Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles Of Consolidation

A) Principles of Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships controlled by us or our subsidiaries as the managing general partner. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Revenue Recognition

B) Revenue Recognition: We record revenues and related receivables for health care services at the time the services are provided. Medicare and Medicaid revenues represented 37% of our net patient revenues during 2011 and 38% of our net patient revenues during each of 2010 and 2009. Revenues from managed care entities, including health maintenance organizations and managed Medicare and Medicaid programs accounted for 43% of our net patient revenues during 2011 and 46% during each of 2010 and 2009.

We report net patient service revenue at the estimated net realizable amounts from patients and third-party payors and others for services rendered. We have agreements with third-party payors that provide for payments to us at amounts different from our established rates. Payment arrangements include prospectively determined rates per discharge, reimbursed costs, discounted charges and per diem payments. Estimates of contractual allowances under managed care plans are based upon the payment terms specified in the related contractual agreements. We closely monitor our historical collection rates, as well as changes in applicable laws, rules and regulations and contract terms, to assure that provisions are made using the most accurate information available. However, due to the complexities involved in these estimations, actual payments from payors may be different from the amounts we estimate and record.

We estimate our Medicare and Medicaid revenues using the latest available financial information, patient utilization data, government provided data and in accordance with applicable Medicare and Medicaid payment rules and regulations. The laws and regulations governing the Medicare and Medicaid programs are extremely complex and subject to interpretation and as a result, there is at least a reasonable possibility that recorded estimates will change by material amounts in the near term. Certain types of payments by the Medicare program and state Medicaid programs (e.g. Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital, Medicare Allowable Bad Debts and Inpatient Psychiatric Services) are subject to retroactive adjustment in future periods as a result of administrative review and audit and our estimates may vary from the final settlements. Such amounts are included in accounts receivable, net, on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The funding of both federal Medicare and state Medicaid programs are subject to legislative and regulatory changes. As such, we can not provide any assurance that future legislation and regulations, if enacted, will not have a material impact on our future Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Adjustments related to the final settlement of these retrospectively determined amounts did not materially impact our results in 2011, 2010 or 2009.

We provide care to patients who meet certain financial or economic criteria without charge or at amounts substantially less than our established rates. Because we do not pursue collection of amounts determined to qualify as charity care, they are not reported in net revenues or in accounts receivable, net. Our acute care hospitals provided charity care and uninsured discounts, based on charges at established rates, amounting to $956 million, $807 million and $671 million during 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Provision For Doubtful Accounts

C) Provision for Doubtful Accounts: Collection of receivables from third-party payers and patients is our primary source of cash and is critical to our operating performance. Our primary collection risks relate to uninsured patients and the portion of the bill which is the patient's responsibility, primarily co-payments and deductibles. We estimate our provisions for doubtful accounts based on general factors such as payer mix, the agings of the receivables and historical collection experience. We routinely review accounts receivable balances in conjunction with these factors and other economic conditions which might ultimately affect the collectability of the patient accounts and make adjustments to our allowances as warranted. At our acute care hospitals, third party liability accounts are pursued until all payment and adjustments are posted to the patient account. For those accounts with a patient balance after third party liability is finalized or accounts for uninsured patients, the patient receives statements and collection letters. Patients that express an inability to pay are reviewed for potential sources of financial assistance including our charity care policy. If the patient is deemed unwilling to pay, the account is written-off as bad debt and transferred to an outside collection agency for additional collection effort.

Uninsured patients that do not qualify as charity patients are extended an uninsured discount of at least 20% of total charges. During the collection process the hospital establishes a partial reserve in the allowance for doubtful accounts for self-pay balances outstanding for greater than 60 days from the date of discharge. All self-pay accounts at the hospital level are fully reserved if they have been outstanding for greater than 90 days from the date of discharge. Third party liability accounts are fully reserved in the allowance for doubtful accounts when the balance ages past 180 days from the date of discharge. Potential charity accounts are fully reserved when it is determined the patient may be unable to pay.

As of December 31, 2011, our accounts receivable includes $54 million due from Illinois, the collection of which has been delayed due to budgetary and funding pressures experienced by the state. Although approximately $41 million of the receivables due from Illinois have been outstanding in excess of 60 days (as of December 31, 2011), and a large portion will likely remain outstanding for the foreseeable future, we expect to eventually collect all amounts due to us and therefore no related reserves have been established in our consolidated financial statements. However, we can provide no assurance that we will eventually collect all amounts due to us from Illinois. Failure to ultimately collect all outstanding amounts due from Illinois would have an adverse impact on our future consolidated results of operations and cash flows.

