XML 101 R85.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable |  |  |
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period | $ 410,374 | $ 398,797 | $ 324,648
Charges to costs and expenses (income) | 869,077 | 741,578 | 741,273
Write-off of uncollectible accounts | (799,162) | (730,001) | (667,124)
Balance at end of period | 480,289 | 410,374 | 398,797
Valuation Allowance for Deferred Tax Assets |  |  |
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period | 56,333 | 52,567 | 52,764
Charges to costs and expenses (income) | 13,894 | 3,766 | (197)
Balance at end of period | $ 70,227 | $ 56,333 | $ 52,567

X
- Definition Valuation allowances and reserves charged to cost expense and (income). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | uhs_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostExpenseAndIncome
Namespace Prefix: | uhs_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Total of allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesBalance
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Total of the deductions in a given period to allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, representing receivables written off as uncollectible and portions of the reserves utilized, respectively. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceOfDeferredTaxAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |