Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

5. INCOME TAXES

The total amount of unrecognized benefit that would affect the effective tax rate, if recognized, was $32 million at September 30, 2023. A total of $2 million of interest and penalties is included in the amount of the liability for uncertain tax positions at September 30, 2023. It is the Company’s policy to recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized benefits in its condensed consolidated statements of loss as income tax expense.

It is possible the amount of unrecognized tax benefit could change in the next 12 months as a result of a lapse of the statute of limitations and settlements with taxing authorities; however, the Company does not anticipate the change will have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated results of operations or financial position.

The Company’s income tax return for the 2014, 2015 and 2018 tax years remain under examination by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company believes the result of this examination will not be material to its consolidated results of operations or consolidated financial position. The Company has extended the federal statute of limitations through June 30, 2024 for Community Health Systems, Inc. for the tax period ended December 31, 2018.

The Company’s provision for income taxes was $19 million and $70 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $84 million and $291 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rates were (57.6)% and 100.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and 600.0% and 1,212.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decrease in the provision for income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022 was primarily due to a decrease in non-deductible interest for 2023 compared to 2022. The difference in the Company’s effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022 is due to the decrease in the provision for income taxes and the decrease in (loss) income before taxes.

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received, resulted in a net payment of $24 million and approximately less than $1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $61 million and $6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.