On a consolidated basis, we monitor our total self-pay receivables to ensure that the total allowance for doubtful accounts provides adequate coverage based on historical collection experience. Our accounts receivable are recorded net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $253 million and $249 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Concentration Of Revenues

D) Concentration of Revenues: Our five majority owned acute care hospitals in the Las Vegas, Nevada market contributed, on a combined basis, 16% in 2011, 21% in 2010 and 22% in 2009, of our consolidated net revenues. On a combined basis, our facilities in the McAllen/Edinburg, Texas market (consisting of three acute care facilities, a children's hospital and a behavioral health facility) contributed 5% in 2011, 6% in 2010 and 7% in 2009, of our consolidated net revenues.

Cash And Cash Equivalents

E) Cash and Cash Equivalents: We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Property And Equipment

F) Property and Equipment: Property and equipment are stated at cost. Expenditures for renewals and improvements are charged to the property accounts. Replacements, maintenance and repairs which do not improve or extend the life of the respective asset are expensed as incurred. We remove the cost and the related accumulated depreciation from the accounts for assets sold or retired and the resulting gains or losses are included in the results of operations. Construction-in-progress includes both construction projects and equipment not yet placed into service.

We capitalize interest expense on major construction projects while in progress. We capitalized interest on major construction projects amounting to $400,000 during 2011, $7.6 million during 2010 and $11.6 million during 2009.

Depreciation is provided on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of buildings and improvements (twenty to forty years) and equipment (three to fifteen years). Depreciation expense (excluding discontinued operations) was $268.5 million during 2011, $202.8 million during 2010 and $184.6 million during 2009.

Long-Lived Assets

G) Long-Lived Assets: We review our long-lived assets, including amortizable intangible assets, for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on our ability to recover the carrying value of our asset based on our estimate of its undiscounted future cash flow. If the analysis indicates that the carrying value is not recoverable from future cash flows, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value and an impairment loss is recognized. Fair values are determined based on estimated future cash flows using appropriate discount rates.

Goodwill

H) Goodwill: Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis or sooner if the indicators of impairment arise. Our judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on market conditions and operational performance of each reporting unit. We have designated September 1^st as our annual impairment assessment date and performed an impairment assessment as of September 1, 2011 which indicated no impairment of goodwill. There were also no goodwill impairments during 2010 or 2009. Future changes in the estimates used to conduct the impairment review, including profitability and market value projections, could indicate impairment in future periods potentially resulting in a write-off of a portion or all of our goodwill.

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the two years ended December 31, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	Acute Care Services			Behavioral Health Services			Total Consolidated
Balance, January 1, 2010	$	389,845		$	342,840		$	732,685
Goodwill acquired during the period		510			1,895,276			1,895,786
Goodwill divested during the period		(871	)		—			(871	)
Adjustments to goodwill (a)		—			(37,686	)		(37,686	)
Balance, January 1, 2011		389,484			2,200,430			2,589,914
Adjustments to goodwill (b)		—			37,688			37,688
Balance, December 31, 2011	$	389,484		$	2,238,118		$	2,627,602

(a) The reduction to the Behavioral Health Services' goodwill consists primarily of a reclassification to "assets of facilities held for sale" and represents the goodwill attributable to a legacy facility which we agreed to divest pursuant to our agreement with the Federal Trade Commission.

(b) Consists of adjustments to prior year purchase price allocations

Other Assets

I) Other Assets: Other assets consist primarily of amounts related to: (i) intangible assets acquired in connection with our acquisition of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. ("PSI") in November, 2010 consisting of Medicare licenses, certificates of need and contracts to manage the operations of behavioral health services owned by third-parties; (ii) prepaid fees for various software and other applications used by our hospitals; (iii) costs incurred in connection with the purchase and implementation of an electronic health records application for each of our acute care facilities; (iv) deposits; (v) investments in various businesses, including Universal Health Realty Income Trust; (vi) the invested assets related to a deferred compensation plan that is held by an independent trustee in a rabbi-trust and that has a related payable included in other noncurrent liabilities; (vii) the estimated future payments related to physician-related contractual commitments, as discussed below, and; (viii) other miscellaneous assets. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization, were approximately $97 million and $100 million, respectively.

Physician Guarantees And Commitments

J) Physician Guarantees and Commitments: As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, our accrued liabilities-other, and our other assets included $7 million and $8 million, respectively, of estimated future payments related to physician-related contractual commitments. Pursuant to contractual guarantees outstanding as of December 31, 2011 that are applicable to future years, we have $6 million of potential future financial obligations of which $4 million are potential obligations during 2012 and $2 million are potential obligations during 2013 and later.

