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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies    
Basis of Presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Cigna Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. These Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
Amounts recorded in the Consolidated Financial Statements necessarily reflect management’s estimates and assumptions about medical costs, investment and receivable valuations, interest rates and other factors. Significant estimates are discussed throughout these Notes; however, actual results could differ from those estimates. The impact of a change in estimate is generally included in earnings in the period of adjustment.
Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance
The Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and its related amendments, as of January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective transition method. The new standard requires the use of a current expected credit loss impairment model to develop and recognize credit losses for financial instruments at amortized cost when the asset is first originated or acquired, and each subsequent reporting period. The new standard also eliminates the concept
of other-than-temporary impairments and changes the criteria for impairment of available-for-sale debt securities. A cumulative effect adjustment of $30 million after-tax was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings as of January 1, 2020, reflecting an additional allowance for future expected credit losses required under the new model, primarily related to reinsurance recoverables. Subsequent changes in the allowance are reported in current period earnings. See additional information regarding the Company’s accounting policy for establishing the allowance for credit losses in Accounts Receivable, Net (Note 4), Reinsurance (Note 10) and Investments (Note 11).
The Company adopted ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, as of January 1, 2020, on a prospective basis. The new standard eliminates the need to determine the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit to measure a goodwill impairment. There was no impact of adopting this new standard to the Company’s financial statements because our quarterly qualitative assessments did not result in a triggering event for impairment of goodwill, and the results of our annual quantitative evaluation performed in the third quarter of 2020 indicated that the estimated fair value of each of our reporting units exceeded their carrying values by significant margins.
Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted
Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (ASU 2020-04)
Optional, effective upon issuance (March 12, 2020) through December 31, 2022.
Provides temporary optional relief to ease the potential burden of accounting for reference rate reform under existing GAAP. Amendments are elective and apply to all entities that have contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions that reference interbank offered rates, including LIBOR, expected to be discontinued for new contracts by December 31, 2021.
Permits optional expedients and exceptions to simplify the accounting for contract modifications, hedging arrangements and held-to-maturity investments, when certain changes are made to a contract or instrument to facilitate reference rate reform.
An entity may elect to apply the amendments, by topic or subsection, at any point prospectively through December 31, 2022. When elected, the optional expedients must be applied consistently for all eligible contracts or transactions.
To date, the Company has identified minimal exposure to LIBOR and does not anticipate that LIBOR’s phase-out will have a material impact on its operations or financial results.
Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (ASU 2018-12)
Effective date of January 1, 2023 for Cigna (early adoption permitted) and requires the following key provisions (for insurance entities that issue long-duration contracts)
Changes to the measurement of the future policy benefits liability for traditional and limited-pay insurance contracts:
Assumptions used to measure cash flows (such as mortality, morbidity and lapse assumptions) to be updated at least annually with the effect of changes in those assumptions remeasured retrospectively and reflected in current period net income.
Discount rate assumptions to be updated quarterly based on an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument yield that maximizes the use of observable market inputs, with any changes reflected in other comprehensive income.
Deferred policy acquisition costs ("DAC") related to long-duration insurance contracts to be amortized on a constant-level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. Other related deferred or capitalized balances (such as unearned revenue liability and value of business acquired) may use this simplified amortization method.
Market risk benefits (defined as protecting the contractholder from other-than-nominal capital market risk and exposing the insurer to that risk) to be measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in net income each period, except for the effect of changes in the insurance entity’s credit risk to be recognized in other comprehensive income.
Additional disclosures, including disaggregated rollforwards for the liability for future policy benefits, market risk benefits, separate account liabilities and deferred acquisition costs, as well as information about significant inputs, judgments, assumptions and methods used in measurement.
Transition methods at adoption vary:
Changes to the liability for future policy benefits to use a modified retrospective approach applied to all outstanding contracts on the basis of their existing carrying amounts as of the beginning of the earliest period presented, with an option to elect a full retrospective transition under certain criteria. Remeasuring the future policy benefits liability for the discount rate to be recorded through accumulated other comprehensive income at transition.
DAC to follow the transition method used for future policyholder benefits.
Market risk benefits to be transitioned retrospectively and measured at fair value at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The difference between this fair value and carrying value to be recognized in the opening balance of retained earnings, excluding the effect of credit risk changes that are to be recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income.
Expected effects:
The new guidance will apply to our long-duration insurance products predominantly within the International Markets and Other segments.
