Item 1A. RISK FACTORS.

In evaluating our business, the risks described below, as well as the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, should be carefully considered. Any one or more of such risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and stock price and could cause our actual results of operations and financial condition to vary materially from past or anticipated future results of operations and financial condition. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect us.

BUSINESS RISKS

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken to prevent its spread are adversely affecting our business in a number of ways, and we are unable to predict the full extent of those impacts on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations, but the impact could be material.

The COVID-19 pandemic is evolving, and the impact of COVID-19, and the actions taken to contain its spread or address its impact, could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial results in the future. We continue to closely monitor developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic to assess its ongoing impact on our business. The extent of this impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time, including, but not limited to, the transmission rate, duration and spread of the outbreak, its severity, the extent and effectiveness of the actions taken to contain the spread of the virus and address its impacts, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Factors that could negatively impact our ability to operate successfully during or following the COVID-19 pandemic, or that could otherwise significantly adversely impact and disrupt our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Continued increases in healthcare costs due to higher utilization rates of medical facilities and services, medical expenses and other increases in associated hospital and pharmaceutical costs. We continue to offer our members expanded benefit coverage, such as providing full coverage for COVID-19 testing and treatment and governmental action has required, and may continue to require, us to provide additional coverage.

• Decreased predictability of Medicare and Medicaid rates due to changes in utilization of medical facilities and services, medical expenses, and other costs as a result of the impact of COVID-19. We experienced rate adjustments from certain state Medicaid regulators in 2020 in response to decreased utilization of medical facilities and services, and we may experience further adjustments in the future with regard to current and prior year rates.

• Increased estimation uncertainty on our claims liability due to the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization and medical claims submission.

• A reduction in enrollment in our health benefits and PBM products and services, or a continued change in membership mix to less profitable lines of business, as a result of reductions in workforce by existing customers and other impacts of an economic downturn.

• Cash flow volatility or shortfalls caused by an increase in delayed, delinquent or non-collectable payments from customers and government payers.

• Reductions in our operating effectiveness as our employees work from home or otherwise are impacted by COVID-19. The majority of our workforce continues to work remotely in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which may exacerbate certain risks to our business, including an increased demand for information technology resources, increased risk of phishing and other cybersecurity attacks, and increased risk of unauthorized dissemination of sensitive personal information or proprietary or confidential information about us, our members or other third parties.

• Disruptions in our normal business operations due to disruptions in public and private infrastructure, including communications, financial services and supply chains.

• Loss of functionality due to the disruption of services provided to us by third-party vendors, including as a result of financial difficulties experienced by such vendors and the impact of vendor employees working from home or otherwise being impacted by COVID-19.

• A decrease in the value of our investments, which may result in losses charged to income.

• Increased cost of capital and limited ability to access the capital markets due to disruption and volatility in global financial markets or a downgrade in our credit rating.

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If we fail to appropriately predict, price for and manage healthcare costs, the profitability of our products could decline, which could materially adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Our profitability depends in large part on accurately predicting and pricing healthcare costs and on our ability to manage future healthcare costs through medical management, product design, negotiation of favorable provider contracts and underwriting criteria. Total healthcare costs are affected by the number of individual services rendered, the cost of each service and the type of service rendered. Numerous factors affecting the cost of healthcare may adversely affect our ability to predict and manage healthcare costs, as well as our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. These factors include, among others, changes in healthcare practices, demographic characteristics including the aging population, medical cost inflation, the introduction of new technologies, drugs and treatments, increased cost of individual services, increases in the cost and number of prescription drugs, clusters of high cost cases, increased use of services, including due to natural catastrophes or other large-scale medical emergencies, epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, new treatment guidelines, new mandated benefits (such as the expansion of essential benefits coverage) and changes to other regulations impacting our business, such as the health plan price transparency regulations issued in October 2020 by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury (the “Health Plan Transparency Rule”) and the Appropriations Act.

Relatively small differences between predicted and actual medical costs or utilization rates as a percentage of premium revenues can result in significant changes in our results of operations. Generally, our premiums on Commercial policies and Medicaid contracts are fixed for a 12-month period and are determined several months prior to the commencement of the premium period. Our revenue on Medicare policies is based on bids submitted to CMS six months prior to the start of the contract year. Accordingly, the costs we incur in excess of our benefit cost projections generally are not recovered in the contract year through higher premiums. Existing Medicaid contract rates are often established by the applicable state, and our actual costs may exceed those rates. Although we base our Commercial premiums, our Medicare and Medicaid bids, and our acceptance of state-established Medicaid rates on our estimates of future medical costs over the fixed contract period, many factors, including those discussed above, may cause actual costs to exceed those estimated and reflected in premiums and bids.

Although federal and state premium and risk adjustment mechanisms could help offset healthcare benefit costs in excess of our projections if our assumptions utilized in setting our premium rates are significantly different than actual results, our results of operations and financial condition could still be adversely affected. The reserves that we establish for health insurance policy benefits and other contractual rights and benefits are based upon assumptions concerning a number of factors, including trends in healthcare costs, expenses, general economic conditions and other factors. To the extent the actual claims experience is unfavorable as compared to our underlying assumptions, our incurred losses would increase and future earnings could be adversely affected.

In addition to the challenge of managing healthcare costs, we face pressure to contain premium rates. Our customers may renegotiate their contracts to seek to contain their costs or may move to a competitor to obtain more favorable premiums. Further, federal and state regulatory agencies may restrict or prevent entirely our ability to implement changes in premium rates. A limitation on our ability to increase or maintain our premium or reimbursement levels or a significant loss of membership resulting from our need to increase or maintain premium or reimbursement levels could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

A significant reduction in the enrollment in our health benefits programs or PBM products or services, particularly in states where we have large regional concentrations, could have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

A significant reduction in the number of enrollees in our health benefits programs or PBM products or services could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Factors that could contribute to a reduction in enrollment include: reductions in workforce by existing customers; a general economic upturn that results in fewer individuals being eligible for Medicaid programs; a general economic downturn that results in business failures and high unemployment rates, as has been experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; employers no longer offering certain healthcare coverage as an employee benefit or electing to offer coverage on a voluntary, employee-funded basis; participation on public exchanges; federal and state regulatory changes; failure to obtain new customers or retain existing

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customers; premium increases and benefit changes; our exit from a specific market; negative publicity and news coverage; and failure to attain or maintain nationally recognized accreditations.

