RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS	NOTE 21. RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS Recently Issued Accounting Standards In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). In August 2015, the FASB amended the guidance to defer the effective date of this standard by one year. ASU 2014-09 affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards. The core principle of the guidance in ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. We are currently evaluating the requirements of the new standard to insure that we have processes, systems and internal controls in place to collect the necessary information to implement the standard, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018. Early adoption is permitted starting with annual periods beginning after December 31, 2016, but we do not plan to early adopt the new standard. It is our current intention to use a modified retrospective method of application to adopt ASU 2014‑09.We will use a portfolio approach to apply the new model to classes of payers with similar characteristics and will likely revise the approach we use to analyze cash collection trends for certain classes of payers once the final portfolios are determined, including the selection of the appropriate collection look-back period. Adoption of ASU 2014‑09 will result in changes to our presentation for and disclosure of revenue related to uninsured or underinsured patients. Currently, a significant portion of our provision for doubtful accounts relates to self-pay patients as well as co-pays and deductibles owed to us by patients with insurance in our Hospital Operations and other segment. Under ASU 2014-09, the estimated uncollectible amounts due from these patients will generally be considered a direct reduction to net operating revenues and, correspondingly, will result in a material reduction in the amounts presented separately as provision for doubtful accounts. While the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have a material effect on the amounts presented in certain categories on our Consolidated Statements of Operations, we do not expect it to materially impact our results of operations. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which affects any entity that enters into a lease (as that term is defined in ASU 2016-02), with some specified scope exceptions. The main difference between the guidance in ASU 2016-02 and current GAAP is the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP. Recognition of these assets and liabilities will have a material impact to our Consolidated Balance Sheet upon adoption. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, which includes a number of optional practical expedients. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2019. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”), which affects all entities that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. The guidance in ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-09, we expect to record previously unrecognized excess tax benefits of approximately $56 million as a deferred tax asset and a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2017. Prospectively, all excess tax benefits and deficiencies will be recognized as income tax benefit or expense in our Consolidated Statement of Operations when awards vest. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (“ASU 2016-15”), which applies to all entities that are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. ASU 2016-15 addresses the presentation and classification of cash flows related to (i) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, (ii) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, (iii) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, (iv) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, (v) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies), (vi) distributions received from equity method investees, (vii) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and (viii) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. The amendments in ASU 2016-05 should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented, unless it is impracticable. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) Restricted Cash” (“ASU 2016-18”), which applies to all entities that have restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents and are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. ASU 2016-18 requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 do not provide a definition of restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018.

NOTE 21. RECENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). In August 2015, the FASB amended the guidance to defer the effective date of this standard by one year. ASU 2014-09 affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards. The core principle of the guidance in ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. We are currently evaluating the requirements of the new standard to insure that we have processes, systems and internal controls in place to collect the necessary information to implement the standard, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018. Early adoption is permitted starting with annual periods beginning after December 31, 2016, but we do not plan to early adopt the new standard. It is our current intention to use a modified retrospective method of application to adopt ASU 2014‑09.We will use a portfolio approach to apply the new model to classes of payers with similar characteristics and will likely revise the approach we use to analyze cash collection trends for certain classes of payers once the final portfolios are determined, including the selection of the appropriate collection look-back period. Adoption of ASU 2014‑09 will result in changes to our presentation for and disclosure of revenue related to uninsured or underinsured patients. Currently, a significant portion of our provision for doubtful accounts relates to self-pay patients as well as co-pays and deductibles owed to us by patients with insurance in our Hospital Operations and other segment. Under ASU 2014-09, the estimated uncollectible amounts due from these patients will generally be considered a direct reduction to net operating revenues and, correspondingly, will result in a material reduction in the amounts presented separately as provision for doubtful accounts. While the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have a material effect on the amounts presented in certain categories on our Consolidated Statements of Operations, we do not expect it to materially impact our results of operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which affects any entity that enters into a lease (as that term is defined in ASU 2016-02), with some specified scope exceptions. The main difference between the guidance in ASU 2016-02 and current GAAP is the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP. Recognition of these assets and liabilities will have a material impact to our Consolidated Balance Sheet upon adoption. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, which includes a number of optional practical expedients. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2019.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”), which affects all entities that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. The guidance in ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-09, we expect to record previously unrecognized excess tax benefits of approximately $56 million as a deferred tax asset and a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2017. Prospectively, all excess tax benefits and deficiencies will be recognized as income tax benefit or expense in our Consolidated Statement of Operations when awards vest.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (“ASU 2016-15”), which applies to all entities that are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. ASU 2016-15 addresses the presentation and classification of cash flows related to (i) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, (ii) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, (iii) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, (iv) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, (v) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies), (vi) distributions received from equity method investees, (vii) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and (viii) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. The amendments in ASU 2016-05 should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented, unless it is impracticable. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) Restricted Cash” (“ASU 2016-18”), which applies to all entities that have restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents and are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. ASU 2016-18 requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 do not provide a definition of restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, which will be effective for us beginning in 2018.