The Company will adopt the standard on January 1, 2023, using the modified retrospective transition method for changes to the liability for future policy benefits and DAC.
The Company has developed a cross-functional implementation project plan and expects to have significant changes to our processes, systems, controls and financial results and disclosures.
Although we continue to evaluate the new requirements of the standard and model their impacts across various products, we are unable to project or estimate the magnitude or frequency of expected changes to our financial results. However, it is possible that our income recognition pattern could change for several reasons:
Applying periodic assumption updates, versus the current locked-in model, may change our timing of profit or loss recognition.
DAC amortization will be on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts, and no longer tied to the emergence of profit on such contracts.
Features, such as the Company’s GMDB product, that provide market-risk benefits are not currently measured at fair value, so these liabilities and related reinsurance recoverables will become subject to market sensitivity, notably to interest rates.
While not yet quantified, the cumulative effect of implementing this guidance may be material to the Company’s beginning shareholders' equity balance upon adoption.
The Company continues to monitor developing implementation guidance, particularly with respect to reinsured blocks of business.
Significant Accounting Policies
The Company’s accounting policies are described either in this Note or in the applicable Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements as listed in the table of contents.
A.Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are carried at cost that approximates fair value. Cash equivalents consist of short-term investments with maturities of three months or less from the time of purchase. The Company reclassifies cash overdraft positions to liabilities when the legal right of offset does not exist.
B.Inventories
Inventories consist of prescription drugs and medical supplies and are stated at the lower of first-in-first-out cost or net realizable value.
C.Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs
Costs eligible for deferral include incremental, direct costs of acquiring new or renewal insurance and investment contracts and other costs directly related to successful contract acquisition. Examples of deferrable costs include commissions, sales compensation and benefits, policy issuance and underwriting costs. The Company records acquisition costs differently depending on the product line. Acquisition costs for:
Supplemental health, life and accident insurance products (primarily individual products) that comprise the majority of the Company’s deferred policy acquisition costs and group health and accident insurance products are deferred and amortized, generally in proportion to the ratio of periodic revenue to the estimated total revenues over the contract periods.
Universal life products are deferred and amortized in proportion to the present value of total estimated gross profits over the expected lives of the contracts.
Other products are expensed as incurred.
Deferred policy acquisition costs also include the value of business acquired (“VOBA”) for certain acquisitions with material long-duration insurance contracts. The Company recorded amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs of $502 million in 2020, $483 million in 2019 and $406 million in 2018 primarily in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
Each year, deferred policy acquisition costs are tested for recoverability. For universal life and other individual products, management estimates the present value of future revenues less expected payments. For group health and accident insurance products, management estimates the sum of unearned premiums and anticipated net investment income less future expected claims and related costs. If management’s estimates of these sums are less than the deferred costs, the Company reduces deferred policy acquisition costs and records an additional expense.
D.Other Assets (Current and Non-Current)
Other current assets consist primarily of prepaid expenses, accrued investment income and the current portion of reinsurance recoverables. Other non-current assets consist primarily of GMIB assets, operating lease right-of-use assets and various other insurance-related assets. See Note 10 for the Company’s accounting policy for GMIB assets and Note 18 for the Company's accounting policy related to leases. Additionally, other non-current assets include the carrying value of our equity-method investments in joint ventures in China, India, the U.S. and other foreign jurisdictions.
E.Assets and Liabilities of Business Held for Sale

The Company classifies assets and liabilities as held for sale (“disposal group”) when management commits to a plan to sell the disposal group, the sale is probable within one year and the disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition. The Company considers various factors, particularly whether actions required to complete the plan indicate it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or the plan will be withdrawn. Assets held for sale are measured at the lower of carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Any loss resulting from the measurement is recognized in the period the held for sale criteria are met. Conversely, gains are not recognized until the date of the sale. When the disposal group is classified as held for sale, depreciation and amortization ceases and the Company tests the assets for impairment.
F.Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
Redeemable noncontrolling interest on our Consolidated Balance Sheets represents the noncontrolling shareholders preferred and common stock interests of the Company's consolidated less than fully owned subsidiaries. Those shareholders may choose to require the Company to purchase their redeemable noncontrolling interest. We also have the right to require those shareholders to sell their redeemable noncontrolling interest to us. The redeemable noncontrolling interest was recorded at fair value as of the date of purchase. When the estimated redemption value for a redeemable noncontrolling interest exceeds its carrying value, an adjustment to increase the redeemable noncontrolling interest is recorded with an offsetting reduction to retained earnings or additional paid-in capital in the absence of retained earnings. When an adjustment is made to the carrying value of the redeemable noncontrolling interest, the calculation of shareholders’ net income per share will be adjusted if the redemption value exceeds fair value.