The states in which we operate that have the largest concentrations of revenues include California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. Due to this concentration of business in these states, we are exposed to potential losses resulting from the risk of state-specific or regional economic downturns impacting these states. If any such negative economic conditions do not improve, we may experience a reduction in existing and new business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

A cyber attack or other privacy or data security incident could result in an unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential information, cause a loss of data, disrupt a large amount of our operations, give rise to remediation or other expenses, expose us to liability under federal and state laws, and subject us to litigation and investigations, which could have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

As part of our normal operations, we collect, process and retain certain sensitive and confidential information. We are subject to a variety of continuously evolving federal, state and international laws and rules regarding the use and disclosure of certain sensitive or confidential information, including HIPAA, the HITECH Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and numerous state laws governing personal information. Our facilities and systems, and those of our third-party service providers, are regularly the target of, and may be vulnerable to, cyber attacks, security breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors or other threats.

We have been, and may in the future be subject to litigation and governmental investigations related to cyber attacks and security breaches, which could divert the attention of management from the operation of our business, result in reputational damage and have a material adverse impact on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. While we have contingency plans and insurance coverage for potential liabilities of this nature, they may not be sufficient to cover all claims and liabilities.

We cannot ensure that we will be able to identify, prevent or contain the effects of cyber attacks or other cybersecurity risks that bypass our security measures or disrupt our information technology systems or business. We have security technologies, processes and procedures in place to protect against cybersecurity risks and security breaches. However, hardware, software or applications we develop or procure from third parties may contain defects in design, manufacturer defects or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information security. In addition, because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service or sabotage systems change frequently, are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and may not immediately produce signs of intrusion, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques, timely discover or counter them or implement adequate preventative measures. Viruses, worms or other malicious software programs may be used to attack our systems or otherwise exploit any security vulnerabilities, and such security attacks may cause system disruptions or shutdowns, or may cause personal information or proprietary or confidential information to be misappropriated or compromised. As a result, cybersecurity and the continued development and enhancement of our controls, processes and practices designed to protect our systems, computers, software, data and networks from attack, damage and unauthorized access remain a priority for us.

Noncompliance with any privacy or security laws and regulations, or any security breach, cyber attack or cybersecurity breach, and any incident involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure or use of, or access to, sensitive or confidential information, whether by us or by one of our third-party service providers, could require us to expend significant resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures and to remediate any damage. In addition, this could negatively affect our operations, cause system disruptions, damage our reputation, cause membership losses and contract breaches, and could also result in regulatory enforcement actions, material fines and penalties, litigation or other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

There are various risks associated with participating in Medicaid and Medicare programs, including dependence upon government funding and the timing of payments, compliance with government contracts and increased regulatory oversight.

We contract with various federal and state agencies, including CMS, to provide managed healthcare services, such as Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, Medicare Supplement, Medicaid, TANF, SPD, LTSS, CHIP, ACA-related Medicaid expansion programs and various specialty programs. We also provide various administrative services for several other entities

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offering medical and/or prescription drug plans to their Medicaid or Medicare eligible members through our affiliated companies, and we offer employer group waiver plans which provide medical and/or prescription drug coverage to retirees. We are also participating in programs in several states for the care of dual-eligible members. Regulatory reform initiatives or changes in existing laws or regulations applicable to these programs, or their interpretations, are difficult to predict and could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Revenues from the Medicare and Medicaid programs are dependent, in whole or in part, upon annual funding from the federal government and/or applicable state governments, and base premium rates paid by each state or federal agency differ depending upon a combination of factors such as defined upper payment limits, a member’s health status, age, gender, county or region, benefit mix, member eligibility category and risk scores. Future rates may be affected by continued government efforts to contain costs as well as federal and state budgetary constraints, and certain state contracts are subject to cancellation in the event of the unavailability of state funds. Additionally, ongoing CMS system changes related to the data it uses to calculate risk scores in the Medicare Advantage program may impact our federal funding. If the federal government or any state in which we operate were to decrease rates paid to us, pay us less than the amount necessary to keep pace with our cost trends, cancel our contracts retroactively or seek an adjustment to previously negotiated rates, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, various states’ MMPs are still subject to uncertainty surrounding payment rates and other requirements, which could affect where we seek to participate in these programs. An unexpected reduction in payments, inadequate government funding or significantly delayed payments for these programs may adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Other potential risks associated with Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans include increased medical or pharmaceutical costs, data corrections identified as a result of ongoing auditing and monitoring activities, potential uncollectability of receivables resulting from processing and/or verifying enrollment, inadequacy of underwriting assumptions, inability to receive and process correct information (including inability due to systems issues by the federal government, the applicable state government or us), uncollectability of premiums from members, and limited enrollment periods. Actual results may be materially different than our assumptions and estimates and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Finally, there is the possibility that the Medicare Advantage program could be significantly impacted by any future modification, repeal or replacement of the ACA.

Our contracts with CMS and state governmental agencies contain certain provisions regarding data submission, risk adjustment, provider network maintenance, quality measures, claims payment, encounter data, continuity of care, call center performance and other requirements specific to federal and state program regulations. We have been subject in the past, and may again be in the future, to administrative actions, fines, penalties, liquidated damages or retrospective adjustments in payments made to our health plans as a result of a failure to comply with those requirements, which has impacted and in the future could impact our profitability. Due to decreased utilization of medical facilities and services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced retroactive rate adjustments by certain state Medicaid agencies, and rate adjustments may continue in the future. As members have accessed care during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced increased difficulty obtaining provider information required by CMS and state governmental agencies and, as a result, may have difficulty meeting these quality measures. In addition, we could be required to file a corrective plan of action with additional penalties for noncompliance, which could have a negative impact on future membership enrollment levels. Further, our existing CMS or state Medicaid contracts have not always been renewed, we have not always been awarded new contracts as a result of the competitive procurement process, and in some cases we have lost members under existing contracts as a result of a post-award challenge, each of which could take place again in the future and have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Further, the Star Rating System utilized by CMS to evaluate Medicare Advantage Plans may have a significant effect on our revenue, as higher-rated plans tend to experience increased enrollment and plans with a Star rating of 4.0 or higher are eligible for quality-based bonus payments and can market to and enroll members year-round. If we do not maintain or continue to improve our Star ratings, fail to meet or exceed our competitors’ Star ratings, or if quality-based bonus payments are reduced or eliminated, we may experience a negative impact on our revenues and the benefits that our plans can offer, which could materially and adversely affect the marketability of our plans, our membership levels, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Similarly, if we fail to meet or exceed any performance standards imposed by state Medicaid programs in which we participate, we may not receive performance-based bonus payments or may incur penalties.

