Income Taxes: (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Summary of Components of Income Tax Provision

The components of the income tax provision are as follows (in thousands):


	December 31,
	2012		2011		2010
Federal:
Current	$	111,940	$	113,290	$	73,756
Deferred		19,814		7,486		22,814

		131,754		120,776		96,570

State:
Current		13,980		13,895		10,330
Deferred		1,530		577		1,561

		15,510		14,472		11,891

Total	$	147,264	$	135,248	$	108,461

Schedule of Differences Between Effective Rate and United States Federal Income Tax Statutory Rate

The differences between the effective rate and the United States federal income tax statutory rate are as follows:


	December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
Tax at statutory rate		35.00	%		35.00	%		35.00	%
State income tax, net of federal benefit		2.60			2.66			2.42
Non-deductible expenses		0.36			0.32			0.35
Change in accrual estimates relating to uncertain tax positions		(0.15	)		0.44			(2.81	)
Other, net		0.13			(0.13	)		(0.10	)

Income tax provision		37.94	%		38.29	%		34.86	%

Significant Components of Deferred Income Tax Assets And Liabilities

The significant components of deferred income tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):


	December 31, 2012									December 31, 2011
	Total			Current			Non- Current			Total			Current			Non- Current
Allowance for uncollectible accounts	$	44,232		$	44,232		$	—		$	47,459		$	47,459		$	—
Reserves and accruals		43,345			39,942			3,403			40,807			36,828			3,979
Stock-based compensation		18,444			11,856			6,588			18,657			10,586			8,071
Net operating loss carryforward		5,624			5,624			—			3,533			3,533			—
Property and equipment		802			—			802			—			—			—
Other		509			509			—			483			483			—

Total deferred tax assets		112,956			102,163			10,793			110,939			98,889			12,050

Amortization		(136,670	)		—			(136,670	)		(105,753	)		—			(105,753	)
Accrual to cash adjustment		(33,129	)		(33,129	)		—			(28,575	)		(28,575	)		—
Property and equipment		—			—			—			(128	)		—			(128	)

Total deferred tax liabilities		(169,799	)		(33,129	)		(136,670	)		(134,456	)		(28,575	)		(105,881	)

Net deferred tax (liability) asset	$	(56,843	)	$	69,034		$	(125,877	)	$	(23,517	)	$	70,314		$	(93,831	)

Schedule of Activity Related to Gross Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s liability for uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 (in thousands):


	Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
Balance at beginning of year	$	16,165		$	22,290		$	49,416
Increases related to prior year tax positions		102			44			948
Decreases related to prior year tax positions		—			—			(9,569	)
Increases related to current year tax positions		2,478			2,541			2,334
Decreases related to current year tax positions		(3,671	)		(7,203	)		(19,035	)
Settlements		—			13			(500	)
Decreases related to lapse of statutes of limitations		(2,002	)		(1,520	)		(1,304	)

Balance at end of year	$	13,072		$	16,165		$	22,290

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of tax positions taken in the tax returns filed or to be filed for which it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities (i.e., uncertain tax positions) and other types of income tax contingencies, including: (1) the policy on classification of interest and penalties; (2) a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the period; the total amount(s) of: (3) unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate, and (4) interest and penalties recognized in each of the income statement and balance sheet; (5) for positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts unrecognized will significantly change within 12 months of the reporting date the: (i) nature of the uncertainty, (ii) nature of the event that could occur that would cause the change, and (iii) an estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change or a statement that an estimate of the range cannot be made; and (6) a description of tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions.

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