G.Accrued Expenses and Other Current and Non-Current Liabilities
Accrued expenses (current) primarily includes financial and performance guarantee liabilities under pharmacy contracts (see section I), management compensation and various insurance-related liabilities, including experience-rated refunds, reinsurance contracts and the risk adjustment and minimum medical loss ratio rebate accruals under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”). Other non-current liabilities include obligations for pension (see Note 15), GMIB contract liabilities (see Note 10), lease liabilities (see Note 18) and self-insured exposures not expected to be settled within one year.
The Company accrues for legal and regulatory matters when a loss contingency is both probable and estimable. The estimated loss is generally recorded in Selling, general and administrative expenses and represents the Company’s best estimate of the loss contingency. If the loss estimate is a range, the Company accrues the minimum amount in the range if no amount is better than any other estimated amount in the range. Legal costs to defend the Company’s litigation and arbitration matters are expensed as incurred in cases that the Company cannot reasonably estimate the ultimate cost to defend. If the Company can reasonably estimate the cost to defend, a liability for these costs is accrued when the claim is reported. Litigation and legal or regulatory matters that the Company has identified with a reasonable possibility of material loss are described in Note 21.
H.Translation of Foreign Currencies
The Company generally conducts its international business through foreign operating entities that maintain assets and liabilities in local currencies that are their functional currencies. The Company uses exchange rates as of the balance sheet date to translate assets and liabilities into U.S. dollars. Translation gains or losses on functional currencies, net of applicable taxes, are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The Company uses average monthly exchange rates during the year to translate revenues and expenses into U.S. dollars.
I.Pharmacy revenues and Costs
Pharmacy revenues. Pharmacy revenues are primarily derived from providing pharmacy benefit management services to clients and customers. Pharmacy revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to clients and customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive for those goods or services.
The Company provides or makes available various services supporting benefit management and claims administration and is generally obligated to provide prescription drugs to clients’ members using multiple distribution methods including retail networks, home delivery and specialty pharmacies. These goods and services are integrated into a single performance obligation to process claims, dispense prescription drugs and provide other services over the contract period (generally three years). This performance obligation is satisfied as the business stands ready to fulfill its obligation.
Revenues for dispensing prescription drugs through retail pharmacies are reported gross and consist of the prescription price (ingredient cost and dispensing fee) contracted with clients, including the customer copayment, and any associated fees for services because the Company acts as the principal in these arrangements. When a prescription is presented to a retail network pharmacy, the Company is solely responsible for customer eligibility, drug utilization review, drug-to-drug interaction review, any required clinical intervention, plan provision information, payment to the pharmacy and client billing. These revenues are recognized based on the full prescription price when the pharmacy claim is processed and approved for payment. The Company also provides benefit design and formulary consultation services to clients and negotiates separate contractual relationships with clients and network pharmacies. These factors indicate that the Company has control over these transactions until the prescription is processed. Revenues are billed, due and recognized at contract rates either on a periodic basis or as services are provided (such as based on volume of claims processed). This recognition pattern aligns with the benefits from services provided.
Home delivery and specialty pharmacy revenues are due and recognized as each prescription is shipped, net of reserves for discounts and contractual allowances estimated based on historical experience. Any differences between estimates and actual collections are reflected in operations when payments are received. Historically, adjustments to original estimates and returns have not been material. The Company has elected the practical expedient to account for shipping and handling as a fulfillment activity.
We may also provide certain financial and performance guarantees, including a minimum level of discounts a client may receive, generic utilization rates and various service levels. Clients may be entitled to receive compensation if we fail to meet the guarantees. Actual performance is compared to the contractual guarantee for each measure throughout the period and the Company defers revenue for any estimated payouts within Accrued expenses and other liabilities (current). These estimates are adjusted at the end of the guarantee period. Historically, adjustments to original estimates have not been material. The performance guarantee liability was $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2020 and $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2019.