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In addition, our failure to comply with federal and state healthcare laws and regulations applicable to our participation in Medicaid and Medicare programs, including those directed at preventing fraud, abuse and discrimination in government-funded programs, could result in investigations, litigation, fines, restrictions on, or exclusions from, program participation, or the imposition of corporate integrity agreements or other agreements with a federal or state governmental agency, any of which could adversely impact our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

We are periodically subject to government audits, including CMS Risk Adjustment Data Validation (“RADV”) audits of our Medicare Advantage Plans to validate diagnostic data, patient claims and financial reporting, and audits of our Medicare Part D plans by the Medicare Part D Recovery Audit Contractor (“RAC”) as well as state Medicaid RAC programs authorized by the ACA. These audits could result in significant adjustments in payments made to our health plans, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. If we fail to report and correct errors discovered through our own auditing procedures or during a RADV or RAC audit, or otherwise fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we could be subject to fines, civil penalties or other sanctions which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to participate in these programs, and on our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

Our Medicare and Medicaid contracts are also subject to various MLR rules, including minimum MLR thresholds, rebate requirements and audits, which could adversely affect our membership and revenues if any of our state Medicare or Medicaid plans do not meet an applicable minimum MLR threshold. If a Medicare Advantage, MMP or Medicare Part D contract pays minimum MLR rebates for three consecutive years, it will become ineligible to participate in open enrollment. If a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D contract pays such rebates for five consecutive years, it will be terminated by CMS.

A change in our healthcare product mix may impact our profitability.

Our healthcare products that involve greater potential risk generally tend to be more profitable than administrative services products and those healthcare products where the employer groups assume the underwriting risks. Individuals and small employer groups are more likely to purchase our higher-risk healthcare products because such purchasers are generally unable or unwilling to bear greater liability for healthcare expenditures. Typically, government-sponsored programs also involve our higher-risk healthcare products. A shift of enrollees from more profitable products to less profitable products could have a material adverse effect on our cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

If we fail to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with hospitals, physicians, PBM service providers and other healthcare providers, our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

Our profitability is dependent in part upon our ability to contract on favorable terms with hospitals, physicians, PBM service providers and supply chain partners and other healthcare providers. Physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers may elect not to contract with us, and the failure to secure or maintain cost-effective healthcare provider contracts on competitive terms may result in a loss of membership or higher medical costs, which could adversely affect our business. In addition, consolidation among healthcare providers, ACO practice management companies, and other organizational structures that physicians, hospitals and other care providers choose, as well as the ability of larger employers to contract directly with providers, may change the way that these providers interact with us and may change the competitive landscape. Such organizations or groups of physicians may compete directly with us, which may impact our relationship with these providers or affect the way that we price our products and estimate our costs and may require us to incur costs to change our operations, which could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, price transparency initiatives, such as the Health Plan Transparency Rule, may impact our ability to obtain or maintain favorable contract terms. For example, beginning in 2021, hospitals will be required to publish online payer-specific negotiated charges for each item or services the hospital provides.

Our inability to contract with providers, or if providers attempt to use their market position to negotiate more favorable contracts or place us at a competitive disadvantage, or the inability of providers to provide adequate care, could adversely affect our business. In addition, we do not have contracts with all providers that render services to our members and, as a result, may not have a pre-established agreement about the amount of compensation those out-of-network providers will accept for the services they render, which can result in significant litigation or arbitration proceedings, or provider attempts to obtain payment from our members for the difference between the amount we have paid and the amount they have charged.

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We are dependent on the success of our relationships with third parties for various services and functions.

We contract with various third parties to perform certain functions and services and provide us with certain information technology systems. Certain of these third parties provide us with significant portions of our business infrastructure and operating requirements. For example, a single vendor provides us with a wide range of technology infrastructure services, including end user (help desk and field support), data center, mainframe, storage and database services, cloud infrastructure and multi-cloud management services, and we are subject to the risks of any operational failure, termination or other restraints in this arrangement. We could become overly dependent on key vendors, which could cause us to lose core competencies. A termination of our agreements with, or disruption in the performance of, one or more of these service providers could result in service disruptions or unavailability, reduced service quality and effectiveness, increased or duplicative costs or an inability to meet our obligations to our customers. In addition, we may also have to seek alternative service providers, which may be unavailable or only available on less favorable contract terms. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect our business, reputation, cash flows, financial condition and operating results.

Our PBM services business in particular would be adversely affected if we are unable to contract on favorable terms with third-party vendors, including pharmaceutical manufacturers. We delegate certain PBM administrative functions, such as claims processing and prescription fulfillment, to CVS Health pursuant to the CVS PBM Agreement. If CVS Health fails to provide PBM services as contractually required, we may not be able to meet the full demands of our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation and results of operations. For additional information on the CVS PBM Agreement, see “Business — Product and Service Descriptions,” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The failure to effectively maintain and upgrade our information systems could adversely affect our business.

Our business depends significantly on effective information systems, and we have many different information systems for our various businesses, including those that we have acquired as a result of our merger and acquisition activities. Our information systems require an ongoing commitment of significant resources to maintain and enhance existing systems and develop new systems in order to keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, emerging cybersecurity risks and threats, changing customer preferences, evolving industry and regulatory standards and legal requirements, including as a result of the ACA, the Health Plan Transparency Rule, the Appropriations Act and proposed federal data interoperability regulations. In addition, we may from time to time obtain significant portions of our systems-related or other services or facilities from independent third parties, which may make our operations vulnerable if such third parties fail to perform adequately.

