SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ______________ FORM 11-K ______________ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 Commission File No. 0-19506 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) PLAN (Full title of the plan) UNITED WISCONSIN SERVICES, INC. 401 West Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53203 (Name of the issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) PLAN YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedules Years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 CONTENTS Report of Independent Auditors............................................. 1 Financial Statements Statements of Assets Available for Benefits................................ 2 Statements of Changes in Assets Available for Benefits..................... 3 Notes to Financial Statements.............................................. 5 Supplemental Schedules Line 27(a) - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes............... 10 Line 27(d) - Schedule of Reportable Transactions........................... 11 Report of Independent Auditors Employee Benefits Committee UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan We have audited the accompanying statements of assets available for benefits of UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan (the Plan) as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the related statements of changes in assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the assets available for benefits of the Plan at December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the changes in its assets available for benefits for the years then ended, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying supplemental schedules of assets held for investment purposes as of December 31, 1997, and reportable transactions for the year then ended, are presented for purposes of complying with the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and are not a required part of the financial statements. The fund information in the statement of assets available for benefits and the statement of changes in assets available for benefits is presented for purposes of additional analysis rather than to present the assets available for benefits and changes in assets available for benefits of each fund. The supplemental schedules and fund information have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our audits of the financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole. June 22, 1998 1 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Statements of Assets Available for Benefits DECEMBER 31, 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American American Express Express Trust PIMCO AIM IDS New Templeton UWSI Trust Equity Total IDS Constel- Dimen- Foreign Common Income Index Return Mutual lation sions Fund Stock Loan Fund II Fund II Fund Fund (Y) Fund Fund (Y) Class I Fund Fund Total ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ASSETS Cash $13,404 $47,342 $13,203 $25,264 $12,457 $12,749 $6,757 $47,042 $(22,682) $155,536 Investments, at fair value (NOTE 3) 5,038,571 15,116,162 4,009,283 7,833,142 2,288,686 2,333,885 1,380,381 5,632,449 1,313,712 44,946,271 Interest and dividends receivable - - 122,549 - - - - - - 122,549 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Assets available for benefits $5,051,975 $15,163,504 $4,145,035 $7,858,406 $2,301,143 $2,346,634 $1,387,138 $5,679,491 $1,291,030 $45,224,356 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- DECEMBER 31, 1996 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American American Express Express Trust PIMCO AIM IDS New Templeton UWSI Trust Equity Total IDS Constel- Dimen- Foreign Common Income Index Return Mutual lation sions Fund Stock Loan Fund II Fund II Fund Fund (Y) Fund Fund (Y) Class I Fund Fund Total ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ASSETS Investments, at fair value (NOTE 3) $4,370,429 $10,666,389 $3,802,388 $6,420,603 $956,633 $806,596 $457,299 $4,712,344 $1,110,694 $33,303,375 Receivables: Employee contributions 10,963 11,667 10,288 20,187 18,456 4,623 7,751 31,053 20,656 135,644 Employer contributions - - - - - - - 37,212 - 37,212 Interest and dividends - - 20,020 - - - - - - 20,020 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Assets available for benefits $4,381,392 $10,678,056 $3,832,696 $6,440,790 $975,089 $811,219 $465,050 $4,780,609 $1,131,350 $33,496,251 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES. 2 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Statements of Changes in Assets Available for Benefits Year ended December 31, 1997 American American Express Express Trust PIMCO AIM Templeton UWSI Trust Equity Total IDS Constel- IDS New Foreign Common Income Index Return Mutual lation Dimensions Fund Stock Loan Fund II Fund II Fund Fund (Y) Fund Fund (Y) Class I Fund Fund Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Additions: Net investment income $ (99) $ 253 $334,900 $1,121,059 $162,624 $174,302 $147,830 $93,472 $106,017 $2,140,358 Net appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments 275,777 3,553,148 33,809 96,844 (21,129) 152,389 (141,188) (105,408) - 3,844,242 