Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The consolidated financial statements include all subsidiaries and entities controlled by HCA. We generally define “control” as ownership of a majority of the voting interest of an entity. The consolidated financial statements include entities in which we absorb a majority of the entity’s expected losses, receive a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interests in the entity. The accounts of acquired entities are included in our consolidated financial statements for periods subsequent to our acquisition of controlling interests. Significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Investments in entities we do not control, but in which we have a substantial ownership interest and can exercise significant influence, are accounted for using the equity method.

The majority of our expenses are “cost of revenue” items. Costs that could be classified as general and administrative include our corporate office costs, which were $373 million, $373 million and $327 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Revenues

Revenues

Revenues consist primarily of net patient service revenues that are recorded based upon established billing rates less allowances for contractual adjustments. Revenues are recorded during the period the health care services are provided, based upon the estimated amounts due from the patients and third-party payers. Third-party payers include federal and state agencies (under the Medicare and Medicaid programs), managed care health plans and commercial insurance companies (including plans offered through the health insurance exchanges), and employers. Estimates of contractual allowances under managed care health plans are based upon the payment terms specified in the related contractual agreements. Contractual payment terms in managed care agreements are generally based upon predetermined rates per diagnosis, per diem rates or discounted fee-for-service rates. Revenues related to uninsured patients and uninsured copayment and deductible amounts for patients who have health care coverage may have discounts applied (uninsured discounts and contractual discounts). We also record a provision for doubtful accounts (based primarily on historical collection experience) related to uninsured accounts to record net self pay revenues at the estimated amounts we expect to collect. Our revenues from third party payers and other (including uninsured patients) for the years ended December 31, are summarized in the following table (dollars in millions):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			Ratio			2016			Ratio			2015			Ratio
Medicare	$	9,483			21.7	%	$	8,895			21.4	%	$	8,654			21.8	%
Managed Medicare		4,788			11.0			4,355			10.5			4,133			10.4
Medicaid		1,631			3.7			1,597			3.8			1,705			4.3
Managed Medicaid		2,349			5.4			2,478			6.0			2,234			5.6
Managed care and other insurers		24,813			56.9			23,441			56.5			21,882			55.2
International (managed care and other insurers)		1,097			2.5			1,195			2.9			1,295			3.3
Other		3,492			8.0			2,786			6.7			3,688			9.3
Revenues before provision for doubtful accounts		47,653			109.2			44,747			107.8			43,591			109.9
Provision for doubtful accounts		(4,039	)		(9.2	)		(3,257	)		(7.8	)		(3,913	)		(9.9	)
Revenues	$	43,614			100.0	%	$	41,490			100.0	%	$	39,678			100.0	%

Laws and regulations governing the Medicare and Medicaid programs are complex and subject to interpretation. As a result, there is at least a reasonable possibility recorded estimates will change by a material amount. Estimated reimbursement amounts are adjusted in subsequent periods as cost reports are prepared and filed and as final settlements are determined (in relation to certain government programs, primarily Medicare, this is generally referred to as the “cost report” filing and settlement process). The adjustments to estimated Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement amounts and disproportionate-share funds related primarily to cost reports filed during the respective year resulted in net increases to revenues of $41 million, $31 million and $48 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The adjustments to estimated reimbursement amounts related primarily to cost reports filed during previous years resulted in net increases to revenues of $56 million, $90 million and $85 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (“EMTALA”) requires any hospital participating in the Medicare program to conduct an appropriate medical screening examination of every person who presents to the hospital’s emergency room for treatment and, if the individual is suffering from an emergency medical condition, to either stabilize the condition or make an appropriate transfer of the individual to a facility able to handle the condition. The obligation to screen and stabilize emergency medical conditions exists regardless of an individual’s ability to pay for treatment. Federal and state laws and regulations require, and our commitment to providing quality patient care encourages, us to provide services to patients who are financially unable to pay for the health care services they receive. Prior to November 2017, patients treated at hospitals for nonelective care, who have income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, are eligible for charity care. During November 2017, we expanded our charity care policy to limit the patient responsibility amounts for patients who have income above 200%, but at or below 400%, of the federal poverty level to a percentage of their annual household income, computed on a sliding scale based upon their annual income and the applicable multiple of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level is established by the federal government and is based on income and family size. Because we do not pursue collection of amounts determined to qualify as charity care, they are not reported in revenues. We provide discounts to uninsured patients who do not qualify for Medicaid or charity care. In implementing the uninsured discount policy, we may first attempt to provide assistance to uninsured patients to help determine whether they may qualify for Medicaid, other federal or state assistance or charity care. If an uninsured patient does not qualify for these programs, the uninsured discount is applied.

