General	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	(1) General This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2022. In this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our” “UHS” and the “Company” refer to Universal Health Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of our majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships and limited liability companies controlled by us, or our subsidiaries, as managing general partner or managing member. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by us, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which, in our opinion, are necessary to fairly state results for the interim periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although we believe that the accompanying disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, significant accounting policies and the notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during the second half of March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results since that time. The length and extent of the disruptions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic are currently unknown. We believe that the adverse impact that COVID-19 will have on our future operations and financial results will depend upon many factors, most of which are beyond our capability to control or predict. Our future operations and financial results may be materially impacted by developments related to COVID-19 including, but not limited to, the potential impact on future COVID-19 patient volumes resulting from new variants of the virus, the length of time and severity of the spread of the pandemic; the volume of cancelled or rescheduled elective procedures and the volume of COVID-19 patients treated at our hospitals and other healthcare facilities; measures we are taking to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of government and administrative regulation and stimulus on the hospital industry and potential retrospective adjustment in future periods of CARES Act and other grant income revenues recorded as revenues in prior periods; the requirements that federal healthcare program participation is conditional upon facility employees being vaccinated; declining patient volumes and unfavorable changes in payer mix caused by deteriorating macroeconomic conditions (including increases in uninsured and underinsured patients as the result of business closings and layoffs); potential disruptions to our clinical staffing and shortages and disruptions related to supplies required for our employees and patients; and potential increases to expenses related to staffing, supply chain or other expenditures; the impact of our substantial indebtedness and the ability to refinance such indebtedness on acceptable terms, as well as risks associated with disruptions in the financial markets and the business of financial institutions as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic which could impact us from a financing perspective; and changes in general economic conditions nationally and regionally in our markets resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of these and other uncertainties, we cannot estimate the length or severity of the impact of COVID-19 on our business. Decreases in cash flows and results of operations may have an impact on the inputs and assumptions used in significant accounting estimates, including estimated implicit price concessions related to uninsured patient accounts, professional and general liability reserves, and potential impairments of goodwill and long-lived assets. The nationwide shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel has been a significant operating issue facing us and other healthcare providers. Like others in the healthcare industry, we continue to experience a shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel at our acute care and behavioral health care hospitals in many geographic areas. In some areas, the labor scarcity is putting a strain on our resources and staff, which has required us to utilize higher‑cost temporary labor and pay premiums above standard compensation for essential workers. This staffing shortage has required us to hire expensive temporary personnel and/or enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel. At certain facilities, particularly within our behavioral health care segment, we have been unable to fill all vacant positions and, consequently, have been required to limit patient volumes. These factors had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during the first six months of 2022. During 2021, we received approximately $189 million of additional funds from the federal government in connection with the CARES Act, substantially all of which was received during the first quarter of 2021. During the second quarter of 2021, we returned the $189 million to the appropriate government agencies utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit. Therefore, our results of operations for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 include no impact from the receipt of those funds. Also, in March of 2021, we made an early repayment of $695 million of funds received during 2020 pursuant to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. These funds were returned to the government utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit.

General

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

(1) General

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2022. In this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our” “UHS” and the “Company” refer to Universal Health Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of our majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships and limited liability companies controlled by us, or our subsidiaries, as managing general partner or managing member. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by us, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which, in our opinion, are necessary to fairly state results for the interim periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although we believe that the accompanying disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, significant accounting policies and the notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during the second half of March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results since that time. The length and extent of the disruptions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic are currently unknown.

We believe that the adverse impact that COVID-19 will have on our future operations and financial results will depend upon many factors, most of which are beyond our capability to control or predict. Our future operations and financial results may be materially impacted by developments related to COVID-19 including, but not limited to, the potential impact on future COVID-19 patient volumes resulting from new variants of the virus, the length of time and severity of the spread of the pandemic; the volume of cancelled or rescheduled elective procedures and the volume of COVID-19 patients treated at our hospitals and other healthcare facilities; measures we are taking to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of government and administrative regulation and stimulus on the hospital industry and potential retrospective adjustment in future periods of CARES Act and other grant income revenues recorded as revenues in prior periods; the requirements that federal healthcare program participation is conditional upon facility employees being vaccinated; declining patient volumes and unfavorable changes in payer mix caused by deteriorating macroeconomic conditions (including increases in uninsured and underinsured patients as the result of business closings and layoffs); potential disruptions to our clinical staffing and shortages and disruptions related to supplies required for our employees and patients; and potential increases to expenses related to staffing, supply chain or other expenditures; the impact of our substantial indebtedness and the ability to refinance such indebtedness on acceptable terms, as well as risks associated with disruptions in the financial markets and the business of financial institutions as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic which could impact us from a financing perspective; and changes in general economic conditions nationally and regionally in our markets resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of these and other uncertainties, we cannot estimate the length or severity of the impact of COVID-19 on our business. Decreases in cash flows and results of operations may have an impact on the inputs and assumptions used in significant accounting estimates, including estimated implicit price concessions related to uninsured patient accounts, professional and general liability reserves, and potential impairments of goodwill and long-lived assets.

The nationwide shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel has been a significant operating issue facing us and other healthcare providers. Like others in the healthcare industry, we continue to experience a shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel at our acute care and behavioral health care hospitals in many geographic areas. In some areas, the labor scarcity is putting a strain on our resources and staff, which has required us to utilize higher‑cost temporary labor and pay premiums above standard compensation for essential workers. This staffing shortage has required us to hire expensive temporary personnel and/or enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel. At certain facilities, particularly within our behavioral health care segment, we have been unable to fill all vacant positions and, consequently, have been required to limit patient volumes. These factors had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during the first six months of 2022.

During 2021, we received approximately $189 million of additional funds from the federal government in connection with the CARES Act, substantially all of which was received during the first quarter of 2021. During the second quarter of 2021, we returned the $189 million to the appropriate government agencies utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit. Therefore, our results of operations for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 include no impact from the receipt of those funds.

Also, in March of 2021, we made an early repayment of $695 million of funds received during 2020 pursuant to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. These funds were returned to the government utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit.