financial statements as of and for 
the year ended December 31, 2012 of the Company and our 
reports dated February 6, 2013 expressed as an unqualified 
opinion on those consolidated financial statements and 
financial statement schedule. 

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 6, 2013

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2012 FORM 10-K

85

and such required information is incorporated herein  
by reference.  

ITEM 11. 

Executive Compensation 

The information required by Items 402, 407(e)(4) 
and (e)(5) of Regulation S-K will be included under 
the headings “Executive Compensation,” “Director 
Compensation,” “Corporate Governance - Risk Oversight” 
and “Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider 
Participation” in our definitive proxy statement for our 
2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and such required 
information is incorporated herein by reference.  

ITEM 9B. 

Other Information 

None. 

PART III 

ITEM 10. 

 Directors, Executive Officers And 
Corporate Governance 

Pursuant to General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K and 
Instruction 3 to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K, information 
regarding our executive officers is provided in Item 1 of 
Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption 
“Executive Officers of the Registrant.” 

The remaining information required by Items 401, 405, 
406 and 407(c)(3), (d)(4) and (d)(5) of Regulation S-K will 
be included under the headings “Corporate Governance,” 
“Election of Directors” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial 
Ownership Reporting Compliance” in our definitive proxy 
statement for our 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, 

ITEM 12. 

 Security Ownership Of Certain Beneficial Owners And Management And  
Related Stockholder Matters 

EquITy CoMpEnsaTIon plan InforMaTIon 
The following table sets forth certain information, as of December 31, 2012, concerning shares of common stock authorized 
for issuance under all of our equity compensation plans:

plan Category 

(a) 

(b) 

number of securities  Weighted-average 

to be issued upon 
exercise of 
outstanding 
options, warrants 
and rights (3) 
(in millions)  

excercise 
price of 
outstanding 
options, warrants 
and rights (3) 

(c)
number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding
securities reflected
in column (a))

(in millions)

Equity compensation plans approved by shareholders (1) 
Equity compensation plans not approved by shareholders (2) 

Total (2) 

51 
— 

51 

$ 

$ 

43 
— 

43 

63 (4)
—

63

(1)   Consists of the UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, and the UnitedHealth Group 

1993 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.  

(2)   Excludes 0.1 million shares underlying stock options assumed by us in connection with our acquisition of the companies 
under whose plans the options originally were granted. These options have a weighted-average exercise price of $41 
and an average remaining term of approximately 2.1 years. The options are administered pursuant to the terms of the 
plan under which the option originally was granted. No future awards will be granted under these acquired plans. 
(3)   Excludes stock appreciation rights (SARs) to acquire 12 million shares of common stock of the Company with exercise 

prices above $54.24, the closing price of a share of our common stock as reported on the NYSE on December 31, 2012. 
(4)   Includes 20 million shares of common stock available for future issuance under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of 

December 31, 2012, and 43 million shares available under the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan as of December 31, 2012. Shares 
available under the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan may become the subject of future awards in the form of stock options, 
SARs, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards and other stock-based awards, except that only 16 
million of these shares are available for future grants of awards other than stock options or SARs.

The information required by Item 403 of Regulation S-K will be included under the heading “Security Ownership of Certain 
Beneficial Owners and Management” in our definitive proxy statement for our 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and 
such required information is incorporated herein by reference.  

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   85

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EXHIBIT INDEX**

86

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

ITEM 13. 

 Certain Relationships And Related 
Transactions, And Director 
Independence 

The information required by Items 404 and 407(a) of 
Regulation S-K will be included under the headings 
“Certain Relationships and Transactions” and “Corporate 
Governance” in our definitive proxy statement for our 
2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and such required 
information is incorporated herein by reference. 

ITEM 14. 

 Principal Accountant Fees  
And Services 

The information required by Item 9(e) of Schedule 14A will 
be included under the heading “Independent Registered 
Public Accounting Firm” in our definitive proxy statement 
for our 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and such 
required information is incorporated herein by reference. 

