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UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES INC - Quarter Report: 2023 September (Form 10-Q)

10-Q

a-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(MARK ONE)

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission file number 1-10765

 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

23-2077891

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

UNIVERSAL CORPORATE CENTER

367 SOUTH GULPH ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pennsylvania 19406

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (610) 768-3300

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Class B Common Stock, $0.01 par value

UHS

New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

 

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

 

 

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes No

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. Common shares outstanding, as of October 31, 2023:

Class A

 

6,577,100

Class B

 

61,006,826

Class C

 

661,688

Class D

 

13,090

 

 


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

INDEX

PAGE NO.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements (unaudited)

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income – Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022

3

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income – Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022

4

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets – September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022

5

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity – Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022

 

6

 

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022

8

 

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

9

 

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

26

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

60

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

60

 

PART II. Other Information

 

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

61

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

61

 

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

61

 

 

 

Item 5. Other Information

61

 

 

 

Item 6. Exhibits

62

 

Signatures

63

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. This Report modifies and supersedes documents filed prior to this Report. Information that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in the future will automatically update and supersede information contained in this Report.

In this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our” “UHS” and the “Company” refer to Universal Health Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries. UHS is a registered trademark of UHS of Delaware, Inc., the management company for, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc. Universal Health Services, Inc. is a holding company and operates through its subsidiaries including its management company, UHS of Delaware, Inc. All healthcare and management operations are conducted by subsidiaries of Universal Health Services, Inc. To the extent any reference to “UHS” or “UHS facilities” in this report including letters, narratives or other forms contained herein relates to our healthcare or management operations it is referring to Universal Health Services, Inc.’s subsidiaries including UHS of Delaware, Inc. Further, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” in such context similarly refer to the operations of Universal Health Services Inc.’s subsidiaries including UHS of Delaware, Inc. Any reference to employees or employment contained herein refers to employment with or employees of the subsidiaries of Universal Health Services, Inc. including UHS of Delaware, Inc.

2


 

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

Three months ended
September 30,

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30,

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Net revenues

$

3,562,774

 

 

$

3,336,027

 

 

$

10,578,430

 

 

$

9,952,390

 

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

1,784,870

 

 

 

1,677,431

 

 

 

5,308,476

 

 

 

5,061,173

 

Other operating expenses

 

941,219

 

 

 

837,241

 

 

 

2,758,484

 

 

 

2,526,060

 

Supplies expense

 

378,667

 

 

 

366,337

 

 

 

1,138,950

 

 

 

1,092,403

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

137,195

 

 

 

145,874

 

 

 

422,560

 

 

 

433,508

 

Lease and rental expense

 

35,466

 

 

 

33,264

 

 

 

105,775

 

 

 

97,075

 

 

 

3,277,417

 

 

 

3,060,147

 

 

 

9,734,245

 

 

 

9,210,219

 

Income from operations

 

285,357

 

 

 

275,880

 

 

 

844,185

 

 

 

742,171

 

Interest expense, net

 

53,378

 

 

 

35,653

 

 

 

153,085

 

 

 

83,002

 

Other (income) expense, net

 

11,472

 

 

 

6,015

 

 

 

31,797

 

 

 

15,244

 

Income before income taxes

 

220,507

 

 

 

234,212

 

 

 

659,303

 

 

 

643,925

 

Provision for income taxes

 

52,499

 

 

 

57,401

 

 

 

159,618

 

 

 

157,312

 

Net income

 

168,008

 

 

 

176,811

 

 

 

499,685

 

 

 

486,613

 

Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

1,019

 

 

 

(6,003

)

 

 

(1,732

)

 

 

(14,176

)

Net income attributable to UHS

$

166,989

 

 

$

182,814

 

 

$

501,417

 

 

$

500,789

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic earnings per share attributable to UHS

$

2.42

 

 

$

2.52

 

 

$

7.18

 

 

$

6.78

 

Diluted earnings per share attributable to UHS

$

2.40

 

 

$

2.50

 

 

$

7.09

 

 

$

6.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of common shares - basic

 

68,867

 

 

 

72,595

 

 

 

69,825

 

 

 

73,769

 

Add: Other share equivalents

 

757

 

 

 

465

 

 

 

825

 

 

 

743

 

Weighted average number of common shares and
   equivalents - diluted

 

69,624

 

 

 

73,060

 

 

 

70,650

 

 

 

74,512

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

3


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(amounts in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

Three months ended
September 30,

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Net income

 

$

168,008

 

 

$

176,811

 

 

$

499,685

 

 

$

486,613

 

Other comprehensive income (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

(24,631

)

 

 

24,242

 

 

 

(703

)

 

 

(22,460

)

Other comprehensive income (loss) before tax

 

 

(24,631

)

 

 

24,242

 

 

 

(703

)

 

 

(22,460

)

Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other
   comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

(926

)

 

 

6,685

 

 

 

(95

)

 

 

5,809

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

 

(23,705

)

 

 

17,557

 

 

 

(608

)

 

 

(28,269

)

Comprehensive income

 

 

144,303

 

 

 

194,368

 

 

 

499,077

 

 

 

458,344

 

Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling
   interests

 

 

1,019

 

 

 

(6,003

)

 

 

(1,732

)

 

 

(14,176

)

Comprehensive income attributable to UHS

 

$

143,284

 

 

$

200,371

 

 

$

500,809

 

 

$

472,520

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

4


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(amounts in thousands, unaudited)

 

September 30,
2023

 

 

December 31,
2022

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

80,768

 

 

$

102,818

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

2,234,343

 

 

 

2,017,722

 

Supplies

 

214,587

 

 

 

218,517

 

Other current assets

 

223,303

 

 

 

198,283

 

Total current assets

 

2,753,001

 

 

 

2,537,340

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment

 

11,610,188

 

 

 

11,085,852

 

Less: accumulated depreciation

 

(5,523,135

)

 

 

(5,167,394

)

 

 

6,087,053

 

 

 

5,918,458

 

Other assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

3,912,122

 

 

 

3,909,456

 

Deferred income taxes

 

99,580

 

 

 

68,397

 

Right of use assets-operating leases

 

443,924

 

 

 

454,650

 

Deferred charges

 

7,062

 

 

 

6,264

 

Other

 

570,728

 

 

 

599,623

 

Total Assets

$

13,873,470

 

 

$

13,494,188

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Current maturities of long-term debt

$

126,555

 

 

$

81,447

 

Accounts payable and other liabilities

 

1,783,460

 

 

 

1,760,588

 

Operating lease liabilities

 

72,655

 

 

 

67,776

 

Federal and state taxes

 

7,145

 

 

 

4,608

 

Total current liabilities

 

1,989,815

 

 

 

1,914,419

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other noncurrent liabilities

 

587,829

 

 

 

487,669

 

Operating lease liabilities noncurrent

 

388,550

 

 

 

395,522

 

Long-term debt

 

4,796,074

 

 

 

4,726,533

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

 

4,719

 

 

 

4,695

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity:

 

 

 

 

 

UHS common stockholders’ equity

 

6,064,915

 

 

 

5,920,582

 

Noncontrolling interest

 

41,568

 

 

 

44,768

 

Total equity

 

6,106,483

 

 

 

5,965,350

 

Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

$

13,873,470

 

 

$

13,494,188

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

For the Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2023

(amounts in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

UHS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

Class A

 

 

Class B

 

 

Class C

 

 

Class D

 

 

Cumulative

 

 

Retained

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Stockholders'

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Dividends

 

 

Earnings

 

 

Income (Loss)

 

 

Equity

 

 

Interest

 

 

Total

 

Balance, July 1, 2023

 

$

4,213

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

628

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(632,473

)

 

$

6,705,525

 

 

$

13,429

 

 

$

6,087,182

 

 

$

41,577

 

 

$

6,128,759

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued/(converted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,243

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,244

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,244

 

Repurchased, including excise tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(14

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(177,320

)

 

 

 

 

 

(177,334

)

 

 

 

 

 

(177,334

)

Restricted share-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,132

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,132

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,132

 

Dividends paid and accrued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(13,801

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(13,801

)

 

 

 

 

 

(13,801

)

Stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,208

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,208

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,208

 

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(523

)

 

 

(523

)

Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) to UHS / noncontrolling interests

 

 

506

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

166,989

 

 

 

 

 

 

166,989

 

 

 

514

 

 

 

167,503

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(23,705

)

 

 

(23,705

)

 

 

 

 

 

(23,705

)

Subtotal - comprehensive income

 

 

506

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

166,989

 

 

 

(23,705

)

 

 

143,284

 

 

 

514

 

 

 

143,798

 

Balance, September 30, 2023

 

$

4,719

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

615

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

 

 

$

(646,274

)

 

$

6,720,777

 

 

$

(10,276

)

 

$

6,064,915

 

 

$

41,568

 

 

$

6,106,483

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

UHS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

Class A

 

 

Class B

 

 

Class C

 

 

Class D

 

 

Cumulative

 

 

Retained

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Stockholders'

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Dividends

 

 

Earnings

 

 

Income (Loss)

 

 

Equity

 

 

Interest

 

 

Total

 

Balance, January 1, 2023

 

$

4,695

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

637

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(604,127

)

 

$

6,533,667

 

 

$

(9,668

)

 

$

5,920,582

 

 

$

44,768

 

 

 

5,965,350

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued/(converted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,943

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,950

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,950

 

Repurchased

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(29

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(388,982

)

 

 

 

 

 

(389,011

)

 

 

 

 

 

(389,011

)

Restricted share-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,395

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,395

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,395

 

Dividends paid and accrued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(42,147

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(42,147

)

 

 

 

 

 

(42,147

)

Stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,337

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,337

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,337

 

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

(1,050

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4,208

)

 

 

(4,208

)

Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,814

 

 

 

3,814

 

Comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) to UHS / noncontrolling interests

 

 

1,074

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

501,417

 

 

 

 

 

 

501,417

 

 

 

(2,806

)

 

 

498,611

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(608

)

 

 

(608

)

 

 

 

 

 

(608

)

Subtotal - comprehensive income

 

 

1,074

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

501,417

 

 

 

(608

)

 

 

500,809

 

 

 

(2,806

)

 

 

498,003

 

Balance, September 30, 2023

 

$

4,719

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

615

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(646,274

)

 

$

6,720,777

 

 

$

(10,276

)

 

$

6,064,915

 

 

$

41,568

 

 

$

6,106,483

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

6


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

For the Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2022

(amounts in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

UHS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

Class A

 

 

Class B

 

 

Class C

 

 

Class D

 

 

Cumulative

 

 

Retained

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Stockholders'

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Dividends

 

 

Earnings

 

 

Income (Loss)

 

 

Equity

 

 

Interest

 

 

Total

 

Balance, July 1, 2022

 

$

4,449

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

660

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(575,198

)

 

$

6,404,660

 

 

$

(15,535

)

 

$

5,814,660

 

 

$

89,256

 

 

$

5,903,916

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued/(converted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,738

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,739

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,739

 

Repurchased

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(16

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(158,186

)

 

 

 

 

 

(158,202

)

 

 

 

 

 

(158,202

)

Restricted share-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,869

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,869

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,869

 

Dividends paid and accrued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(14,607

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(14,607

)

 

 

 

 

 

(14,607

)

Stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15,797

 

 

 

 

 

 

15,797

 

 

 

 

 

 

15,797

 

Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in majority owned business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(11,274

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11,274

)

 

 

(37,608

)

 

 

(48,882

)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(103

)

 

 

(103

)

Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,299

 

 

 

3,299

 

Comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) to UHS / noncontrolling interests

 

 

114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

182,814

 

 

 

 

 

 

182,814

 

 

 

(6,117

)

 

 

176,697

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,557

 

 

 

17,557

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,557

 

Subtotal - comprehensive income

 

 

114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

182,814

 

 

 

17,557

 

 

 

200,371

 

 

 

(6,117

)

 

 

194,254

 

Balance, September 30, 2022

 

$

4,563

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

645

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

 

 

$

(589,805

)

 

$

6,442,418

 

 

$

2,022

 

 

$

5,855,353

 

 

$

48,727

 

 

$

5,904,080

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

UHS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

Common

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

Class A

 

 

Class B

 

 

Class C

 

 

Class D

 

 

Cumulative

 

 

Retained

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Stockholders'

 

 

Noncontrolling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Common

 

 

Dividends

 

 

Earnings

 

 

Income (Loss)

 

 

Equity

 

 

Interest

 

 

Total

 

Balance, January 1, 2022

 

$

5,119

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

698

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(545,487

)

 

$

6,604,089

 

 

$

30,291

 

 

$

6,089,664

 

 

$

103,389

 

 

$

6,193,053

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued/(converted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,527

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,534

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,534

 

Repurchased

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(60

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(723,324

)

 

 

 

 

 

(723,384

)

 

 

 

 

 

(723,384

)

Restricted share-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12,972

 

 

 

 

 

 

12,972

 

 

 

 

 

 

12,972

 

Dividends paid and accrued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(44,318

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(44,318

)

 

 

 

 

 

(44,318

)

Stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,639

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,639

 

 

 

 

 

 

48,639

 

Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in majority owned business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(11,274

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11,274

)

 

 

(37,608

)

 

 

(48,882

)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

(650

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4,776

)

 

 

(4,776

)

Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,992

 

 

 

1,992

 

Comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss) to UHS / noncontrolling interests

 

 

94

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500,789

 

 

 

 

 

 

500,789

 

 

 

(14,270

)

 

 

486,519

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of income tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(28,269

)

 

 

(28,269

)

 

 

 

 

 

(28,269

)

Subtotal - comprehensive income

 

 

94

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500,789

 

 

 

(28,269

)

 

 

472,520

 

 

 

(14,270

)

 

 

458,250

 

Balance, September 30, 2022

 

$

4,563

 

 

$

66

 

 

$

645

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

0

 

 

$

(589,805

)

 

$

6,442,418

 

 

$

2,022

 

 

$

5,855,353

 

 

$

48,727

 

 

$

5,904,080

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

7


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(amounts in thousands, unaudited)

 

 

Nine months
ended September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

499,685

 

 

$

486,613

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation & amortization

 

 

422,560

 

 

 

433,508

 

(Gain) loss on sale of assets and businesses

 

 

(6,250

)

 

 

584

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

65,702

 

 

 

62,741

 

Changes in assets & liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and dispositions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(193,108

)

 

 

(155,142

)

Accrued interest

 

 

60

 

 

 

529

 

Accrued and deferred income taxes

 

 

(33,240

)

 

 

(4,900

)

Other working capital accounts

 

 

(65,062

)

 

 

(173,903

)

Medicare accelerated payments and deferred CARES Act and other grants

 

 

1,764

 

 

 

2,921

 

Other assets and deferred charges

 

 

48,985

 

 

 

22,219

 

Other

 

 

13,717

 

 

 

(23,358

)

Accrued insurance expense, net of commercial premiums paid

 

 

141,414

 

 

 

134,908

 

Payments made in settlement of self-insurance claims

 

 

(80,861

)

 

 

(88,001

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

815,366

 

 

 

698,719

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment additions

 

 

(536,665

)

 

 

(569,555

)

Proceeds received from sales of assets and businesses

 

 

23,688

 

 

 

12,001

 

Acquisition of businesses and property

 

 

(3,728

)

 

 

(18,666

)

(Outflows) inflows from foreign exchange contracts that hedge our net U.K. investment

 

 

(7,723

)

 

 

177,214

 

Decrease in capital reserves of commercial insurance subsidiary

 

 

0

 

 

 

100

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(524,428

)

 

 

(398,906

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Repayments of long-term debt

 

 

(54,009

)

 

 

(194,115

)

Additional borrowings, net

 

 

165,000

 

 

 

705,321

 

Financing costs

 

 

(308

)

 

 

(2,541

)

Repurchase of common shares

 

 

(385,339

)

 

 

(723,384

)

Dividends paid

 

 

(41,964

)

 

 

(44,192

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

9,841

 

 

 

10,399

 

Profit distributions to noncontrolling interests

 

 

(5,258

)

 

 

(5,426

)

Purchase (sale) of ownership interests by (from) minority members

 

 

408

 

 

 

(49,089

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

 

(311,629

)

 

 

(303,027

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

493

 

 

 

(10,339

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

(20,198

)

 

 

(13,553

)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

 

 

200,837

 

 

 

178,934

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

 

$

180,639

 

 

$

165,381

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest paid

 

$

149,247

 

 

$

78,992

 

Income taxes paid, net of refunds

 

$

191,189

 

 

$

182,091

 

Noncash purchases of property and equipment

 

$

108,412

 

 

$

97,264

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

8


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

 

(1) General

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023. In this Quarterly Report, “we,” “us,” “our” “UHS” and the “Company” refer to Universal Health Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

The condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of our majority-owned subsidiaries and partnerships and limited liability companies controlled by us, or our subsidiaries, as managing general partner or managing member. The condensed consolidated interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by us, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) which, in our opinion, are necessary to fairly state results for the interim periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although we believe that the accompanying disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, significant accounting policies and the notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Many of the factors that could affect our future results are beyond our control or ability to predict, including, but not limited to:

The nationwide shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel has been a significant operating issue facing us and other healthcare providers. In some areas, the labor scarcity is putting a strain on our resources and staff, which has required us to utilize higher‑cost temporary labor and pay premiums above standard compensation for essential workers. These factors, which had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2022, and to a certain degree thus far in 2023, could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results, at various times, since that time. We cannot predict if there will be future disruptions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic.
A significant portion of our revenues are derived from federal and state government programs including the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Payments from these programs are subject to statutory and regulatory changes, administrative rulings, interpretations and determinations, requirements for utilization review, and federal and state funding restrictions. Changes to these programs, if adopted, could materially affect program payments which could materially impact our results of operations.
The increase in interest rates has substantially increased our borrowings costs and reduced our ability to access the capital markets on favorable terms. Additional increases in interest rates could have a significant unfavorable impact on our future results of operations and the resulting effect on the capital markets could adversely affect our ability to carry out our strategy.

