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, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues
Net investment income (loss)																$ 69,613	$ 82,434	$ 74,161
Administrative service fees																34,791	17,968	11,523
Divested operations and services revenue																0	40,471	34,446
Total revenues	2,743,200	2,775,000	[1]	2,738,400		2,797,000	[2]	2,837,800	[3]	2,779,600		2,841,300		2,830,400		11,053,743	11,289,092	11,415,436
Expenses
General and administrative																1,083,694	939,940	1,052,458
Depreciation and amortization																38,589	31,146	31,152
Interest																32,614	33,220	32,131
Divested operations and services expenses																0	85,824	163,546
Total expenses																10,783,790	11,257,442	11,253,672
Income (loss) from operations before income taxes	28,000	108,600		52,000	[4]	81,300		8,400		29,400		7,400		(13,600)		269,953	31,650	161,764
Income tax benefit																(99,827)	(5,969)	(100,708)
Net income	19,800	66,800	[1]	33,500		50,100	[2]	6,000	[3],[5]	18,000	[6]	124,600	[7]	(26,600)	[8]	170,126	122,063	72,120
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues
Net investment income (loss)																1,316	1,459	493
Other Income																229	204	690
Administrative service fees																464,393	478,037	493,637
Divested operations and services revenue																0	0	33,377
Total revenues																465,938	479,700	528,197
Expenses
General and administrative																431,354	470,156	649,524
Depreciation and amortization																36,185	30,408	33,061
Interest																33,589	35,112	34,456
Divested operations and services expenses																0	0	33,377
Total expenses																501,128	535,676	750,418
Income (loss) from operations before income taxes																(35,190)	(55,976)	(222,221)
Income tax benefit																13,014	5,633	132,690
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries																192,302	172,406	161,651
Net income																$ 170,126	$ 122,063	$ 72,120

[1] Includes $32.1 million of Medicaid premium revenue as a result of Medicaid/Medi-Cal retroactive rate adjustments for periods prior to 2013.

[2] Includes $42.2 million of Medicaid premium revenue as a result of Medicaid/Medi-Cal retroactive rate adjustments related to 2011 and 2012.

[3] 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.

[4] Includes a $12.9 million in pretax costs related to continuing efforts to address scale issues.

[5] 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.

[6] 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.

[7] 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.

[8] 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.