PART IV 

ITEM 15. 

 Exhibits And Financial  
Statement Schedules 

1. Financial Statements 

(a) 
The financial statements are included under Item 8 of  
this report:

•   Reports of Independent Registered Accounting Firm.
•   Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2012 

and 2011.

•   Consolidated Statement of Operations for the years 

ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010.

•   Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income for 
the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010.
•   Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders’ 
Equity for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, 
and 2010.

•   Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the years 

ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010.

•   Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 

3.1 

3.2 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

*10.1 

2. Financial Statement Schedules 

The following financial statement schedule of the Company 
is included in Item 15(c): 

*10.2 

•   Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of 

Registrant (Parent Company Only). 

 All other schedules for which provision is made in 
the applicable accounting regulations of the SEC 
are not required under the related instructions, are 
inapplicable, or the required information is included in 
the consolidated financial statements, and therefore 
have been omitted.

*10.3 

(b)  

 The following exhibits are filed in response to Item 
601 of Regulation S-K.

 Third Restated Articles of Incorporation of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 29, 2007)
 Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
October 23, 2009)
 Senior Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1998, 
between United HealthCare Corporation and The 
Bank of New York (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Registration Statement on Form S-3/A, SEC File 
Number 333-66013, filed on January 11, 1999)
 Amendment, dated as of November 6, 2000, to 
Senior Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1998, 
between the UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and The Bank of New York (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended September 30, 2001)
 Instrument of Resignation, Appointment and 
Acceptance of Trustee, dated January 8, 2007, 
pursuant to the Senior Indenture, dated November 
15, 1988, amended November 6, 2000, among 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, The Bank 
of New York and Wilmington Trust Company 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the 
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended June 30, 2007)
 Indenture, dated as of February 4, 2008, between 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and U.S. Bank 
National Association (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Registration Statement on Form S-3, SEC File 
Number 333-149031, filed on February 4, 2008)
 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 2011 
Stock Incentive Plan, effective May 23, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Definitive 
Proxy Statement dated April 13, 2011)
  Form of Agreement for Non-Qualified Stock 
Option Award to Executives under UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, 
effective as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Restricted Stock Award 
to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.5 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)

72212_Financials_CS55.indd   86

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*10.4 

*10.5 

*10.6 

*10.7 

*10.8 

*10.9 

*10.10 

*10.11 

*10.12 

*10.13 

 Form of Agreement for Restricted Stock Unit 
Award to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Stock Appreciation Rights 
Award to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.4 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Performance-based 
Restricted Stock Unit Award to Executives under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan, effective as of May 24, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Initial Deferred Stock 
Unit Award to Non-Employee Directors under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan, effective as of May 24, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Deferred Stock Unit Award 
to Non-Employee Directors under UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, 
effective as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.6 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 23, 2011)
 Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated Executive Incentive Plan (2009 
Statement), effective as of December 31, 2008 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2008)
 Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated 2008 Executive Incentive Plan, 
effective as of December 31, 2008 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.13 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Amendment, dated as of December 21, 2012, 
of Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated 2008 Executive Incentive Plan
 UnitedHealth Group Executive Savings Plan (2004 
Statement) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10(e) of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 
31, 2003)
 First Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Executive 
Savings Plan (2004 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.3 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
October 31, 2006)