(2) Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust and Other Related Party Transactions

Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust:

At September 30, 2023, we held approximately 5.7% of the outstanding shares of Universal Health Realty Income Trust (the “Trust”). We serve as Advisor to the Trust under an annually renewable advisory agreement, which is scheduled to expire on December 31st of each year, pursuant to the terms of which we conduct the Trust’s day-to-day affairs, provide administrative services and present investment opportunities. The advisory agreement was renewed by the Trust for 2023 at the same rate in place for 2022, 2021 and 2020, providing for an advisory fee computation at 0.70% of the Trust’s average invested real estate assets. We earned an advisory fee from the Trust, which is included in net revenues in the accompanying consolidated statements of income, of approximately $1.3 million during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and approximately $4.0 million and $3.8 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

In addition, certain of our officers and directors are also officers and/or directors of the Trust. Management believes that it has the ability to exercise significant influence over the Trust, therefore we account for our investment in the Trust using the equity method of accounting.

Our pre-tax share of income from the Trust was approximately $100,000 and $275,000 during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $670,000 and $882,000 during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is included in other (income) expense, net, on the accompanying consolidated

9


 

statements of income for each period. We received dividends from the Trust amounting to $567,000 and $559,000 during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $1.7 million during each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The carrying value of our investment in the Trust was approximately $7.3 million and $8.4 million at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, and is included in other assets in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. The market value of our investment in the Trust was $31.8 million at September 30, 2023 and $37.6 million at December 31, 2022, based on the closing price of the Trust’s stock on the respective dates.

The Trust commenced operations in 1986 by purchasing certain properties from us and immediately leasing the properties back to our respective subsidiaries. The base rents are paid monthly and the bonus rents, which as of January 1, 2022 are applicable only to McAllen Medical Center, are computed and paid on a quarterly basis, based upon a computation that compares current quarter revenue to a corresponding quarter in the base year. The leases with those subsidiaries are unconditionally guaranteed by us and are cross-defaulted with one another.

On December 31, 2021, we entered into an asset purchase and sale agreement with the Trust, which was amended during the first quarter of 2022, pursuant to the terms of which:

a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours purchased from the Trust, the real estate assets of the Inland Valley Campus of Southwest Healthcare System located in Wildomar, California, at its fair market value of $79.6 million.
two wholly-owned subsidiaries of ours transferred to the Trust, the real estate assets of the following properties:
o
Aiken Regional Medical Center (“Aiken”), located in Aiken, South Carolina (which includes a 211-bed acute care hospital and a 62-bed behavioral health facility), at its fair-market value of approximately $57.7 million, and;
o
Canyon Creek Behavioral Health (“Canyon Creek”), located in Temple, Texas, at its fair-market value of approximately $26.0 million.
in connection with this transaction, since the fair-market value of Aiken and Canyon Creek, which totaled approximately $83.7 million in the aggregate, exceeded the $79.6 million fair-market value of the Inland Valley Campus of Southwest Healthcare System, we received approximately $4.1 million in cash from the Trust. This transaction generated a gain of approximately $68.4 million for the Trust, our share of which (approximately $4.0 million) is included in our consolidated statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Also on December 31, 2021, Aiken and Canyon Creek (as lessees), entered into a master lease and individual property leases (with the Trust as lessor), as amended, for initial lease terms on each property of approximately twelve years, ending on December 31, 2033. Subject to the terms of the master lease, Aiken and Canyon Creek have the right to renew their leases, at the then current fair market rent (as defined in the master lease), for seven, five-year optional renewal terms. The aggregate annual rental during 2022 pursuant to the leases for these two facilities, amounted to approximately $5.7 million ($3.9 million related to Aiken and $1.8 million related to Canyon Creek). There is no bonus rental component applicable to either of these leases. On each January 1st through 2033, the annual rental will increase by 2.25% on a cumulative and compounded basis.

As a result of the purchase options within the lease agreements for Aiken and Canyon Creek, the asset purchase and sale transaction is accounted for as a failed sale leaseback in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have accounted for the asset exchange and substitution transaction with the Trust as a financing arrangement and, since we did not derecognize the real property related to Aiken and Canyon Creek, we will continue to depreciate the assets. Our condensed consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 reflects a financial liability of $78 million and $81 million, respectively, which is included in debt, for the fair value of real estate assets that we exchanged as part of the transaction. Our monthly lease payments payable to the Trust will be recorded to interest expense and as a reduction to the outstanding financial liability. The amount allocated to interest expense is determined using our incremental borrowing rate and is based on the outstanding financial liability.

The aggregate rent payable to the Trust in connection with the leases on McAllen Medical Center, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Aiken Regional Medical Center and Canyon Creek Behavioral Health was approximately $5 million during each of the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 and approximately $15 million during each of the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

Pursuant to the Master Leases by certain subsidiaries of ours and the Trust as described in the table below, dated 1986 and 2021 (“the Master Leases”) which govern the leases of McAllen Medical Center and Wellington Regional Medical Center (each of which is governed by the Master Lease dated 1986), and Aiken Regional Medical Center and Canyon Creek Behavioral Health (each of which is governed by the Master Lease dated 2021), we have the option to renew the leases at the lease terms described above and below by providing notice to the Trust at least 90 days prior to the termination of the then current term. We also have the right to purchase the respective leased hospitals at their appraised fair market value upon any of the following: (i) at the end of the lease terms or any renewal terms; (ii) upon one month’s notice should a change of control of the Trust occur, or; (iii) within the time period as specified in the lease in the event that we provide notice to the Trust of our intent to offer a substitution property/properties in exchange for one (or more) of the hospital properties leased from the Trust should we be unable to reach an agreement with the Trust on the properties

10


 

to be substituted. In addition, we have rights of first refusal to: (i) purchase the respective leased facilities during and for a specified period after the lease terms at the same price, terms and conditions of any third-party offer, or; (ii) renew the lease on the respective leased facility at the end of, and for a specified period after, the lease term at the same terms and conditions pursuant to any third-party offer.

In addition, we are the managing, majority member in a joint venture with an unrelated third-party that operates Clive Behavioral Health, a 100-bed behavioral health care facility located in Clive, Iowa. The real property of this facility, which was completed and opened in late, 2020, is also leased from the Trust (annual rental of approximately $2.7 million and $2.6 million during 2023 and 2022, respectively) pursuant to the lease terms as provided in the table below. In connection with the lease on this facility, the joint venture has the right to purchase the leased facility from the Trust at its appraised fair market value upon either of the following: (i) by providing notice at least 270 days prior to the end of the lease terms or any renewal terms, or; (ii) upon 30 days' notice anytime within 12 months of a change of control of the Trust (UHS also has this right should the joint venture decline to exercise its purchase right). Additionally, the joint venture has rights of first offer to purchase the facility prior to any third-party sale.

The table below provides certain details for each of the hospitals leased from the Trust as of September 30, 2023:

 

Hospital Name

 

Annual
Minimum
Rent

 

 

End of Lease Term

 

Renewal
Term
(years)

 

 

McAllen Medical Center

 

$

5,485,000

 

 

December, 2026

 

 

5

 

(a)

Wellington Regional Medical Center

 

$

6,477,000

 

 

December, 2026

 

 

5

 

(b)

Aiken Regional Medical Center/Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services

 

$

3,982,000

 

 

December, 2033

 

 

35

 

(c)

Canyon Creek Behavioral Health

 

$

1,800,000

 

 

December, 2033

 

 

35

 

(c)

Clive Behavioral Health Hospital

 

$

2,701,000

 

 

December, 2040

 

 

50

 

(d)

 

(a)
We have one 5-year renewal option at existing lease rates (through 2031).
(b)
We have one 5-year renewal option at fair market value lease rates (through 2031). Upon the December 31, 2021 expiration of the lease on Wellington Regional Medical Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours exercised its fair market value renewal option and renewed the lease for a 5-year term scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026. The annual rental will increase by 2.5% on a cumulative and compounded basis on January 1st of each year through 2026.
(c)
We have seven 5-year renewal options at fair market value lease rates (2034 through 2068). On January 1st of each year through 2033, the annual rent will increase by 2.25% on a cumulative and compounded basis.
(d)
This facility is operated by a joint venture in which we are the managing, majority member and an unrelated third-party holds a minority ownership interest. The joint venture has three, 10-year renewal options at computed lease rates as stipulated in the lease (2041 through 2070) and two additional, 10-year renewal options at fair market value lease rates (2071 through 2090). In each January through 2040 (and potentially through 2070 if three, 10-year renewal options are exercised), the annual rental will increase by 2.75% on a cumulative and compounded basis.

In addition, certain of our subsidiaries are tenants in several medical office buildings (“MOBs”) and two free-standing emergency departments owned by the Trust or by limited liability companies in which the Trust holds 95% to 100% of the ownership interest.

During the third quarter of 2023, the Trust acquired the McAllen Doctor's Center, a 79,500 rentable square feet medical office building located in McAllen, Texas. A master lease was executed between a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours and the Trust, pursuant to the terms of which our subsidiary will master lease 100% of the rentable square feet of the MOB at an initial minimum rent of $624,000 annually. The master lease commenced during August, 2023 and is scheduled to expire in twelve years.

During the first quarter of 2023, the Trust substantially completed construction on a new 86,000 rentable square feet multi-tenant MOB that is located on the campus of Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center in Reno, Nevada. Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center, a 170-bed newly constructed acute care hospital owned and operated by a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours, was completed and opened in April, 2022. In connection with this MOB, a ground lease and a master flex lease was executed between a wholly-owned subsidiary of ours and the Trust, pursuant to the terms of which our subsidiary will master lease approximately 68% of the rentable square feet of the MOB at an initial minimum rent of $1.3 million annually plus a pro-rata share of the common area maintenance expenses. The master flex lease could be reduced during the term if certain conditions are met. The ground lease and master flex lease each commenced during the first quarter of 2023.

Other Related Party Transactions:

In December, 2010, our Board of Directors approved the Company’s entering into supplemental life insurance plans and agreements on the lives of Alan B. Miller (our Executive Chairman of the Board) and his wife. As a result of these agreements, as amended in

11


 

October, 2016, based on actuarial tables and other assumptions, during the life expectancies of the insureds, we would pay approximately $28 million in premiums, and certain trusts owned by our Executive Chairman of the Board, would pay approximately $9 million in premiums. Based on the projected premiums mentioned above, and assuming the policies remain in effect until the death of the insureds, we will be entitled to receive death benefit proceeds of no less than approximately $37 million representing the $28 million of aggregate premiums paid by us as well as the $9 million of aggregate premiums paid by the trusts. In connection with these policies, we will pay/we paid approximately $1.0 million, net, in premium payments during 2023 and 2022.

In August, 2015, Marc D. Miller, our President and Chief Executive Officer and member of our Board of Directors, was appointed to the Board of Directors of Premier, Inc. (“Premier”), a healthcare performance improvement alliance. During 2013, we entered into a new group purchasing organization agreement (“GPO”) with Premier. In conjunction with the GPO agreement, we acquired a minority interest in Premier for a nominal amount. During the fourth quarter of 2013, in connection with the completion of an initial public offering of the stock of Premier, we received cash proceeds for the sale of a portion of our ownership interest in the GPO. Also in connection with this GPO agreement, we received shares of restricted stock of Premier which vested ratably over a seven-year period (2014 through 2020), contingent upon our continued participation and minority ownership interest in the GPO. During the third quarter of 2020, we entered into an agreement with Premier pursuant to the terms of which, among other things, our ownership interest in Premier was converted into shares of Class A Common Stock of Premier. We have elected to retain a portion of the previously vested shares of Premier, the market value of which is included in other assets on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Based upon the closing price of Premier’s stock on each respective date, the market value of our shares of Premier was approximately $48 million and $78 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Any change in market value of our Premier shares since December 31, 2022 was recorded as an unrealized gain/loss and included in “Other (income) expense, net” in our condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023. Additionally, Premier declared and paid quarterly cash dividends during each of the first three quarters of 2023 and 2022. Our share of the cash dividends amounted to approximately $470,000 for each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $1.4 million for each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The dividends are included in “Other (income) expense, net” in our condensed consolidated statements of income.

A member of our Board of Directors and member of the Executive Committee and Finance Committee is a partner in Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, a law firm engaged by us for a variety of legal services. The Board member and his law firm also provide personal legal services to our Executive Chairman and he acts as trustee of certain trusts for the benefit of our Executive Chairman and his family.

(3) Other Noncurrent liabilities and Redeemable/Noncontrolling Interests

Other noncurrent liabilities include the long-term portion of our professional and general liability, workers’ compensation reserves, pension and deferred compensation liabilities, and liabilities incurred in connection with split-dollar life insurance agreements on the lives of our chief executive officer and his wife.

As of September 30, 2023, outside owners held noncontrolling, minority ownership interests of: (i) approximately 7% in an acute care facility located in Texas; (ii) 49%, 20%, 30%, 20%, 25%, 48% and 26% in seven behavioral health care facilities located in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, Missouri, Iowa and Michigan, respectively, and; (iii) approximately 5% in an acute care facility located in Nevada. The noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest balances of $42 million and $5 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2023, consist primarily of the third-party ownership interests in these hospitals.

In connection with the two behavioral health care facilities located in Pennsylvania and Ohio, the minority ownership interests of which are reflected as redeemable noncontrolling interests on our condensed consolidated balance sheets, the outside owners have “put options” to put their entire ownership interest to us at any time. If exercised, the put option requires us to purchase the minority member’s interest at fair market value. Accordingly, the amounts recorded as redeemable noncontrolling interests on our condensed consolidated balance sheets reflect the estimated fair market value of these ownership interests.

