Commitments And Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES *Litigation and Regulatory Matters* The Company is a party to various material proceedings, which are described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the caption “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings”. Except as discussed below, during the three month period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company has not been named in any new material legal proceeding, and there have been no material developments in the previously reported legal proceedings. Litigation Matters As previously disclosed, HealthMarkets, HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group and Mid-West were named as defendants in an action filed on December 4, 2006 (Howard Woffinden, individually, and as Successor in interest to Mary Charlotte Woffinden, deceased v. HealthMarkets, Mid-West, et al.) pending in the Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles, California, Case No. LT061371. Plaintiffs alleged several causes of action, including breach of fiduciary duty, negligent failure to obtain insurance, intentional misrepresentation, fraud by concealment, promissory fraud, civil conspiracy, professional negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violation of the California Consumer Legal Remedies statute, California Civil Code Section 1750, et seq. Plaintiff sought injunctive relief, and general and punitive monetary damages in an unspecified amount. On October 5, 2007, the Court granted a motion to quash service of summons for defendants HealthMarkets and HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group, removing them from the case. Following a mandatory settlement conference held on April 19, 2011, the remaining parties settled this matter on terms that, after consideration of applicable reserves and/or potentially available insurance coverage benefits, did not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations. The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various other pending and threatened legal proceedings, claims, demands, disputes and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business, including some asserting significant liabilities arising from claims, demands, disputes and other matters with respect to insurance policies, relationships with agents, relationships with former or current employees and other matters. From time to time, some such matters, where appropriate, may be the subject of internal investigation by management, the Board of Directors, or a committee of the Board of Directors. Given the expense and inherent risks and uncertainties of litigation, we regularly evaluate litigation matters pending against us, including those described in Note 16 of Notes to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, to determine if settlement of such matters would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The costs associated with any such settlement could be substantial and, in certain cases, could result in an earnings charge in any particular quarter in which we enter into a settlement agreement. Although we have recorded litigation reserves which represent our best estimate on probable losses, both known and incurred but not reported, our recorded reserves might prove to be inadequate to cover an adverse result or settlement for extraordinary matters. Therefore, costs associated with the various litigation matters to which we are subject and any earnings charge recorded in connection with a settlement agreement could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations in a period, depending on the results of our operations for the particular period. *Regulatory Matters* The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to various pending market conduct or other regulatory examinations, inquiries or proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. As previously disclosed, these matters include the multi-state market conduct examination of the Company’s principal insurance subsidiaries for the examination period January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2005, which was resolved on May 29, 2008 through execution of a regulatory settlement agreement with the states of Washington and Alaska, as lead regulators, and three other “monitoring” states — Oklahoma, Texas and California (collectively, the “Monitoring Regulators”). The settlement agreement provides, among other things, for a re-examination by the Monitoring Regulators. If the re-examination is unfavorable, the Company’s principal insurance subsidiaries are subject to additional penalties of up to $10 million. In the first quarter of 2011, the Monitoring Regulators initiated a re-examination to assess performance with respect to the standards of the regulatory settlement agreement. Field work for the re-examination was completed in July 2011 and the Company anticipates receiving a draft report regarding the re-examination from the Monitoring Regulators in the third quarter of 2011. Reference is made to the discussion of these and other matters contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the caption “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings” and in Note 16 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in such report. State insurance regulatory agencies have authority to levy significant fines and penalties and require remedial action resulting from findings made during the course of such matters. Market conduct or other regulatory examinations, inquiries or proceedings could result in, among other things, changes in business practices that require the Company to incur substantial costs. Such results, individually or in combination, could injure our reputation, cause negative publicity, adversely affect our debt and financial strength ratings, place us at a competitive disadvantage in marketing or administering our products or impair our ability to sell insurance policies or retain customers, thereby adversely affecting our business, and potentially materially adversely affecting the results of operations in a period, depending on the results of operations for the particular period. Determination by regulatory authorities that we have engaged in improper conduct could also adversely affect our defense of various lawsuits. In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and a reconciliation measure, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively, the “Health Care Reform Legislation”) were signed into law. The Health Care Reform Legislation will result in broad-based material changes to the United States health care system. The Health Care Reform Legislation is expected to significantly impact the Company’s business, including but not limited to the minimum medical loss ratio requirements applicable to its insurance subsidiaries as well to health insurance carriers doing business with Insphere. Provisions of the Health Care Reform Legislation become effective at various dates over the next several years and a number of additional steps are required to implement these requirements. Due to the complexity of the Health Care Reform Legislation, the pending status of certain implementing regulations and interpretive guidance, and gradual implementation, the full impact of Health Care Reform Legislation on the Company’s business is not yet fully known. However, we have made material changes to our business as a result of the Health Care Reform Legislation, including, to the extent required by this legislation, adjustments to our in-force block of business issued prior to March 24, 2010. These adjustments include, but are not limited to, removal of lifetime maximums on benefits, extension of dependent coverage through age 26, meeting new HHS reporting requirements and adopting limitations on most policy rescissions. These changes generally became effective on January 1, 2011 (for most of our plans — the effective date of the new plan year), although certain states may require an earlier effective date. In addition to these changes, health benefit plans issued on or after March 24, 2010 are subject to more extensive benefit changes, including but not limited to first dollar preventive care benefits as well as the elimination of annual limits on essential benefits covered by the policies (subject to the availability of a waiver for small employer group plans and certain individual plans, which the Company has received for Maine, Washington and North Carolina in 2011. The Company has applied for an extension of this waiver of annual limits through 2013). The Company has made all state form and rate filings necessary to include these new requirements in the limited number of states in which our insurance subsidiaries continue to offer health benefit plans. The Company’s review of the requirements of the Health Care Reform Legislation, and its potential impact on the Company’s health insurance product offerings, is ongoing and we expect to dedicate additional resources and to incur additional expenses (including but not limited to additional material claims expenses) as a result of Health Care Reform Legislation. Depending on the outcome of certain potential developments with respect to the Health Care Reform Legislation, this legislation could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. With respect to the minimum loss ratio requirements effective beginning in 2011, a mandated minimum loss ratio of 80% for the individual and small group markets is expected to have a significant impact on the revenues of our insurance subsidiaries and our business generally. In addition, beginning in 2011, the mandated medical loss ratio requirements have adversely affected the level of base commissions and override commissions that Insphere receives from the Company’s insurance subsidiaries and third party insurance carriers. The 80% minimum medical loss ratio for the individual market is subject to adjustment, on a state-by-state basis, if HHS determines that the requirement is disruptive to the market. In response to requests by state insurance departments, HHS has granted an adjustment to the MLR standards in a number of states. For additional information, see the caption entitled “Business — Regulatory and Legislative Matters” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation and Regulatory Matters

The Company is a party to various material proceedings, which are described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the caption “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings”. Except as discussed below, during the three month period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company has not been named in any new material legal proceeding, and there have been no material developments in the previously reported legal proceedings.

Litigation Matters

As previously disclosed, HealthMarkets, HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group and Mid-West were named as defendants in an action filed on December 4, 2006 (Howard Woffinden, individually, and as Successor in interest to Mary Charlotte Woffinden, deceased v. HealthMarkets, Mid-West, et al.) pending in the Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles, California, Case No. LT061371. Plaintiffs alleged several causes of action, including breach of fiduciary duty, negligent failure to obtain insurance, intentional misrepresentation, fraud by concealment, promissory fraud, civil conspiracy, professional negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violation of the California Consumer Legal Remedies statute, California Civil Code Section 1750, et seq. Plaintiff sought injunctive relief, and general and punitive monetary damages in an unspecified amount. On October 5, 2007, the Court granted a motion to quash service of summons for defendants HealthMarkets and HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group, removing them from the case. Following a mandatory settlement conference held on April 19, 2011, the remaining parties settled this matter on terms that, after consideration of applicable reserves and/or potentially available insurance coverage benefits, did not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various other pending and threatened legal proceedings, claims, demands, disputes and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business, including some asserting significant liabilities arising from claims, demands, disputes and other matters with respect to insurance policies, relationships with agents, relationships with former or current employees and other matters. From time to time, some such matters, where appropriate, may be the subject of internal investigation by management, the Board of Directors, or a committee of the Board of Directors.

Given the expense and inherent risks and uncertainties of litigation, we regularly evaluate litigation matters pending against us, including those described in Note 16 of Notes to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, to determine if settlement of such matters would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The costs associated with any such settlement could be substantial and, in certain cases, could result in an earnings charge in any particular quarter in which we enter into a settlement agreement. Although we have recorded litigation reserves which represent our best estimate on probable losses, both known and incurred but not reported, our recorded reserves might prove to be inadequate to cover an adverse result or settlement for extraordinary matters. Therefore, costs associated with the various litigation matters to which we are subject and any earnings charge recorded in connection with a settlement agreement could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations in a period, depending on the results of our operations for the particular period.