*10.14 

*10.15 

*10.16 

*10.17 

*10.18 

*10.19 

*10.20 

*10.21 

*10.22 

*10.23 

2012 FORM 10-K

87

 Second Amendment to UnitedHealth Group 
Executive Savings Plan (2004 Statement) 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2007)
 Third Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Executive 
Savings Plan (2004 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.17 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Fourth Amendment to UnitedHealth Group 
Executive Savings Plan (2004 Statement) 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2010)
 Summary of Non-Management Director 
Compensation, effective as of July 1, 2009 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
June 30, 2009)
 UnitedHealth Group Directors’ Compensation 
Deferral Plan (2009 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.18 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for  
the year ended December 31, 2008)
 Amendment to the UnitedHealth Group Directors’ 
Compensation Deferral Plan, effective as of 
January 1, 2010 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.20 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended 
December 31, 2009)
 First Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Directors’ 
Compensation Deferral Plan (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended September 30, 2010)
 Employment Agreement, dated as of November 7, 
2006, between UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
November 7, 2006)
 Agreement for Supplemental Executive Retirement 
Pay, effective April 1, 2004, between UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(b) to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
March 31, 2004)
 Amendment to Agreement for Supplemental 
Executive Retirement Pay, dated as of November 7, 
2006, between UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit A to Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
November 7, 2006)

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88

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

*10.24 

*10.25 

*10.26 

*10.27 

*10.28 

*10.29 

*10.30 

*10.31 

*10.32 

*10.33 

 Amendment to Employment Agreement and 
Agreement for Supplemental Executive Retirement 
Pay, effective as of December 31, 2008, between 
United HealthCare Services, Inc. and Stephen J. 
Hemsley (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.22 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2008)
  Letter Agreement, effective as of February 19, 
2008, by and between UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K 
for the year ended December 31, 2007)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated 
as of December 14, 2010, between UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated December 15, 2010)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of August 8, 2011, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Gail K. Boudreaux 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of October 25, 2011, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Larry C. Renfro 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011)
 Employment Agreement, effective as of December 
1, 2006, between United HealthCare Services, 
Inc. and David S. Wichmann (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended March 31, 2008)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, effective as 
of December 31, 2008, between United HealthCare 
Services, Inc. and David S. Wichmann (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.37 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of March 26, 2012, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Larry C. Renfro 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly Report 
on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2012)
 Amended Employment Agreement, effective as of 
November 1, 2012, between Amil Assistência Médica 
Internacional S.A. and Dr. Edson de Godoy Bueno
 Employment Agreement, effective as of June 29, 
2007, and amendment thereto, effective as of 
December 31, 2008, between United HealthCare 
Services, Inc. and Lori Sweere

*10.34 

*10.35 

*10.36 

*10.37 

11.1 

12.1 
21.1 
23.1 

24.1 
31.1 

32.1 

101 

 Employment Agreement, effective as of April 12, 
2007, between United HealthCare Services, Inc. and 
Anthony Welters (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.28 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2007)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, effective as 
of December 31, 2008, between United HealthCare 
Services, Inc. and Anthony Welters (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.35 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Form of Agreement for Non-Qualified Stock 
Option Award for International Participants under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan
 Form of Addendum for Non-Qualified Stock Option 
Award Agreement for International Participants 
under UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 
Stock Incentive Plan
 Statement regarding computation of per share 
earnings (incorporated by reference to the 
information contained under the heading “Net 
Earnings Per Common Share” in Note 2 of Notes to 
the Consolidated Financial Statements included in 
Item 8, “Financial Statements”)
 Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 Subsidiaries of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
 Consent of Independent Registered Public 
Accounting Firm
 Power of Attorney
 Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 The following materials from UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2012, filed on February 
6, 2013, formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business 
Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance 
Sheets, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations, 
(iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive 
Income, (iv) Consolidated Statements of Changes in 
Shareholders’ Equity, (v) Consolidated Statements 
of Cash Flows, and (vi) Notes to the Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

* 

 Denotes management contracts and compensation plans 
in which certain directors and named executive officers 
participate and which are being filed pursuant to Item 
601(b)(10)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K.

**  Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, copies 
of instruments defining the rights of certain holders of 
long-term debt are not filed. The Company will furnish 
copies thereof to the SEC upon request.

(c) 

Financial Statement Schedule 
 Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of 
Registrant (Parent Company Only).

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2012 FORM 10-K

89

Schedule I 

RepoRt of Independent RegIsteRed publIc AccountIng fIRm 
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries: 

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Subsidiaries (the 

“Company”) as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2012, 
and the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, and have issued our reports thereon 
dated February 6, 2013; such consolidated financial statements and reports are included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. Our 
audits also included the consolidated financial statement schedule of the Company listed in Item 15. This consolidated 
financial statement schedule is the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion 
based on our audits. In our opinion, the consolidated financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic 
consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.

