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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2

                                  HUMANA INC.

                            % Senior Notes Due 2006

REGISTERED
                                                                PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
No. []                                                          $300,000,000
                                                                CUSIP No.


THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER
REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN CERTIFICATED
FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY TRUST
COMPANY (THE "DEPOSITARY") TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY
OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITARY TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,
EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO.
OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS
REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER,
PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS
WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.

          HUMANA INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Issuer" or the "Company,"
which terms include any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or
registered assigns, the principal sum of THREE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS on ,
2006, and to pay interest thereon (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of
twelve 30-day months), semi-annually in arrears on  and  (the "Interest Payment
Dates") of each year, commencing on , 2002, at the rate per annum specified in
the title of this Note from August , 2001 or the most recent Interest Payment
Date to which interest had been paid or duly provided for.

          The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on
any Interest Payment Date will as provided in the Indenture be paid to the
Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on the  and  (the "Record Date") immediately
preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Payment of the principal of (and premium,
if any) and interest on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the
Company maintained by the Company for such purpose, in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, which initially will be in the corporate trust office of
The Bank of New York, the Trustee for this Note under the Indenture, located at
101 Barclay Street, New York, New York


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10286, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time
of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

          Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
or on behalf of The Bank of New York, the Trustee for this Note under the
Indenture, or its successor thereunder, by the manual signature of one of its
authorized officers, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the
Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.



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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed, manually or in facsimile, and an imprint or facsimile of its corporate
seal to be imprinted hereon.


Dated: August _____, 2001


                                    HUMANA INC.

                                    By:
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                       Title:

[FACSIMILE OF SEAL]

                                    Attest:

                                    By:
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                       Title:

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein described in the
within-mentioned Indenture.

THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
  as Trustee


By:
   ------------------------------
   Authorized Signatory



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                               (Reverse of Note)

                                  HUMANA INC.

          This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the
Company designated as its % Senior Notes Due 2006 (the "Notes").  The Notes are
one of an indefinite number of series of debt securities of the Company (the
"Securities"), issued or issuable under and pursuant to an indenture (the
"Indenture") dated as of August , 2001, between the Company and The Bank of New
York (herein called the "Trustee," which term includes any successor Trustee
under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto
reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes and the terms upon which
the Notes are to be authenticated and delivered.  The terms, conditions and
provisions of the Notes are those stated in the Indenture, those made part of
the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and
those set forth in this Note.  This Note is one of a series designated on the
face hereof initially issued in an aggregate principal amount of $300,000,000.
The Company may, from time to time, without the consent of the Holders, issue
and sell additional Securities ranking equally with the Notes and otherwise
identical in all respects (except for their date of issue, issue price and the
date from which interest payments thereon shall accrue) so that such additional
Securities shall be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes.

          The terms of other series of Securities issued under the Indenture may
vary with respect to interest rates or interest rate formulas, issue dates,
maturity, redemption, repayment, currency of payment and otherwise as provided
in the Indenture.  The Indenture further provides that Securities of a single
series may be issued at various times, with different maturity dates and may
bear interest at different rates.  All terms used in this Note which are defined
in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

          This Note is not subject to any sinking fund.

          If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in
Section 501 (5) or 501(6) of the Indenture, with respect to the Company) with
respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, then either the Trustee or
the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of
this series then Outstanding may declare the aggregate principal amount of the
Notes of this series due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided
in the Indenture.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or 501(6)
occurs with respect to the Company, all of the unpaid principal amount and
accrued interest thereon shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and
payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture without any
declaration or other act by the Trustee or any Holder.

          This Note may be redeemed at any time in whole, or from time to time
in part, at the option of the Company (such date of redemption, the "Optional
Redemption Date") at the Redemption Price (as defined below) together with
interest accrued thereon to the Optional Redemption Date.

          The "Redemption Price" shall equal to the greater of:

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      .  100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

      .  the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments on
         the Notes to be redeemed consisting of principal and interest,
         exclusive of interest accrued to the Optional Redemption Date,
         discounted to the Optional Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis
         (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the
         applicable Treasury Yield plus 25 basis points plus accrued interest to
         the date of redemption.

          The Notes called for redemption become due on the Optional Redemption
Date. Notices of redemption will be mailed by first-class mail at least 30 but
not more than 60 days before the Optional Redemption Date to each Holder of
Notes to be redeemed at its registered address.  The notice of redemption for
the Notes will state the amount to be redeemed. On and after the Optional
Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on any Notes that are redeemed.
If less than all the Notes are redeemed at any time, the Trustee will select
Notes on a pro rata basis or by any other method the Trustee deems fair and
appropriate.