To quantify the total impact of and trends related to uninsured accounts, we believe it is beneficial to view charity care, uninsured discounts and the provision for doubtful accounts in combination, rather than each separately. A summary of these amounts for the years ended December 31, follows (dollars in millions):

	2017		Ratio			2016		Ratio			2015		Ratio
Charity care	$	4,861		21	%	$	4,151		20	%	$	3,682		20	%
Uninsured discounts		14,520		62			13,047		64			10,692		59
Provision for doubtful accounts		4,039		17			3,257		16			3,913		21
Total uncompensated care	$	23,420		100	%	$	20,455		100	%	$	18,287		100	%

A summary of the estimated cost of total uncompensated care for the years ended December 31, follows (dollars in millions):

	2017			2016			2015
Patient care costs (salaries and benefits, supplies, other operating expenses and depreciation and amortization)	$	37,557		$	35,304		$	33,760
Cost-to-charges ratio (patient care costs as percentage of gross patient charges)		12.9	%		13.5	%		14.5	%
Total uncompensated care	$	23,420		$	20,455		$	18,287
Multiply by the cost-to-charges ratio		12.9	%		13.5	%		14.5	%
Estimated cost of total uncompensated care	$	3,021		$	2,761		$	2,652

The sum of charity care, uninsured discounts and the provision for doubtful accounts, as a percentage of the sum of revenues, charity care, uninsured discounts and the provision for doubtful accounts was 34.9% for 2017, 33.0% for 2016 and 31.5% for 2015.

Recent Pronouncements

Recent Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and the International Accounting Standards Board issued a final, converged, principles-based standard on revenue recognition. Companies across all industries will use a five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The new standard, which replaces nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance, will require significant management judgments and change the way many companies recognize revenue in their financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB decided to defer the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year to annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 for public entities and permit entities to adopt one year earlier if they choose. We believe the most significant impact of adopting the new standard will be to the presentation of our income statement where the provision for doubtful accounts will be recorded as a direct reduction to revenues and will not be presented as a separate line item. We expect to adopt the new standard using the full retrospective application, and we do not believe the adoption will have a significant impact on our recognition of net revenues or related disclosures for any period.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”), which requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities for most leases. ASU 2016-02 is effective for public business entities for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We are continuing to evaluate the provisions of ASU 2016-02 (and developments concerning its transition provision options) to determine how our financial statements will be affected, and we believe the primary effect of adopting the new standard will be to record right-of-use assets and obligations for our leases currently classified as operating leases.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased. Our insurance subsidiaries’ cash equivalent investments in excess of the amounts required to pay estimated professional liability claims during the next twelve months are not included in cash and cash equivalents as these funds are not available for general corporate purposes. Carrying values of cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

Our cash management system provides for daily investment of available balances and the funding of outstanding checks when presented for payment. Outstanding, but unpresented, checks totaling $480 million and $565 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, have been included in “accounts payable” in the consolidated balance sheets. Upon presentation for payment, these checks are funded through available cash balances or our credit facility.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

We receive payments for services rendered from federal and state agencies (under the Medicare and Medicaid programs), managed care health plans, commercial insurance companies, employers and patients. We recognize that revenues and receivables from government agencies are significant to our operations, but do not believe there are significant credit risks associated with these government agencies. We do not believe there are any other significant concentrations of revenues from any particular payer that would subject us to any significant credit risks in the collection of our accounts receivable.

Additions to the allowance for doubtful accounts are made by means of the provision for doubtful accounts. Accounts written off as uncollectible are deducted from the allowance for doubtful accounts and subsequent recoveries are added. The amount of the provision for doubtful accounts is based upon management’s assessment of historical and expected net collections, business and economic conditions, trends in federal, state and private employer health care coverage and other collection indicators. The provision for doubtful accounts and the allowance for doubtful accounts relate to “uninsured” amounts due directly from patients (including copayment and deductible amounts from patients who have health care coverage). Accounts are written off when all reasonable internal and external collection efforts have been performed. We consider the return of an account from the secondary collection agency to be the culmination of our reasonable collection efforts and the timing basis for writing off the account balance. Writeoffs are based upon specific identification and the writeoff process requires a writeoff adjustment entry to the patient accounting system. Management relies on the results of detailed reviews of historical writeoffs and recoveries at facilities that represent a majority of our revenues and accounts receivable (the “hindsight analysis”) as a primary source of information to utilize in estimating the collectibility of our accounts receivable. We perform the hindsight analysis quarterly, utilizing rolling twelve-months accounts receivable collection and writeoff data. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the allowance for doubtful accounts represented 100% and 98%, respectively, of the $5.488 billion and $5.116 billion, respectively, patient due accounts receivable balance. The patient due accounts receivable balance represents the estimated uninsured portion of our accounts receivable. The estimated uninsured portion of Medicaid pending and uninsured discount pending accounts is included in our patient due accounts receivable balance. Days revenues in accounts receivable were 52 days, 50 days and 53 days at December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Changes in general economic conditions, patient accounting service center operations, payer mix, or federal or state governmental health care coverage could affect our collection of accounts receivable, cash flows and results of operations.