/s/    DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 6, 2013

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90

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Schedule I

Condensed FinanCial inFormation oF registrant 
(Parent ComPany only) 
UnitedHealtH groUP 
Condensed BalanCe sHeets 

(in millions, except per share data) 

december 31, 2012 

december 31, 2011

assets
Current assets: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Notes receivable from subsidiaries 
Deferred income taxes, prepaid expenses and other 

current assets 

Total current assets 
Equity in net assets of subsidiaries 
Other assets 

total assets 

liabilities and shareholders’ equity 
Current liabilities: 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 
Note payable to subsidiary 
Commercial paper and current maturities of long-term debt 

Total current liabilities 
Long-term debt, less current maturities 
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 4)
Shareholders’ equity:

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value -10 shares authorized; 

no shares issued or outstanding 

Common stock, $0.01 par value - 3,000 shares authorized; 

1,019 and 1,039 issued and outstanding 

Additional paid-in capital 
Retained earnings 
Accumulated other comprehensive income 

Total UnitedHealth Group shareholders’ equity 

total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 

See Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements of Registrant 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

1,025 
2,889 

225 

4,139 
43,724 
106 

47,969 

356 
175 
2,541 

3,072 
13,602 
117 

16,791 

— 

10 
66 
30,664 
438 

31,178 

47,969 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

1,506 
— 

179 

1,685 
38,688 
77 

40,450 

351
145 
982 

1,478 
10,656 
24 

12,158

— 

10
— 
27,821 
461 

28,292 

40,450 

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Schedule I

Condensed FinanCial inFormation oF registrant 
(Parent ComPany only) 
UnitedHealtH groUP 
Condensed statements oF ComPreHensive inCome 

2012 FORM 10-K

91

(in millions) 

revenues:

Investment and other income 

Total revenues 

operating costs:

Operating costs 
Interest expense 

Total operating costs 

loss before income taxes 
Benefit for income taxes 

loss of parent company 
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries 

net earnings 
Other comprehensive (loss) income 

Comprehensive income 

For the years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

28 

28 

$ 

3 

3 

$ 

(2)  
566  

564 

(536) 
192 

(344) 
5,870 

5,526 
(23) 

25 
451 

476 

(473) 
167 

(306) 
5,448 

5,142 
209 

2 

2

54
433

487

(485)
180

(305)
4,939 

4,634 
(1)

$ 

5,503 

$ 

5,351 

$ 

4,633

See Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements of Registrant 

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92

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Schedule I

Condensed FinanCial inFormation oF registrant 
(Parent ComPany only) 
UnitedHealtH groUP 
Condensed statements oF CasH Flows 

(in millions) 

operating activities
Cash flows from operating activities 

investing activities
Cash paid for acquisitions 
Capital contributions to subsidiaries 

Cash flows used for investing activities 

Financing activities
Common stock repurchases 
Issuance of notes to subsidiaries 
Proceeds from common stock issuance 
Cash dividends paid 
Proceeds from commercial paper, net 
Proceeds from issuance of long term debt 
Repayments of long-term debt 
Interest rate swap termination 
Proceeds of note from subsidiary 
Other 

Cash flows used for financing activities 

(decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 

For the years ended december 31,
2011 

2012 

2010

$ 

6,116 

$ 

5,560 

$ 

3,731

(3,737) 
(99) 

(3,836) 

(3,084) 
(4,149) 
1,078 
(820) 
1,587 
3,966 
(986) 
— 
30 
(383) 

(2,761) 

(481) 
1,506 

(2,081) 
(171) 

(2,252) 

(2,994) 
— 
381 
(651) 
(933) 
2,234 
(955) 
132 
15 
53 

(2,718) 

590 
916 

(2,470)
(104)

(2,574)

(2,517)
—
272
(449)
930
747
(1,583)
—
30
20

(2,550)

(1,393)
2,309

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 

$ 

1,025 

$ 

1,506 

$ 

916

supplemental cash flow disclosures 
Cash paid for interest 
Cash paid for income taxes 

$ 

547 
2,666 

$ 

418 
2,739 

$ 

459
2,725

See Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements of Registrant. 

