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Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) shares in Millions |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Oct. 01, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Facility | Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Hospital Facility shares | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Hospital shares | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Hospital shares | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
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 days |  |  |
Establishment of fully reserve for self-pay balances outstanding from the date of discharge, in days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 90 days |  |  |
Establishment of fully reserve in the allowance for doubtful accounts for third party liability accounts from the date of discharge, in days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 180 days |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  | $ 1,560,847,000 |  |  |  | $ 1,509,909,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 1,560,847,000 | $ 1,509,909,000 |  |
Number of hospital facilities | Hospital |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |
Capitalized interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3,400,000 | 2,300,000 | $ 1,000,000.0 |
Depreciation expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 455,600,000 | 410,000,000.0 | 388,400,000 |
Impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets |  | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 |
Impairment of other intangible assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |
Provision for asset impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 97,631,000 | 49,310,000 | $ 0 |
Intangible assets net |  |  | $ 83,657,000 |  |  |  | 172,962,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 83,657,000 | $ 172,962,000 |  |
Number of inpatient facilities | Facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Number of outpatient facilities | Facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 |  |  |
Behavioral health care facilities with outside owners holding non-controlling minority interest | Facility |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |
Redeemable non-controlling interest balances |  |  | $ 4,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,000,000 |  |  |
Non-controlling interest balances |  |  | 75,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 75,000,000 |  |  |
Anti-dilutive weighted average stock options excluded from computation of earnings per share | shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.5 | 7.9 | 6.2 |
Revenues |  |  | 2,896,247,000 | $ 2,822,453,000 | $ 2,855,168,000 | $ 2,804,391,000 | 2,754,496,000 | $ 2,648,913,000 | $ 2,681,353,000 | $ 2,687,516,000 |  | $ 11,378,259,000 | $ 10,772,278,000 | $ 10,409,865,000 |
Tradename |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets net |  |  |  |  |  |  | 74,903,000 |  |  |  |  |  | 74,903,000 |  | $ 124,000,000
Foundations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for asset impairment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 98,000,000 | $ 49,000,000 |  |
Impairment provision for tradename intangible asset |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 75,000,000 |  |  |
Impairment charges for real property assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,000,000 |  |  |
Commercial Insurance Subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statutorily required capital reserves |  |  | 62,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 62,000,000 |  |  |
Universal Health Realty Income Trust |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of hospital facilities | Hospital |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Investments |  |  | 6,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,000,000 |  |  |
Premier, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investments |  |  | 70,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 70,000,000 |  |  |
Premier, Inc. | Group Purchasing Organization Agreement | Restricted Stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Shares vesting period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 years |  |  |  |
Shares vesting period start year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2014 |  |  |  |
Shares vesting period end year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2020 |  |  |  |
Market value of retained vested shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 70,000,000 | $ 56,000,000 |  |
Unrealized gain |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14,000,000 |  |  |
Additional vested shares, value |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 |  |
Acute Care Hospital Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,164,560,000 | 5,719,905,000 | $ 5,484,683,000 |
Behavioral Health Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues | [1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,210,063,000 | 5,038,874,000 | 4,906,719,000 |
State Medicaid programs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue offset amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 194,000,000 | 179,000,000 | 171,000,000 |
Net aggregate benefit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 225,000,000 | 208,000,000 | 186,000,000 |
Net revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 78,000,000 | 64,000,000 | $ 55,000,000 |
Illinois |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  | 36,000,000 |  |  |  | 32,000,000 |  |  |  |  | 36,000,000 | 32,000,000 |  |
Accounts receivable net greater than sixty days Past due |  |  | $ 18,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 18,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 18,000,000 | $ 18,000,000 |  |
Las Vegas, Nevada | Acute Care Hospital Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of hospital facilities | Hospital |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |  |
Las Vegas, Nevada | Net Revenue | Geographic Concentration Risk |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16.00% | 15.00% | 15.00% |
Washington, District of Columbia | Acute Care Facilities | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |
Texas | Acute Care Facilities | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 11.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11.00% |  |  |
Pennsylvania | Behavioral Health Services | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |
Ohio | Behavioral Health Services | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 30.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30.00% |  |  |
Washington | Behavioral Health Services | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |
Nevada | Acute Care Facilities | Third-Party Ownership Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of non-controlling, minority ownership interests held by outside owners |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Patients treated at hospitals for non elective services gross income federal poverty guidelines |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 200.00% |  |  |
Minimum | Building and Building Improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |
Minimum | Equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Patients treated at hospitals for non elective services gross income federal poverty guidelines |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 400.00% |  |  |
Maximum | Building and Building Improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40 years |  |  |
Maximum | Equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and equipment, useful lives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15 years |  |  |
Medicare |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,889,245,000 | $ 1,875,875,000 | $ 1,816,840,000 |
Medicare | Acute Care Hospital Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,336,200,000 | 1,296,152,000 | 1,223,150,000 |
Medicare | Behavioral Health Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 553,045,000 | 579,723,000 | 593,690,000 |
Health Care | State Medicaid programs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 419,000,000 | $ 387,000,000 | $ 357,000,000 |
ASU 2014-09 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effect of change on after-tax net income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000 |  |  |
ASU 2014-09 | Medicare |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of estimated net revenue adjustment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
ASU 2016-01 | Premier, Inc. | Other (Income) Expense, Net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Summary Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized gain |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,000,000 | $ 4,000,000 |  |
[1] | Includes net revenues generated from our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. amounting to approximately $554 million in 2019, $505 million in 2018 and $429 million in 2017. Total assets at our U.K. behavioral health care facilities were approximately $1.270 billion as of December 31, 2019, $1.224 billion as of December 31, 2018 and $1.098 billion as of December 31, 2017. In addition, included in our 2019 Behavioral Health Services operating segment Income (loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and income taxes is a pre-tax $98 million provision for asset impairment to reduce the carrying value of a tradename intangible asset and real property assets. Included in our 2018 Behavioral Health Services operating segment Income (loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and income taxes is a pre-tax $49 million provision for asset impairment to reduce the carrying value of a tradename intangible asset.

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