Accounts Receivable

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Receivables [Abstract]

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

Our accounts receivable primarily arise from product sales in the U.S. and Europe and mainly represent amounts due from our wholesale distributors, public hospitals and other government entities. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to our accounts receivable, which are typically unsecured, are limited due to the wide variety of customers and markets using our products, as well as their dispersion across many different geographic areas. The majority of our accounts receivable have standard payment terms which generally require payment within 30 to 90 days. We monitor the financial performance and credit worthiness of our large customers so that we can properly assess and respond to changes in their credit profile. We operate in certain countries where weakness in economic conditions has resulted in extended collection periods. We continue to monitor these economic conditions and assess the impacts of such changes in the relevant financial markets on our business, especially in light of sovereign credit developments. We provide reserves against trade receivables for estimated losses that may result from a customer’s inability to pay. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged or written-off against the reserve. To date, our historical write-offs of accounts receivable have not been significant.

The credit and economic conditions within Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, among other members of the European Union, remain uncertain. Deteriorating credit and economic conditions have generally led to an increase in the average length of time that it takes to collect our accounts receivable in some of these countries has increased and may further increase. In some regions in these countries where our collections have slowed and a significant portion of these receivables are routinely being collected over periods in excess of one year, we have discounted our receivables and reduced related revenues based on the period of time that we estimate those amounts will be paid, to the extent such period exceeds one year, using the country’s market-based borrowing rate for such period. The related receivables are classified at the time of sale as long-term assets. We accrete interest income on these receivables, which is recognized as a component of other income (expense), net within our condensed consolidated statements of income.

Our net accounts receivable balances from product sales in selected European countries are summarized as follows:

	As of September 30, 2012
(In millions)	Current Balance Included within Accounts Receivable, net		Non-Current Balance Included within Investments and Other Assets		Total
Spain	$	73.5	$	—	$	73.5
Italy	$	94.6	$	13.8	$	108.4
Portugal	$	19.6	$	7.2	$	26.8
Greece	$	2.4	$	—	$	2.4

	As of December 31, 2011
(In millions)	Current Balance Included within Accounts Receivable, net		Non-Current Balance Included within Investments and Other Assets		Total
Spain	$	68.5	$	65.5	$	134.0
Italy	$	19.4	$	48.7	$	68.1
Portugal	$	20.6	$	12.3	$	32.9
Greece	$	4.0	$	—	$	4.0

Approximately $3.9 million and $56.0 million of the aggregated balances for these countries were overdue more than one year as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.

During the third quarter of 2012, as part of a new program to resolve outstanding amounts long overdue, the Portuguese government paid us approximately $21.2 million, contributing to a decrease in our accounts receivable in Portugal. Similarly, in June 2012, the Spanish government paid us approximately $112.0 million, contributing to a significant decrease in our accounts receivables in Spain.

The increase in accounts receivable related to sales in Italy is driven, in part, by the credit assignment agreement we completed in the third quarter of 2011. As of December 31, 2011, our accounts receivable balances in Italy totaled $68.1 million, all of which resulted from sales of product subsequent to June 30, 2011. As discussed in Note 2, Acquisitions to our consolidated financial statements included within our 2011 Form 10-K, in connection with our purchase of the noncontrolling interest in our joint venture investments in Biogen Dompé SRL, which occurred during the third quarter of 2011, we entered into a credit assignment agreement with Dompé Farmaceutici SpA. Under the terms of this agreement, Dompé Farmaceutici SpA purchased all of Biogen Dompé SRL's outstanding receivables as of June 30, 2011. We retained no interests in these receivables and accounted for this transaction as a sale.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Biogen Idec SRL received a notice from the Italian National Medicines Agency (AIFA) stating that sales of TYSABRI for the period from February 2009 through February 2011 exceeded by EUR30.7 million a reimbursement limit established pursuant to a Price Determination Resolution (Price Resolution) granted by AIFA in February 2007. In December 2011, we filed an appeal against AIFA in administrative court seeking a ruling that the reimbursement limit does not apply and that the position of AIFA is unenforceable. Since being notified that AIFA believes a reimbursement limit is in effect, we have deferred $46.6 million and $13.8 million of revenue in Italy during the first nine months of 2012 and fourth quarter of 2011, respectively. We expect to continue to defer a portion of our revenues on future sales of TYSABRI in Italy until this matter is resolved. For additional information, please read Note 20, Litigation to these condensed consolidated financial statements.