Failure to adequately implement and maintain effective and efficient information systems with sufficiently advanced technological capabilities, or our failure to efficiently and effectively consolidate our information systems to eliminate redundant or obsolete applications, could result in competitive and cost disadvantages to us compared to our competitors, and a diversion of management’s time and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If the information we rely upon to run our business were found to be inaccurate or unreliable or if we fail to adequately maintain our information systems and data integrity effectively, we could experience problems in determining medical cost estimates and establishing appropriate pricing and reserves, have disputes with customers and providers, face regulatory problems, including sanctions and penalties, incur increases in operating expenses or suffer other adverse consequences, including a decrease in membership.

Large-scale medical emergencies may have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Natural disasters, war, terrorism, political events, global climate change and other similar occurrences could create large-scale medical emergencies or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Large-scale medical emergencies can take many forms and can cause widespread illness and death and have other far-reaching impact. For example, the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic has caused illness, deaths, quarantines, business and school shutdowns, reductions in business activity, travel and financial transactions, unemployment, labor shortages, supply chain interruptions and overall economic and financial market instability. In addition, federal and state law enforcement officials have issued warnings about potential terrorist activity involving biological and other weapons, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and the potential for a widespread pandemic of influenza or other illness coupled with the lack of availability of appropriate preventative medicines could have a significant impact on the health of the population

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of widespread areas. If the United States were to experience widespread bioterrorism or other attacks, large-scale natural disasters in our concentrated coverage areas or an epidemic or pandemic such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our covered medical expenses could rise, our operations could be interrupted and we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations or, in the event of extreme circumstances, our viability could be threatened. Furthermore, global climate change could result in certain types of natural disasters occurring more frequently or with more intense effects, and may have a long-term effect on general economic conditions and the healthcare or pharmacy industry in particular, which could adversely affect our business and financial results. For additional information, see the risk factor above describing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

LEGAL, REGULATORY AND PUBLIC POLICY RISKS

We are subject to significant government regulation, and changes or proposed changes in the regulation of our business by federal and state regulators may adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations and the market price of our securities.

We are subject to significant state and federal regulation associated with many aspects of our business, including, but not limited to, licensing, premiums, marketing activities, provider contracting, access and payment standards, and corporate governance and financial reporting matters, as described in greater detail in Part I, Item 1 “Business—Regulation” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Further, the integration into our business of entities that we acquire, or the expansion of our business into new areas, may affect the way in which existing laws and rules apply to us, including by subjecting us to laws and rules that did not previously apply to us.

Changes in existing laws, rules and regulatory interpretation or future laws, rules, regulatory interpretations or judgments could force us to change how we conduct our business, affect the products we offer (and where we offer them), restrict revenue and enrollment growth, increase our costs, including operating, healthcare technology and administrative costs, restrict our ability to obtain new product approvals and implement changes in premium rates and require enhancements to our compliance infrastructure and internal controls environment, which could adversely impact our business and results of operations. In addition, legislative and/or regulatory policies or proposals that seek to manage the healthcare industry or otherwise impact our business may cause the market price of our securities to decrease, even if such policies or proposals never become effective.

We are required to obtain and maintain insurance and other regulatory approvals to market certain of our products, to increase prices for certain regulated products and to consummate some of our acquisitions and dispositions. Delays in obtaining or failure to obtain or maintain these approvals, as well as future regulatory action by state or federal authorities, could have a material adverse effect on the profitability or marketability of our health benefits or managed care products or on our business, financial condition and results of operations. For example, requirements in the Health Plan Transparency Rule and the Appropriations Act including the price comparison tool and other requirements have the potential to increase healthcare costs and our operating costs in order to comply, and also may impact provider negotiations and market pricing. In addition, changes in government regulations or policies that apply to government-sponsored programs such as Medicare and Medicaid including, among other things, reimbursement levels, eligibility requirements, benefit coverage requirements and additional governmental participation, could also adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Where states allow certain programs to expire or have not opted for Medicaid expansion under the ACA, we could experience reduced Medicaid enrollment and reduced growth opportunities. If future modifications to laws and regulations significantly reduce Medicaid enrollment, our Medicaid business will be negatively impacted.

We have experienced assessments in the past under state or federal insolvency or guaranty association laws applicable to insurance companies, HMOs and other payers, and may experience assessments in the future if, for example, premiums established by other companies for their health insurance products, including certain long-term care products, are inadequate to cover their costs. Any such assessment could expose us to the risk of paying a portion of an impaired or insolvent insurance company’s claims through state guaranty associations. We are not currently able to estimate our potential financial obligations, losses, or the availability of offsets associated with potential guaranty association assessments; however, any significant increase in guaranty association assessments could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

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We expect state legislatures will continue to focus on healthcare delivery and financing issues, including actions to reduce or limit increases to premium payments, provider billing protections, and broader reforms of their health insurance markets. State ballot initiatives can also be put to voters that would substantially impair our operating environment. If enacted into law, these state proposals could have a material adverse impact on our business, cash flows, operations or financial condition.

Additionally, from time to time, Congress has considered, and may consider in the future, various forms of managed care reform legislation which, if adopted, could fundamentally alter the treatment of coverage decisions under ERISA and could increase our costs, expose us to expanded liability or require us to revise the ways in which we conduct business. There have been legislative attempts to limit ERISA’s preemptive effect on state laws and litigants’ ability to seek damages beyond the benefits offered under their plans. If adopted, such limitations could increase our liability exposure, permit greater state regulation of our operations, and expand the scope of damages, including punitive damages, litigants could be awarded.

