General	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	(1) General This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021. 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, 2020. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during the second half of March, 2020, has had a material unfavorable effect on our operations and financial results since that time. The COVID-19 vaccination process commenced during the first quarter of 2021 and, while we expect the administration of vaccines will assist in easing the number of COVID-19 patients, the pace of distribution and the portion of the population that will ultimately become vaccinated is difficult to predict. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken in response thereto impact our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on numerous factors and future developments, most of which are beyond our control or ability to predict. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. We are not able to fully quantify the impact that these factors will have on our future financial results. 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and duration of stay-at-home policies and business closures and restrictions, government imposed or recommended suspensions of elective surgeries and procedures, continued declines in patient volumes for an indeterminable length of time, increases in the number of uninsured and underinsured patients as a result of higher sustained rates of unemployment, incremental expenses required for supplies and personal protective equipment, and changes in professional and general liability exposure. 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. During the first quarter of 2021, we received approximately $188 million of additional funds from the federal government in connection with the CARES Act. We expect to return the $188 million of funds to the appropriate government agencies in May, 2021 utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit. Since our intent was to return these funds, our results of operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021 include no impact from the receipt of the funds. Also, in March of 2021, we funded the 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

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

(1) General

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021. 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, 2020.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during the second half of March, 2020, has had a material unfavorable effect on our operations and financial results since that time. The COVID-19 vaccination process commenced during the first quarter of 2021 and, while we expect the administration of vaccines will assist in easing the number of COVID-19 patients, the pace of distribution and the portion of the population that will ultimately become vaccinated is difficult to predict. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken in response thereto impact our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on numerous factors and future developments, most of which are beyond our control or ability to predict. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. We are not able to fully quantify the impact that these factors will have on our future financial results.

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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and duration of stay-at-home policies and business closures and restrictions, government imposed or recommended suspensions of elective surgeries and procedures, continued declines in patient volumes for an indeterminable length of time, increases in the number of uninsured and underinsured patients as a result of higher sustained rates of unemployment, incremental expenses required for supplies and personal protective equipment, and changes in professional and general liability exposure. 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.

During the first quarter of 2021, we received approximately $188 million of additional funds from the federal government in connection with the CARES Act. We expect to return the $188 million of funds to the appropriate government agencies in May, 2021 utilizing a portion of our cash and cash equivalents held on deposit. Since our intent was to return these funds, our results of operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021 include no impact from the receipt of the funds.

Also, in March of 2021, we funded the 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.