          For purposes of determining the Redemption Price, the following
definitions are applicable:

          "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury
security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity
comparable to the remaining term of the Notes that would be utilized, at the
time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in
pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the
remaining terms of the Notes.

          "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any Optional
Redemption Date:

          the average of the bid and the asked prices for the Comparable
          Treasury Issue, expressed as a percentage of its principal amount, at
          4:00 p.m. on the third business day preceding that Optional Redemption
          Date, as set forth on "Telerate Page 500," or such other page as may
          replace Telerate Page 500; or

          if Telerate Page 500, or any successor page, is not displayed or does
          not contain bid and/or asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
          at that time, the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations
          obtained by the Trustee for that Optional Redemption Date, after
          excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer
          Quotations, or, if the Trustee is unable to obtain at least four such
          Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference
          Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained by the Trustee.

          "Independent Investment Banker" means either J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc. or Lehman Brothers Inc., as selected by us or, if both such firms are
unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an
independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the
Trustee and reasonably acceptable to the Company.



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          "Reference Treasury Dealer" means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and
Lehman Brothers Inc. and their respective successors and three other primary
U.S. government securities dealers in New York City selected by the Independent
Investment Banker (each, a "Primary Treasury Dealer"); provided, however, that
if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company
shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

          "Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each
Reference Treasury Dealer and any Optional Redemption Date for the Notes, an
average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the
Comparable Treasury Issue for the Notes, expressed in each case as a percentage
of its principal amount, quoted in writing to the Trustee by the Reference
Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day
preceding the Optional Redemption Date.

          "Treasury Yield" means, with respect to any Optional Redemption
Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity,
computed as of the third business day immediately preceding the Optional
Redemption Date, of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the
Comparable Treasury Issue, expressed as a percentage of its principal amount,
equal to the applicable Comparable Treasury Price for the Optional Redemption
Date.

          The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of more than 50% in
principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series issued
under the Indenture to be affected thereby, to execute supplemental indentures
for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of modifying in any manner
the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series; provided, however,
that no such supplemental indenture shall, among other things, (i) change the
Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or
interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or interest
thereon, if any, or any premium payable upon redemption thereof; or (ii) change
the Place of Payment on any Security or the currency or currency unit in which
any Security or the principal or interest thereon is payable; (iii) impair the
right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the
Stated Maturity thereof; (iv) reduce or alter the method of computation of any
amount payable upon redemption, repayment or purchase of any Securities by the
Company (or the time when such redemption, repayment or purchase may be made);
or (v) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Securities, the Holders
of which are required to consent to any supplemental indenture, without the
consent of the Holder of each Security affected thereby.  The Indenture also
contains provisions permitting the Holders of more than 50% in principal amount
of the Securities of each series at the time outstanding, on behalf of the
Holders of all the Securities of that series, to waive compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences with respect to such series, except a default
in the payment of principal of or interest, if any, on any Security of that
series or a default with respect to a covenant or provision of the Indenture
which cannot be amended without the consent of such Holder.

          The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.  The Notes shall be
initially issued in the form of a Global Security.  As provided in the Indenture
and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,



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the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same. If (x) the Depositary is at any
time unwilling or unable to continue as depository and a successor depository is
not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such
notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, (y) the Company delivers to the
Trustee a Company Order to the effect that this Note shall be exchangeable or
(z) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the
Notes, this Note shall be exchangeable for Notes in definitive form and in an
equal aggregate principal amount. Such definitive Notes shall be registered in
such name or names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee.

          As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set
forth therein and above, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the
Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for registration
of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument
of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly executed by, the Holder
hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more
new Notes of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal
amount will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

          No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on this Note at the time, place and rate, and in the coin or currency,
herein and in the Indenture prescribed.

          No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

          Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat
the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

          Certain of the Company's obligations under the Indenture with respect
to Notes, may be terminated if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee
money or Government Obligations sufficient to pay and discharge the entire
indebtedness on all Notes, as provided in the Indenture.

          No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of (and
premium, if any), or the interest, if any, on this Note, or for any claim based
thereon, or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the
Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such,
past, present of future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, whether
by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of
any assessment of penalty or otherwise; and all such personal liability is
expressly released and waived as a condition of, and as part of the
consideration for, the issuance of this Note.




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          The Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.




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                            ASSIGNMENT/TRANSFER FORM


          FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered Holder hereby sell(s),
assign(s) and transfer(s) unto (insert Taxpayer Identification No.)
                                                                   ------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of
assignee)
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the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing                                          attorney to transfer said
           ----------------------------------------
Note on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the
premises.


          Date:
                --------------------
                                               NOTICE: The signature of the
----------------------------------------------
registered Holder to this assignment must correspond with the name as written
upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.



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