The ongoing changes to the ACA and related laws and regulations could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

The ongoing changes in federal and state laws and regulations stemming from the ACA, including the steps that have been taken to amend, repeal and limit the scope and application of the ACA, continue to represent significant challenges to the U.S. healthcare system. We are unable to predict how these events will ultimately be resolved, what impact the 2020 U.S. Presidential and Senate elections may have, and what the ultimate impact may be on our business, including, but not limited to, our products, services, processes and technology, and on our relationships with current and future customers and healthcare providers. The legal challenges regarding the ACA, including a federal district court decision invalidating the ACA in its entirety, which was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2020 and has been stayed pending the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, continue to contribute to this uncertainty. Further regulations and modifications to the ACA at the federal or state level, including a judicial invalidation of the ACA, could significantly impact the market for our products, the regulations applicable to us and the fees and taxes payable by us and otherwise have significant effects on our business and future operations, some of which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

In general, the risk pool for the Individual market, which includes public exchange markets, has become less healthy since its inception in 2014 and continues to exhibit risk volatility. In addition, insurers have faced uncertainties related to federal government funding for various ACA programs. Based on our experience in public exchange markets to date, we have made adjustments to our premium rates and geographic participation, and will continue to evaluate the performance of our public exchange plans, the future viability of the public exchanges and availability of federal subsidies, and may make further adjustments to our rates and participation going forward. These factors may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations if premiums are not adequate or do not appropriately reflect the acuity of these individuals. Any variation from our expectations regarding acuity, enrollment levels, adverse selection, or other assumptions utilized in setting premium rates could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows.

For additional information related to the ACA, see Part I, Item 1 “Business” and Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are subject to various risks associated with our international operations.

Certain of our subsidiaries that provide services to some of our health plans operate internationally and are subject to regulation in the jurisdictions in which they are organized or conduct business related to, among other things, taxation, intellectual property, investment, management control, labor, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and privacy and data protection regulations. In addition, we are subject to U.S. laws that regulate the conduct and activities of U.S.-based businesses operating abroad, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or employees, restrictions or outright prohibitions on the conduct of our business and significant reputational harm.

We face risks related to litigation.

We are, and may in the future be, a party to a variety of legal actions that may affect our business, such as administrative charges before government agencies, employment and employment discrimination-related suits, employee benefit claims, breach of contract actions, tort claims and intellectual property-related litigation. In addition, because of the nature of our

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business, we are subject to a variety of legal actions relating to our business operations, including the design, administration and offering of our products and services. These could include claims relating to the denial or limitation of healthcare benefits; federal and state false claims act laws; dispensing of drugs associated with our PBM business; professional liability claims arising out of the delivery of healthcare and related services to the public; development or application of medical policies and coverage and clinical guidelines; medical malpractice actions; product liability claims; allegations of anti-competitive and unfair business activities; provider disputes over reimbursement and contracts; provider tiering programs; narrow networks; termination of provider contracts; the recovery of overpayments from providers; self-funded business; disputes over co-payment calculations; reimbursement of out-of-network claims; the failure to disclose certain business practices; the failure to comply with various state or federal laws, including but not limited to, ERISA and the Mental Health Parity Act; and customer audits and contract performance, including government contracts. These actions or proceedings could result in substantial costs to us, require our officers to spend substantial time focused on the litigation, and result in negative media attention, and may adversely affect our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are also involved in, or may in the future be party to, pending or threatened litigation of the character incidental to the business we transact or arising out of our operations, including, but not limited to, breaches of security and violations of privacy requirements, shareholder actions, compliance with federal and state laws and regulations (including qui tam or “whistleblower” actions), or sales and acquisitions of businesses or assets (including as a result of the now terminated Agreement and Plan of Merger between us and Cigna Corporation, or as more fully described under Note 14, “Commitments and Contingencies - Litigation and Regulatory Proceedings - Cigna Corporation Merger Litigation,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K). From time to time, we are involved as a party in various governmental investigations, audits, reviews and administrative proceedings, including challenges relating to the award of government contracts. These investigations, audits and reviews include routine and special investigations by various state insurance departments, various federal regulators including CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General, state attorneys general, the Department of Justice, and various offices of the U.S. Attorney General. Following an investigation, we may be subject to civil or criminal fines, penalties and other sanctions if we are determined to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations. Liabilities that may result from these actions could have a material adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

Recent court decisions and legislative activity may increase our exposure for any of these types of claims. In some cases, substantial non-economic (including injunctive relief), treble or punitive damages may be sought. Although we maintain insurance coverage for some of these potential liabilities, some liabilities and damages may not be covered by insurance, insurers may dispute coverage or the amount of insurance may not be enough to cover the damages awarded. In addition, insurance coverage for all or certain forms of liability may become unavailable or prohibitively expensive in the future. Any adverse judgment against us resulting in such damage awards could result in negative publicity and have an adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

There are various risks associated with providing healthcare services.

The direct provision of healthcare services by certain of our subsidiaries involves risks of additional litigation arising from medical malpractice actions based on our treatment decisions or brought against us or our associates for alleged malpractice or professional liability claims arising out of the delivery of healthcare and related services. In addition, liability may arise from maintaining healthcare premises that serve the public. The defense of any actions may result in significant expenses, and if we fail to maintain adequate insurance coverage for these liabilities, or if such insurance is not available, the resulting costs could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, many states in which certain of our subsidiaries operate limit the practice of medicine to licensed individuals or professional organizations comprised of licensed individuals. Business corporations generally may not exercise control over the medical decisions of physicians, and we are not licensed to practice medicine. Rules and regulations relating to the practice of medicine, fee-splitting between physicians and referral sources, and similar issues vary from state to state. Further, certain federal and state laws, including those covering our Medicare and Medicaid plans, prohibit the offer, payment, solicitation or receipt of any form of remuneration to induce, or in return for, the referral of patient care opportunities and also generally prohibit physicians from making referrals to any entity providing certain designated health services if the referring physician or related person has an ownership or financial interest in the entity. Any enforcement

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actions by governmental officials alleging non-compliance with these rules and regulations could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Our PBM services business and related operations are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that are in addition to those we face in our core healthcare business.

We provide PBM services through our IngenioRx business, and we are responsible to regulators and our customers for the delivery of those PBM services that we contract to provide. Our PBM services business is subject to the risks inherent in the dispensing, packaging, fulfillment and distribution of pharmaceuticals and other healthcare products, including exposure to liabilities and reputational harm related to purported dispensing and other operational errors by us or our PBM services suppliers. Any failure by us or one of our PBM services suppliers to adhere to the laws and regulations applicable to the dispensing of pharmaceuticals could subject our PBM business to civil and criminal penalties.