(4) Treasury

Credit Facilities and Outstanding Debt Securities:

In June, 2022, we entered into a ninth amendment to our credit agreement dated as of November 15, 2010, as amended and restated as of September, 2012, August, 2014, October, 2018, August, 2021, and September, 2021, among UHS, as borrower, the several banks and other financial institutions from time to time parties thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, (the “Credit Agreement”). The ninth amendment provided for, among other things, the following: (i) a new incremental tranche A term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of $700 million which is scheduled to mature on August 24, 2026, and; (ii) replaces the option to make Eurodollar borrowings (which bear interest by reference to the LIBO Rate) with Term Benchmark Loans, which will bear interest by reference to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The net proceeds generated from the incremental tranche A term loan facility were used to repay a portion of the borrowings that were previously outstanding under our revolving credit facility.

12


 

As of September 30, 2023, our Credit Agreement provided for the following:

a $1.2 billion aggregate amount revolving credit facility that is scheduled to mature in August, 2026 (which, as of September 30, 2023, had $721 million of aggregate available borrowing capacity net of $475 million of outstanding borrowings and $4 million of letters of credit), and;
a tranche A term loan facility with $2.29 billion of outstanding borrowings as of September 30, 2023.

The tranche A term loan facility provides for installment payments of $30.0 million per quarter during the period of December, 2023 through June, 2026. The unpaid principal balance at June 30, 2026 is payable on the August 24, 2026 scheduled maturity date of the Credit Agreement.

Revolving credit and tranche A term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at our election at either (1) the ABR rate which is defined as the rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the lender’s prime rate, (b) the weighted average of the federal funds rate, plus 0.5% and (c) one month term SOFR rate plus 1%, in each case, plus an applicable margin based upon our consolidated leverage ratio at the end of each quarter ranging from 0.25% to 0.625%, or (2) the one, three or six month term SOFR rate plus 0.1% (at our election), plus an applicable margin based upon our consolidated leverage ratio at the end of each quarter ranging from 1.25% to 1.625%. As of September 30, 2023, the applicable margins were 0.50% for ABR-based loans and 1.50% for SOFR-based loans under the revolving credit and term loan A facilities. The revolving credit facility includes a $125 million sub-limit for letters of credit. The Credit Agreement is secured by certain assets of the Company and our material subsidiaries (which generally excludes asset classes such as substantially all of the patient-related accounts receivable of our acute care hospitals, if sold to a receivables facility pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and certain real estate assets and assets held in joint-ventures with third parties) and is guaranteed by our material subsidiaries.

The Credit Agreement includes a material adverse change clause that must be represented at each draw. The Credit Agreement also contains covenants that include a limitation on sales of assets, mergers, change of ownership, liens, indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, dividends and stock repurchases; and requires compliance with financial covenants including maximum leverage. We were in compliance with all required covenants as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

On August 24, 2021, we completed the following via private offerings to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended:

Issued $700 million of aggregate principal amount of 1.65% senior secured notes due on September 1, 2026, and;
Issued $500 million of aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due on January 15, 2032.

On September 13, 2021, we redeemed $400 million of aggregate principal amount of 5.00% senior secured notes, that were scheduled to mature on June 1, 2026, at 102.50% of the aggregate principal, or $410 million.

As of September 30, 2023, we had combined aggregate principal of $2.0 billion from the following senior secured notes:

$700 million aggregate principal amount of 1.65% senior secured notes due in September, 2026 (“2026 Notes”) which were issued on August 24, 2021.
$800 million aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due in October, 2030 (“2030 Notes”) which were issued on September 21, 2020.
$500 million of aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due in January, 2032 (“2032 Notes”) which were issued on August 24, 2021.

Interest on the 2026 Notes is payable on March 1st and September 1st until the maturity date of September 1, 2026. Interest on the 2030 Notes is payable on April 15th and October 15th, until the maturity date of October 15, 2030. Interest on the 2032 Notes is payable on January 15th and July 15th until the maturity date of January 15, 2032.

The 2026 Notes, 2030 Notes and 2032 Notes (collectively “The Notes”) were initially issued only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In December, 2022, we completed a registered exchange offer in which virtually all previously outstanding Notes were exchanged for identical Notes that were registered under the Securities Act, and thereby became freely transferable (subject to certain restrictions applicable to affiliates and broker dealers). Notes originally issued under Rule 144A or Regulation S that were not exchanged remain outstanding and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration requirements thereunder.

The Notes are guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) on a senior secured basis by all of our existing and future direct and indirect subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) that guarantee our Credit Agreement, or other first lien obligations or any junior lien obligations. The Notes and the Guarantees are secured by first-priority liens, subject to permitted liens, on certain of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ assets now owned or acquired in the future by the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors (other than real property, accounts receivable sold pursuant to the Company’s Existing Receivables Facility (as defined in the Indenture pursuant to which The

13


 

Notes were issued (the “Indenture”)), and certain other excluded assets). The Company’s obligations with respect to The Notes, the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantees, and the performance of all of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ other obligations under the Indenture, are secured equally and ratably with the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ obligations under the Credit Agreement and The Notes by a perfected first-priority security interest, subject to permitted liens, in the collateral owned by the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors, whether now owned or hereafter acquired. However, the liens on the collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will be released if: (i) The Notes have investment grade ratings; (ii) no default has occurred and is continuing, and; (iii) the liens on the collateral securing all first lien obligations (including the Credit Agreement and The Notes) and any junior lien obligations are released or the collateral under the Credit Agreement, any other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations is released or no longer required to be pledged. The liens on any collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will also be released if the liens on that collateral securing the Credit Agreement, other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations are released.

On its December, 2022 maturity date, our $20 million accounts receivable securitization program expired and was not renewed or replaced.

As discussed in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust and Other Related Party Transactions, on December 31, 2021, we (through wholly-owned subsidiaries of ours) entered into an asset purchase and sale agreement with Universal Health Realty Income Trust (the “Trust”). Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, which was amended during the first quarter of 2022, we, among other things, transferred to the Trust, the real estate assets of Aiken Regional Medical Center (“Aiken”) and Canyon Creek Behavioral Health (“Canyon Creek”). In connection with this transaction, Aiken and Canyon Creek (as lessees), entered into a master lease and individual property leases, as amended, (with the Trust as lessor), for initial lease terms on each property of approximately twelve years, ending on December 31, 2033. As a result of our purchase option within the Aiken and Canyon Creek lease agreements, this asset purchase and sale transaction is accounted for as a failed sale leaseback in accordance with U.S. GAAP and we have accounted for the transaction as a financing arrangement. Our lease payments payable to the Trust are recorded to interest expense and as a reduction of the outstanding financial liability, and the amount allocated to interest expense is determined based upon our incremental borrowing rate and the outstanding financial liability. In connection with this transaction, our condensed consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 reflect financial liabilities, which are included in debt, of approximately $78 million and $81 million, respectively.

At September 30, 2023, the carrying value and fair value of our debt were approximately $4.9 billion and $4.5 billion, respectively. At December 31, 2022, the carrying value and fair value of our debt were approximately $4.8 billion and $4.4 billion, respectively. The fair value of our debt was computed based upon quotes received from financial institutions. We consider these to be “level 2” in the fair value hierarchy as outlined in the authoritative guidance for disclosures in connection with debt instruments.

Foreign Currency Forward Exchange Contracts:

We use forward exchange contracts to hedge our net investment in foreign operations against movements in exchange rates. The effective portion of the unrealized gains or losses on these contracts is recorded in foreign currency translation adjustment within accumulated other comprehensive income and remains there until either the sale or liquidation of the subsidiary. In connection with these forward exchange contracts, we recorded net cash outflows of $8 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 and net cash inflows of $177 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022.

Derivatives Hedging Relationships:

The following table presents the effects of our foreign currency forward exchange contracts on our results of operations for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

 

Gain/(Loss) recognized in AOCI

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Net Investment Hedge relationships

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency forward exchange contracts

$

19,619

 

 

$

120,043

 

 

$

(10,781

)

 

$

201,619

 

No other gains or losses were recognized in income related to derivatives in Subtopic 815-20.

14


 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash as reported in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows are presented separately on our condensed consolidated balance sheets as follows (in thousands):

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2022

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

80,768

 

$

74,571

 

$

102,818

 

Restricted cash (a)

 

99,871

 

 

90,810

 

 

98,019

 

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$

180,639

 

 

$

165,381

 

 

$

200,837

 

(a) Restricted cash is included in other assets on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

(5) Fair Value Measurement

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The following fair value hierarchy classifies the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into one of three levels:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These included quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions.

The following tables present the assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis:

 

Balance at

 

Balance Sheet

Basis of Fair Value Measurement

 

(in thousands)

September 30, 2023

 

Location

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market mutual funds

 

115,601

 

Other assets

 

115,601

 

 

 

 

 

Certificates of deposit

 

2,200

 

Other assets

 

 

 

2,200

 

 

 

Equity securities

 

48,003

 

Other assets

 

48,003

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred compensation assets

 

39,391

 

Other assets

 

39,391

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency exchange contracts

 

83

 

Other current assets

 

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

$

205,278

 

 

$

202,995

 

$

2,283

 

 

-

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred compensation liability

 

39,391

 

Other noncurrent liabilities

 

39,391

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

39,391

 

 

$

39,391

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at

 

Balance Sheet

Basis of Fair Value Measurement

 

(in thousands)

December 31, 2022

 

Location

Level 1

 

Level 2

 

Level 3

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market mutual funds

 

113,649

 

Other assets

 

113,649

 

 

 

 

 

Certificates of deposit

 

2,200

 

Other assets

 

 

 

2,200

 

 

 

Equity securities

 

78,099

 

Other assets

 

78,099

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred compensation assets

 

38,032

 

Other assets

 

38,032

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency exchange contracts

 

3,142

 

Other current assets

 

 

 

3,142

 

 

 

 

$

235,122

 

 

$

229,780

 

$

5,342

 

 

-

 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred compensation liability

 

38,032

 

Other noncurrent liabilities

$

38,032

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

38,032

 

 

$

38,032

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

The fair value of our money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit and equity securities with a readily determinable fair value are computed based upon quoted market prices in an active market. The fair value of deferred compensation assets and the offsetting liability are computed based on market prices in an active market held in a rabbi trust. The fair value of our interest rate swaps are

15


 

based on quotes from our counter parties. The fair value of our foreign currency exchange contracts is determined using quoted forward exchange rates and spot rates at the reporting date.

(6) Commitments and Contingencies

Professional and General Liability, Workers’ Compensation Liability

The vast majority of our subsidiaries are self-insured for professional and general liability exposure up to: (i) $20 million for professional liability and $3 million for general liability per occurrence in 2023, 2022 and 2021; (ii) $10 million and $3 million per occurrence in 2020; (iii) $5 million and $3 million per occurrence, respectively, during 2019, 2018 and 2017, and; (iv) $10 million and $3 million per occurrence, respectively, prior to 2017.

These subsidiaries are provided with several excess policies through commercial insurance carriers which provide for coverage in excess of the applicable per occurrence and aggregate self-insured retention or underlying policy limits up to approximately $165 million in 2023; $162 million in 2022; $155 million in 2021 and $250 million during each of 2014 through 2020. In addition, from time to time based upon marketplace conditions, we may elect to purchase additional commercial coverage for certain of our facilities or businesses. Our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. have policies through a commercial insurance carrier located in the U.K. that provides for £16 million of professional liability coverage, and £25 million of general liability coverage.

As of September 30, 2023, the total net accrual for our professional and general liability claims was $429 million, of which $55 million was included in current liabilities. As of December 31, 2022, the total net accrual for our professional and general liability claims was $372 million, of which $74 million was included in current liabilities.

As a result of unfavorable trends experienced during the last three years, our results of operations included pre-tax increases to our reserves for self-insured professional and general liability claims amounting to approximately $25 million during the first nine months of 2023 ($20 million and $5 million recorded during the second and third quarters of 2023, respectively), $16 million during the full year of 2022 and $52 million during the full year of 2021. Our estimated liability for self-insured professional and general liability claims is based on a number of factors including, among other things, the number of asserted claims and reported incidents, estimates of losses for these claims based on recent and historical settlement amounts, estimates of incurred but not reported claims based on historical experience, and estimates of amounts recoverable under our commercial insurance policies. While we continuously monitor these factors, our ultimate liability for professional and general liability claims could change materially from our current estimates due to inherent uncertainties involved in making this estimate. Given our significant self-insured exposure for professional and general liability claims, there can be no assurance that a sharp increase in the number and/or severity of claims asserted against us will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

As of September 30, 2023, the total accrual for our workers’ compensation liability claims was $127 million, $55 million of which was included in current liabilities. As of December 31, 2022, the total accrual for our workers’ compensation liability claims was $125 million, $55 million of which was included in current liabilities. As a result of favorable trends recently experienced, included in our results of operations during the first nine months of 2023, was a pre-tax decrease to our reserves for self-insured workers' compensation liability claims of approximately $10 million (recorded during the second quarter of 2023).

Although we are unable to predict whether or not our future financial statements will require updates to estimates for our prior year reserves for self-insured general and professional and workers’ compensation claims, given the relatively unpredictable nature of these potential liabilities and the factors impacting these reserves, as discussed above, it is reasonably likely that our future financial results may include material adjustments to prior period reserves.

Property Insurance

We have commercial property insurance policies for our properties providing property damage and time element coverage up to a $1 billion policy limit for certain perils. These policies also include coverage for catastrophic losses including, but not limited to, $250 million in the annual aggregate of windstorm damage subject to a per occurrence/per location deductible of $5 million as of June 1, 2023. Losses resulting from named windstorms are subject to deductibles between 3% and 5% of the total insurable value of the property. In addition, we have commercial property insurance policies covering catastrophic losses resulting from earthquake and flood damage, each subject to aggregated loss limits (as opposed to per occurrence losses). Commercially insured earthquake coverage for our facilities is subject to various deductibles and limitations including: (i) $100 million limitation for our facilities located in California, New Madrid Seismic Zone, Pacific Northwest Seismic Zone, Alaska and various counties in Nevada; (ii) $100 million limitation for our facilities located in fault zones within the United States; (iii) $40 million limitation for our facilities located in Puerto Rico, and; (iv) $250 million limitation for many of our facilities located in other states. Our commercially insured flood coverage has a limit of $100 million annually. There is also a $10 million sublimit for one of our facilities located in Houston, Texas, and a $1 million sublimit for our facilities located in Puerto Rico. Property insurance for our behavioral health facilities located in the U.K. are provided on an all risk basis up to a £1.5 billion policy limit, with coverage caps per location, that includes coverage for real and personal property as well as business interruption losses.

16


 

Commitment to Develop, Lease and Operate an Acute Care Hospital in Washington, D.C.

During 2020, we entered into various agreements with the District of Columbia (the “District”) related to the development, leasing and operation of an acute care hospital and certain other facilities/structures on land owned by the District (“District Facilities”). The agreements contemplate that we will serve as manager for development and construction of the District Facilities on behalf of the District, with a projected aggregate cost of approximately $439 million, approximately $152 million of which was incurred as of September 30, 2023, which will be entirely funded by the District. Construction of the District Facilities is expected to be completed during 2025.