The Company administers programs through which we may receive rebates and other vendor consideration from pharmaceutical manufacturers. The amounts of such rebates or other vendor consideration shared with pharmacy benefit management services clients vary based on the contractual arrangement with the client and in some cases the type of consideration received from the pharmaceutical manufacturer. Rebates and other vendor consideration payable to pharmacy benefit management services clients are recorded as a reduction of Pharmacy revenues. Estimated amounts payable to clients are based on contractual sharing arrangements between the Company and the client and these amounts are adjusted when amounts are collected from pharmaceutical manufacturers in accordance with the contractual arrangement between the Company and the client. Historically, these adjustments have not been material.
In certain retail, home delivery and specialty transactions certain amounts may be collected from third-party payors. These are billed and collected subject to normal account receivable collections procedures.
Other pharmacy service revenues are earned by distributing specialty pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to providers, clinics and hospitals and services to specialty pharmacy manufacturers. These revenues are recognized as prescriptions and supplies are shipped and services are provided.
Pharmacy costs. Pharmacy costs include the cost of prescriptions sold, network pharmacy claim costs and copayments. Also included are direct costs of dispensing prescriptions including supplies, shipping and handling and direct costs associated with clinical programs, such as drug utilization management and medication adherence counseling. Home delivery and specialty pharmacy costs are recognized when the drug is shipped and retail network costs are recognized when the drug is processed and approved for payment. Rebates and other vendor consideration received when providing pharmacy benefit management services are recorded as a reduction of pharmacy costs. Rebates are recognized as prescriptions are shipped or processed and approved for payment. Historically, the effect of adjustments resulting from the reconciliation of rebates recognized to the amounts billed and collected has not been material. The Company maintains reimbursement guarantees with certain retail network pharmacies. For each such guarantee, the Company records a pharmacy and other service costs payable or prepaid asset for applicable retail network claims based on our actual performance throughout the period against the contractual reimbursement rate. The Company’s contracts with certain retail pharmacies give the Company the right to adjust reimbursement rates during the annual guarantee period.
Other. Incremental costs of obtaining service and pharmacy contracts for short-term arrangements are expensed as incurred.
J.Premiums and Related Expenses
Premiums for group life, accident and health insurance and managed care coverages are recognized as revenue on a pro rata basis over the contract period. Benefits and expenses are recognized when incurred and, for our U.S. Medical insured business, are presented net of pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates. For experience-rated contracts, premium revenue includes an adjustment for experience-rated refunds based on contract terms and calculated using the customer’s experience (including estimates of incurred but not reported claims).
Premium revenue also includes an adjustment to reflect the estimated effect of rebates due to customers under the commercial minimum medical loss ratio provisions of the ACA. These rebates are settled in the subsequent calendar year.
Premiums received for the Company’s Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Part D products from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) and customers are recognized as revenue ratably over the contract period. CMS provides risk-adjusted premium payments for Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Part D products based on our customer demographics and wellness. The Company recognizes periodic changes to risk-adjusted premiums as revenue when the amounts are determinable and collection is reasonably assured. Additionally, Medicare Part D premiums include payments from CMS for risk-sharing adjustments. These
adjustments are estimated quarterly based on claim experience by comparing actual incurred drug benefit costs to estimated costs submitted in original contracts. These adjustments may result in more or less revenue from CMS. Final revenue adjustments are determined and settled with CMS in the year following the contract year. Premium revenue may also include an adjustment to reflect the estimated effect of rebates due to CMS under the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D minimum medical loss ratio provisions of the ACA.
The ACA prescribed three programs to mitigate the risk for participating health insurance companies selling coverage on the public exchanges: risk adjustment, reinsurance and risk corridor. The reinsurance and ACA risk corridor programs expired at the end of 2016, while the permanent risk-adjustment program continues.
The risk-adjustment program reallocates funds from insurers with lower risk populations to insurers with higher risk populations based on the relative risk scores of participants in non-grandfathered plans in the individual and small group markets, both on and off the exchanges. We estimate our receivable or payable based on the risk of our customers compared to the risk of other customers in the same state and market, considering data obtained from industry studies and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”). Receivables or payables are recorded as adjustments to premium revenue based on our year-to-date experience when the amounts are reasonably estimable and collection is reasonably assured. Final revenue adjustments are determined by HHS in the year following the policy year.
Premiums for individual life, accident and supplemental health insurance and annuity products, excluding universal life and investment-related products, are recognized as revenue when due. Benefits and expenses are matched with premiums.
