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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246792</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MOLINA J MARIO MD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>15302 CENTRAL AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHINO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>91710</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>800</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>68.76</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>144365</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>467554</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>122956</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>65282</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>151630</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant of restricted stock subject to vesting under the Issuer's 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The aggregate dollar value of the annual equity award to each director in 2017-2018 shall be $220,000, with one quarter of that amount in stock, or $55,000, to be granted on the first day of each quarter based on the closing price of the Issuer's common stock on such day. Since the grant date of October 1, 2017 was a non-trading day, the number of shares was calculated based on the closing price of the Issuer's common stock on September 29, 2017, of $68.76. Thus, the grant this quarter for services as a Director is for 800 shares of the Issuer's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the closing price of the Issuer's common stock on September 29, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares are held by the M/T Molina Family Trust, of which Dr. Molina and his spouse are trustees and beneficiaries.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes 48,370 shares previously transferred from JMM GRAT 715/3 in a non-reportable transaction.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The shares are owned by the J. Marion Molina Separate Property Trust, of which Dr. Molina is sole trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The shares are owned by Dr. Molina's spouse, Therese A. Molina, as trustee of the MM GRAT 915/3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The shares are owned by JMB GRAT 1209/4 for the benefit of Josephine M. Battiste, of which Dr. Molina is sole trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Excludes 48,370 shares previously transferred to the J. Marion Molina Separate Property Trust in a non-reportable transaction.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">The shares are owned by JMM GRAT 716/3, of which Dr. Molina is the beneficiary.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joseph M. Molina, M.D., by Karen Calhoun, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-10-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
