Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
BAYER TERRY
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC [MOH]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Operating Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2277 FAIR OAKS BOULEVARD, SUITE 440
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/02/2006
(Street)

SACRAMENTO, CA 95825
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               12,249 (1) D  
Common Stock 02/02/2006   A(2)   5,000 A $ 28.66 17,249 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 44.29             07/01/2006(3) 07/01/2015 Common Stock 21,000   21,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 28.66 02/02/2006   A   21,000   02/02/2007(4) 02/02/2016 Common Stock 21,000 $ 0 21,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
BAYER TERRY
2277 FAIR OAKS BOULEVARD
SUITE 440
SACRAMENTO, CA 95825
      Chief Operating Officer  

Signatures

 Terry Bayer, by Jeff D. Barlow, Attorney-in-Fact.   02/06/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) 4,249 of the 12,249 shares are vested. The remaining 8,000 shares represent a grant of restricted stock under the Molina Healthcare, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, with one-half of the 8,000 shares to vest on each of 9/27/2006 and 9/27/2007.
(2) Grant of restricted stock under the Molina Healthcare, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan. The shares vest immediately, but are subject to a restriction on transfer for 18 months from the date of grant (until August 2, 2007).
(3) Grant of options under the Molina Healthcare, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, with one-third of the options to vest on each of 7/1/2006, 7/1/2007, and 7/1/2008.
(4) Grant of options under the Molina Healthcare, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, with one-third of the options to vest on each of 2/2/2007, 2/2/2008, and 2/2/2009.

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