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2012 FORM 10-K

93

3.  CommerCial PaPer and long-term deBt 
Maturities of commercial paper and long-term debt for the 
years ending December 31 are as follows: 

(in millions)

2013 (a) 
2014 
2015 
2016 
2017 
Thereafter 

$  2,541
589
  1,067
  1,152
  1,281
  9,513

(a)   Includes $9 million of debt subject to acceleration 

clauses.

Long-term debt obligations of the parent company do not 
include Brazilian real denominated debt of a subsidiary 
with a total par value of $588 million. Further information 
on commercial paper and long-term debt can be found in 
Note 8 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.”

4.  Commitments and ContingenCies
For a summary of commitments and contingencies, see 
Note 12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 
included in Item 8, “Financial Statements.”

Schedule I 

Condensed FinanCial inFormation oF registrant 
(Parent ComPany only) 
UnitedHealtH groUP 
notes to Condensed FinanCial statements 

1.  Basis oF Presentation 
UnitedHealth Group’s parent company financial 
information has been derived from its consolidated 
financial statements and should be read in conjunction 
with the consolidated financial statements included in this 
Form 10-K. The accounting policies for the registrant are 
the same as those described in the Summary of Significant 
Accounting Policies in Note 2 of Notes to the Consolidated 
Financial Statements included in Item 8, “Financial 
Statements.” 

2.  sUBsidiary transaCtions 
Investment in Subsidiaries. UnitedHealth Group’s 
investment in subsidiaries is stated at cost plus equity in 
undistributed earnings of subsidiaries. 

Notes Receivable from Subsidiaries. Notes issued to 
subsidiaries were used primarily to fund acquisitions. 
During 2012, the parent company completed a non-
cash exchange of a $3.9 billion intercompany note to a 
subsidiary for a new term note of $2.6 billion and an equity 
interest of $1.3 billion.

Dividends. Cash dividends received from subsidiaries and 
included in Cash Flows from Operating Activities in the 
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows were $7.8 billion, $5.6 
billion and $4.3 billion in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. 

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94

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

SIGNATURES 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused 
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. 

Dated: February 6, 2013 

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INCORPORATED

By 

/s/ STEPHEN J. HEMSLEY 

Stephen J. Hemsley
President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following 

persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.  

Signature

Title

Director, President and Chief Executive Officer  
(principal executive officer)

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of 
UnitedHealth Group and President of UnitedHealth Group 
Operations (principal financial officer)

Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer  
(principal accounting officer)