Self-Insured Risks

K) Self-Insured Risks: We provide for self-insured risks, primarily general and professional liability claims and workers' compensation claims. Our estimated liability for self-insured professional and general liability claims is based on a number of factors including, among other things, the number of asserted claims and reported incidents, estimates of losses for these claims based on recent and historical settlement amounts, estimate of incurred but not reported claims based on historical experience, and estimates of amounts recoverable under our commercial insurance policies. All relevant information, including our own historical experience is used in estimating the expected amount of claims. While we continuously monitor these factors, our ultimate liability for professional and general liability claims could change materially from our current estimates due to inherent uncertainties involved in making this estimate. Our estimated self-insured reserves are reviewed and changed, if necessary, at each reporting date and changes are recognized currently as additional expense or as a reduction of expense. See Note 8 for discussion of revisions to prior year general and professional liability reserves and self-insurance liability assumed in connection with our acquisition of PSI in November, 2010. Based on the results of workers' compensation reserves analyses, we recorded reductions of prior year reserves of $4 million during 2010 and $7 million during 2009. Adjustments to prior year workers' compensation reserves did not have a material impact on our 2011 consolidated financial statements or results of operations.

Income Taxes

L) Income Taxes: Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the amount of taxes payable or deductible in future years as a result of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements. We believe that future income will enable us to realize our deferred tax assets net of recorded valuation allowances relating to state net operating loss carry-forwards.

We operate in multiple jurisdictions with varying tax laws. We are subject to audits by any of these taxing authorities. Our tax returns have been examined by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") through the year ended December 31, 2006. We believe that adequate accruals have been provided for federal, foreign and state taxes.

See Note 6 for additional disclosure regarding income taxes.

Other Noncurrent Liabilities

M) Other Noncurrent Liabilities: Other noncurrent liabilities include the long-term portion of our professional and general liability, workers' compensation reserves, pension and deferred compensation liabilities, liability incurred in connection with split-dollar life insurance agreements on the lives of our chief executive officer and his wife and interest rate swap liabilities.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Noncontrolling Interest Policy

N) Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests and Noncontrolling Interest: Outside owners hold noncontrolling, minority ownership interests of: (i) approximately 28% in our five acute care facilities located in Las Vegas, Nevada; (ii) 20% in an acute care facility located in Washington, D.C.; (iii) approximately 11% in an acute care facility located in Laredo, Texas, and; (iv) 20% in a behavioral health care facility located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the majority ownership interest of which was acquired by us as result of our acquisition of PSI in November, 2010. The redeemable noncontrolling interests balances of $218 million and $212 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and the noncontrolling interests balances of $51 million and $45 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, consist primarily of the third-party ownership interests in these hospitals.

In connection with the five acute care facilities located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the minority ownership interests of which are reflected as redeemable noncontrolling interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, the outside owners have certain "put rights", that are currently exercisable, that if exercised, require us to purchase the minority member's interests at fair market value. The put rights are exercisable upon the occurrence of: (i) certain specified financial conditions falling below established thresholds; (ii) breach of the management contract by the managing member (a subsidiary of ours), or; (iii) if the minority member's ownership percentage is reduced to less than certain thresholds. In connection with the behavioral health care facility located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the minority ownership interest of which is also reflected as redeemable noncontrolling interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, the outside owner has a "put option" to put its entire ownership interest to us at any time. If exercised, the put option requires us to purchase the minority member's interest at fair market value. As of December 31, 2011, we believe the fair market value of the minority ownership interests in these facilities approximates the book value of the redeemable noncontrolling interests.

Comprehensive Income

O) Comprehensive Income and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income: Comprehensive income or loss is comprised of net income, changes in unrealized gains or losses on derivative financial instruments and a pension liability.

The accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") component of stockholders' equity includes: net unrealized gains and losses on effective cash flow hedges; and the net minimum pension liability of a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan which covers employees at one of our subsidiaries. See Note 10, "Pension Plan" for additional disclosure regarding the defined benefit pension plan.

The amounts recognized in AOCI for the two years ended December 31, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	Net Unrealized Gains  (Losses) on Effective Cash Flow Hedges			Minimum Pension Liability			Total AOCI
Balance, January 1, 2010, net of income tax	$	(5,782	)	$	(15,471	)	$	(21,253	)
2010 activity:
Pre tax amount		1,060			743			1,803
Income tax effect		(408	)		(281	)		(689	)
Change, net of income tax		652			462			1,114
Balance, December 31, 2010, net of income tax		(5,130	)		(15,009	)		(20,139	)
2011 activity:
Pre tax amount		(37,813	)		(12,397	)		(50,210	)
Income tax effect		14,483			4,691			19,174
Change, net of income tax		(23,330	)		(7,706	)		(31,036	)
Balance, December 31, 2011, net of income tax	$	(28,460	)	$	(22,715	)	$	(51,175	)

Accounting For Derivative Financial Investments And Hedging Activities

P) Accounting for Derivative Financial Investments and Hedging Activities: We manage our ratio of fixed to floating rate debt with the objective of achieving a mix that management believes is appropriate. To manage this risk in a cost-effective manner, we, from time to time, enter into interest rate swap agreements in which we agree to exchange various combinations of fixed and/or variable interest rates based on agreed upon notional amounts.

