Claims Payable

The following table presents the components of the change in claims payable for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):



	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2012			2011
Claims payable, beginning of period	$	573,448		$	510,675
Health benefits expense incurred during the period:
Related to current year	5,661,449			3,965,890
Related to prior years	(99,287		)	(84,520		)
Total incurred	5,562,162			3,881,370
Health benefits payments during the period:
Related to current year	4,921,383			3,461,910
Related to prior years	443,810			385,609
Total payments	5,365,193			3,847,519
Claims payable, end of period	$	770,417		$	544,526

Health benefits expense incurred during both periods was reduced for amounts related to prior years. The amounts related to prior years include the impact of amounts previously included in the liability to establish it at a level sufficient under moderately adverse conditions that were not needed and the reduction in health benefits expense due to revisions to prior estimates.