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

/s/ STEPHEN J. HEMSLEY
Stephen J. Hemsley

/s/ DAVID S. WICHMANN
David S. Wichmann

/s/ ERIC S. RANGEN
Eric S. Rangen

William C. Ballard, Jr.*

Richard T. Burke*

Edson Bueno* 

Robert J. Darretta*

Michele J. Hooper*

Rodger A. Lawson*

Douglas W. Leatherdale*

Glenn M. Renwick*

Kenneth I. Shine*

Gail R. Wilensky*

*By 

/s/ MARIANNE D. SHORT

Marianne D. Short,
As Attorney-in-Fact

Date

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

February 6, 2013

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EXHIBIT INDEX**

3.1 

3.2 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

*10.1 

*10.2 

*10.3 

 Third Restated Articles of Incorporation of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 29, 2007)
 Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
October 23, 2009)
 Senior Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1998, 
between United HealthCare Corporation and The 
Bank of New York (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Registration Statement on Form S-3/A, SEC File 
Number 333-66013, filed on January 11, 1999)
 Amendment, dated as of November 6, 2000, to 
Senior Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1998, 
between the UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and The Bank of New York (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended September 30, 2001)
 Instrument of Resignation, Appointment and 
Acceptance of Trustee, dated January 8, 2007, 
pursuant to the Senior Indenture, dated November 
15, 1988, amended November 6, 2000, among 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, The Bank 
of New York and Wilmington Trust Company 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the 
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the 
quarter ended June 30, 2007)
 Indenture, dated as of February 4, 2008, between 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and U.S. Bank 
National Association (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 4.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Registration Statement on Form S-3, SEC File 
Number 333-149031, filed on February 4, 2008)
 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 2011 
Stock Incentive Plan, effective May 23, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Definitive 
Proxy Statement dated April 13, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Non-Qualified Stock 
Option Award to Executives under UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, 
effective as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Restricted Stock Award 
to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.5 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)

*10.4 

*10.5 

*10.6 

*10.7 

*10.8 

*10.9 

*10.10 

*10.11 

*10.12 

*10.13 

2012 FORM 10-K

95

 Form of Agreement for Restricted Stock Unit 
Award to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Stock Appreciation Rights 
Award to Executives under UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, effective 
as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.4 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Performance-based 
Restricted Stock Unit Award to Executives under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan, effective as of May 24, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Initial Deferred Stock 
Unit Award to Non-Employee Directors under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan, effective as of May 24, 2011 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated May 23, 2011)
 Form of Agreement for Deferred Stock Unit Award 
to Non-Employee Directors under UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock Incentive Plan, 
effective as of May 24, 2011 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.6 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
May 23, 2011)
 Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated Executive Incentive Plan (2009 
Statement), effective as of December 31, 2008 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2008)
 Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated 2008 Executive Incentive Plan, 
effective as of December 31, 2008 (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.13 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Amendment, dated as of December 21, 2012, 
of Amended and Restated UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated 2008 Executive Incentive Plan
 UnitedHealth Group Executive Savings Plan (2004 
Statement) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10(e) of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s  
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2003)
 First Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Executive 
Savings Plan (2004 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.3 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
October 31, 2006)

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96

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

*10.14 

*10.15 

*10.16 

*10.17 

*10.18 

*10.19 

*10.20 

*10.21 

*10.22 

*10.23 

 Second Amendment to UnitedHealth Group 
Executive Savings Plan (2004 Statement) 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2007)
 Third Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Executive 
Savings Plan (2004 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.17 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Fourth Amendment to UnitedHealth Group 
Executive Savings Plan (2004 Statement) 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2010)
 Summary of Non-Management Director 
Compensation, effective as of July 1, 2009 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
June 30, 2009)
 UnitedHealth Group Directors’ Compensation 
Deferral Plan (2009 Statement) (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.18 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2008)
 Amendment to the UnitedHealth Group Directors’ 
Compensation Deferral Plan, effective as of 
January 1, 2010 (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.20 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended 
December 31, 2009)
 First Amendment to UnitedHealth Group Directors’ 
Compensation Deferral Plan (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended September 30, 2010)
 Employment Agreement, dated as of November 7, 
2006, between UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
November 7, 2006)
 Agreement for Supplemental Executive Retirement 
Pay, effective April 1, 2004, between UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(b) to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
March 31, 2004)
 Amendment to Agreement for Supplemental 
Executive Retirement Pay, dated as of November 7, 
2006, between UnitedHealth Group Incorporated 
and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit A to Exhibit 10.1 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
November 7, 2006)

