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If Humana does not design and price its products properly and competitively, if the premiums Humana charges are insufficient to cover the cost of health care services delivered to its members, if the company is unable to implement clinical initiatives to provide a better health care experience for its members, lower costs and appropriately document the risk profile of its members, or if its estimates of benefits expense are inadequate, Humana’s profitability could be materially adversely affected. Humana estimates the costs of its benefit expense payments, and designs and prices its products accordingly, using actuarial methods and assumptions based upon, among other relevant factors, claim payment patterns, medical cost inflation, and historical developments such as claim inventory levels and claim receipt patterns. These estimates, however, involve extensive judgment, and have considerable inherent variability because they are extremely sensitive to changes in claim payment patterns and medical cost trends.
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If Humana fails to effectively implement its operational and strategic initiatives, including its Medicare initiatives, its state-based contracts strategy, and its participation in the new health insurance exchanges, the company’s business may be materially adversely affected, which is of particular importance given the concentration of the company’s revenues in these products.
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If Humana fails to properly maintain the integrity of its data, to strategically implement new information systems, to protect Humana’s proprietary rights to its systems, or to defend against cyber-security attacks, the company’s business may be materially adversely affected.
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Humana’s business may be materially adversely impacted by CMS’s adoption of a new coding set for diagnoses (commonly known as ICD-10).
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Humana is involved in various legal actions, or disputes that could lead to legal actions (such as, among other things, provider contract disputes relating to rate adjustments resulting from the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, commonly referred to as “sequestration”; other provider contract disputes; and qui tam litigation brought by individuals on behalf of the government) and governmental and internal investigations, any of which, if resolved unfavorably to the company, could result in substantial monetary damages. Increased litigation and negative publicity could also increase the company’s cost of doing business.
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As a government contractor, Humana is exposed to risks that may materially adversely affect its business or its willingness or ability to participate in government health care programs including, among other things, loss of material government contracts, governmental audits and investigations, potential inadequacy of government-determined payment rates or other changes in the governmental programs in which Humana participates.
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The Health Care Reform Law, including The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, could have a material adverse effect on Humana’s results of operations, including restricting revenue, enrollment and premium growth in certain products and market segments, restricting the company’s ability to expand into new markets, increasing the company's medical and operating costs by, among other things, requiring a minimum benefit ratio on insured products, lowering the company’s Medicare payment rates and increasing the company’s expenses associated with a non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments; the company’s financial position, including the company's ability to maintain the value of its goodwill; and the company’s cash flows. In addition, if Humana is unable to adjust its business model to address the non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments, including the three-year commercial reinsurance fee, such as through the reduction of the company’s operating costs, there can be no assurance that the non-deductible health insurance industry fee and other assessments would not have a material adverse effect on the company’s results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
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Humana’s participation in, and the operational functionality of, the new federal and state health care exchanges, which have experienced certain technical difficulties in their early implementation and which entail uncertainties associated with mix and volume of business, could adversely affect the company’s results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
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Humana’s business activities are subject to substantial government regulation. New laws or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations or their manner of application could increase the company’s cost of doing business and may adversely affect the company’s business, profitability and cash flows.
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Any failure to manage operating costs could hamper Humana’s profitability.
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Any failure by Humana to manage acquisitions and other significant transactions successfully may have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.
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If Humana fails to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with the providers of care to its members, the company’s business may be adversely affected.
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Humana’s pharmacy business is highly competitive and subjects it to regulations in addition to those the company faces with its core health benefits businesses.
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Changes in the prescription drug industry pricing benchmarks may adversely affect Humana’s financial performance.
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If Humana does not continue to earn and retain purchase discounts and volume rebates from pharmaceutical manufacturers at current levels, Humana’s gross margins may decline.
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Humana’s ability to obtain funds from certain of its licensed subsidiaries is restricted by state insurance regulations.
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Downgrades in Humana’s debt ratings, should they occur, may adversely affect its business, results of operations, and financial condition.
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Changes in economic conditions could adversely affect Humana’s business and results of operations.
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The securities and credit markets may experience volatility and disruption, which may adversely affect Humana’s business.
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Given the current economic climate, Humana’s stock and the stock of other companies in the insurance industry may be increasingly subject to stock price and trading volume volatility.
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Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013;
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Form 8-Ks filed during 2014.
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HUMANA INC.
BY: /s/ Steven E. McCulley
Steven E. McCulley
Interim Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
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