Inventories

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Depreciation expense, computed using the straight-line method, was $2.111 billion in 2017, $1.946 billion in 2016 and $1.880 billion in 2015. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over estimated useful lives ranging generally from 10 to 40 years. Estimated useful lives of equipment vary generally from four to 10 years.

When events, circumstances or operating results indicate the carrying values of certain long-lived assets expected to be held and used might be impaired, we prepare projections of the undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the assets and their eventual disposition. If the projections indicate the recorded amounts are not expected to be recoverable, such amounts are reduced to estimated fair value. Fair value may be estimated based upon internal evaluations that include quantitative analyses of revenues and cash flows, reviews of recent sales of similar assets and independent appraisals.

Long-lived assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of their carrying amounts or fair value less costs to sell or close. The estimates of fair value are usually based upon recent sales of similar assets and market responses based upon discussions with and offers received from potential buyers.

Investments of Insurance Subsidiaries

Investments of Insurance Subsidiaries

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the investments of our 100% owned insurance subsidiaries were classified as “available-for-sale” as defined in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 320, Investments—Debt and Equity Securities and are recorded at fair value. The investment securities are held for the purpose of providing a funding source to pay liability claims covered by the insurance subsidiaries. We perform quarterly assessments of individual investment securities to determine whether declines in market value are temporary or other-than-temporary. Our investment securities evaluation process involves subjective judgments, often involves estimating the outcome of future events, and requires a significant level of professional judgment in determining whether an impairment has occurred. We evaluate, among other things, the financial position and near term prospects of the issuer, conditions in the issuer’s industry, liquidity of the investment, changes in the amount or timing of expected future cash flows from the investment, and recent downgrades of the issuer by a rating agency, to determine if, and when, a decline in the fair value of an investment below amortized cost is considered other-than-temporary. The length of time and extent to which the fair value of the investment is less than amortized cost and our ability and intent to retain the investment, to allow for any anticipated recovery of the investment’s fair value, are important components of our investment securities evaluation process.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill is not amortized but is subject to annual impairment tests. In addition to the annual impairment review, impairment reviews are performed whenever circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Impairment testing for goodwill is done at the reporting unit level. Reporting units are one level below the business segment level, and our impairment testing is performed at the operating division level. We compare the fair value of the reporting unit assets to the carrying amount, on at least an annual basis, to determine if there is potential impairment. If the fair value of the reporting unit assets is less than their carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized. Fair value is estimated based upon internal evaluations of each reporting unit that include quantitative analyses of market multiples, revenues and cash flows and reviews of recent sales of similar facilities. No goodwill impairments were recognized during 2017, 2016 and 2015. Since January 1, 2000, we have recognized total goodwill impairments of $102 million in the aggregate. None of the goodwill impairments related to evaluations of goodwill at the reporting unit level, as all recognized goodwill impairments during this period related to goodwill allocated to asset disposal groups.

During 2017, goodwill increased by $693 million related to acquisitions and by $12 million related to foreign currency translation and other adjustments. During 2016, goodwill increased by $41 million related to acquisitions and declined by $49 million related to sales, foreign currency translation and other adjustments.

During 2017, identifiable intangible assets declined by $15 million due to amortization, foreign currency translation and other adjustments. During 2016, identifiable intangible assets declined by $19 million due to amortization, foreign currency translation and other adjustments. Identifiable intangible assets are amortized over estimated lives ranging generally from three to 10 years. The gross carrying amount of identifiable intangible assets at both December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $184 million and accumulated amortization was $94 million and $79 million, respectively. The gross carrying amount of indefinite-lived identifiable intangible assets at both December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $269 million. Indefinite-lived identifiable intangible assets are not amortized but are subject to annual impairment tests, and impairment reviews are performed whenever circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs are amortized based upon the terms of the respective debt obligations. The gross carrying amount of debt issuance costs at December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $353 million and $334 million, respectively, and accumulated amortization was $189 million and $164 million, respectively. Amortization of debt issuance costs is included in interest expense and was $31 million, $34 million and $35 million for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Professional Liability Claims