*10.24 

*10.25 

*10.26 

*10.27 

*10.28 

*10.29 

*10.30 

*10.31 

*10.32 

 Amendment to Employment Agreement and 
Agreement for Supplemental Executive Retirement 
Pay, effective as of December 31, 2008, between 
United HealthCare Services, Inc. and Stephen J. 
Hemsley (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.22 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2008)
 Letter Agreement, effective as of February 19, 
2008, by and between UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley (incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K 
for the year ended December 31, 2007)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, dated 
as of December 14, 2010, between UnitedHealth 
Group Incorporated and Stephen J. Hemsley 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Current Report 
on Form 8-K dated December 15, 2010)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of August 8, 2011, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Gail K. Boudreaux 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of October 25, 2011, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Larry C. Renfro 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 
September 30, 2011)
 Employment Agreement, effective as of December 
1, 2006, between United HealthCare Services, 
Inc. and David S. Wichmann (incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for 
the quarter ended March 31, 2008)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, effective 
as of December 31, 2008, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and David S. Wichmann 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.37 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2008)
 Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, 
dated as of March 26, 2012, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Larry C. Renfro 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Quarterly 
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended  
March 31, 2012)
 Amended Employment Agreement, effective as 
of November 1, 2012, between Amil Assistência 
Médica Internacional S.A. and Dr. Edson de  
Godoy Bueno

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2012 FORM 10-K

97

* 

 Denotes management contracts and compensation plans 
in which certain directors and named executive officers 
participate and which are being filed pursuant to Item 
601(b)(10)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K.

**  Pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, copies 
of instruments defining the rights of certain holders of 
long-term debt are not filed. The Company will furnish 
copies thereof to the SEC upon request.

*10.33 

*10.34 

*10.35 

*10.36 

*10.37 

11.1 

12.1 
21.1 
23.1 

24.1 
31.1 

32.1 

101 

 Employment Agreement, effective as of June 29, 
2007, and amendment thereto, effective as of 
December 31, 2008, between United HealthCare 
Services, Inc. and Lori Sweere
 Employment Agreement, effective as of April 12, 
2007, between United HealthCare Services, Inc. and 
Anthony Welters (incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.28 to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 
December 31, 2007)
 Amendment to Employment Agreement, effective 
as of December 31, 2008, between United 
HealthCare Services, Inc. and Anthony Welters 
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.35 to 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s Annual  
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  
December 31, 2008)
 Form of Agreement for Non-Qualified Stock 
Option Award for International Participants under 
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 Stock 
Incentive Plan
 Form of Addendum for Non-Qualified Stock Option 
Award Agreement for International Participants 
under UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s 2011 
Stock Incentive Plan
 Statement regarding computation of per share 
earnings (incorporated by reference to the 
information contained under the heading “Net 
Earnings Per Common Share” in Note 2 of Notes to 
the Consolidated Financial Statements included in 
Item 8, “Financial Statements”)
 Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
 Subsidiaries of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
 Consent of Independent Registered Public 
Accounting Firm
 Power of Attorney
 Certifications pursuant to Section 302 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 The following materials from UnitedHealth Group 
Incorporated’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended December 31, 2012, filed on February 
6, 2013, formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business 
Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance 
Sheets, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations, 
(iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive 
Income, (iv) Consolidated Statements of Changes in 
Shareholders’ Equity, (v) Consolidated Statements 
of Cash Flows, and (vi) Notes to the Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

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98

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

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OUR MISSION

Our mission is to help people live healthier lives. Our role is to help make health care work better for everyone. 

We seek to enhance the 

performance of the health 

We work with health care 

professionals and other key 

We support the physician/

patient relationship and 

system and improve the overall 

partners to expand access to 

empower people with the 

health and well-being of the 

quality health care so people 

information, guidance and tools 

people we serve and their 

get the care they need at an 

they need to make personal 

communities.

affordable price. 

health choices and decisions.