Our PBM services business is subject to federal and state laws and regulations that govern its relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, pharmacies and customers, including without limitation, federal and state anti-kickback laws, beneficiary inducement laws, consumer protection laws, ERISA, HIPAA and laws related to the operation of internet and mail-service pharmacies, as well as an increasing number of licensure, registration and other laws and accreditation standards that impact the business practices of a PBM services business. In addition, the practice of pharmacy is subject to federal and state laws and regulation, including those of state boards of pharmacy, individual state-controlled substance authorities, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Also, we and our third-party vendors are subject to registration requirements and state and federal laws concerning labeling, packaging, advertising, handling and adulteration of prescription drugs and dispensing of controlled substances. Noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations by us or our third-party vendors could have material adverse effects on our business, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and reputation.

Federal and state legislatures also regularly consider new regulations and changes to existing regulations for the industry that could materially affect current industry practices and our business, including the regulation implemented by HHS in November 2020 related to rebates and the pricing of pharmaceuticals, the Appropriations Act, and potential new regulations regarding rebates, fees from pharmaceutical companies, the development and use of formularies and other utilization management tools, the use of average wholesale prices or other pricing benchmarks, pricing for specialty pharmaceuticals, limited access to networks and pharmacy network reimbursement methodologies. In December 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand an Arkansas law regulating PBMs that may be a precursor to greater state regulation of PBMs.

We are a party to license agreements with the BCBSA that entitle us to the exclusive and, in certain areas, non-exclusive use of the BCBS names and marks in our geographic territories. The termination of these license agreements or changes in the terms and conditions of these license agreements could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Our license agreements with the BCBSA contain certain requirements and restrictions regarding our operations and our use of the BCBS names and marks, and failure to comply with those requirements could result in a termination of the license agreements. The license agreements may be modified by the BCBSA, which could have a material adverse effect on our future expansion plans or results of operations. Further, BCBS licensees have certain requirements to perform administrative services for members of other BCBS licensees. As of December 31, 2020, we provided services to approximately 32 million Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield enrollees. If we or another BCBS licensee are not in compliance with all legal requirements or are unable to perform administrative services as required, this could have an adverse effect on our members and our ability to maintain our licenses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Upon the occurrence of an event causing termination of the license agreements, we would no longer have the right to use the BCBS names and marks or to sell BCBS health insurance products and services in one or more of our service areas. Furthermore, the BCBSA would be free to issue a license to use the BCBS names and marks in these service areas to another entity. Our existing BCBS members would be provided with instructions for obtaining alternative products and services licensed by the BCBSA. We believe that the BCBS names and marks are valuable identifiers of our products and services in the marketplace.

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Upon termination of either license agreement, the BCBSA would have the right to impose a “Re-establishment Fee” upon us, which would be used in part to fund the establishment of a replacement Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield licensee in the vacated service area. The fee is set at $98.33 per licensed enrollee. If the Re-establishment Fee was applied to our total Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield enrollees of approximately 32 million as of December 31, 2020, we would be assessed approximately $3 billion by the BCBSA. As a result, termination of the license agreements would have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

For more information on the BCBSA license agreements, including requirements, restrictions and termination events set forth in these license agreements, see Part I, Item 1, “Business — BCBSA Licenses” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Indiana law, other applicable laws, our articles of incorporation and bylaws, and provisions of our BCBSA license agreements may prevent or discourage takeovers and business combinations that our shareholders might consider to be in their best interest.

Indiana law, other applicable laws and regulations and provisions in our articles of incorporation and bylaws may delay, defer, prevent or render more difficult a takeover attempt that our shareholders might consider to be in their best interests. For instance, they may prevent our shareholders from receiving the benefit from any premium to the market price of our common stock offered by a bidder in a takeover context or adversely affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our stock.

The insurance holding company acts and certain health statutes of the states in which our insurance company or HMO subsidiaries are regulated restrict the ability of any person to obtain control of an insurance company or HMO without prior regulatory approval. Further, the Indiana Business Corporation Law contains business combination provisions that, in general, prohibit for five years any business combination with a beneficial owner of 10% or more of our common stock unless the holder’s acquisition of the stock was approved in advance by our Board of Directors.

Our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that could have anti-takeover effects and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt that our shareholders might consider to be in their best interests. Our articles of incorporation provide that no person may beneficially own shares of voting capital stock in excess of specified ownership limits, except with the prior approval of a majority of the “continuing directors.” The ownership limits, which may not be exceeded without the prior approval of the BCBSA, are the following: (1) for any institutional investor (as defined in our articles of incorporation), one share less than 10% of our outstanding voting securities; (2) for any non-institutional investor (as defined in our articles of incorporation), one share less than 5% of our outstanding voting securities; and (3) for any person, one share less than the number of shares of our common stock or other equity securities (or a combination thereof) representing a 20% ownership interest in us.

In addition, our articles of incorporation and bylaws: divide our Board of Directors into three classes serving staggered three-year terms (which is required by our license agreement with the BCBSA); permit our Board of Directors to determine the terms of and issue one or more series of preferred stock without further action by shareholders; restrict the maximum number of directors and the ability to increase that number; limit the ability of shareholders to remove directors; impose restrictions on shareholders’ ability to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors; impose advance notice requirements for shareholder proposals and nominations of directors to be considered at meetings of shareholders; prohibit shareholders from amending certain provisions of our bylaws; and impose restrictions on who may call a special meeting of shareholders.

The health benefits industry is subject to negative publicity, which could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

The health benefits industry is subject to negative publicity, which can arise from, among other things, increases in premium rates, industry consolidation, cost of care initiatives and debate around existing or proposed legislation. Negative publicity may result in increased regulation and legislative review of industry practices, which may further increase our costs of doing business and adversely affect our profitability by limiting our ability to market or provide our products and services, requiring us to change our products and services, or increasing the regulatory oversight under which we operate. In addition, any negative publicity concerning the BCBSA or other BCBSA licensees may adversely affect us and the sale of our health benefits products and services. Negative public perception or publicity of the health benefits industry in general, the BCBSA, other BCBSA licensees, or us or our key vendors in particular, could adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

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STRATEGIC RISKS

We face competition in many of our markets, and if we fail to adequately adapt to changes in our industry and develop and implement strategic growth opportunities, our ability to compete and grow may be adversely affected.