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- 275,678 3,553,401 368,709 1,217,903 141,495 326,691 6,642 (11,936) 106,017 5,984,600 Contributions: Participants 328,086 1,235,106 326,588 668,258 283,224 265,469 144,528 208,590 - 3,459,849 Employers - - - - - - - 1,104,798 - 1,104,798 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- 328,086 1,235,106 326,588 668,258 283,224 265,469 144,528 1,313,388 - 4,564,647 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Total additions 603,764 4,788,507 695,297 1,886,161 424,719 592,160 151,170 1,301,452 106,017 10,549,247 Deductions: Cash transfers and rollovers (411,463) (747,071) 224,292 165,194 (956,575) (976,207) (791,478) 122,631 (38,862) (3,409,539) Benefits, with- drawals and taxes 344,644 1,050,130 158,666 303,351 55,240 32,952 20,560 279,939 (14,801) 2,230,681 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Total deductions (66,819) 303,059 382,958 468,545 (901,335) (943,255) (770,918) 402,570 (53,663) (1,178,858) ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Increase in assets available for benefits 670,583 4,485,448 312,339 1,417,616 1,326,054 1,535,415 922,088 898,882 159,680 11,728,105 Assets available for benefits at beginning of year 4,381,392 10,678,056 3,832,696 6,440,790 975,089 811,219 465,050 4,780,609 1,131,350 33,496,251 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- Assets available for benefits at end of year $5,051,975 $15,163,504 $4,145,035 $7,858,406 $2,301,143 $2,346,634 $1,387,138 $5,679,491 $1,291,030 $45,224,356 ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------- SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES. 3 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Statements of Changes in Assets Available for Benefits (continued) Year ended December 31, 1996 American American Express Express Trust Stable M&I UWSI S&P 500 Trust Equity Income Principal Loan Common Balanced Index Income Index Fund Fund Fund Stock Fund Fund Fund II Fund II ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additions: Interest and dividends $ 222,027 $ 131,814 $ 42,028 $ 38,231 $ 102,849 $ 87,299 $ - $ - Net appreciation (deprecia- tion) in fair value of investments (NOTE 3) (220,635) - - 1,423,263 242,812 787,678 124,845 1,077,230 Loss from Master Trust (65,755) - - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (64,363) 131,814 42,028 1,461,494 345,661 874,977 124,845 1,077,230 Contributions: Employee 191,059 172,279 - 118,708 344,511 564,620 143,560 502,543 Employers - - - 451,742 - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 191,059 172,279 - 570,450 344,511 564,620 143,560 502,543 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total additions 126,696 304,093 42,028 2,031,944 690,172 1,439,597 268,405 1,579,773 Deductions: Cash transfers and rollovers 4,306,423 4,787,858 959,273 5,025,832 6,487,848 9,362,029 (4,219,889) (9,562,487) Benefits, withdrawals and taxes 249,070 144,464 23,253 115,394 263,602 305,595 106,902 464,204 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total deductions 4,555,493 4,932,322 982,526 5,141,226 6,751,450 9,667,624 (4,112,987) (9,098,283) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in assets available for benefits (4,428,797) (4,628,229) (940,498) (3,109,282) (6,061,278) (8,228,027) 4,381,392 10,678,056 Assets available for benefits at beginning of year 4,428,797 4,628,229 940,498 3,109,282 6,061,278 8,228,027 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets available for benefits at end of year $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 4,381,392 $10,678,056 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PIMCO Templeton UWSI Total IDS AIM IDS New Foreign Common Return Mutual Constellation Dimensions Fund Stock Loan Fund Fund (Y) Fund Fund (Y) Class I Fund Fund Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additions: Interest and dividends $ 124,213 $ 495,830 $ 32,408 $ 30,976 $ 14,734 $ 40,224 $ 36,659 $ 1,399,292 Net appreciation (deprecia- tion) in fair value of investments (NOTE 3) 119,977 58,176 (3,469) 7,404 14,524 41,127 - 3,672,932 Loss from Master Trust - - - - - - - (65,755) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 244,190 554,006 28,939 38,380 29,258 81,351 36,659 5,006,469 Contributions: Employee 152,206 302,192 51,313 31,976 21,653 120,138 - 2,716,758 Employers - - - - - 435,116 - 886,858 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 152,206 302,192 51,313 31,976 21,653 555,254 - 3,603,616 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total additions 396,396 856,198 80,252 70,356 50,911 636,605 36,659 8,610,085 Deductions: Cash transfers and rollovers (3,559,345) (5,905,779) (899,495) (746,594) (415,634) (4,284,676) (996,814) 338,550 Benefits, withdrawals and taxes 123,045 321,187 4,658 5,731 1,495 140,672 (97,877) 2,171,395 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total deductions (3,436,300) (5,584,592) (894,837) (740,863) (414,139) (4,144,004) (1,094,691) 2,509,945 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increase (decrease) in assets available for benefits 3,832,696 6,440,790 975,089 811,219 465,050 4,780,609 1,131,350 6,100,140 Assets available for benefits at beginning of year - - - - - - - 27,396,111 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets available for benefits at end of year $ 3,832,696 $ 6,440,790 $ 975,089 $ 811,219 $ 465,050 $ 4,780,609 $ 1,131,350 $33,496,251 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEE ACCOMPANYING NOTES. 