SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
FORM 8-K
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 6, 2003
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UICI
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 001-14953 75-2044750
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation (Commission File (IRS Employer
or organization) Number) Identification No.)
9151 Grapevine Highway, North Richland Hills, Texas 76180
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (817) 255-5200
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Not Applicable
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
ITEM 12. RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION
On November 5, 2003, the Company issued a press release announcing its
summary results of operations and certain balance sheet data for the quarter and
nine months ended September 30, 2003. A copy of the press release is furnished
herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The information
contained in this Item 12 and incorporated by reference herein shall not be
deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any
filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except
as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM
ACT OF 1995:
Certain statements set forth herein or incorporated by reference herein
from the Company's filings that are not historical facts are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act.
Actual results may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
including, but not limited to, the ability to resolve all of the collateral and
reporting issues associated with AMS' securitized student loan financings,
including compliance with waivers obtained from third parties with respect to
such student loan financings; AMS' ability to prevent similar future
occurrences; AMS' ability to meet future student loan funding obligations; the
Company's ability to maintain adequate liquidity to satisfy its obligations;
changes in general economic conditions, including the performance of financial
markets, and interest rates; competitive, regulatory or tax changes that affect
the cost of or demand for the Company's products; health care reform; the
ability to predict and effectively manage claims related to health care costs;
and reliance on key management and adequacy of claim liabilities.
The Company's future results will depend in large part on accurately
predicting health care costs incurred on existing business and upon the
Company's ability to control future health care costs through product and
benefit design, underwriting criteria, utilization management and negotiation of
favorable provider contracts. Changes in mandated benefits, utilization rates,
demographic characteristics, health care practices, provider consolidation,
inflation, new pharmaceuticals/technologies, clusters of high-cost cases, the
regulatory environment and numerous other factors are beyond the control of any
health plan provider and may adversely affect the Company's ability to predict
and control health care costs and claims, as well as the Company's financial
condition, results of operations or cash flows. Periodic renegotiations of
hospital and other provider contracts coupled with continued consolidation of
physician, hospital and other provider groups may result in increased health
care costs and limit the Company's ability to negotiate favorable rates. In
addition, the Company faces competitive and regulatory pressure to contain
premium prices. Fiscal concerns regarding the continued viability of
government-sponsored programs such as Medicare and Medicaid may cause decreasing
reimbursement rates for these programs. Any limitation on the Company's ability
to increase or maintain its premium levels, design products, implement
underwriting criteria or negotiate competitive provider contracts may adversely
affect the Company's financial condition or results of operations.
The Company's insurance subsidiaries are subject to extensive
regulation in their states of domicile and the other states in which they do
business under statutes that typically delegate broad regulatory, supervisory
and administrative powers to state insurance departments and agencies. State
insurance departments have also periodically conducted and continue to conduct
financial and market conduct examinations and other inquiries of UICI's
insurance subsidiaries. State insurance regulatory agencies have authority to
levy monetary fines and penalties resulting from findings made during the course
of such examinations and inquiries. Historically, the Company's insurance
subsidiaries have from time to time been subject to such regulatory fines and
penalties. While none of such fines or penalties individually or in the
aggregate have to date had a material adverse effect on the results of
operations or financial condition of the Company, the Company could be adversely
affected by increases in regulatory fines or penalties an/or changes in the
scope, nature and/or intensity of regulatory scrutiny and review.
The Company provides health insurance products to consumers in the
self-employed market in 44 states. A substantial portion of such products is
issued to members of various independent membership associations that endorse
the products and act as the master policyholder for such products. The two
principal membership associations in the self-employed market for which the
Company underwrites insurance are the National Association for the Self-Employed
("NASE") and the Alliance for Affordable Services ("AAS"). The associations
provide their membership with a number of endorsed benefits and products,
including health insurance underwritten by the Company. Subject to applicable
state law, individuals generally may not obtain insurance under an association's
master policy unless they are also members of the associations. UGA agents and
Cornerstone agents also act as field service representatives on behalf of the
associations, in which capacity the agents act as enrollers of new members for
the associations and provide field support services, for which the agents
receive compensation. Specialized Association Services, Inc. (a company
controlled by the adult children of the Chairman of the Company) provides
administrative and benefit procurement services to the associations, and a
subsidiary of the Company sells new membership sales leads to the enrollers and
video and print services to the associations and to Specialized Association
Services, Inc. In addition to health insurance premiums derived from the sale of
health insurance, the Company receives fee income from the associations,
including fees associated with the enrollment of new members, fees for
association membership marketing and administrative services and fees for
certain association member benefits. The agreements with these associations
requiring the associations to continue as the master policyholder and to endorse
the Company's insurance products to their respective members are terminable by
the Company and the associations upon not less than one year's advance notice to
the other party.
Articles in the press have been critical of association group coverage. In
December 2002, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
convened a special task force to review association group coverage, and the
Company is aware that selected states are reviewing the laws and regulations
under which association group policies are issued. The Company has also been
named a party to several lawsuits challenging the nature of the relationship
between the Company's insurance companies and the associations that have
endorsed the insurance companies' health insurance products. While the Company
believes it is providing association group coverage in full compliance with
applicable law, changes in the relationship between the Company and the
membership associations and/or changes in the laws and regulations governing
so-called "association group" insurance (particularly changes that would subject
the issuance of policies to prior premium rate approval and/or require the
issuance of policies on a "guaranteed issue" basis) could have a material
adverse impact on the financial condition, results of operations and/or business
of the Company.
The Company's Academic Management Services Corp. business could be
adversely affected by changes in the Federal Higher Education Act of 1965, which
authorizes and governs most federal student aid and student loan programs,
and/or changes in other relevant federal or state laws, rules and regulations.
The Higher Education Act is subject to review and reauthorization by the
recently convened 108th Congress. Congress last reauthorized the Higher
Education Act in 1998. While the Company believes that the Higher Education Act
of 1965 will in fact be reauthorized, there can be no assurance of the form that
reauthorization will take or the changes that the reauthorization bill will
bring to the law and regulations governing student finance.
In addition, existing legislation and future measures by the federal
government may adversely affect the amount and nature of federal financial
assistance available with respect to loans made through the U.S. Department of
Education. Finally, the level of competition currently in existence in the
secondary market for loans made under the Federal Loan Programs could be
reduced, resulting in fewer potential buyers of the Federal Loans and lower
prices available in the secondary market for those loans.
UICI press releases and other company information are available at UICI's
website located at www.uici.net.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
Exhibit 99.1 Press release issued by the Company on November 5,
2003 announcing summary results of operations for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2003
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
UICI
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(Registrant)
Date November 6, 2003 By /s/ Mark D. Hauptman
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Mark D. Hauptman
Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION
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99.1 Press release issued by the Company on November 5,
2003 announcing results of operations for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2003