Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Condensed Statements of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues
Net investment income (loss)																	$ 82,434	$ 74,161	$ 71,181
Administrative service fees																	17,968	11,523	21,126
Divested operations and services revenue																	40,471	34,446	186,167
Total revenues	2,837,800	[1]	2,779,600		2,841,300		2,830,400		2,708,000		2,692,000		2,652,300		3,363,200		11,289,092	11,415,436	13,115,417
Expenses
General and administrative																	939,940	1,052,458	877,606
Depreciation and amortization																	31,146	31,152	33,400
Interest																	33,220	32,131	34,880
Divested operations and services expenses																	85,824	163,546	295,324
Asset Impairments																	0	0	6,000
Early debt extinguishment charge																	0	0	3,532
Total expenses																	11,257,442	11,253,672	12,834,805
Income (loss) from operations before income taxes	8,400		29,400		7,400		(13,600)		63,500		92,900		86,200		(80,800)		31,650	161,764	280,612
Income tax benefit																	(5,969)	(100,708)	(108,727)
Net income (loss)	6,000	[1],[2]	18,000	[3]	124,600	[4]	(26,600)	[5]	60,200	[6]	61,800	[7]	58,300	[8]	(108,200)	[9]	122,063	72,120	204,243
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues
Net investment income (loss)																	1,459	493	44
Other Income																	204	690	33,172
Administrative service fees																	478,037	493,637	472,828
Divested operations and services revenue																	0	33,377	92,582
Total revenues																	479,700	528,197	598,626
Expenses
General and administrative																	470,156	649,524	438,463
Depreciation and amortization																	30,408	33,061	36,532
Interest																	35,112	34,456	40,594
Divested operations and services expenses																	0	33,377	93,035
Asset Impairments																	0	0	4,133
Early debt extinguishment charge																	0	0	513
Total expenses																	535,676	750,418	613,270
Income (loss) from operations before income taxes																	(55,976)	(222,221)	(14,644)
Income tax benefit																	5,633	132,690	5,604
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries																	172,406	161,651	213,283
Net income (loss)																	$ 122,063	$ 72,120	$ 204,243

[1] Includes $31.5 million of premium revenue as a result of Medicaid/Medi-Cal retroactive rate adjustment related to the third quarter of 2012 and prior periods.

[2] Includes a $2.2 million unfavorable adjustment to the gain on sale of discontinued operation, an $8.2 million expense related to our G&A cost reduction efforts, a $5.0 million expense related to the early termination of a medical management contract and $7.1 million of litigation-related expenses.

[3] Includes a $2.4 million unfavorable adjustment to the gain on sale of discontinued operation and a $7.2 million expense related to our G&A cost reduction efforts.

[4] Includes $119.4 million gain on sale of discontinued operation related to the sale of our Medicare PDP business to CVS Caremark. Also, includes $7.9 million of adverse development related to prior years recorded as part of health care costs, and a $10.8 million expense related to our G&A cost reduction efforts.

[5] Includes $25.0 million of adverse development related to prior periods recorded as part of health care costs, a $9.5 million expense related to our G&A cost reduction efforts and an unfavorable $0.7 million in pretax litigation reserve adjustment. Also includes a $6.5 million insurance reimbursement related to a prior legal settlement.

[6] Includes a $9.7 million expense related to our cost management initiatives and a $6.3 million benefit from litigation reserve adjustments

[7] Includes a $4.7 million expense related to our cost management initiatives and a $0.2 million benefit from litigation reserve adjustments

[8] Includes a $2.7 million expense related to our cost management initiatives, a $0.3 million benefit from litigation reserve adjustments and a $6.3 million favorable adjustment to loss on sale of Northeast health plan subsidiaries.

[9] Includes a $177.2 million expense incurred as a result of the Louisiana Supreme Court’s judgment in the AmCareco litigation, an $11.0 million expense related to our cost management initiatives and a $34.9 million favorable adjustment to loss of sale of Northeast health plan subsidiaries.