4 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 1997 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN The UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan (the Plan) is a defined contribution plan which covers eligible salaried and hourly employees not subject to collective bargaining agreements of Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin, United Wisconsin Services, Inc., and any of their subsidiaries to which participation has been extended (Employers). The Plan allows participants to direct their contributions (not the Employers' match, however) into one or a combination of several investment options offered by the Plan. Participants can make qualifying contributions of 2% to 5% of their basic compensation, which the Employers match on a 50% basis. Additional participant contributions of up to 11% of their basic compensation are also permitted, subject to statutory limitations. Effective January 1, 1996, the Company matching contributions are invested in United Wisconsin Services, Inc. Common Stock in the UWSI Common Stock Fund. The UWSI Common Stock Fund included $4,146,996 and $3,532,459 of plan net assets that were not participant directed at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Earnings of the Plan are allocated daily to individual participant accounts, as defined in the Plan. The participants' contributions and earnings thereon are 100% vested at all times. Participants' contributions may be withdrawn, subject to certain limitations, prior to termination of participation in the Plan. Earnings thereon may be withdrawn only upon termination of employment. Employers' contributions and earnings thereon become vested based on years of service and may be withdrawn only upon termination of employment. Employees may enter the Plan following the completion of one year of service with no minimum age requirement. Forfeited Employer contributions revert to the Plan administrator for payment of Plan expenses. All contributions required by the Plan were made to the Plan or, prior to July 1, 1996, to the Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Master Trust (Master Trust). Transactions between the Plan and the Master Trust were carried out using unit values. 5 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN (CONTINUED) Although they have not expressed any intent to do so, the Employers have the right under the Plan to discontinue their contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In the event of Plan termination, participants' Employer contribution accounts will become 100% vested. A description of the Plan is summarized in the SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION, which can be obtained from the Plan administrator. 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES INVESTMENT VALUATION Certain assets of the Plan are held by American Express Trust Company under a master trust agreement dated July 1, 1996, under which the assets of the Plan are segregated and invested separately from the remainder of the trust's funds. Investments are valued at fair value based on quoted market prices, except for participant loans, which are valued at their current outstanding balances, which approximate fair value. Prior to July 1, 1996, certain assets of the Plan were held by the Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company (Trustee) under a master trust agreement dated July 1, 1988 (Master Trust), under which certain investments of several benefit plans of the Employers were commingled. Master Trust assets were managed by various investment managers in separate investment accounts. The Plan had an undivided interest in the net assets and earnings of the Master Trust investment accounts, which were stated at fair value, in which the Plan was invested. CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions from participants are recorded in the period the Employers make corresponding payroll deductions. Contributions from the Employers are recorded based upon amounts required to be contributed as determined by the Plan. 6 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES With the exception of fees on personal loans, all administrative expenses in 1997 and 1996 were paid by the Employers. Forfeited Employer contributions are used to offset administrative expenses or are reported as a reduction in contributions. USE OF ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Such estimates and assumptions could change in the future as more information becomes known, which could impact the amounts reported and disclosed herein. 3. INVESTMENTS The fair values of investments held by the Plan at December 31 are as follows: 1997 1996 ------------------------------- United Wisconsin Services, Inc. Common Stock Fund $ 5,632,449 $ 4,712,344 Mutual funds 38,000,110 27,480,337 Loans to various participants 1,313,712 1,110,694 ------------------------------- $44,946,271 $33,303,375 ------------------------------- ------------------------------- Investments that represent 5% or more of the Plan's net assets at either December 31, 1997 or 1996 are as follows: 1997 1996 ------------------------------- United Wisconsin Services, Inc. Common Stock Fund $ 5,632,449 $ 4,712,344 IDS Mutual Fund (Y) 7,833,142 6,420,603 IDS New Dimensions Fund (Y) 2,333,885 806,596 PIMCO Total Return Fund 4,009,283 3,802,388 American Express Trust Income Fund II 5,038,571 4,370,429 American Express Trust Equity Index Fund II 15,116,162 10,666,389 AIM Constellation Fund 2,288,686 956,633 7 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 3. INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) During 1997 and 1996, the fair value of the Plan's non-Master Trust investments (including investments bought, sold, as well as held during the year) appreciated (depreciated) as follows: 1997 1996 ------------------------------- Investments at fair value as determined by quoted market price: United Wisconsin Services, Inc. Common Stock Fund $ (105,408) $1,464,390 Fidelity Institutional Trust U.S. Equity Index - 787,678 Fidelity Puritan Fund - 242,842 BCBS Master Trust - (220,635) IDS New Dimensions Fund (Y) 152,389 7,374 IDS Mutual Fund (Y) 96,844 58,176 PIMCO Total Return Fund 33,809 119,977 AIM Constellation Fund (21,129) (3,469) Templeton Foreign Fund Class I (141,188) 14,524 American Express Trust Income Fund II 275,777 124,845 American Express Trust Equity Index Fund II 3,553,148 1,077,230 ------------------------------- $3,844,242 $3,672,932 ------------------------------- ------------------------------- During 1996, the investment income earned by the Master Trust was as follows: Net realized and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) in fair value of investments: Common stocks $13,086,225 Fixed income securities (2,123,999) Foreign obligations 1,017,910 Real estate equity funds (294,694) ----------- 11,685,442 Interest and dividends 5,514,706 ----------- Investment income earned by the Master Trust $17,200,148 ----------- ----------- 8 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Notes to Financial Statements (continued) 4. INCOME TAX STATUS The Internal Revenue Service has ruled (May 1, 1995) that the Plan qualifies under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and is, therefore, not subject to tax under present income tax law. Once qualified, the Plan is required to operate in conformity with the IRC to maintain its qualification. The Plan administrator is not aware of any course of action or series of events that have occurred that might adversely affect the Plan's qualified status. 9 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Employer Identification Number 39-0138065 Plan Number 336 Line 27(a) - Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes December 31, 1997 PAR VALUE OR NUMBER CURRENT DESCRIPTION OF UNITS COST VALUE - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ American Express Trust Income Fund II 289,672.905 $ 4,712,587 $ 5,038,571 American Express Trust Equity Index Fund II 584,041.487 10,832,734 15,116,162 PIMCO Total Return Fund 378,234.215 3,885,430 4,009,283 IDS Mutual Fund (Y) 570,596.032 7,755,762 7,833,142 AIM Constellation Fund 86,758.39 2,322,506 2,288,686 IDS New Dimensions Fund (Y) 97,807.602 2,193,939 2,333,885 Templeton Foreign Fund Class I 138,731.76 1,513,034 1,380,381 Loan Fund N/A 1,313,712 1,313,712 UWSI Common Stock Fund 566,132.14 5,766,407 5,632,449 ------------------------- $40,296,111 $44,946,271 ------------------------- ------------------------- 10 UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) Plan Employer Identification Number 39-0138065 Plan Number 336 Line 27(d) - Schedule of Reportable Transactions Year ended December 31, 1997 NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS ----------------------- PROCEEDS SALES/ COST OF FROM SALES/ GAIN DESCRIPTION PURCHASES MATURITIES PURCHASES MATURITIES (LOSS) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CATEGORY (III) American Express Trust Equity Index II 100 107 $2,377,920 $1,481,471 $328,860 American Express Trust Income Fund II 95 95 1,755,485 1,363,115 68,939 IDS Mutual Fund (Y) 96 116 2,184,000 808,306 55,361 ------------------------------------------ $6,317,405 $3,652,892 $453,160 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ There were no category (i), (ii) or (iv) reportable transactions during 1997. Category (i) - Single transaction in excess of 5% of plan assets (ii) - Series of transactions (other than securities transactions) (iii) - Series of securities transactions (iv) - Transactions with or in conjunction with a person, if any single transaction with that person was in excess of 5%. 11 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the undersigned member of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Employee Benefits Committee has duly caused this annual report to be signed as of the date set forth below. UWSI/BCBSUW 401(k) PLAN June 29, 1998 By: /s/ Gail L. Hanson --------------------------------------------- Gail L. Hanson, a member of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin Employee Benefits Committee