Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	Common Stock Class A	Common Stock Class B	Common Stock Class C	Common Stock Class D	Cumulative Dividends	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	UHS Common Stockholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 6,401,967		$ 66	$ 778	$ 7	$ 0	$ (479,503)	$ 6,747,678	$ 48,120	$ 6,317,146	$ 84,821
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020		$ 4,569
Common Stock
Issued/(converted)	10,109			5				10,104		10,109
Repurchased	(788,539)			(51)				(788,488)		(788,539)
Restricted share-based compensation expense	9,583							9,583		9,583
Dividends paid and accrued	(50,343)						(50,343)			(50,343)
Stock option expense	44,825							44,825		44,825
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(5,541)	(203)									(5,541)
Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members	13,762										13,762
Comprehensive income:
Net income to UHS / noncontrolling interests	753,201	520						752,466		752,466	735
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax	(21,226)								(21,226)	(21,226)
Subtotal - comprehensive income	731,975							752,466	(21,226)	731,240	735
Subtotal attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest		520
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	6,367,798		66	732	7	0	(529,846)	6,776,168	26,894	6,274,021	93,777
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021		4,886
Balance at Jun. 30, 2021	6,572,080		66	760	7	0	(513,377)	6,956,520	36,124	6,480,100	91,980
Balance at Jun. 30, 2021		4,693
Common Stock
Issued/(converted)	3,665							3,665		3,665
Repurchased	(420,459)			(28)				(420,431)		(420,459)
Restricted share-based compensation expense	3,481							3,481		3,481
Dividends paid and accrued	(16,469)						(16,469)			(16,469)
Stock option expense	14,582							14,582		14,582
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(127)										(127)
Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members	1,093										1,093
Comprehensive income:
Net income to UHS / noncontrolling interests	219,182	193						218,351		218,351	831
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax	(9,230)								(9,230)	(9,230)
Subtotal - comprehensive income	209,952							218,351	(9,230)	209,121	831
Subtotal attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest		193
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021	6,367,798		66	732	7	0	(529,846)	6,776,168	26,894	6,274,021	93,777
Balance at Sep. 30, 2021		4,886
Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	6,193,053		66	698	7	0	(545,487)	6,604,089	30,291	6,089,664	103,389
Balance at Dec. 31, 2021		5,119
Common Stock
Issued/(converted)	10,534			7				10,527		10,534
Repurchased	(723,384)			(60)				(723,324)		(723,384)
Restricted share-based compensation expense	12,972							12,972		12,972
Dividends paid and accrued	(44,318)						(44,318)			(44,318)
Stock option expense	48,639							48,639		48,639
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in majority owned business	(48,882)							(11,274)		(11,274)	(37,608)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(4,776)	(650)									(4,776)
Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members	1,992										1,992
Comprehensive income:
Net income to UHS / noncontrolling interests	486,519	94						500,789		500,789	(14,270)
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax	(28,269)								(28,269)	(28,269)
Subtotal - comprehensive income	458,250							500,789	(28,269)	472,520	(14,270)
Subtotal attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest		94
Balance at Sep. 30, 2022	5,904,080		66	645	7	0	(589,805)	6,442,418	2,022	5,855,353	48,727
Balance at Sep. 30, 2022	5,000	4,563
Balance at Jun. 30, 2022	5,903,916		66	660	7	0	(575,198)	6,404,660	(15,535)	5,814,660	89,256
Balance at Jun. 30, 2022		4,449
Common Stock
Issued/(converted)	3,739			1				3,738		3,739
Repurchased	(158,202)			(16)				(158,186)		(158,202)
Restricted share-based compensation expense	4,869							4,869		4,869
Dividends paid and accrued	(14,607)						(14,607)			(14,607)
Stock option expense	15,797							15,797		15,797
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in majority owned business	(48,882)							(11,274)		(11,274)	(37,608)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(103)										(103)
Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members	3,299										3,299
Comprehensive income:
Net income to UHS / noncontrolling interests	176,697	114						182,814		182,814	(6,117)
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax	17,557								17,557	17,557
Subtotal - comprehensive income	194,254							182,814	17,557	200,371	(6,117)
Subtotal attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest		114
Balance at Sep. 30, 2022	5,904,080		$ 66	$ 645	$ 7	$ 0	$ (589,805)	$ 6,442,418	$ 2,022	$ 5,855,353	$ 48,727
Balance at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 5,000	$ 4,563