Revenue for universal life products is recognized as follows:
Investment income on assets supporting universal life products is recognized in Net investment income as earned.
Charges for mortality, administration and policy surrender are recognized in premiums as earned. Administrative fees are considered earned when services are provided.
Benefits and expenses for universal life products consist of benefit claims in excess of policyholder account balances and income earned by policyholders. Expenses are recognized when claims are incurred, and income is credited to policyholders in accordance with contract provisions.
The unrecognized portion of premiums received is recorded as unearned premiums included in insurance and contractholder liabilities (see Note 9 for further information).
K.Fees and Related Expenses
The majority of the Company’s service fees are derived from administrative services only (“ASO”) arrangements, fee-for-service clinical solutions and health benefit management services.
ASO arrangements allow plan sponsors to self-fund claims and assume the risk of medical or other benefit costs. Most of the Company’s ASO arrangements are for medical and specialty services, including pharmacy benefits. Generally, the Company’s ASO arrangements are short-term. Contract modifications typically occur on renewal and are prospective in nature.
In return for fees from these clients, the Company provides access to our participating provider networks and other services supporting benefit management, including claims administration, behavioral health services, disease management, utilization management and cost containment programs. In general, the Company considers these services to be a combined performance obligation to provide cost effective administration of plan benefits over the contract period. Fees are billed, due and recognized monthly at contracted rates based on current membership or utilization. This recognition pattern aligns with the benefits from services provided to clients. These revenues are reported in Fees and other revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
The Company may also provide performance guarantees that provide potential refunds to clients if certain service standards, clinical outcomes or financial metrics are not met. If these standards, outcomes and metrics are not met, the Company may be financially at risk up to a stated percentage of the contracted fee or a stated dollar amount. The Company defers revenue by recording a liability for estimated payouts associated with these guarantees within Accrued expenses and other liabilities. The amount of revenue deferred is estimated for each type of guarantee using either a most likely amount or expected value method depending on the nature of the guarantee and the information available to estimate refunds. Estimates are refined each reporting period as additional information on the Company’s performance becomes available and upon final reconciliation and settlement at the end of the guarantee period. Amounts accrued and paid for these performance guarantees during the reporting periods were not material.
Rebates from pharmaceutical manufacturers for ASO client purchases at retail pharmacies, net of amounts payable to ASO clients, were considered compensation for use of the manufacturer’s products and recorded in Fees and other revenues prior to transitioning U.S. Commercial customers to Express Scripts’ retail pharmacy network in the third quarter of 2019. After this transition, these rebates are reflected as a reduction to pharmacy costs (See “Pharmacy Costs” above).
Expenses associated with administrative programs and services are recognized as incurred in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
The Company also earns revenue, as part of its integrated pharmacy benefits performance obligation, by offering fee-for-service clinical solutions to our clients, such as drug utilization management and medication adherence counseling. These clinical programs help clients to drive better health outcomes at a lower cost by identifying and addressing potentially unsafe or wasteful prescribing, dispensing and utilization of prescription drugs and communicating with, or supporting communications with physicians, pharmacies and patients. Fees are billed, due and recognized at contracted rates either on a periodic basis or as services are provided. This recognition pattern aligns with the benefits from services provided. These revenues are reported in Fees and other revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Direct costs associated with these programs are recognized in Pharmacy and other service costs, and other related expenses are recorded as incurred in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
The Company also earns fees by providing health benefit management solutions that drive cost reductions and improve quality outcomes. Clients are primarily sponsors of health benefit plans and fees may be stated as a per-member-per-month fee or as a per-claim fee. The Company considers the services to be a single performance obligation to stand ready to provide utilization management services over the contract period (generally three years). In certain arrangements, the Company assumes the financial obligation for third-party provider costs for medical services provided to the health plan’s customers. Fees are recorded gross in Fees and other revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Income because the Company is acting as a principal in arranging for and controlling the services provided by third-party network providers. Contractual fees vary based on enrollment and provider costs and are billed, due and recognized monthly. Direct costs associated with these programs are recognized in Pharmacy and other service costs, and other related expenses are recorded in Selling, general and administrative expenses as incurred.
Certain health benefit management contracts require the Company to share the results of medical cost experience that differ from specified targets. This variable consideration is estimated at contract inception and adjusted through the contract period. The estimated profits and costs are recognized net in Fees and other revenues.