. The Federal Employee Program, or FEP, provides health insurance coverage to United States government employees and their dependents. Our FEP members work in Anthem markets and are covered by this program.
Certain corporate expenses are not allocated to our business segments. These unallocated expenses accounted for $33.0 million in 2001 and $39.9 million in 2000, and primarily included such items as unallocated incentive compensation associated with better than expected performance. Excluding unallocated corporate expenses, operating gain was $9.2 million in 2001 versus $5.0 million in 2000.
Benefit expense increased $1,968.3 million, or 43%, in 2000, primarily due to acquisitions. Excluding our acquisitions, benefit expense increased $729.9 million, or 16%, due to increasing cost of care and the effect of higher average membership throughout the year. Cost of care trends were driven primarily by higher utilization of outpatient services and higher prescription drug costs. Our benefit expense ratio increased 10 basis points from 84.6% in 1999 to 84.7% in 2000 due to our acquisition of BCBS-ME in 2000, which had a higher benefit expense ratio than our other operations. Excluding acquisitions, our benefit expense ratio remained constant at 84.6% in 2000 and 1999.
Income before taxes and minority interest increased $269.0 million as a result of improvement in our operating results in all business segments, partially offset by the non-recurring endowment of non-profit foundations during 1999.
Operating revenue increased $485.0 million, or 12%, in 2000 primarily due to premium rate increases in group (both Local Large Group and Small Group) and Medicare + Choice businesses, and the effect of higher average membership throughout the year. Medicare + Choice premium rates increased due to both the aging of our insured Medicare + Choice population in 2000 and a 3% rate increase from CMS at the beginning of 2000. We receive higher premiums from CMS as our Medicare + Choice population ages. Medicare + Choice membership increased 28% due to reduced competition in the Ohio marketplace as a result of competitors discontinuing their participation in the Medicare + Choice product.
Our East segment is comprised of health benefit and related business for members in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine. The following table presents our East segment's summarized results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2000 and 1999. BCBS-NH is included from its October 27, 1999, acquisition date and BCBS-ME is included from its acquisition date of June 5, 2000.
Operating results in our West segment improved in 2000, primarily due to reduced administrative expense as a result of integration savings and cost reduction programs as well as higher membership. These cost reduction programs included reduced staffing levels and improved productivity in customer service and claims operations.
On November 2, 2001, Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., or Anthem Insurance, converted from a mutual insurance company to a stock insurance company in a process called demutualization. On the date of the demutualization, all membership interests in Anthem Insurance were extinguished and the eligible statutory members of Anthem Insurance were entitled to receive consideration in the form of Anthem Inc.'s, or Anthem's, common stock or cash, as provided in the demutualization.
Additional future liquidity needs may include acquisitions, operating expenses, common stock repurchases and capital contributions to our subsidiaries and will include interest and contract fee payments on our Units. We anticipate that we will purchase BCBS-KS with cash flow from current operations, pending the outcome of the appeal of the Kansas Insurance Commissioner's decision (see Note 21 to our audited consolidated financial statements). We plan to utilize all or any combination of the following to fund our liquidity needs: cash flow from operations, our investment portfolio, new borrowings under our credit facilities, and future equity and debt offerings. Our source of liquidity would be determined at the time of need, based on market conditions at that time. For additional information on our future debt and lease commitments, see Notes 6 and 15 to our audited consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates: Preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Proceeds from sales of fixed maturity and equity securities during 2001, 2000 and 1999 were $3,488.8, $2,911.8 and $2,336.8, respectively. Gross gains of $164.3, $71.3 and $86.8 and gross losses of $103.5, $45.4 and $49.3 were realized in 2001, 2000 and 1999, respectively, on those sales.
Amounts incurred related to prior years vary from previously estimated liabilities as the claims are ultimately settled. Negative amounts reported for incurred related to prior years resulted from claims being settled for amounts less than originally estimated.
The pro forma information regarding net income and earnings per share as required by FAS 123 has been determined as if the Company had accounted for its stock-based compensation under the fair value method of the Statement. The fair value for the stock options was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-valuation model with the following weighted average assumptions for 2001:
The Black-Scholes option-valuation model was developed for use in estimating the fair value of traded options which have no vesting restrictions and are fully transferable. In addition, option valuation models require the input of highly subjective assumptions including the expected stock price volatility. Because the Company's stock option grants have characteristics significantly different from those of traded options, and because changes in the subjective input assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate, in management's opinion, the existing models do not necessarily provide a reliable single measure of the fair value of its stock option grants.