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Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 0 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended
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Sep. 01, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 D Facility | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Jan. 01, 2014 | Jan. 31, 2015
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Establishment of partial reserve in the allowance for doubtful accounts for self-pay balances outstanding from the date of discharge, in days |  | 90 uhs_EstablishmentOfPartialReserveInAllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsForSelfPayBalancesOutstandingFromDateOfDischarge |  |  |  |
Establishment of fully reserve for self-pay balances outstanding from the date of discharge, in days |  | 90 uhs_EstablishmentOfFullyReserveForSelfPayBalancesOutstandingFromDateOfDischarge |  |  |  |
Establishment of fully reserve in the allowance for doubtful accounts for third party liability accounts from the date of discharge, in days |  | 180 uhs_EstablishmentOfFullyReserveInAllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsForThirdPartyLiabilityAccountsFromDateOfDischarge |  |  |  |
Patients treated at hospitals for non elective services gross income less than federal poverty guidelines |  | 400.00%uhs_PatientsTreatedAtHospitalsForNonelectiveCareIncomeLessThanOrEqualToSpecifiedPercentageOfFederalPovertyLevelEligibleForCharityCare |  |  |  |
Net of allowance for doubtful accounts |  | $ 325,000,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable | $ 395,000,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable |  |  |
Provision for doubtful accounts |  | 698,983,000 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts | 1,127,216,000 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts | 726,671,000 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts |  |
Capitalize interest expense |  |  | 4,900,000 us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized | 5,700,000 us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized |  |
Depreciation expense |  | 314,500,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 285,600,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 270,500,000 us-gaap_Depreciation |  |
Impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment |  | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment |  |
Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization |  | 98,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization | 97,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization |  |  |
Amount of estimated future payments related to physician-related contractual commitments |  | 2,000,000 uhs_AmountOfEstimatedFuturePaymentsRelatedToContractualCommitments | 3,000,000 uhs_AmountOfEstimatedFuturePaymentsRelatedToContractualCommitments |  |  |
Amount of potential future financial obligations |  | 2,000,000 uhs_AmountOfPotentialFutureFinancialObligations |  |  |  |
Acute care facilities with outside owners holding non-controlling minority interest |  | 5 uhs_AcuteCareFacilitiesOutsideOwnersHoldingNoncontrollingMinorityInterest |  |  |  |
Redeemable non-controlling interest balances |  | 240,000,000 us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount | 218,000,000 us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount |  |  |
Non-controlling interest balances |  | 55,000,000 us-gaap_MinorityInterestInJointVentures | 50,000,000 us-gaap_MinorityInterestInJointVentures |  |  |
Anti-dilutive weighted average stock options excluded from computation of earnings per share |  | 2,250.0 us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount | 4,000.0 us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount | 2,000,000 us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount |  |
Revenue from Medicaid programs |  | 8,764,309,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue | 8,411,038,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue | 7,688,071,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue |  |
Restricted Stock |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted stock, vesting period |  |  | 7 years |  |  |
Acute Care Hospitals |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for doubtful accounts |  | 590,000,000 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = uhs_AcuteCareMember | 1,020,000,000 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = uhs_AcuteCareMember |  |  |
After Modification |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of uninsured discount extended for unqualified charity patients |  |  |  |  | 60.00%uhs_PercentageOfUninsuredDiscountExtendedForUnqualifiedCharityPatients / uhs_ModificationPeriodAxis = uhs_AfterModificationMember |
Before Modification |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of uninsured discount extended for unqualified charity patients |  |  |  |  | 30.00%uhs_PercentageOfUninsuredDiscountExtendedForUnqualifiedCharityPatients / uhs_ModificationPeriodAxis = uhs_BeforeModificationMember |
State Medicaid programs |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from Medicaid programs |  | 293,000,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 213,000,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 176,000,000 us-gaap_HealthCareOrganizationRevenue / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember |  |
Revenue offset amount |  | 137,000,000 us-gaap_EffectOnFutureEarningsOffsetAmount / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 84,000,000 us-gaap_EffectOnFutureEarningsOffsetAmount / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 93,000,000 us-gaap_EffectOnFutureEarningsOffsetAmount / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember |  |
Net aggregate benefit |  | 156,000,000 uhs_HealthCareBenefits / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 130,000,000 uhs_HealthCareBenefits / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 83,000,000 uhs_HealthCareBenefits / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember |  |
Net revenues |  | 59,000,000 us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 54,000,000 us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember | 47,000,000 us-gaap_Revenues / us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesByEntitySizeAxis = uhs_HealthcareMember |  |
Medicare And Medicaid | Net Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of revenue |  | 36.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_MedicareAndMedicaidMember | 38.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_MedicareAndMedicaidMember | 39.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_MedicareAndMedicaidMember |  |
Care Entities | Net Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of revenue |  | 50.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_CareEntitiesMember | 49.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_CareEntitiesMember | 49.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_CareEntitiesMember |  |
Las Vegas, Nevada | Acute Care Facilities |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  | 28.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners / us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis = uhs_AcuteCareFacilitiesMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_LasVegasNevadaMember |  |  |  |
Las Vegas, Nevada | Net Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of revenue |  | 14.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_LasVegasNevadaMember | 14.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_LasVegasNevadaMember | 14.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis = us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_LasVegasNevadaMember |  |
Washington, District of Columbia | Acute Care Facilities |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  | 20.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners / us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis = uhs_AcuteCareFacilitiesMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_DC |  |  |  |
Laredo, Texas | Acute Care Facilities |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  | 11.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners / us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis = uhs_AcuteCareFacilitiesMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_LaredoTexasMember |  |  |  |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Behavioral Health Care Facility |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  | 20.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners / us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis = uhs_BehavioralHealthCareFacilityMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = uhs_PhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaMember |  |  |  |
Illinois |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  | 44,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_IL | 49,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_IL |  |  |
Receivables due outstanding in excess of 60 days |  | 23,000,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment60To89DaysPastDue / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_IL | 28,000,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment60To89DaysPastDue / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_IL |  |  |
Receivables days in excess |  | 60 uhs_ReceivablesDaysInExcess / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_IL |  |  |  |
Texas |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  | 102,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX | 62,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX |  |  |
Texas | Uncompensated Care Program |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  | 45,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / uhs_RevenueByTypeAxis = uhs_UncompensatedCareProgramMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX |  |  |  |
Texas | Disproportionate Share Hospital Program |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  | 33,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / uhs_RevenueByTypeAxis = uhs_DisproportionateShareHospitalProgramMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX |  |  |  |
Texas | Delivery System Reform Incentive Pool |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable |  | 24,000,000 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet / uhs_RevenueByTypeAxis = uhs_DeliverySystemReformIncentivePoolMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX |  |  |  |
Texas | Subsequent Event | Delivery System Reform Incentive Pool |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable collection |  |  |  |  |  | $ 24,000,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleAndCollectionOfReceivables / uhs_RevenueByTypeAxis = uhs_DeliverySystemReformIncentivePoolMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_TX / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Building and Building Improvements | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives, maximum years |  | 20 years |  |  |  |
Building and Building Improvements | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives, maximum years |  | 40 years |  |  |  |
Equipment | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives, maximum years |  | 3 years |  |  |  |
Equipment | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives, maximum years |  | 15 years |  |  |  |

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