OUR CULTURE

The people of this company share basic values that inspire 

and preserved through truthfulness, integrity, active 

our behavior as individuals and thus as an institution: 

engagement and collaboration with our colleagues 

Integrity. We are dedicated to the highest levels of 

personal and institutional integrity. We make honest 

commitments and work to honor those commitments 

and clients. We encourage the variety of thoughts and 

perspectives that reflect the diversity of our markets, 

customers and workforce.

consistently. We are ethical people. We strive to deliver on 

Innovation. We pursue a course of continuous, positive 

our promises and we have the courage to acknowledge 

and practical innovation, using our deep experience in 

mistakes and do what is needed to address them.

health care to be thoughtful advocates of change and 

Compassion. We try to walk in the shoes of the people 

we serve and the people we work with. Our job is to 

listen with empathy and then respond appropriately and 

to use the insights we gain to invent a better future that 

will make the health care environment work and serve 

everyone more fairly, productively and consistently.

quickly with service and advocacy for each individual, 

Performance. We are committed to deliver and 

each group or community and for society as a whole.  

demonstrate excellence in everything we do. We will be 

We are grateful to have a role in serving people and 

accountable and responsible for consistently delivering 

society in an area so vitally human as their health.

high-quality and superior results that make a difference 

Relationships. We build trust through cultivating 

relationships and working in productive collaboration  

with government, employers, physicians, nurses and 

other health care professionals, hospitals and the 

individual consumers of health care. Trust is earned 

in the lives of the people we touch. We continue to 

challenge ourselves to strive for even better outcomes  

in all key performance areas. 

INVESTOR INFORMATION

Market price of common stock
The following table shows the range of high and low sales 

Investor relations
You can contact UnitedHealth Group Investor Relations  

prices for the company’s common stock as reported by 

to order, without charge, financial documents such as  

the New York Stock Exchange, where it trades under the 

the Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Annual Report  

symbol UNH. These prices do not include commissions or 

to Shareholders.

fees associated with purchasing or selling this security.

2013
First Quarter (through March 15, 2013)

high

$58.26

2012
First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter 

2011
First Quarter

Second Quarter

Third Quarter

Fourth Quarter 

$59.43

$60.75

$59.31

$58.29

$45.75

$52.64

$53.50

$51.71

low

$51.36

$49.82

$53.78

$50.32

$51.09

$36.37

$43.30

$41.27

$41.32

As of January 31, 2013, the company had 15,204 shareholders of record.

Shareholder account questions
Our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, 

can help you with a variety of shareholder-related 

services, including:

• Change of address

• Lost stock certificates

• Transfer of stock to another person

• Additional administrative services

You can write to them at: 

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services 

P.O. Box 64854 

St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0854

Or you can call our transfer agent toll free at  

(800) 468-9716 or locally at (651) 450-4064.

You can email our transfer agent at: 

stocktransfer@wellsfargo.com

You can write to us at: 

Investor Relations, MN008-T930

UnitedHealth Group

P.O. Box 1459 

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-1459

You can also obtain information about UnitedHealth Group 

and its businesses, including financial documents, online at 

www.unitedhealthgroup.com.

Annual meeting
We invite UnitedHealth Group shareholders to attend our 

annual meeting, which will be held at 10 a.m. Eastern Time 

on Monday, June 3, 2013, at the following location:

Seaport Boston Hotel

Constitution Conference Room

1 Seaport Lane

Boston, Massachusetts 02210

You will need to bring appropriate proof of UnitedHealth 

Group share ownership and a photo ID with you to the 

annual meeting in order to be admitted.

Common stock dividends
In June 2012, our Board of Directors increased our cash 

dividend on common stock to an annual dividend rate of 

$0.85 per share, paid quarterly. Declaration and payment 

of future quarterly dividends is at the discretion of the 

Board and may be adjusted as business needs or market 

conditions change. Since May 2011, we had paid an annual 

cash dividend on common stock of $0.65 per share, 

distributed quarterly.

10%

This annual report is printed on recycled papers certified by Bureau Veritas per FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council™)
standards for Chain of Custody ensuring environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable
forest management, and also uses reduced VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) vegetable-based inks.

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 2012 Annual Report

ADAPTABLE
ENTERPRISE.
CONSTANT
VALUES.

Helping People 
Live Healthier Lives

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www.unitedhealthgroup.com

UnitedHealth Group Center 
9900 Bren Road East, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343

100-12310 4/13 

©2013 UnitedHealth Group. All Rights Reserved. UnitedHealth Group is a registered trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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