Upon completion of the District Facilities, we will lease the District Facilities for a nominal rental amount for a period of 75 years and are obligated to operate the District Facilities during the lease term. We have certain lease termination rights in connection with the District Facilities beginning on the tenth anniversary of the lease commencement date for various and decreasing amounts as provided for in the agreements. Additionally, any time after the 10th anniversary of the lease term, we have a right to purchase the District Facilities for a price equal to the greater of fair market value of the District Facilities or the amount necessary to defease the bonds issued by the District to fund the construction of the District Facilities. The lease agreement also entitles the District to participation rent should certain specified earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization thresholds be achieved by the acute care hospital.

Additionally, we have committed to expend no less than $75 million, over a projected 12-year period, in healthcare infrastructure including expenditures related to the District Facilities as well as other healthcare related expenditures in certain specified areas of Washington, D.C. Pursuant to the agreements, the District is entitled to certain termination fees and other amounts as specified in the agreements in the event we, within certain specified periods of time, cease to operate the acute care hospital or there is a transfer of control of us or our subsidiary operating the hospital.

Legal Proceedings

We operate in a highly regulated and litigious industry which subjects us to various claims and lawsuits in the ordinary course of business as well as regulatory proceedings and government investigations. These claims or suits include claims for damages for personal injuries, medical malpractice, commercial/contractual disputes, wrongful restriction of, or interference with, physicians’ staff privileges, and employment related claims. In addition, health care companies are subject to investigations and/or actions by various state and federal governmental agencies or those bringing claims on their behalf. Government action has increased with respect to investigations and/or allegations against healthcare providers concerning possible violations of fraud and abuse and false claims statutes as well as compliance with clinical and operational regulations. Currently, and from time to time, we and some of our facilities are subjected to inquiries in the form of subpoenas, Civil Investigative Demands, audits and other document requests from various federal and state agencies. These inquiries can lead to notices and/or actions including repayment obligations from state and federal government agencies associated with potential non-compliance with laws and regulations. Further, the federal False Claims Act allows private individuals to bring lawsuits (qui tam actions) against healthcare providers that submit claims for payments to the government. Various states have also adopted similar statutes. When such a claim is filed, the government will investigate the matter and decide if they are going to intervene in the pending case. These qui tam lawsuits are placed under seal by the court to comply with the False Claims Act’s requirements. If the government chooses not to intervene, the private individual(s) can proceed independently on behalf of the government. Health care providers that are found to violate the False Claims Act may be subject to substantial monetary fines/penalties as well as face potential exclusion from participating in government health care programs or be required to comply with Corporate Integrity Agreements as a condition of a settlement of a False Claims Act matter. In September 2014, the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that all qui tam cases will be shared with their Division to determine if a parallel criminal investigation should be opened. The DOJ has also announced an intention to pursue civil and criminal actions against individuals within a company as well as the corporate entity or entities. In addition, health care facilities are subject to monitoring by state and federal surveyors to ensure compliance with program Conditions of Participation. In the event a facility is found to be out of compliance with a Condition of Participation and unable to remedy the alleged deficiency(s), the facility faces termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs or compliance with a System Improvement Agreement to remedy deficiencies and ensure compliance.

The laws and regulations governing the healthcare industry are complex covering, among other things, government healthcare participation requirements, licensure, certification and accreditation, privacy of patient information, reimbursement for patient services as well as fraud and abuse compliance. These laws and regulations are constantly evolving and expanding. Further, the Legislation has added additional obligations on healthcare providers to report and refund overpayments by government healthcare programs and authorizes the suspension of Medicare and Medicaid payments “pending an investigation of a credible allegation of fraud.” We monitor our business and have developed an ethics and compliance program with respect to these complex laws, rules and regulations. Although we believe our policies, procedures and practices comply with government regulations, there is no assurance that we will not be faced with the sanctions referenced above which include fines, penalties and/or substantial damages, repayment obligations, payment suspensions, licensure revocation, and expulsion from government healthcare programs. Even if we were to ultimately prevail in any action brought against us or our facilities or in responding to any inquiry, such action or inquiry could have a material adverse effect on us.

17


 

Certain legal matters are described below:

Knight v. Miller, et. al.

In July 2021, a shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed by plaintiff, Robin Knight, in the Chancery Court in Delaware against the members of the Board of Directors of the Company as well as certain officers (C.A. No.: 2021-0581-SG). The Company was named as a nominal defendant. The lawsuit alleges that in March 2020 stock options were awarded with exercise prices that did not reflect the Company’s fundamentals and business prospects, and in anticipation of future market rebound resulting in excessive gains. The lawsuit makes claims of breaches of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages allegedly incurred by the Company, disgorgement of the March 2020 stock awards as well as any proceeds derived therefrom and unspecified equitable relief. Defendants deny the allegations. We filed a motion to dismiss the complaint and the court granted part and denied part of our motion. During the third quarter of 2022, we reached a preliminary settlement, which would not have had a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. The settlement required court approval which the court declined to provide. Our Board of Directors has authorized the formation of a Special Litigation Committee to review the matter and determine whether it is in the best interests of the Company to pursue this claim. The court has stayed the litigation until March 31, 2024 while the Special Litigation Committee conducts their review. We are uncertain as to potential liability or financial exposure, if any, which may be associated with this matter.

Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Matter:

In late September, 2015, many hospitals in Pennsylvania, including certain of our behavioral health care hospitals located in the state, received letters from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (the “Department”) demanding repayment of allegedly excess Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payments (“DSH”), primarily consisting of managed care payments characterized as DSH payments, for the federal fiscal year (“FFY”) 2011 amounting to approximately $4 million in the aggregate. Since that time, certain of our behavioral health care hospitals in Pennsylvania have received similar requests for repayment for alleged DSH overpayments for FFYs 2012 through 2015. For FFY 2012, the claimed overpayment amounts to approximately $4 million. For FY 2013, FY 2014 and FY 2015 the initial claimed overpayments and attempted recoupment by the Department were approximately $7 million, $8 million and $7 million, respectively. The Department has agreed to a change in methodology which, upon confirmation of the underlying data being accepted by the Department, could reduce the initial claimed overpayments for FY 2013, FY 2014 and FY 2015 to approximately $2 million, $2 million and $3 million, respectively. We filed administrative appeals for all of our facilities contesting the recoupment efforts for FFYs 2011 through 2015 as we believe the Department’s calculation methodology is inaccurate and conflicts with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The Department has agreed to postpone the recoupment of the state’s share for FY 2011 to 2013 until all hospital appeals are resolved but started recoupment of the federal share. For FY 2014 and FY 2015, the Department has initiated the recoupment of the alleged overpayments. Starting in FY 2016, the first full fiscal year after the January 1, 2015 effective date of Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania, the Department no longer characterized managed care payments received by the hospitals as DSH payments. We can provide no assurance that we will ultimately be successful in our legal and administrative appeals related to the Department’s repayment demands. If our legal and administrative appeals are unsuccessful, our future consolidated results of operations and financial condition could be adversely impacted by these repayments.

Other Matters:

Various other suits, claims and investigations, including government subpoenas, arising against, or issued to, us are pending and additional such matters may arise in the future. Management will consider additional disclosure from time to time to the extent it believes such matters may be or become material. The outcome of any current or future litigation or governmental or internal investigations, including the matters described above, cannot be accurately predicted, nor can we predict any resulting penalties, fines or other sanctions that may be imposed at the discretion of federal or state regulatory authorities. We record accruals for such contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. No estimate of the possible loss or range of loss in excess of amounts accrued, if any, can be made at this time regarding the matters described above or that are otherwise pending because the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings may be exacerbated by various factors, including, but not limited to: (i) the damages sought in the proceedings are unsubstantiated or indeterminate; (ii) discovery is not complete; (iii) the matter is in its early stages; (iv) the matters present legal uncertainties; (v) there are significant facts in dispute; (vi) there are a large number of parties, or; (vii) there is a wide range of potential outcomes. It is possible that the outcome of these matters could have a material adverse impact on our future results of operations, financial position, cash flows and, potentially, our reputation.

(7) Segment Reporting

Our reportable operating segments consist of acute care hospital services and behavioral health care services. The “Other” segment column below includes centralized services including, but not limited to, information technology, purchasing, reimbursement, accounting and finance, taxation, legal, advertising and design and construction. The chief operating decision making group for our acute care services and behavioral health care services is comprised of our Chief Executive Officer and the Presidents of each operating segment. The Presidents for each operating segment also manage the profitability of each respective segment’s various facilities. The operating segments are managed separately because each operating segment represents a business unit that offers

18


 

different types of healthcare services or operates in different healthcare environments. The accounting policies of the operating segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. The corporate overhead allocations, as reflected below, are utilized for internal reporting purposes and are comprised of each period’s projected corporate-level operating expenses (excluding interest expense). The overhead expenses are captured and allocated directly to each segment, to the extent possible, based upon each segment’s respective percentage of total operating expenses.

19


 

 

 

 

Three months ended September 30, 2023

 

 

 

Acute Care
Hospital
Services

 

 

Behavioral
Health
Services (a)

 

 

Other

 

 

Total
Consolidated

 

 

 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

Gross inpatient revenues

 

$

10,916,060

 

 

$

2,703,478

 

 

 

 

 

$

13,619,538

 

Gross outpatient revenues

 

$

7,480,353

 

 

$

259,060

 

 

 

 

 

$

7,739,413

 

Total net revenues

 

$

2,017,288

 

 

$

1,542,695

 

 

$

2,791

 

 

$

3,562,774

 

Income/(loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and
   income taxes

 

$

132,406

 

 

$

262,168

 

 

$

(174,067

)

 

$

220,507

 

Allocation of corporate overhead

 

$

(66,355

)

 

$

(46,677

)

 

$

113,032

 

 

$

0

 

Income/(loss) after allocation of corporate overhead and
   before income taxes

 

$

66,051

 

 

$

215,491

 

 

$

(61,035

)

 

$

220,507

 

Total assets as of September 30, 2023

 

$

6,252,434

 

 

$

7,372,995

 

 

$

248,041

 

 

$

13,873,470

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2023

 

 

 

Acute Care
Hospital
Services

 

 

Behavioral
Health
Services (a)

 

 

Other

 

 

Total
Consolidated

 

 

 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

Gross inpatient revenues

 

$

33,278,396

 

 

$

8,001,838

 

 

 

 

 

$

41,280,234

 

Gross outpatient revenues

 

$

22,292,249

 

 

$

812,467

 

 

 

 

 

$

23,104,716

 

Total net revenues

 

$

5,993,899

 

 

$

4,575,378

 

 

$

9,153

 

 

$

10,578,430

 

Income/(loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and
   income taxes

 

$

396,229

 

 

$

792,217

 

 

$

(529,143

)

 

$

659,303

 

Allocation of corporate overhead

 

$

(199,943

)

 

$

(139,998

)

 

$

339,941

 

 

$

0

 

Income/(loss) after allocation of corporate overhead and
   before income taxes

 

$

196,286

 

 

$

652,219

 

 

$

(189,202

)

 

$

659,303

 

Total assets as of September 30, 2023

 

$

6,252,434

 

 

$

7,372,995

 

 

$

248,041

 

 

$

13,873,470

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Acute Care
Hospital
Services

 

 

Behavioral
Health
Services (a)

 

 

Other

 

 

Total
Consolidated

 

 

 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

Gross inpatient revenues

 

$

9,875,794

 

 

$

2,582,448

 

 

 

 

 

$

12,458,242

 

Gross outpatient revenues

 

$

6,379,324

 

 

$

248,167

 

 

 

 

 

$

6,627,491

 

Total net revenues

 

$

1,919,678

 

 

$

1,434,828

 

 

$

(18,479

)

 

$

3,336,027

 

Income/(loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and
   income taxes

 

$

129,241

 

 

$

237,949

 

 

$

(132,978

)

 

$

234,212

 

Allocation of corporate overhead

 

$

(63,242

)

 

$

(44,882

)

 

$

108,124

 

 

$

0

 

Income/(loss) after allocation of corporate overhead and
   before income taxes

 

$

65,999

 

 

$

193,067

 

 

$

(24,854

)

 

$

234,212

 

Total assets as of September 30, 2022

 

$

6,039,787

 

 

$

7,336,437

 

 

$

2,676

 

 

$

13,378,900

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Acute Care
Hospital
Services

 

 

Behavioral
Health
Services (a)

 

 

Other

 

 

Total
Consolidated

 

 

 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

 

Gross inpatient revenues

 

$

29,821,756

 

 

$

7,580,475

 

 

 

-

 

 

$

37,402,231

 

Gross outpatient revenues

 

$

18,360,902

 

 

$

773,769

 

 

 

-

 

 

$

19,134,671

 

Total net revenues

 

$

5,707,510

 

 

$

4,235,215

 

 

$

9,665

 

 

$

9,952,390

 

Income/(loss) before allocation of corporate overhead and
   income taxes

 

$

372,981

 

 

$

693,694

 

 

$

(422,750

)

 

$

643,925

 

Allocation of corporate overhead

 

$

(188,739

)

 

$

(134,946

)

 

$

323,685

 

 

$

0

 

Income/(loss) after allocation of corporate overhead and
   before income taxes

 

$

184,242

 

 

$

558,748

 

 

$

(99,065

)

 

$

643,925

 

Total assets as of September 30, 2022

 

$

6,039,787

 

 

$

7,336,437

 

 

$

2,676

 

 

$

13,378,900

 

(a)
Includes net revenues generated from our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. amounting to approximately $203 million and $167 million for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $561 million and $516

20


 

million for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Total assets at our U.K. behavioral health care facilities were approximately $1.260 billion and $1.119 billion as of September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(8) Earnings Per Share Data (“EPS”) and Stock Based Compensation

Basic earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period adjusted to give effect to common stock equivalents.

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the periods indicated (in thousands, except per share data):

 

 

Three months ended
September 30,

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Basic and Diluted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to UHS

 

$

166,989

 

 

$

182,814

 

 

$

501,417

 

 

$

500,789

 

Less: Net income attributable to unvested restricted share
   grants

 

 

(52

)

 

 

(179

)

 

 

(242

)

 

 

(592

)

Net income attributable to UHS – basic and diluted

 

$

166,937

 

 

$

182,635

 

 

$

501,175

 

 

$

500,197

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of common shares - basic

 

 

68,867

 

 

 

72,595

 

 

 

69,825

 

 

 

73,769

 

Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the
   treasury stock method

 

 

757

 

 

 

465

 

 

 

825

 

 

 

743

 

Weighted average number of common shares and
   equivalents - diluted

 

 

69,624

 

 

 

73,060

 

 

 

70,650

 

 

 

74,512

 

Earnings per basic share attributable to UHS:

 

$

2.42

 

 

$

2.52

 

 

$

7.18

 

 

$

6.78

 

Earnings per diluted share attributable to UHS:

 

$

2.40

 

 

$

2.50

 

 

$

7.09

 

 

$

6.71

 

The “Net effect of dilutive stock options and grants based on the treasury stock method”, for all periods presented above, excludes certain outstanding stock options applicable to each period since the effect would have been anti-dilutive. The excluded weighted-average stock options totaled 5.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 5.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The excluded weighted-average stock options totaled 6.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 6.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022. All classes of our common stock have the same dividend rights.

Stock-Based Compensation:

During the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, pre-tax compensation costs of $16.2 million and $15.8 million, respectively, was recognized related to outstanding stock options. During the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, pre-tax compensation costs of $48.3 million and $48.6 million, respectively, was recognized related to outstanding stock options. In addition, during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, pre-tax compensation cost of approximately $6.1 million and $4.9 million, respectively, was recognized related to restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance based restricted stock units. During the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, pre-tax compensation cost of approximately $16.4 million and $13.0 million, respectively, was recognized related to restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance based restricted stock units. As of September 30, 2023 there was approximately $180.9 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance based restricted stock units which is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted average vesting period of 2.6 years. There were 1,899,756 stock options granted during the first nine months of 2023 with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $41.86 per option. There were an aggregate of 287,757 restricted units granted during the first nine months of 2023, including 93,606 performance based restricted stock units, with a weighted-average grant date fair value of $118.14 per share.