Regulatory Matters

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to various pending market conduct or other regulatory examinations, inquiries or proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. As previously disclosed, these matters include the multi-state market conduct examination of the Company’s principal insurance subsidiaries for the examination period January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2005, which was resolved on May 29, 2008 through execution of a regulatory settlement agreement with the states of Washington and Alaska, as lead regulators, and three other “monitoring” states — Oklahoma, Texas and California (collectively, the “Monitoring Regulators”). The settlement agreement provides, among other things, for a re-examination by the Monitoring Regulators. If the re-examination is unfavorable, the Company’s principal insurance subsidiaries are subject to additional penalties of up to $10 million. In the first quarter of 2011, the Monitoring Regulators initiated a re-examination to assess performance with respect to the standards of the regulatory settlement agreement. Field work for the re-examination was completed in July 2011 and the Company anticipates receiving a draft report regarding the re-examination from the Monitoring Regulators in the third quarter of 2011. Reference is made to the discussion of these and other matters contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the caption “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings” and in Note 16 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in such report. State insurance regulatory agencies have authority to levy significant fines and penalties and require remedial action resulting from findings made during the course of such matters. Market conduct or other regulatory examinations, inquiries or proceedings could result in, among other things, changes in business practices that require the Company to incur substantial costs. Such results, individually or in combination, could injure our reputation, cause negative publicity, adversely affect our debt and financial strength ratings, place us at a competitive disadvantage in marketing or administering our products or impair our ability to sell insurance policies or retain customers, thereby adversely affecting our business, and potentially materially adversely affecting the results of operations in a period, depending on the results of operations for the particular period. Determination by regulatory authorities that we have engaged in improper conduct could also adversely affect our defense of various lawsuits.

In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and a reconciliation measure, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively, the “Health Care Reform Legislation”) were signed into law. The Health Care Reform Legislation will result in broad-based material changes to the United States health care system. The Health Care Reform Legislation is expected to significantly impact the Company’s business, including but not limited to the minimum medical loss ratio requirements applicable to its insurance subsidiaries as well to health insurance carriers doing business with Insphere. Provisions of the Health Care Reform Legislation become effective at various dates over the next several years and a number of additional steps are required to implement these requirements. Due to the complexity of the Health Care Reform Legislation, the pending status of certain implementing regulations and interpretive guidance, and gradual implementation, the full impact of Health Care Reform Legislation on the Company’s business is not yet fully known. However, we have made material changes to our business as a result of the Health Care Reform Legislation, including, to the extent required by this legislation, adjustments to our in-force block of business issued prior to March 24, 2010. These adjustments include, but are not limited to, removal of lifetime maximums on benefits, extension of dependent coverage through age 26, meeting new HHS reporting requirements and adopting limitations on most policy rescissions. These changes generally became effective on January 1, 2011 (for most of our plans — the effective date of the new plan year), although certain states may require an earlier effective date. In addition to these changes, health benefit plans issued on or after March 24, 2010 are subject to more extensive benefit changes, including but not limited to first dollar preventive care benefits as well as the elimination of annual limits on essential benefits covered by the policies (subject to the availability of a waiver for small employer group plans and certain individual plans, which the Company has received for Maine, Washington and North Carolina in 2011. The Company has applied for an extension of this waiver of annual limits through 2013). The Company has made all state form and rate filings necessary to include these new requirements in the limited number of states in which our insurance subsidiaries continue to offer health benefit plans. The Company’s review of the requirements of the Health Care Reform Legislation, and its potential impact on the Company’s health insurance product offerings, is ongoing and we expect to dedicate additional resources and to incur additional expenses (including but not limited to additional material claims expenses) as a result of Health Care Reform Legislation. Depending on the outcome of certain potential developments with respect to the Health Care Reform Legislation, this legislation could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. With respect to the minimum loss ratio requirements effective beginning in 2011, a mandated minimum loss ratio of 80% for the individual and small group markets is expected to have a significant impact on the revenues of our insurance subsidiaries and our business generally. In addition, beginning in 2011, the mandated medical loss ratio requirements have adversely affected the level of base commissions and override commissions that Insphere receives from the Company’s insurance subsidiaries and third party insurance carriers. The 80% minimum medical loss ratio for the individual market is subject to adjustment, on a state-by-state basis, if HHS determines that the requirement is disruptive to the market. In response to requests by state insurance departments, HHS has granted an adjustment to the MLR standards in a number of states. For additional information, see the caption entitled “Business — Regulatory and Legislative Matters” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.