We account for our derivative and hedging activities using the Financial Accounting Standard Board's ("FASB") guidance which requires all derivative instruments, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts, to be carried at fair value on the balance sheet. For derivative transactions designated as hedges, we formally document all relationships between the hedging instrument and the related hedged item, as well as its risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking each hedge transaction.

Derivative instruments designated in a hedge relationship to mitigate exposure to variability in expected future cash flows, or other types of forecasted transactions, are considered cash flow hedges. Cash flow hedges are accounted for by recording the fair value of the derivative instrument on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability, with a corresponding amount recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") within stockholders' equity. Amounts are reclassified from AOCI to the income statement in the period or periods the hedged transaction affects earnings.

We use interest rate derivatives in our cash flow hedge transactions. Such derivatives are designed to be highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows related to the hedged liability. For derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges, the ineffective portion of the change in expected cash flows of the hedged item are recognized currently in the income statement.

Derivative instruments designated in a hedge relationship to mitigate exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset, liability, or firm commitment attributable to a particular risk, such as interest rate risk, are considered fair value hedges. Fair value hedges are accounted for by recording the changes in the fair value of both the derivative instrument and the hedged item in the income statement.

For hedge transactions that do not qualify for the short-cut method, at the hedge's inception and on a regular basis thereafter, a formal assessment is performed to determine whether changes in the fair values or cash flows of the derivative instruments have been highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged items and whether they are expected to be highly effective in the future.

Stock-Based Compensation

Q) Stock-Based Compensation: At December 31, 2011, we have a number of stock-based employee compensation plans. Pursuant to the FASB's guidance, we expense the grant-date fair value of stock options and other equity-based compensation pursuant to the straight-line method over the stated vesting period of the award using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

The expense associated with share-based compensation arrangements is a non-cash charge. In the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, share-based compensation expense is an adjustment to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities. The applicable FASB guidance requires that cash flows resulting from tax deductions in excess of compensation cost recognized be classified as financing cash flows. During 2011, 2010 and 2009, there were no net excess tax benefits generated.

Earnings Per Share

R) Earnings per Share: Basic earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year adjusted to give effect to common stock equivalents.

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share, for the periods indicated:

	Twelve Months Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Basic and diluted:
Net Income	$	448,870		$	275,795		$	304,247
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		(50,703	)		(45,612	)		(43,874	)
Less: Net income attributable to unvested restricted share grants		(521	)		(918	)		(1,146	)
Net income attributable to UHS—basic and diluted	$	397,646		$	229,265		$	259,227
Basic earnings per share attributable to UHS:
Weighted average number of common shares—basic		97,199			96,786			97,794
Total basic earnings per share	$	4.09		$	2.37		$	2.65
Diluted earnings per share attributable to UHS:
Weighted average number of common shares		97,199			96,786			97,794
Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the treasury stock method		1,338			1,187			481
Weighted average number of common shares and equivalents—diluted		98,537			97,973			98,275
Total diluted earnings per share	$	4.04		$	2.34		$	2.64

The "Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the treasury stock method", for all years presented above, excludes certain outstanding stock options applicable to each year since the effect would have been anti-dilutive. The excluded weighted-average stock options totaled 1.4 million during 2011, 1,000 during 2010 and 3.6 million during 2009.

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

 S) Fair Value of Financial Instruments: The fair values of our registered debt and investments are based on quoted market prices. The fair values of other long-term debt, including capital lease obligations, are estimated by discounting cash flows using period-end interest rates and market conditions for instruments with similar maturities and credit quality. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and short-term borrowings approximates their fair values due to the short-term nature of these instruments. Accordingly, these items have been excluded from the fair value disclosures included elsewhere in these notes to consolidated financial statements.

Use Of Estimates

T) Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Mergers And Acquisitions

U) Mergers and Acquisitions: The acquisition method of accounting for business combinations requires that the assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recorded at the date of acquisition at their respective fair values with limited exceptions. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Any excess of the purchase price (consideration transferred) over the estimated fair values of net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Transaction costs and costs to restructure the acquired company are expensed as incurred. The fair value of intangible assets, including Medicare Licenses, Certificates of Need, and certain contracts, is based on significant judgments made by our management, and accordingly, for significant items we typically obtain assistance from third party valuation specialists.