The expense associated with stock-based compensation arrangements is a non-cash charge. In the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, stock-based compensation expense is an adjustment to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities and aggregated to $65.7 million and $62.7 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

21


 

(9) Dispositions and acquisitions

Nine-month period ended September 30, 2023:

Acquisitions:

During the first nine months of 2023, we spent $4 million on the acquisition of businesses and property.

Divestitures:

During the first nine months of 2023, we received $24 million from the sales of assets and businesses.

Nine-month period ended September 30, 2022:

Acquisitions:

During the first nine months of 2022, we spent $19 million on the acquisition of businesses and property. In addition, we spent $51 million to acquire the 20% noncontrolling ownership interest in a hospital majority owned by us, located in Washington D.C.

Divestitures:

During the first nine months of 2022, we received $12 million from the sales of assets and businesses.

(10) Dividends

We declared and paid dividends of $13.8 million, or $.20 per share, during the third quarter of 2023 and $14.6 million, or $.20 per share, during the third quarter of 2022. We declared and paid dividends of $42.2 million, or $.60 per share, during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 and $44.2 million, or $.60 per share, during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022. Included in the amounts above were dividend equivalents applicable to unvested restricted stock units which were accrued during 2023 and 2022 and will be, or were, paid upon vesting of the restricted stock unit.

(11) Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rates were 23.8% and 24.5% during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023, and 2022, respectively, and 24.2% and 24.4% during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rates during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable periods of 2022, was primarily due to the increases in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable periods of 2022.

The global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) provisions from the TCJA-17 require the inclusion of the earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries in excess of an acceptable rate of return on certain assets of the respective subsidiaries in our U.S. tax return for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. An accounting policy election was made during 2018 to treat taxes related to GILTI as a period cost when the tax is incurred. We recorded a GILTI tax provision of zero for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

As of January 1, 2023, our unrecognized tax benefits were approximately $2 million. The amount, if recognized, that would favorably affect the effective tax rate is approximately $2 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, changes to the estimated liabilities for uncertain tax positions (including accrued interest) relating to tax positions taken during prior and current periods did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

We recognize accrued interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions as part of the tax provision. As of September 30, 2023, we have less than $1 million of accrued interest and penalties. The U.S. federal statute of limitations remains open for 2019 and subsequent years. Foreign and U.S. state and local jurisdictions have statutes of limitations generally ranging from 3 to 4 years. The statute of limitations on certain jurisdictions could expire within the next twelve months. It is reasonably possible that the amount of uncertain tax benefits will change during the next 12 months, however, it is anticipated that any such change, if it were to occur, would not have a material impact on our results of operations.

We operate in multiple jurisdictions with varying tax laws. We are subject to audits by any of these taxing authorities. Our tax returns have been examined by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) through the year ended December 31, 2006. We believe that adequate accruals have been provided for federal, foreign and state taxes.

22


 

(12) Revenue

We recognize revenue when we transfer promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Our estimate for amounts not expected to be collected based on historical experience will continue to be recognized as a reduction to net revenue. However, subsequent changes in estimate of collectability due to a change in the financial status of a payer, for example a bankruptcy, will be recognized as bad debt expense in operating charges.

The performance obligation is separately identifiable from other promises in the customer contract. As the performance obligations are met (i.e.: room, board, ancillary services, level of care), revenue is recognized based upon allocated transaction price. The transaction price is allocated to separate performance obligations based upon the relative standalone selling price. In instances where we determine there are multiple performance obligations across multiple months, the transaction price will be allocated by applying an estimated implicit and explicit rate to gross charges based on the separate performance obligations.

In assessing collectability, we have elected the portfolio approach. This portfolio approach is being used as we have large volume of similar contracts with similar classes of customers. We reasonably expect that the effect of applying a portfolio approach to a group of contracts would not differ materially from considering each contract separately. Management’s judgment to group the contracts by portfolio is based on the payment behavior expected in each portfolio category. As a result, aggregating all of the contracts (which are at the patient level) by the particular payer or group of payers, will result in the recognition of the same amount of revenue as applying the analysis at the individual patient level.

We group our revenues into categories based on payment behaviors. Each component has its own reimbursement structure which allows us to disaggregate the revenue into categories that share the nature and timing of payments. The other patient revenue consists primarily of self-pay, government-funded non-Medicaid, and other.

The following table disaggregates our revenue by major source for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

 

23


 

 

For the three months ended September 30, 2023

 

 

Acute Care

 

 

Behavioral Health

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

Medicare

$

298,121

 

 

15

%

 

$

81,689

 

 

5

%

 

 

 

 

$

379,810

 

 

11

%

Managed Medicare

 

324,486

 

 

16

%

 

 

95,094

 

 

6

%

 

 

 

 

 

419,580

 

 

12

%

Medicaid

 

201,148

 

 

10

%

 

 

204,154

 

 

13

%

 

 

 

 

 

405,302

 

 

11

%

Managed Medicaid

 

181,051

 

 

9

%

 

 

387,975

 

 

25

%

 

 

 

 

 

569,026

 

 

16

%

Managed Care (HMO and PPOs)

 

651,816

 

 

32

%

 

 

383,146

 

 

25

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,034,962

 

 

29

%

UK Revenue

 

0

 

 

0

%

 

 

202,994

 

 

13

%

 

 

 

 

 

202,994

 

 

6

%

Other patient revenue and adjustments, net

 

108,676

 

 

5

%

 

 

129,492

 

 

8

%

 

 

 

 

 

238,168

 

 

7

%

Other non-patient revenue

 

251,990

 

 

12

%

 

 

58,151

 

 

4

%

 

 

2,791

 

 

 

312,932

 

 

9

%

Total Net Revenue

$

2,017,288

 

 

100

%

 

$

1,542,695

 

 

100

%

 

$

2,791

 

 

 

3,562,774

 

 

100

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2023

 

 

Acute Care

 

 

Behavioral Health

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

Medicare

$

961,640

 

 

16

%

 

$

233,930

 

 

5

%

 

 

 

 

$

1,195,570

 

 

11

%

Managed Medicare

 

1,013,493

 

 

17

%

 

 

255,782

 

 

6

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,269,275

 

 

12

%

Medicaid

 

445,678

 

 

7

%

 

 

625,956

 

 

14

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,071,634

 

 

10

%

Managed Medicaid

 

545,173

 

 

9

%

 

 

1,184,315

 

 

26

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,729,488

 

 

16

%

Managed Care (HMO and PPOs)

 

2,009,110

 

 

34

%

 

 

1,160,820

 

 

25

%

 

 

 

 

 

3,169,930

 

 

30

%

UK Revenue

 

0

 

 

0

%

 

 

560,897

 

 

12

%

 

 

 

 

 

560,897

 

 

5

%

Other patient revenue and adjustments, net

 

303,923

 

 

5

%

 

 

387,327

 

 

8

%

 

 

 

 

 

691,250

 

 

7

%

Other non-patient revenue

 

714,882

 

 

12

%

 

 

166,351

 

 

4

%

 

 

9,153

 

 

 

890,386

 

 

8

%

Total Net Revenue

$

5,993,899

 

 

100

%

 

$

4,575,378

 

 

100

%

 

$

9,153

 

 

$

10,578,430

 

 

100

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the three months ended September 30, 2022

 

 

Acute Care

 

 

Behavioral Health

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

Medicare

$

314,785

 

 

16

%

 

$

86,125

 

 

6

%

 

 

 

 

$

400,910

 

 

12

%

Managed Medicare

 

305,239

 

 

16

%

 

 

78,554

 

 

5

%

 

 

 

 

 

383,793

 

 

12

%

Medicaid

 

200,656

 

 

10

%

 

 

195,656

 

 

14

%

 

 

 

 

 

396,312

 

 

12

%

Managed Medicaid

 

213,723

 

 

11

%

 

 

373,456

 

 

26

%

 

 

 

 

 

587,179

 

 

18

%

Managed Care (HMO and PPOs)

 

631,670

 

 

33

%

 

 

363,442

 

 

25

%

 

 

 

 

 

995,112

 

 

30

%

UK Revenue

 

0

 

 

0

%

 

 

166,843

 

 

12

%

 

 

 

 

 

166,843

 

 

5

%

Other patient revenue and adjustments, net

 

38,427

 

 

2

%

 

 

115,969

 

 

8

%

 

 

 

 

 

154,396

 

 

5

%

Other non-patient revenue

 

215,178

 

 

11

%

 

 

54,783

 

 

4

%

 

 

(18,479

)

 

 

251,482

 

 

8

%

Total Net Revenue

$

1,919,678

 

 

100

%

 

$

1,434,828

 

 

100

%

 

$

(18,479

)

 

$

3,336,027

 

 

100

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2022

 

 

Acute Care

 

 

Behavioral Health

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

Medicare

$

970,060

 

 

17

%

 

$

248,987

 

 

6

%

 

 

 

 

$

1,219,047

 

 

12

%

Managed Medicare

 

944,072

 

 

17

%

 

 

213,281

 

 

5

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,157,353

 

 

12

%

Medicaid

 

540,590

 

 

9

%

 

 

554,970

 

 

13

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,095,560

 

 

11

%

Managed Medicaid

 

547,452

 

 

10

%

 

 

1,071,792

 

 

25

%

 

 

 

 

 

1,619,244

 

 

16

%

Managed Care (HMO and PPOs)

 

1,898,040

 

 

33

%

 

 

1,104,658

 

 

26

%

 

 

 

 

 

3,002,698

 

 

30

%

UK Revenue

 

0

 

 

0

%

 

 

516,166

 

 

12

%

 

 

 

 

 

516,166

 

 

5

%

Other patient revenue and adjustments, net

 

204,660

 

 

4

%

 

 

362,697

 

 

9

%

 

 

 

 

 

567,357

 

 

6

%

Other non-patient revenue

 

602,636

 

 

11

%

 

 

162,664

 

 

4

%

 

 

9,665

 

 

 

774,965

 

 

8

%

Total Net Revenue

$

5,707,510

 

 

100

%

 

$

4,235,215

 

 

100

%

 

$

9,665

 

 

$

9,952,390

 

 

100

%

 

(13) Lease Accounting

Our operating leases are primarily for real estate, including certain acute care facilities, off-campus outpatient facilities, medical office buildings, and corporate and other administrative offices. Our real estate lease agreements typically have initial terms of five to ten years. These real estate leases may include one or more options to renew, with renewals that can extend the lease term from five to ten years. The exercise of lease renewal options is at our sole discretion. When determining the lease term, we included options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option.

Five of our hospital facilities are held under operating leases with Universal Health Realty Income Trust with two leases expiring in 2026, two expiring in 2033 and one expiring in 2040 (see Note 2 for additional disclosure). We are also the lessee of the real property of certain facilities from unrelated third parties.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 are as follows (in thousands):

24


 

 

Nine months ended
September 30,

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Operating cash flows from operating leases

$

96,922

 

 

$

93,153

 

Operating cash flows from finance leases

$

2,890

 

 

$

2,986

 

Financing cash flows from finance leases

$

2,910

 

 

$

2,621

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:

 

 

 

 

 

Operating leases

$

50,940

 

 

$

145,446

 

Finance leases

$

452

 

 

$

1,066

 

 

(14) Recent Accounting Standards

From time to time, new accounting guidance is issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies that is adopted by the Company as of the effective date or, in some cases where early adoption is permitted, in advance of the effective date. The Company has assessed the recently issued guidance that is not yet effective and believes the new guidance will not have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

25


 

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Overview

Our principal business is owning and operating, through our subsidiaries, acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities and behavioral health care facilities.

As of September 30, 2023, we owned and/or operated 358 inpatient facilities and 43 outpatient and other facilities including the following located in 39 states, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico:

Acute care facilities located in the U.S.:

27 inpatient acute care hospitals;
24 free-standing emergency departments, and;
8 outpatient centers & 1 surgical hospital.

Behavioral health care facilities (331 inpatient facilities and 10 outpatient facilities):

Located in the U.S.:

186 inpatient behavioral health care facilities, and;
8 outpatient behavioral health care facilities.

Located in the U.K.:

142 inpatient behavioral health care facilities, and;
2 outpatient behavioral health care facilities.

Located in Puerto Rico:

3 inpatient behavioral health care facilities.

As a percentage of our consolidated net revenues, net revenues from our acute care hospitals, outpatient facilities and commercial health insurer accounted for 57% and 58% during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and 57% during each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. Net revenues from our behavioral health care facilities and commercial health insurer accounted for 43% of our consolidated net revenues during each of the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

Our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. generated net revenues of approximately $203 million and $167 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $561 million and $516 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Total assets at our U.K. behavioral health care facilities were approximately $1.260 billion as of September 30, 2023 and $1.235 billion as of December 31, 2022.

Services provided by our hospitals include general and specialty surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic care, coronary care, pediatric services, pharmacy services and/or behavioral health services. We provide capital resources as well as a variety of management services to our facilities, including central purchasing, information services, finance and control systems, facilities planning, physician recruitment services, administrative personnel management, marketing and public relations.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

You should carefully review the information contained in this Quarterly Report and should particularly consider any risk factors that we set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, this Quarterly Report and in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In this Quarterly Report, we state our beliefs of future events and of our future financial performance. This Quarterly Report contains “forward-looking statements” that reflect our current estimates, expectations and projections about our future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, the information concerning our possible future results of operations, business and growth strategies, financing plans, expectations that regulatory developments or other matters will or will not have a material adverse effect on our business or financial condition, our competitive position and the effects of competition, the projected growth of the industry in which we operate, and the benefits and synergies to be obtained from our completed and any future acquisitions, and statements of our goals and objectives, and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “appears,” “projects” and similar expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements. In evaluating those statements, you should specifically consider various factors, including the risks related to healthcare industry trends and those set forth herein in Item 1A. Risk Factors and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and in Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition

26


 

and Results of Operations-Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors, as included herein. Those factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any of our forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or our good faith belief with respect to future events, and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Such factors include, among other things, the following:

the nationwide shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel has been a significant operating issue facing us and other healthcare providers. Like others in the healthcare industry, we continue to experience a shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel at our acute care and behavioral health care hospitals in many geographic areas. In some areas, the labor scarcity is putting a strain on our resources and staff, which has required us to utilize higher‑cost temporary labor and pay premiums above standard compensation for essential workers. This staffing shortage has required us to hire expensive temporary personnel and/or enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel. At certain facilities, particularly within our behavioral health care segment, we have been unable to fill all vacant positions and, consequently, have been required to limit patient volumes. These factors, which had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2022, and to a certain degree thus far in 2023, could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future;
in our acute care segment, we have experienced a significant increase in hospital based physician related expenses (especially in the areas of emergency room care and anesthesiology) which has had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2023. Although we have implemented various initiatives to mitigate the increased expense, to the degree possible, increases in these physician related expenses could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future;
in 2021, the rate of inflation in the United States began to increase and has since risen to levels not experienced in over 40 years. We are experiencing inflationary pressures, primarily in personnel costs, and we anticipate continuing impacts on other cost areas within the next twelve months. The extent of any future impacts from inflation on our business and our results of operations will be dependent upon how long the elevated inflation levels persist and the extent to which the rate of inflation further increases, if at all, neither of which we are able to predict. If elevated levels of inflation were to persist or if the rate of inflation were to accelerate, our expenses could increase faster than anticipated and we may utilize our capital resources sooner than expected. Further, given the complexities of the reimbursement landscape in which we operate, our ability to pass on increased costs associated with providing healthcare to Medicare and Medicaid patients is limited due to various federal, state and local laws, which in certain circumstances, limit our ability to increase prices. In addition, although we have been requesting and negotiating increased rates from commercial payers to defray our increased cost of providing patient care, commercial payers may be unwilling or unable to increase reimbursement rates commensurate with the inflationary impacts on our costs. The rapid increase in interest rates have increased our interest expense significantly increasing our expenses and reducing our free cash flow and our ability to access the capital markets on favorable terms. As such, the effects of inflation and increased borrowing rates may adversely impact our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows;
on September 30, 2023, a continuing resolution was passed by the federal government which provided for temporary funding of the federal government for 45 days; scheduled to expire on November 17, 2023. We cannot predict whether or not there will be future legislation averting a federal government shutdown, however, our operating cash flows and results of operations could be materially unfavorably impacted by a federal government shutdown;  
in January 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the spread of COVID-19 to the United States and, in March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Although the federal government had previously declared COVID-19 a national emergency, that declaration expired on May 11, 2023 at which time the favorable payment provisions available to us during the declared national emergency ended. Many of the federal and state legislative and regulatory measures allowing for flexibility in delivery of care and various financial supports for healthcare providers were available only for the duration of the public health emergency (“PHE”). Most states have ended their state-level emergency declarations. The end of the PHE status will result in the conclusion of those policies over various designated timeframes. We cannot predict whether the loss of any such favorable conditions available to providers during the declared PHE will ultimately have a negative financial impact on us. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), a stimulus package signed into law on March 27, 2020, authorized $100 billion in grant funding to hospitals and other healthcare providers to be distributed through the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (the “PHSSEF”). We received payments from the targeted distributions of the PHSSEF, as disclosed herein. The CARES Act also makes other forms of financial assistance available to healthcare providers, including through Medicare and Medicaid payment adjustments and an expansion of the Medicare Accelerated and

27


 

Advance Payment Program, which made available accelerated payments of Medicare funds in order to increase cash flow to providers. We received accelerated payments under this program during 2020, and returned early all of those funds during the first quarter of 2021, as disclosed herein. Providers receiving PHSSEF payments were required to sign terms and conditions regarding utilization of the payments. Any provider receiving funds in excess of $10,000 in the aggregate will be required to report data elements to HHS detailing utilization of the payments, and we will be required to file such reports. We, and other providers, will report healthcare related expenses attributable to COVID-19 that have not been reimbursed by another source, which may include general and administrative or healthcare related operating expenses. Funds may also be applied to lost revenues, represented as a negative change in year-over-year net patient care operating income. On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, was signed into law and phases out the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage rate states have received during the COVID-19 PHE and fully eliminates the increase on December 31, 2023. States were also permitted to begin Medicaid eligibility redeterminations on March 31, 2023, which is anticipated to result in a large decrease in Medicaid enrollment. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results, at various times, since that time. We cannot predict if there will be future disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
our ability to comply with the existing laws and government regulations, and/or changes in laws and government regulations;
an increasing number of legislative initiatives have been passed into law that may result in major changes in the health care delivery system on a national or state level. For example, Congress has reduced to $0 the penalty for failing to maintain health coverage that was part of the original Legislation as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. President Biden has undertaken and is expected to undertake additional executive actions that will strengthen the Legislation and reverse the policies of the prior administration. To date, the Biden administration has issued executive orders implementing a special enrollment period permitting individuals to enroll in health plans outside of the annual open enrollment period and reexamining policies that may undermine the Legislation or the Medicaid program. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) was passed on August 16, 2022, which among other things, allows for CMS to negotiate prices for certain single-source drugs reimbursed under Medicare Part B and Part D. The American Rescue Plan Act’s expansion of subsidies to purchase coverage through a Legislation exchange, which the IRA continued through 2025, is anticipated to increase exchange enrollment.
there have been numerous political and legal efforts to expand, repeal, replace or modify the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively, the "Legislation"), since its enactment, some of which have been successful, in part, in modifying the Legislation, as well as court challenges to the constitutionality of the Legislation. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the latest such case on June 17, 2021, when the Court held in California v. Texas that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the Legislation’s requirement to obtain minimum essential health insurance coverage, or the individual mandate. The Court dismissed the case without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the Legislation. As a result, the Legislation will continue to remain law, in its entirety, likely for the foreseeable future. On September 7, 2022, the Legislation faced its most recent challenge when a Texas Federal District Court judge, in the case of Braidwood Management v. Becerra, ruled that a requirement that certain health plans cover services without cost sharing violates the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution and that the coverage of certain HIV prevention medication violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The government has appealed the decision to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Any future efforts to challenge, replace or replace the Legislation or expand or substantially amend its provision is unknown. See below in Sources of Revenues and Health Care Reform for additional disclosure;
under the Legislation, hospitals are required to make public a list of their standard charges, and effective January 1, 2019, CMS has required that this disclosure be in machine-readable format and include charges for all hospital items and services and average charges for diagnosis-related groups. On November 27, 2019, CMS published a final rule on “Price Transparency Requirements for Hospitals to Make Standard Charges Public.” This rule took effect on January 1, 2021 and requires all hospitals to also make public their payer-specific negotiated rates, minimum negotiated rates, maximum negotiated rates, and discounted cash rates, for all items and services, including individual items and services and service packages, that could be provided by a hospital to a patient. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in daily monetary penalties. On November 2, 2021, CMS released a final rule amending several hospital price transparency policies and increasing the amount of penalties for noncompliance through the use of a scaling factor based on hospital bed count. On April 26, 2023, CMS announced updated enforcement processes that requires a shortened timeline for coming into compliance when a violation has been identified and the automatic imposition of a civil monetary penalties in certain circumstances of noncompliance;
as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (the "CAA"), Congress passed legislation aimed at preventing or limiting patient balance billing in certain circumstances. The CAA addresses surprise medical bills stemming from emergency services, out-of-network ancillary providers at in-network facilities, and air ambulance carriers. The legislation

28


 

prohibits surprise billing when out-of-network emergency services or out-of-network services at an in-network facility are provided, unless informed consent is received. In these circumstances providers are prohibited from billing the patient for any amounts that exceed in-network cost-sharing requirements. HHS, the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury have issued interim final rules, which begin to implement the legislation. The rules are expected to limit our ability to receive payment for services at usually higher out-of-network rates in certain circumstances and prohibit out-of-network payments in other circumstances. On February 28, 2022, a district judge in the Eastern District of Texas invalidated portions of the rule governing aspects of the Independent Dispute Resolution (“IDR”) process. In light of this decision, the government issued a final rule on August 19, 2022 eliminating the rebuttable presumption in favor of the qualifying payment amount (“QPA”) by the IDR entity and providing additional factors the IDR entity should consider when choosing between two competing offers. On September 22, 2022, the Texas Medical Association filed a lawsuit challenging the IDR process provided in the updated final rule and alleging that the final rule unlawfully elevates the QPA above other factors the IDR entity must consider. On February 6, 2023, a federal judge vacated parts of the rule, including provisions related to considerations of the QPA. The government's appeal of the district court's order is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit;
possible unfavorable changes in the levels and terms of reimbursement for our charges by third party payers or government based payers, including Medicare or Medicaid in the United States, and government based payers in the United Kingdom;
our ability to enter into managed care provider agreements on acceptable terms and the ability of our competitors to do the same;
the outcome of known and unknown litigation, government investigations, false claims act allegations, and liabilities and other claims asserted against us and other matters as disclosed in Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies and the effects of adverse publicity relating to such matters;
competition from other healthcare providers (including physician owned facilities) in certain markets;
technological and pharmaceutical improvements that increase the cost of providing, or reduce the demand for healthcare;
our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals and the impact on our labor and related expenses resulting from a shortage of nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals;
demographic changes;
there is a heightened risk of future cybersecurity threats, including ransomware attacks targeting healthcare providers. If successful, future cyberattacks could have a material adverse effect on our business. Any costs that we incur as a result of a data security incident or breach, including costs to update our security protocols to mitigate such an incident or breach could be significant. Any breach or failure in our operational security systems can result in loss of data or an unauthorized disclosure of or access to sensitive or confidential member or protected personal or health information and could result in violations of applicable privacy and other laws, significant penalties or fines, litigation, loss of customers, significant damage to our reputation and business, and other liability or losses. We may also incur additional costs related to cybersecurity risk management and remediation. There can be no assurance that we or our service providers, if applicable, will not suffer losses relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches in the future or that our insurance coverage will be adequate to cover all the costs resulting from such events;
the availability of suitable acquisition and divestiture opportunities and our ability to successfully integrate and improve our acquisitions since failure to achieve expected acquisition benefits from certain of our prior or future acquisitions could result in impairment charges for goodwill and purchased intangibles;
the impact of severe weather conditions, including the effects of hurricanes and climate change;
as discussed below in Sources of Revenue, we receive revenues from various state and county-based programs, including Medicaid in all the states in which we operate. We receive annual Medicaid revenues of approximately $100 million, or greater, from each of Texas, California, Nevada, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida and Massachusetts. We also receive Medicaid disproportionate share hospital ("DSH") payments in certain states including Texas and South Carolina. We are therefore particularly sensitive to potential reductions in Medicaid and other state-based revenue programs as well as regulatory, economic, environmental and competitive changes in those states;
our ability to continue to obtain capital on acceptable terms, including borrowed funds, to fund the future growth of our business;
our inpatient acute care and behavioral health care facilities may experience decreasing admission and length of stay trends;

29


 

our financial statements reflect large amounts due from various commercial and private payers and there can be no assurance that failure of the payers to remit amounts due to us will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations;
the Budget Control Act of 2011 (the “2011 Act”) imposed annual spending limits for most federal agencies and programs aimed at reducing budget deficits by $917 billion between 2012 and 2021, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office. Among its other provisions, the law established a bipartisan Congressional committee, known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “Joint Committee”), which was tasked with making recommendations aimed at reducing future federal budget deficits by an additional $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The Joint Committee was unable to reach an agreement by the November 23, 2011 deadline and, as a result, across-the-board cuts to discretionary, national defense and Medicare spending were implemented on March 1, 2013 resulting in Medicare payment reductions of up to 2% per fiscal year with a uniform percentage reduction across all Medicare programs. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, enacted on November 2, 2015, continued the 2% reductions to Medicare reimbursement imposed under the 2011 Act. Recent legislation suspended payment reductions through December 31, 2021 in exchange for extended cuts through 2030. Subsequent legislation extended the payment reduction suspension through March 31, 2022, with a 1% payment reduction from then until June 30, 2022 and the full 2% payment reduction thereafter. The most recent legislation extended these reductions through 2032. We cannot predict whether Congress will restructure the implemented Medicare payment reductions or what other federal budget deficit reduction initiatives may be proposed by Congress going forward. See below in 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease Medicare and Medicaid Payment Related Legislation – Medicare Sequestration Relief, for additional disclosure related to the favorable effect the legislative extensions have had on our results of operations;
uninsured and self-pay patients treated at our acute care facilities unfavorably impact our ability to satisfactorily and timely collect our self-pay patient accounts;
changes in our business strategies or development plans;
we have exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, primarily the pound sterling. We have international subsidiaries that operate in the United Kingdom. We routinely hedge our exposures to foreign currencies with certain financial institutions in an effort to minimize the impact of certain currency exchange rate fluctuations, but these hedges may be inadequate to protect us from currency exchange rate fluctuations. To the extent that these hedges are inadequate, our reported financial results or the way we conduct our business could be adversely affected. Furthermore, if a financial counterparty to our hedges experiences financial difficulties or is otherwise unable to honor the terms of the foreign currency hedge, we may experience material financial losses;
the impact of a shift of care from inpatient to lower cost outpatient settings and controls designed to reduce inpatient services on our revenue, and;
other factors referenced herein or in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Given these uncertainties, risks and assumptions, as outlined above, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Our actual results and financial condition could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. We assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except as may be required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

There have been no significant changes to our critical accounting policies or estimates from those disclosed in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Recent Accounting Standards: For a summary of accounting standards, please see Note 14 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, as included herein.

Results of Operations

Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses, Effects of Inflation and COVID-19:

The healthcare industry is labor intensive and salaries, wages and benefits are subject to inflationary pressures, as are supplies expense and other operating expenses. In addition, the nationwide shortage of nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel experienced by healthcare providers in the past has been a significant operating issue facing us and other healthcare providers. In some areas, the labor scarcity has strained our resources and staff, which has required us to utilize higher‑cost temporary labor and pay premiums above standard compensation for essential workers. In the past, the staffing shortage has, at times, required us to hire expensive

30


 

temporary personnel and/or enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel. At certain facilities, particularly within our behavioral health care segment, there have been occasions when we were unable to fill all vacant positions and, consequently, we were required to limit patient volumes. The staffing shortage has required us to enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel or required us to hire expensive temporary personnel. We have also experienced general inflationary cost increases related to medical supplies as well as certain of our other operating expenses. Many of these factors, which had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2022, have been moderating to a certain degree during 2023. However, these factors could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future.

In our acute care segment, we have experienced a significant increase in hospital-based physician related expenses (especially in the areas of emergency room care and anesthesiology) which has had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2023. Although we have implemented various initiatives to mitigate the increased expense, to the degree possible, increases in these physician related expenses could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future.

Although our ability to pass on increased costs associated with providing healthcare to Medicare and Medicaid patients is limited due to various federal, state and local laws which, in certain circumstances, limit our ability to increase prices, we have been requesting and negotiating increased rates from commercial insurers to defray our increased cost of providing patient care. In addition, we have implemented various productivity enhancement programs and cost reduction initiatives including, but not limited to, the following: team-based patient care initiatives designed to optimize the level of patient care services provided by our licensed nurses/clinicians; efforts to reduce utilization of, and rates paid for, premium pay labor; consolidation of medical supply vendors to increase purchasing discounts; review and reduction of clinical variation in connection with the utilization of medical supplies, and; various other efforts to increase productivity and/or reduce costs including investments in new information technology applications.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results, at various times, since that time. We cannot predict if there will be future disruptions caused by COVID-19.

Financial results for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

The following table summarizes our results of operations and is used in the discussion below for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands):

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

3,562,774

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

3,336,027

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

1,784,870

 

 

 

50.1

%

 

 

1,677,431

 

 

 

50.3

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

941,219

 

 

 

26.4

%

 

 

837,241

 

 

 

25.1

%

Supplies expense

 

 

378,667

 

 

 

10.6

%

 

 

366,337

 

 

 

11.0

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

137,195

 

 

 

3.9

%

 

 

145,874

 

 

 

4.4

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

35,466

 

 

 

1.0

%

 

 

33,264

 

 

 

1.0

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

3,277,417

 

 

 

92.0

%

 

 

3,060,147

 

 

 

91.7

%

Income from operations

 

 

285,357

 

 

 

8.0

%

 

 

275,880

 

 

 

8.3

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

53,378

 

 

 

1.5

%

 

 

35,653

 

 

 

1.1

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

11,472

 

 

 

0.3

%

 

 

6,015

 

 

 

0.2

%

Income before income taxes

 

 

220,507

 

 

 

6.2

%

 

 

234,212

 

 

 

7.0

%

Provision for income taxes

 

 

52,499

 

 

 

1.5

%

 

 

57,401

 

 

 

1.7

%

Net income

 

 

168,008

 

 

 

4.7

%

 

 

176,811

 

 

 

5.3

%

Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

1,019

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

(6,003

)

 

 

(0.2

)%

Net income attributable to UHS

 

$

166,989

 

 

 

4.7

%

 

$

182,814

 

 

 

5.5

%

Net revenues increased by 6.8%, or $227 million, to $3.563 billion during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to $3.336 billion during the third quarter of 2022. The net increase was primarily attributable to: (i) a $244 million, or 7.5%, increase in net revenues generated from our acute care hospital services and behavioral health services operated during both periods (which we refer to as “Same Facility”), and; (ii) $17 million of other combined net decreases including $44 million of decreased revenues at Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center ("Desert Springs") located in Las Vegas, Nevada, which discontinued all inpatient operations during the first quarter of 2023.