Professional Liability Claims

Reserves for professional liability risks were $1.627 billion and $1.539 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The current portion of the reserves, $429 million and $391 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, is included in “other accrued expenses” in the consolidated balance sheets. Provisions for losses related to professional liability risks were $466 million, $430 million and $344 million for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and are included in “other operating expenses” in our consolidated income statements. Provisions for losses related to professional liability risks are based upon actuarially determined estimates. Loss and loss expense reserves represent the estimated ultimate net cost of all reported and unreported losses incurred through the respective consolidated balance sheet dates. The reserves for unpaid losses and loss expenses are estimated using individual case-basis valuations and actuarial analyses. Those estimates are subject to the effects of trends in loss severity and frequency. The estimates are continually reviewed and adjustments are recorded as experience develops or new information becomes known. Adjustments to the estimated reserve amounts are included in current operating results. The reserves for professional liability risks cover approximately 2,500 and 2,700 individual claims at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and estimates for unreported potential claims. The time period required to resolve these claims can vary depending upon the jurisdiction and whether the claim is settled or litigated. During both 2017 and 2016, $357 million of net payments were made for professional and general liability claims. The estimation of the timing of payments beyond a year can vary significantly. Although considerable variability is inherent in professional liability reserve estimates, we believe the reserves for losses and loss expenses are adequate; however, there can be no assurance the ultimate liability will not exceed our estimates.

A portion of our professional liability risks is insured through a 100% owned insurance subsidiary. Subject to a $15 million per occurrence self-insured retention, our facilities are insured by our 100% owned insurance subsidiary for losses up to $50 million per occurrence. The insurance subsidiary has obtained reinsurance for professional liability risks generally above a retention level of $25 million per occurrence. We also maintain professional liability insurance with unrelated commercial carriers for losses in excess of amounts insured by our insurance subsidiary.

The obligations covered by reinsurance and excess insurance contracts are included in the reserves for professional liability risks, as we remain liable to the extent the reinsurers and excess insurance carriers do not meet their obligations under the reinsurance and excess insurance contracts. The amounts receivable under the reinsurance contracts include $19 million and $36 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, recorded in “other assets,” and $5 million and $9 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, recorded in “other current assets.”

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments

Derivative financial instruments are employed to manage interest rate risks, and are not used for trading or speculative purposes. We recognize our interest rate swap derivative instruments in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognized periodically in stockholders’ equity, as a component of other comprehensive income (loss), provided the derivative financial instrument qualifies for hedge accounting. Gains and losses on derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, to the extent they are effective, are recorded in other comprehensive income (loss), and subsequently reclassified to earnings to offset the impact of the forecasted transactions when they occur. In the event the forecasted transaction to which a cash flow hedge relates is no longer likely, the amount in other comprehensive income (loss) is recognized in earnings and generally the derivative is terminated.

The net interest paid or received on interest rate swaps is recognized as interest expense. Gains and losses resulting from the early termination of interest rate swap agreements are deferred and amortized as adjustments to interest expense over the remaining term of the debt originally associated with the terminated swap.

Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Entities

Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Entities

The consolidated financial statements include all assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of less than 100% owned entities that we control. Accordingly, we have recorded noncontrolling interests in the earnings and equity of such entities.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2017 presentation.

Earning Per Share

We compute basic earnings per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. We compute diluted earnings per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of outstanding stock options, SARs, RSUs and PSUs, computed using the treasury stock method.

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

Accounting Standards Codification 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”) emphasizes fair value is a market-based measurement, and fair value measurements should be determined based on the assumptions market participants would use in pricing assets or liabilities. ASC 820 utilizes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable inputs classified within Levels 1 and 2 of the hierarchy) and the reporting entity’s own assumptions about market participant assumptions (unobservable inputs classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy).

Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which are typically based on an entity’s own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment.

Cash Traded Investments

Cash Traded Investments

Our cash traded investments are generally classified within Level 1 or Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. Certain types of cash traded instruments are classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy because they trade infrequently and therefore have little or no price transparency. The valuation of these securities involves the consideration of market factors and management’s judgment.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

We have entered into interest rate swap agreements to manage our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. The valuation of these instruments is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves and implied volatilities. We incorporate credit valuation adjustments to reflect both our own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements of these instruments.

Although we determined the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with our derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by us and our counterparties. We assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of our derivative positions, and at December 31, 2017 and 2016, we determined the credit valuation adjustments were not significant to the overall valuation of our derivatives.

Interest Rate Swaps [Member]

Financial Instruments

Interest Rate Swap Agreements

We have entered into interest rate swap agreements to manage our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. These swap agreements involve the exchange of fixed and variable rate interest payments between two parties based on common notional principal amounts and maturity dates. Pay-fixed interest rate swaps effectively convert variable rate obligations to fixed interest rate obligations. The interest payments under these agreements are settled on a net basis. The net interest payments, based on the notional amounts in these agreements, generally match the timing of the related liabilities, for the interest rate swap agreements which have been designated as cash flow hedges. The notional amounts of the swap agreements represent amounts used to calculate the exchange of cash flows and are not our assets or liabilities. Our credit risk related to these agreements is considered low because the swap agreements are with creditworthy financial institutions.