As a health benefits company, we operate in a highly competitive environment and in an industry that is subject to significant changes from and competition due to legislative reform, business consolidations, new strategic alliances, new market entrants, aggressive marketing practices, technological advancements and changing market practices such as increasing usage of telehealth. We also will have to respond to pricing and other actions taken by existing competitors and potentially disruptive new entrants in the public exchanges and in our other lines of business. These factors have produced and will likely continue to produce significant pressures on our profitability. Furthermore, decisions to buy our products and services are increasingly made or influenced by consumers, through means such as direct purchasing (for example, Medicare Advantage plans) and insurance exchanges that allow individual choice, or by large employers that may increasingly have the ability to contract directly with providers. This creates unique market pressures, and in order to compete effectively in the consumer-driven marketplace, we will be required to develop and deliver innovative and potentially disruptive products and services to satisfy evolving market demands.

In addition, the PBM industry is highly competitive, and IngenioRx is subject to competition from national, regional and local PBMs, other insurers, health plans, large retail pharmacy chains, large retail stores, supermarkets, other mail order and web pharmacies, discount cards and specialty pharmacies. Strong competition within the PBM business has generated greater demand for lower product and service pricing, increased revenue sharing and enhanced product and service offerings. Our inability to maintain positive trends, contract on favorable terms with pharmaceutical manufacturers for, among other things, rebates, discounts and administrative fees or a failure to identify and implement new ways to mitigate pricing pressures, could negatively impact our ability to attract or retain customers, negatively impact our margins and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, legislative reforms such as the regulation issued by HHS in November 2020 related to rebates, and the Appropriations Act, which requires reporting of plan spending, the cost of plan pharmacy benefits, enrollee premiums and any manufacturer rebates received by the plan or issuer, may adversely affect our competitive position, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

In order to profitably grow our business in the future, we need to not only grow our profitable medical membership, but also continue to diversify our sources of revenue and earnings, including through the increased sale of our specialty products, such as dental, vision and other supplemental products, expansion of products, expansion of our non-insurance assets and establishment of new cost of care solutions, including innovations in PBM services. If we are unable to acquire or develop and successfully manage new opportunities that further our strategic objectives and differentiate our products from our competitors, our ability to profitably grow our business could be adversely affected.

We are currently dependent on the non-exclusive services of independent agents and brokers in the marketing of our healthcare products, particularly with respect to individuals, seniors and local group customers. We face intense competition for the services and allegiance of these independent agents and brokers, who may also market the products of our competitors. Our relationship with our brokers and independent agents could be adversely impacted by changes in our business practices to address legislative changes, including potential reductions in commissions and consulting fees paid to agents and brokers. We cannot ensure that we will be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors for these services or that competitive pressures faced by us will not materially and adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

For additional information, see “Business — Competition,” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We have built a significant portion of our current business through mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and we expect to pursue such opportunities in the future.

The following are some of the risks associated with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, referred to collectively as business combinations, that could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations:

• some of the business combinations may not achieve anticipated revenues, earnings or cash flow, business opportunities, synergies, growth prospects and other anticipated benefits;

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• we may assume liabilities that were not disclosed to us or which were underestimated;

• we may experience difficulties in integrating business combinations, be unable to integrate business combinations successfully or as quickly as expected and be unable to realize anticipated economic, operational and other benefits in a timely manner or at all;

• business combinations, and proposed business combinations that are not completed, could disrupt our ongoing business, lead to the incurrence of significant fees, distract management, result in the loss of key employees, divert resources, result in tax costs or inefficiencies and make it difficult to maintain our current business standards, controls, information technology systems, policies and procedures;

• we may finance future business combinations by issuing common stock for some or all of the purchase price, which could dilute the ownership interests of our shareholders;

• we may compete with other firms, some of which may have greater financial and other resources, to acquire attractive companies;

• we may experience disputes with our partners in our strategic alliances and joint ventures, which could result in litigation or a loss of business; and

• future business combinations may make it difficult to comply with the requirements of the BCBSA and lead to an increased risk that our BCBSA license agreements may be terminated.

We face intense competition to attract and retain employees. Further, managing key executive transition, succession and retention is critical to our success.

Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and to integrate employees who have joined us through acquisitions. We face intense competition for qualified employees, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to attract and retain such employees or that such competition among potential employers will not result in increasing salaries. An inability to retain existing employees or attract additional employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

We would be adversely affected if we fail to adequately plan for the succession of our President and Chief Executive Officer and other senior management or retain key executives. While we have succession plans in place for members of our senior management, and employment arrangements with certain key executives, these plans and arrangements do not guarantee that the services of our senior executives will continue to be available to us or that we will be able to attract, transition and retain suitable successors.

FINANCIAL RISKS

As a holding company, we are dependent on dividends from our subsidiaries. These dividends are necessary to pay our outstanding indebtedness. Our regulated subsidiaries are subject to state regulations, including restrictions on the payment of dividends, maintenance of minimum levels of capital and restrictions on investment portfolios.