31


 

Income before income taxes (before income attributable to noncontrolling interests) decreased by $14 million, or 6%, to $221 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023 as compared to $234 million during the third quarter of 2022. The net decrease was due to:

an increase of $3 million at our acute care facilities, as discussed below in Acute Care Hospital Services;
an increase of $24 million at our behavioral health care facilities, as discussed below in Behavioral Health Services;
a decrease of $18 million due to an increase in interest expense due to increases in our weighted average cost of borrowings and aggregate average borrowings outstanding, as discussed below in Other Operating Results-Interest Expense, and;
$23 million of other combined net decreases, including a $10 million increase in the unrealized loss in the market value of certain equity securities.

Net income attributable to UHS decreased by $16 million, or 9%, to $167 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023 as compared to $183 million during the third quarter of 2022. This decrease was attributable to:

a $14 million decrease in income before income taxes, as discussed above;
a decrease of $7 million due to an unfavorable change in income/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests, and;
an increase of $5 million resulting from an decrease in the provision for income taxes due primarily to the income tax expense recorded in connection with the $21 million decrease in pre-tax income.

Financial results for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

The following table summarizes our results of operations and is used in the discussion below for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands):

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

10,578,430

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

9,952,390

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

5,308,476

 

 

 

50.2

%

 

 

5,061,173

 

 

 

50.9

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

2,758,484

 

 

 

26.1

%

 

 

2,526,060

 

 

 

25.4

%

Supplies expense

 

 

1,138,950

 

 

 

10.8

%

 

 

1,092,403

 

 

 

11.0

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

422,560

 

 

 

4.0

%

 

 

433,508

 

 

 

4.4

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

105,775

 

 

 

1.0

%

 

 

97,075

 

 

 

1.0

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

9,734,245

 

 

 

92.0

%

 

 

9,210,219

 

 

 

92.5

%

Income from operations

 

 

844,185

 

 

 

8.0

%

 

 

742,171

 

 

 

7.5

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

153,085

 

 

 

1.4

%

 

 

83,002

 

 

 

0.8

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

31,797

 

 

 

0.3

%

 

 

15,244

 

 

 

0.2

%

Income before income taxes

 

 

659,303

 

 

 

6.2

%

 

 

643,925

 

 

 

6.5

%

Provision for income taxes

 

 

159,618

 

 

 

1.5

%

 

 

157,312

 

 

 

1.6

%

Net income

 

 

499,685

 

 

 

4.7

%

 

 

486,613

 

 

 

4.9

%

Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

(1,732

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

(14,176

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

Net income attributable to UHS

 

$

501,417

 

 

 

4.7

%

 

$

500,789

 

 

 

5.0

%

Net revenues increased by 6.3%, or $626 million, to $10.578 billion during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to $9.952 billion during the first nine months of 2022. The net increase was primarily attributable to: (i) a $720 million or 7.5% increase in net revenues generated from our acute care hospital services and behavioral health services, on a same facility basis, and; (ii) $94 million of other combined net decreases including $121 million of decreased revenues at Desert Springs which discontinued all inpatient operations during the first quarter of 2023.

Income before income taxes increased by $15 million, or 2%, to $659 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 as compared to $644 million during the first nine months of 2022. The net increase was due to:

an increase of $23 million at our acute care facilities, as discussed below in Acute Care Hospital Services;
an increase of $99 million at our behavioral health care facilities, as discussed below in Behavioral Health Services;
a decrease of $70 million due to an increase in interest expense due to increases in our weighted average cost of borrowings and aggregate average borrowings outstanding, as discussed below in Other Operating Results-Interest Expense, and;

32


 

$37 million of other combined net decreases, including a $14 million increase in the unrealized loss in the market value of certain equity securities.

Net income attributable to UHS increased less than $1 million amounting to $501 million during each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. Reflected below are the changes experienced during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to the comparable prior year period:

a $15 million increase in income before income taxes, as discussed above;
a decrease of $12 million due to a decrease in the loss attributable to noncontrolling interests, and;
a decrease of $2 million resulting from an increase in the provision for income taxes due primarily to the income tax expense recorded in connection with the $3 million increase in pre-tax income.

Adjustments to self-insured professional and general liability and workers' compensation liability reserves:

Professional and general liability:

Our estimated liability for self-insured professional and general liability claims is based on a number of factors including, among other things, the number of asserted claims and reported incidents, estimates of losses for these claims based on recent and historical settlement amounts, estimates of incurred but not reported claims based on historical experience, and estimates of amounts recoverable under our commercial insurance policies.

As a result of unfavorable trends experienced during 2023 and 2022, included in our results of operations during the first nine months of 2023, was a $25 million increase to our reserves for self-insured professional and general liability claims ($20 million and $5 million recorded during the second and third quarters of 2023, respectively), of which approximately $18 million is included in our same facility basis acute care hospitals services’ results and approximately $7 million is included in our behavioral health services’ results.

Included in our results of operations during the first nine months of 2022, was a $16 million increase to our reserves for self-insured professional and general liability claims (recorded during the second quarter of 2022), of which approximately $10 million is included in our same facility basis acute care hospitals services’ results and approximately $6 million is included in our behavioral health services’ results.

Workers' compensation liability:

As a result of favorable trends experienced recently, our results of operations during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 included a decrease to our reserves for self-insured workers' compensation liability claims amounting to approximately $10 million, of which approximately $4 million is included in our same facility basis acute care hospitals services’ results, and approximately $5 million is included in our behavioral health services’ results.

Acute Care Hospital Services

Same Facility Basis Acute Care Hospital Services

We believe that providing our results on a “Same Facility” basis (which is a non-GAAP measure), which includes the operating results for facilities and businesses operated in both the current year and prior year periods, is helpful to our investors as a measure of our operating performance. Our Same Facility results also neutralize (if applicable) the effect of items that are non-operational in nature including items such as, but not limited to, gains/losses on sales of assets and businesses, impacts of settlements, legal judgments and lawsuits, impairments of long-lived and intangible assets and other amounts that may be reflected in the current or prior year financial statements that relate to prior periods.

Our Same Facility basis results reflected on the table below also exclude from net revenues and other operating expenses, provider tax assessments incurred in each period as discussed below Sources of Revenue-Various State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs. However, these provider tax assessments are included in net revenues and other operating expenses as reflected in the table below under All Acute Care Hospital Services. The provider tax assessments had no impact on the income before income taxes as reflected on the tables below since the amounts offset between net revenues and other operating expenses. To obtain a complete understanding of our financial performance, the Same Facility results should be examined in connection with our net income as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and as presented in the condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

The following table summarizes the results of operations for our acute care facilities on a Same Facility basis and is used in the discussion below for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands):

33


 

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

 

September 30, 2023

 

 

September 30, 2022

 

 

September 30, 2023

 

 

September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

1,965,856

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,828,370

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

5,808,205

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

5,432,868

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

854,215

 

 

 

43.5

%

 

 

801,252

 

 

 

43.8

%

 

 

2,493,271

 

 

 

42.9

%

 

 

2,412,699

 

 

 

44.4

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

543,707

 

 

 

27.7

%

 

 

478,221

 

 

 

26.2

%

 

 

1,584,820

 

 

 

27.3

%

 

 

1,382,250

 

 

 

25.4

%

Supplies expense

 

 

324,226

 

 

 

16.5

%

 

 

302,162

 

 

 

16.5

%

 

 

964,228

 

 

 

16.6

%

 

 

904,547

 

 

 

16.6

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

86,583

 

 

 

4.4

%

 

 

92,830

 

 

 

5.1

%

 

 

265,021

 

 

 

4.6

%

 

 

274,574

 

 

 

5.1

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

24,404

 

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

21,847

 

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

71,635

 

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

62,756

 

 

 

1.2

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

1,833,135

 

 

 

93.2

%

 

 

1,696,312

 

 

 

92.8

%

 

 

5,378,975

 

 

 

92.6

%

 

 

5,036,826

 

 

 

92.7

%

Income from operations

 

 

132,721

 

 

 

6.8

%

 

 

132,058

 

 

 

7.2

%

 

 

429,230

 

 

 

7.4

%

 

 

396,042

 

 

 

7.3

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

(778

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

234

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

(1,858

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

1,350

 

 

 

0.0

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

(1,045

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

384

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

5,168

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

806

 

 

 

0.0

%

Income before income taxes

 

$

134,544

 

 

 

6.8

%

 

$

131,440

 

 

 

7.2

%

 

$

425,920

 

 

 

7.3

%

 

$

393,886

 

 

 

7.3

%

Three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, net revenues from our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $137 million or 7.5%. Income before income taxes (and before income attributable to noncontrolling interests) increased by $3 million, or 2%, amounting to $135 million, or 6.8% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to $131 million, or 7.2% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2022.

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission increased by 0.4% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased 3.3%, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. During the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, our acute care hospital services' net revenues were unfavorably impacted by a greater percentage of lower acuity procedures as well as an increase in denied claims and challenges to patient status classifications by certain of our commercial payers. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, inpatient admissions to our acute care hospitals increased by 6.2% while adjusted admissions (adjusted for outpatient activity) increased by 6.8%. Patient days at these facilities increased by 3.2% and adjusted patient days increased by 3.8% during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 4.8 days and 4.9 days during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 64% and 62% during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

On a Same Facility basis during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $53 million, or 6.6%. As a percentage of net revenues, salaries, wages and benefits expense decreased to 43.5% during the third quarter of 2023 as compared to 43.8% during the third quarter of 2022.

Other operating expenses increased $65 million, or 13.7%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. Excluding the operating expenses incurred by our commercial health insurer, which increased by $1 million during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022, other operating expenses increased by $64 million, or 17.3%, as compared to last year's third quarter. The increase during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, was due primarily to a $29 million, or 24.3%, increase in physician-related expenses (as discussed above in Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses, Effects of Inflation and COVID-19), as well as the expenses related to the increase in patient volumes.

Supplies expense increased $22 million, or 7.3%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022. The increase was due, in part, to the increase in patient volumes experienced during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. As a percentage of net revenues, supplies expense remained unchanged at 16.5% during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

Nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, net revenues from our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $375 million or 6.9%. Income before income taxes increased by $32 million, or 8%, amounting to $426 million, or 7.3% of net revenues during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to $394 million, or 7.3% of net revenues during the comparable period of 2022.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission decreased by 2.0% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased by 1.3%, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. During the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, the net revenue per adjusted admission, and per adjusted patient day, were pressured by the following: (i) a greater percentage of lower acuity procedures; (ii) an increase in denied claims and challenges to patient status

34


 

classifications by certain of our commercial payers, and; (iii) a decrease in the number of patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis treated at our acute care hospitals and less incremental government reimbursement associated with COVID-19 patients.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, inpatient admissions to our acute care hospitals increased by 6.8% while adjusted admissions increased by 8.3%. Patient days at these facilities increased by 3.2% and adjusted patient days increased by 4.8% during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 4.9 days and 5.1 days during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 66% and 64% during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

On a Same Facility basis during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $81 million, or 3.3%. As a percentage of net revenues, salaries, wages and benefits expense decreased to 42.9% during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to 44.4% during the first nine months of 2022.

Other operating expenses increased $203 million, or 14.7%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. Operating expenses incurred by our commercial health insurer, consisting primarily of medical costs, increased approximately $33 million during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to the comparable period of 2022. Excluding the operating expenses incurred by our commercial health insurer, other operating expenses increased $169 million, or 15.7% during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, was due primarily to a $91 million, or 26.1%, increase in physician-related expenses (as discussed above in Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses, Effects of Inflation and COVID-19), as well as the expenses related to the increase in patient volumes.

Supplies expense increased $60 million, or 6.6%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase was due, in part, to the increase in patient volumes experienced during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. As a percentage of net revenues, supplies expense remained unchanged at 16.6% during each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

All Acute Care Hospitals

The following table summarizes the results of operations for all our acute care operations during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. These amounts include: (i) our acute care results on a Same Facility basis, as indicated above; (ii) the impact of provider tax assessments which increased net revenues and other operating expenses but had no impact on income before income taxes, and; (iii) certain other amounts including, if applicable, the results of recently acquired/opened facilities and businesses as well as the operating results for Desert Springs which discontinued all inpatient operations during the first quarter of 2023. Dollar amounts below are reflected in thousands.

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

2,017,288

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,919,678

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

5,993,899

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

5,707,510

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

854,587

 

 

 

42.4

%

 

 

824,942

 

 

 

43.0

%

 

 

2,534,878

 

 

 

42.3

%

 

 

2,497,888

 

 

 

43.8

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

596,834

 

 

 

29.6

%

 

 

535,463

 

 

 

27.9

%

 

 

1,731,750

 

 

 

28.9

%

 

 

1,550,044

 

 

 

27.2

%

Supplies expense

 

 

323,475

 

 

 

16.0

%

 

 

311,404

 

 

 

16.2

%

 

 

979,185

 

 

 

16.3

%

 

 

935,559

 

 

 

16.4

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

86,535

 

 

 

4.3

%

 

 

96,020

 

 

 

5.0

%

 

 

274,165

 

 

 

4.6

%

 

 

285,558

 

 

 

5.0

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

24,440

 

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

21,990

 

 

 

1.1

%

 

 

72,629

 

 

 

1.2

%

 

 

63,324

 

 

 

1.1

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

1,885,871

 

 

 

93.5

%

 

 

1,789,819

 

 

 

93.2

%

 

 

5,592,607

 

 

 

93.3

%

 

 

5,332,373

 

 

 

93.4

%

Income from operations

 

 

131,417

 

 

 

6.5

%

 

 

129,859

 

 

 

6.8

%

 

 

401,292

 

 

 

6.7

%

 

 

375,137

 

 

 

6.6

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

(778

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

234

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

(1,858

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

1,350

 

 

 

0.0

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

(211

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

384

 

 

 

0.0

%

 

 

6,921

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

806

 

 

 

0.0

%

Income before income taxes

 

$

132,406

 

 

 

6.6

%

 

$

129,241

 

 

 

6.7

%

 

$

396,229

 

 

 

6.6

%

 

$

372,981

 

 

 

6.5

%

Three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, net revenues from our acute care hospital services increased by $98 million, or 5.1%, due to: (i) the $137 million, or 7.5% increase in Same Facility revenues, as discussed above, and; (ii) $39 million of other combined net decreases consisting primarily of decreased revenues at Desert Springs.

Income before income taxes increased by $3 million, or 2%, to $132 million, or 6.6% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to $129 million, or 6.7% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2022. The $3 million increase in income before income taxes from our acute care hospital services resulted from the increase in income before income taxes from our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above.

35


 

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $30 million, or 3.6%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $53 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by the decreased salaries, wages and benefits expense incurred at Desert Springs.

Other operating expenses increased $61 million, or 11.5%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the $65 million above-mentioned increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis.

Supplies expense increased by $12 million, or 3.9%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $22 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by decreased supplies expense incurred at Desert Springs.

Nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, net revenues from our acute care hospital services increased by $286 million, or 5.0%, due to: (i) the $375 million, or 6.9% increase in Same Facility revenues, as discussed above, and; (ii) $89 million of other combined net decreases consisting primarily of decreased revenues at Desert Springs and decreased provider tax assessments, partially offset by the revenues generated at a 170-bed acute care hospital located in Reno, Nevada, that opened in early April, 2022 (this facility was reflected in our acute care hospital services' operating results effective May 1st of each year).

