Today we reported adjusted earnings per share of $6.89 for the second quarter of 2021, in line with our previous expectations.
Well, we are maintaining our full year 2021 adjusted earnings per share guidance of approximately $21.25 to $21.75 at the midpoint, representing full year adjusted earnings per share growth of 16% above the 2020 baseline of $18.50 in excess of our long-term growth target, while acknowledging the continued uncertainty driven by COVID-19 hospitalization trends and the rate at which non-COVID cost normalized.
As Susan will describe in more detail, our full year adjusted earnings per share guidance now assumes a $600 million COVID-19-related headwinds that is expected to be largely offset by favorable operating items.
In addition, this guidance assumes no COVID costs will run -- non-COVID costs will run approximately 2.5% below baseline in the back half of the year, including an assumption of minimum COVID testing and treatment costs for the remaining of the year.
The healthcare system has been open for several months, and we have seen vaccination rates in the seniors reach approximately 80% nationally.
Finally, as announced last quarter, we've entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining 60% interest in Kindred at Home, and we expect the transaction to close mid-August, which we've included in our revised estimates for the year.
We are currently seeing 87% of our provider partners and value-based arrangements and surplus.
On the public policy front, as policymakers explore changes to Medicare, including adding dental, vision and hearing as part of the Medicare benefit, we stand ready to both innovate for the more than 12 million of our members who already have these benefits, including 7 million dental and vision policies in our MA group as well as offer ideas of public private collaboration to leverage our deep capabilities in Medicare and specialty markets so that beneficiaries could quickly see benefits go from a proposed law to a tangible benefit.
Before turning the call over to our new Chief Financial Officer, Susan Diamond, I'd like to take a moment to speak about Susan's experience at Humana over the last 15 years.
Today we reported adjusted earnings per share of $6.89 for the second quarter, in line with our previous expectations.
Our Medicare Advantage growth remains on track and consistent with our previous expectations with individual MA growing solidly above the market at an expected 11.4% at the midpoint.
The home business, CenterWell Senior Primary Care and Conviva are performing slightly ahead of expectations, and we remain on track to open 20 new clinics this year with Welsh Carson.
I would remind you, our adjusted earnings per share guidance represents growth at or above the top end of our long-term target of 11% to 15%.
And accordingly, today we are maintaining our full year adjusted earnings per share guidance of $21.25 to $21.75, while acknowledging the continued uncertainty as it respects to COVID hospitalization trends as well as the pace at which non-COVID costs bounce back and at what level they ultimately normalize.
As Bruce indicated, given our experience to date, together with our current estimates for the back half of 2021, we have effectively recognized a $600 million COVID-related headwind for Medicare Advantage in our full year guide, offset by favorable operating items.
Our April guide recognized we had $300 million of additional pressure from MRA relative to our initial expectations for the full year, which was offset by the net benefit of the extension of sequester relief.
At the beginning of the year, we indicated that we expected non-COVID costs for our Medicare business to run 3.6% to 5.5% below baseline.
In the first and second quarters, non-COVID costs run approximately 7% and 3% below baseline respectively with the bounce back outpacing expectations in the second quarter.
As the healthcare system has been open for several months and a high rate of the senior population has been vaccinated, our current guidance now assumes that non-COVID costs level off and run approximately 2.5% below baseline levels in the back half of the year.
I also want to reiterate that the $21.50 midpoint of our original guide continues to be the right jumping off point for 2022 adjusted earnings per share growth.
During the first half of 2021, provider interactions and documentation of clinical diagnoses that will impact 2022 revenue outpace those experienced in the first half of 2020 and are approximately 80% complete in line with the estimated completion rate for the same time period in 2019.

Summary:
Well, we are maintaining our full year 2021 adjusted earnings per share guidance of approximately $21.25 to $21.75 at the midpoint, representing full year adjusted earnings per share growth of 16% above the 2020 baseline of $18.50 in excess of our long-term growth target, while acknowledging the continued uncertainty driven by COVID-19 hospitalization trends and the rate at which non-COVID cost normalized.
As Susan will describe in more detail, our full year adjusted earnings per share guidance now assumes a $600 million COVID-19-related headwinds that is expected to be largely offset by favorable operating items.
Today we reported adjusted earnings per share of $6.89 for the second quarter, in line with our previous expectations.
And accordingly, today we are maintaining our full year adjusted earnings per share guidance of $21.25 to $21.75, while acknowledging the continued uncertainty as it respects to COVID hospitalization trends as well as the pace at which non-COVID costs bounce back and at what level they ultimately normalize.
As Bruce indicated, given our experience to date, together with our current estimates for the back half of 2021, we have effectively recognized a $600 million COVID-related headwind for Medicare Advantage in our full year guide, offset by favorable operating items.