As a holding company, we are dependent on dividends and administrative expense reimbursements from our subsidiaries. Our regulated subsidiaries are not obligated to make funds available to us, and creditors of our subsidiaries will have a superior claim to certain of our subsidiaries’ assets. Furthermore, among other restrictions, state insurance and HMO laws may restrict the ability of our regulated subsidiaries to pay dividends. In some states, we have made special undertakings that may limit the ability of our regulated subsidiaries to pay dividends. In addition, our subsidiaries’ ability to make any payments to us will also depend on their earnings, the terms of their indebtedness, business and tax considerations and other legal restrictions. Our ability to repurchase shares or pay dividends in the future to our shareholders and meet our obligations, including paying operating expenses and debt service on our outstanding and future indebtedness, will depend upon the receipt of dividends from our subsidiaries. An inability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends in the future in an amount sufficient for us to meet our financial obligations may materially adversely affect our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Most of our regulated subsidiaries are subject to RBC standards or other forms of minimum capital requirements imposed by their states of domicile that require them to report their results of risk-based capital calculations to the departments of insurance and the NAIC. Failure to maintain the minimum RBC standards could subject our regulated subsidiaries to corrective action, including state supervision or liquidation. Changes to the existing RBC standards and the

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NAIC’s December 2020 adoption of an RBC requirement at the holding company level, which requires submission of the first report in May 2023, could further restrict our or our regulated subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends and adversely affect our business. In addition, as discussed in more detail above, we are a party to license agreements with the BCBSA which contain certain requirements and restrictions regarding our operations, including minimum capital and liquidity requirements, which could restrict the ability of our regulated subsidiaries to pay dividends.

Our regulated subsidiaries are subject to state laws and regulations that require diversification of their investment portfolios and limit the amount of investments in certain riskier investment categories, such as below-investment-grade fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, real estate and equity investments, which could generate higher returns on their investments. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations might cause investments exceeding regulatory limitations to be treated as non-admitted assets for purposes of measuring statutory surplus and risk-based capital, and, in some instances, require the sale of those investments.

We have substantial indebtedness outstanding and may incur additional indebtedness in the future, which could adversely affect our ability to pursue desirable business opportunities and to react to changes in the economy or our industry, and exposes us to interest rate risk to the extent of our variable rate indebtedness.

Our debt service obligations require us to use a portion of our cash flow to pay interest and principal on debt instead of for other corporate purposes, including funding future expansion. If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to service our debt obligations, we may be forced to seek extraordinary dividends from our subsidiaries, sell assets, seek additional equity or debt capital or restructure our debt. However, these measures might be unsuccessful or inadequate to meet scheduled debt service obligations, or may not be available on commercially reasonable terms.

We may also incur future debt obligations that might subject us to restrictive covenants that could affect our financial and operational flexibility. Our breach or failure to comply with any of these covenants could result in a default under our credit facilities or other indebtedness. If we default under our credit agreement, the lenders could cease to make further extensions of credit or cause all of our outstanding debt obligations under our credit agreement to become immediately due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest. If the indebtedness under our notes or our credit agreement or our other indebtedness is accelerated, we may be unable to repay or finance the amounts due, on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

A downgrade in our credit ratings could have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Claims-paying ability as well as financial strength and debt ratings by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations are important factors in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies and health benefits companies. We believe our strong credit ratings are an important factor in marketing our products to customers. In addition, if our credit ratings are downgraded or placed under review, our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely impacted by limitations on future borrowings and a potential increase in our borrowing costs. Each of the ratings organizations reviews our ratings periodically, and there can be no assurance that our current ratings will be maintained in the future.

The value of our intangible assets may become impaired.

As of December 31, 2020, we had $31 billion of goodwill and other intangible assets, representing 36% of our total consolidated assets. In accordance with applicable accounting standards, we periodically evaluate our goodwill and other intangible assets for potential impairment, using assumptions and judgments regarding the estimated fair value of our reporting units. Estimated fair values might be significantly different if other reasonable assumptions and estimates were to be used. If estimated fair values are less than the carrying values of goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives in future impairment tests, or if significant impairment indicators are noted relative to other intangible assets subject to amortization, we may be required to record impairment losses against future income.

The value we place on intangible assets may be adversely impacted if existing or future business combinations fail to perform in a manner consistent with our assumptions. In addition, from time to time we divest businesses, and any such divestiture could result in significant asset impairment and disposition charges, including those related to goodwill and other intangible assets. In addition, the estimated value of our reporting units may be impacted as a result of business decisions we

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make associated with any future changes to laws and regulations, which could unfavorably affect the carrying value of certain goodwill and other intangible assets and result in impairment charges in future periods. Any future evaluations requiring an impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets could materially affect our results of operations and shareholders’ equity which could, in turn, negatively impact our debt ratings or potentially impact our compliance with existing debt covenants.

The value of our investments is influenced by varying economic and market conditions, and a decrease in value may result in a loss charged to income.

We maintain a significant investment portfolio of cash equivalents and short-term and long-term investments in a variety of securities, which are subject to general credit, liquidity, market and interest rate risks. As a result, we may experience a reduction in value or loss of our investments, which may have a negative adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. Changes in the economic environment, including periods of increased volatility in the securities markets such as those experienced in 2020 related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, can increase the difficulty of assessing investment impairment and increase the risk of potential impairment of these assets. There is continuing risk that declines in fair value may occur and material impairments may be charged to income in future periods, resulting in realized losses.

GENERAL RISKS

Changes in tax laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flow, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may not be able to realize the value of our deferred tax assets.

Changes in tax laws and regulations , including a potential increase in U.S. corporate tax rates or changes in the deductibility of expenses, or changes in the interpretation of tax laws and regulations by federal and/or state authorities, could have a material impact on the future value of our deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities, could result in significant one-time charges in the current or future taxable years and could increase our future U.S. tax expense. In addition, we are regularly audited by federal and other tax authorities. Although we believe our tax positions comply with applicable tax law, the final determination of audits and any related litigation in the jurisdictions where we are subject to taxation could be materially different from our historical income provisions and accruals. These changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, cash flow, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, any future increase in our valuation allowance with regard to our deferred tax assets would result in additional income tax expense and a decrease in shareholders’ equity, which could materially affect our financial position and results of operations in the period in which the increase occurs. A material decrease in shareholders’ equity could, in turn, negatively impact our debt ratings or potentially impact our compliance with existing debt covenants.

We also face other risks that could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, which include:

• adverse securities and credit market conditions, which could impact our ability to meet liquidity needs;

• any requirement to restate financial results in the event of inappropriate application of accounting principles;

• a significant failure of our internal control over financial reporting;

• failure of our prevention and control systems related to employee compliance with internal policies, including data security;

• provider fraud that is not prevented or detected and impacts our medical costs or those of self-insured customers;

• failure to protect our proprietary information; and

• failure of our corporate governance policies or procedures.