<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-03-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001179929</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MOH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246837</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MOLINA JOHN C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>300 UNIVERSITY AVE., SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SACRAMENTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95825</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20341</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.1942</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>622074</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee of Family Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3444</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>48.52</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>102368</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1722</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>48.52</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>99068</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-03-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3444</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>48.52</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>92468</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F11"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F12"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>600714</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F13"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F14"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11154</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F15"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Sale pursuant to the Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan of the John C. Molina Separate Property Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the weighted average sale price of all sales on the Transaction Date.  The range of prices for the transactions was $48.77 to $49.62.  The Reporting Person undertakes to provide full information about the transactions to the Commission upon request.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares are owned by the John C. Molina Separate Property Trust, of which Mr. Molina is the trustee and beneficiary.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares were applied to the payment of withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of 6,600 shares on March 7, 2017, based upon the Company's 2016 STARS rating achievement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Represents the closing price of the Issuer's common stock on March 7, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Excludes 3,156 shares net of tax withholding now shown as fully vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The shares were applied to the payment of withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of 3,300 shares on March 7, 2017, upon the Company's achievement of a certain business development target (Board approved acquisition).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Excludes 1,578 shares net of tax withholding now shown as fully vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">The shares were applied to the payment of withholding taxes arising in connection with the vesting of 6,600 shares on March 7, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">6,600 shares shall vest based on the Company's 2017 after tax profit margin;   6,600 shares shall vest based on the Company's 2018 after tax profit margin;   6,600 shares shall vest based upon the Company's 2017 STARS ratings; 13,200 shares shall vest upon the Company's achievement of certain business development targets; 6,600 shares shall vest on each of March 7, 2018, and March 7, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">20,041 shares shall vest in one-third increments over three years, on each of March 1, 2018, March 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">4,034 shares vest based on the Company's 2017 annual premium revenue achievement; 4,034 shares vest based on the Company's 2017 net profit margin achievement; 4,034 shares vest based on pre-tax income in fiscal year 2017; 8,068 shares shall vest in one-half increments over two years, on each of April 1, 2017, and April 1, 2018. See 2015 Definitive Proxy Statement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F13">All of these shares are fully vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F14">Includes 7,890 shares vested on March 7, 2017 net of shares withheld for payment of taxes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F15">The shares are owned by Mr. Molina and his spouse as community property.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John C. Molina, by Karen I. Calhoun, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-03-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