Income before income taxes increased by $23 million, or 6%, to $396 million, or 6.6% of net revenues during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to $373 million, or 6.5% of net revenues during the comparable period of 2022. The $23 million increase in income before income taxes from our acute care hospital services resulted from the $32 million, or 8%, increase in income before income taxes at our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above, and $9 million of other combined net decreases related primarily to the increased losses incurred at Desert Springs.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $37 million, or 1.5%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $81 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by a combined net decrease of $44 million resulting primarily from decreased salaries, wages and benefits expense related to Desert Springs.

Other operating expenses increased $182 million, or 11.7%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the $203 million above-mentioned increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by combined a decrease of $21 million resulting primarily from decreased operating expenses related to Desert Springs and decreased provider tax assessments.

Supplies expense increased by $44 million, or 4.7%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $60 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by a combined net decrease of $16 million resulting primarily from decreased supplies expense related to Desert Springs.

Please see Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses, Effects of Inflation and COVID-19 above for additional disclosure regarding the factors impacting our operating costs.

Charity Care and Uninsured Discounts:

The following tables show the amounts recorded at our acute care hospitals for charity care and uninsured discounts, based on charges at established rates, for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

Uncompensated care:

Amounts in millions

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

 

 

 

2023

 

 

%

 

 

2022

 

 

%

 

 

2023

 

 

%

 

 

2022

 

 

%

 

Charity care

 

$

228

 

 

 

34

%

 

$

192

 

 

 

31

%

 

$

571

 

 

 

31

%

 

$

612

 

 

 

36

%

Uninsured discounts

 

445

 

 

 

66

%

 

 

429

 

 

 

69

%

 

 

1,289

 

 

 

69

%

 

 

1,103

 

 

 

64

%

Total uncompensated care

 

$

673

 

 

 

100

%

 

$

621

 

 

 

100

%

 

$

1,860

 

 

 

100

%

 

$

1,715

 

 

 

100

%

Estimated cost of providing uncompensated care:

The estimated costs of providing uncompensated care as reflected below were based on a calculation which multiplied the percentage of operating expenses for our acute care hospitals to gross charges for those hospitals by the above-mentioned total uncompensated

36


 

care amounts. The percentage of cost to gross charges is calculated based on the total operating expenses for our acute care facilities divided by gross patient service revenue for those facilities.

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

Amounts in millions

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Estimated cost of providing charity care

 

$

23

 

 

$

21

 

 

$

57

 

 

$

66

 

Estimated cost of providing uninsured discounts related care

 

44

 

 

46

 

 

126

 

 

119

 

Estimated cost of providing uncompensated care

 

$

67

 

 

$

67

 

 

$

183

 

 

$

185

 

 

Behavioral Health Services

We believe that providing our results on a Same Facility basis, which includes the operating results for facilities and businesses operated in both the current year and prior year periods, is helpful to our investors as a measure of our operating performance. Our Same Facility results also neutralize (if applicable) the effect of items that are non-operational in nature including items such as, but not limited to, gains/losses on sales of assets and businesses, impacts of settlements, legal judgments and lawsuits, impairments of long-lived and intangible assets and other amounts that may be reflected in the current or prior year financial statements that relate to prior periods.

Our Same Facility basis results reflected on the table below also excludes from net revenues and other operating expenses, provider tax assessments incurred in each period as discussed below Sources of Revenue-Various State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs. However, these provider tax assessments are included in net revenues and other operating expenses as reflected in the table below under All Behavioral Health Care Services. The provider tax assessments had no impact on the income before income taxes as reflected on the tables below since the amounts offset between net revenues and other operating expenses. To obtain a complete understanding of our financial performance, the Same Facility results should be examined in connection with our net income as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and as presented in the condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

The following table summarizes the results of operations for our behavioral health care facilities, on a Same Facility basis, and is used in the discussions below for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands):

Same Facility—Behavioral Health

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

 

September 30, 2023

 

 

September 30, 2022

 

 

September 30, 2023

 

 

September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

1,513,354

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,407,039

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

4,490,078

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

4,144,998

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

841,985

 

 

 

55.6

%

 

 

779,839

 

 

 

55.4

%

 

 

2,491,153

 

 

 

55.5

%

 

 

2,293,332

 

 

 

55.3

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

292,878

 

 

 

19.4

%

 

 

273,618

 

 

 

19.4

%

 

 

866,450

 

 

 

19.3

%

 

 

816,312

 

 

 

19.7

%

Supplies expense

 

 

55,102

 

 

 

3.6

%

 

 

55,466

 

 

 

3.9

%

 

 

161,205

 

 

 

3.6

%

 

 

157,457

 

 

 

3.8

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

47,484

 

 

 

3.1

%

 

 

46,487

 

 

 

3.3

%

 

 

139,039

 

 

 

3.1

%

 

 

137,249

 

 

 

3.3

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

10,857

 

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

10,586

 

 

 

0.8

%

 

 

32,642

 

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

31,262

 

 

 

0.8

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

1,248,306

 

 

 

82.5

%

 

 

1,165,996

 

 

 

82.9

%

 

 

3,690,489

 

 

 

82.2

%

 

 

3,435,612

 

 

 

82.9

%

Income from operations

 

 

265,048

 

 

 

17.5

%

 

 

241,043

 

 

 

17.1

%

 

 

799,589

 

 

 

17.8

%

 

 

709,386

 

 

 

17.1

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

1,255

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

1,370

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

3,326

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

3,957

 

 

 

0.1

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

(985

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(664

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

 

 

(2,294

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(1,422

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

Income before income taxes

 

$

264,778

 

 

 

17.5

%

 

$

240,337

 

 

 

17.1

%

 

$

798,557

 

 

 

17.8

%

 

$

706,851

 

 

 

17.1

%

Three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, net revenues from our behavioral health services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $106 million or 7.6%. Income before income taxes increased by $24 million, or 10%, amounting to $265 million or 17.5% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to $240 million or 17.1% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2022.

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission increased by 6.8% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased by 6.5%, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, inpatient admissions and adjusted admissions to our behavioral health care hospitals increased by 0.5% and 0.8%, respectively. Patient days at these facilities increased by 0.8% and adjusted patient days increased by 1.1% during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 13.5 days during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023

37


 

and 2022, respectively. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 72% during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

On a Same Facility basis during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased $62 million or 8.0%. The increase during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022, was due to a 4.7% increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense per average full time equivalent employee, as well as a 3.2% increase in the average number of full-time equivalent employees. The increased staffing was due, in part, to increased patient volumes. As a percentage of net revenues during each quarter, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased to 55.6% during the third quarter of 2023 as compared to 55.4% during the third quarter of 2022.

Other operating expenses increased $19 million, or 7.0%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. As a percentage of net revenues during each quarter, other operating expenses remained unchanged at 19.4% during each of three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022.

Supplies expense remained relatively unchanged during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022. As a percentage of net revenues during each quarter, supplies expense decreased to 3.6% during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to 3.9% during the third quarter of 2022.

Nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, net revenues from our behavioral health services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $345 million or 8.3%. Income before income taxes increased by $92 million, or 13%, amounting to $799 million or 17.8% of net revenues during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to $707 million or 17.1% of net revenues during the comparable period of 2022.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission increased by 4.4% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased by 5.9%, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, inpatient admissions and adjusted admissions to our behavioral health care hospitals increased by 3.6% and 3.8%, respectively. Patient days at these facilities increased by 2.2% and adjusted patient days increased by 2.4% during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 13.3 days and 13.5 days during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 72% and 71% during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

On a Same Facility basis during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased $198 million or 8.6%. The increase during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, was due to a 4.3% increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense per average full-time equivalent employee, as well as a 4.1% increase in the average number of full time equivalent employees. The increased staffing was due, in part, to increased patient volumes. As a percentage of net revenues during each period, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased to 55.5% during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to 55.3% during the comparable period of 2022.

Other operating expenses increased $50 million, or 6.1%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, was due, in part, to increased patient volumes. As a percentage of net revenues during each period, other operating expenses decreased to 19.3% during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 as compared to 19.7% during the comparable period of 2022.

Supplies expense increased $4 million, or 2.4%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022.

All Behavioral Health Care Facilities

The following table summarizes the results of operations for all our behavioral health care services during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. These amounts include: (i) our behavioral health care results on a Same Facility basis, as indicated above; (ii) the impact of provider tax assessments which increased net revenues and other operating expenses but had no impact on income before income taxes, and; (iii) certain other amounts including the results of facilities acquired or opened during the

38


 

past year (if applicable) as well as the results of certain facilities that were closed or restructured during the past year. Dollar amounts below are reflected in thousands.

 

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Three months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2023

 

 

Nine months ended
September 30, 2022

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

 

Amount

 

 

% of Net
Revenues

 

Net revenues

 

$

1,542,695

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

1,434,828

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

4,575,378

 

 

 

100.0

%

 

$

4,235,215

 

 

 

100.0

%

Operating charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries, wages and benefits

 

 

844,244

 

 

 

54.7

%

 

 

782,909

 

 

 

54.6

%

 

 

2,498,338

 

 

 

54.6

%

 

 

2,310,761

 

 

 

54.6

%

Other operating expenses

 

 

322,208

 

 

 

20.9

%

 

 

300,406

 

 

 

20.9

%

 

 

949,958

 

 

 

20.8

%

 

 

898,655

 

 

 

21.2

%

Supplies expense

 

 

55,272

 

 

 

3.6

%

 

 

55,482

 

 

 

3.9

%

 

 

161,597

 

 

 

3.5

%

 

 

158,315

 

 

 

3.7

%

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

47,720

 

 

 

3.1

%

 

 

46,861

 

 

 

3.3

%

 

 

140,117

 

 

 

3.1

%

 

 

138,803

 

 

 

3.3

%

Lease and rental expense

 

 

10,911

 

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

11,010

 

 

 

0.8

%

 

 

32,834

 

 

 

0.7

%

 

 

32,803

 

 

 

0.8

%

Subtotal-operating expenses

 

 

1,280,355

 

 

 

83.0

%

 

 

1,196,668

 

 

 

83.4

%

 

 

3,782,844

 

 

 

82.7

%

 

 

3,539,337

 

 

 

83.6

%

Income from operations

 

 

262,340

 

 

 

17.0

%

 

 

238,160

 

 

 

16.6

%

 

 

792,534

 

 

 

17.3

%

 

 

695,878

 

 

 

16.4

%

Interest expense, net

 

 

1,252

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

1,375

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

3,456

 

 

 

0.1

%

 

 

4,106

 

 

 

0.1

%

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

(1,080

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(1,164

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(3,139

)

 

 

(0.1

)%

 

 

(1,922

)

 

 

(0.0

)%

Income before income taxes

 

$

262,168

 

 

 

17.0

%

 

$

237,949

 

 

 

16.6

%

 

$

792,217

 

 

 

17.3

%

 

$

693,694

 

 

 

16.4

%

Three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year quarter, net revenues generated from our behavioral health services increased by $108 million, or 7.5%. The increase was primarily attributable to the $106 million, or 7.6%, increase in net revenues at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above.

Income before income taxes increased by $24 million, or 10%, to $262 million or 17.0% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to $238 million or 16.6% of net revenues during the third quarter of 2022. The increase in income before income taxes at our behavioral health facilities during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, was primarily attributable to the $24 million, or 10% increase in income before income taxes generated at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above.

During the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $61 million or 7.8%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $62 million increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis.

Other operating expenses increased by $22 million, or 7.3%, during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the comparable quarter of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $19 million increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis.

Supplies expense remained relatively unchanged during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022.

Nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable prior year period, net revenues generated from our behavioral health services increased by $340 million, or 8.0%. The increase was primarily attributable to the $345 million, or 8.3%, increase in net revenues at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above.

Income before income taxes increased by $99 million, or 14%, to $792 million or 17.3% of net revenues during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to $694 million or 16.4% of net revenues during the comparable period of 2022. The increase in income before income taxes at our behavioral health facilities during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, was primarily attributable to the $92 million, or 13% increase in income before income taxes generated at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above.

During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $188 million or 8.1%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $198 million increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis.

Other operating expenses increased by $51 million, or 5.7%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $50 million increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis.

Supplies expense increased $3 million, or 2.1%, during the first nine months of 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022.

Please see Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses, Effects of Inflation and COVID-19 above for additional disclosure regarding the factors impacting our operating costs.

39


 

Sources of Revenue

Overview: We receive payments for services rendered from private insurers, including managed care plans, the federal government under the Medicare program, state governments under their respective Medicaid programs and directly from patients.

Hospital revenues depend upon inpatient occupancy levels, the medical and ancillary services and therapy programs ordered by physicians and provided to patients, the volume of outpatient procedures and the charges or negotiated payment rates for such services. Charges and reimbursement rates for inpatient routine services vary depending on the type of services provided (e.g., medical/surgical, intensive care or behavioral health) and the geographic location of the hospital. Inpatient occupancy levels fluctuate for various reasons, many of which are beyond our control. The percentage of patient service revenue attributable to outpatient services has generally increased in recent years, primarily as a result of advances in medical technology that allow more services to be provided on an outpatient basis, as well as increased pressure from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers to reduce hospital stays and provide services, where possible, on a less expensive outpatient basis. We believe that our experience with respect to our increased outpatient levels mirrors the general trend occurring in the health care industry and we are unable to predict the rate of growth and resulting impact on our future revenues.

Patients are generally not responsible for any difference between customary hospital charges and amounts reimbursed for such services under Medicare, Medicaid, some private insurance plans, and managed care plans, but are responsible for services not covered by such plans, exclusions, deductibles or co-insurance features of their coverage. The amount of such exclusions, deductibles and co-insurance has generally been increasing each year. Indications from recent federal and state legislation are that this trend will continue. Collection of amounts due from individuals is typically more difficult than from governmental or business payers which unfavorably impacts the collectability of our patient accounts.

Sources of Revenues and Health Care Reform: Given increasing budget deficits, the federal government and many states are currently considering additional ways to limit increases in levels of Medicare and Medicaid funding, which could also adversely affect future payments received by our hospitals. In addition, the uncertainty and fiscal pressures placed upon the federal government as a result of, among other things, impacts on state revenue and expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery stimulus packages, responses to natural disasters, and the federal and state budget deficits in general may affect the availability of government funds to provide additional relief in the future. We are unable to predict the effect of future policy changes on our operations.

In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively, the “Legislation”) was enacted and its two primary goals were to provide for increased access to coverage for healthcare and to reduce healthcare-related expenses. The Legislation revised reimbursement under the Medicare and Medicaid programs to emphasize the efficient delivery of high-quality care and contains a number of incentives and penalties under these programs to achieve these goals. The Legislation provides for reductions to Medicaid DSH payments which are scheduled to begin in 2024.

A 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling limited the federal government’s ability to expand health insurance coverage by holding unconstitutional sections of the Legislation that sought to withdraw federal funding for state noncompliance with certain Medicaid coverage requirements. Pursuant to that decision, the federal government may not penalize states that choose not to participate in the Medicaid expansion by reducing their existing Medicaid funding. Therefore, states can choose to expand or not to expand their Medicaid program without risking the loss of federal Medicaid funding. As a result, many states, including Texas, have not expanded their Medicaid programs without the threat of loss of federal funding. CMS has previously granted section 1115 demonstration waivers providing for work and community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid eligible individuals. CMS has also released guidance to states interested in receiving their Medicaid funding through a block grant mechanism. The Biden administration withdrew certain previously issued section 1115 demonstrations aligned with these policies, but Georgia has imposed work and community engagement requirements under a Medicaid demonstration program that launched July 1, 2023. If additional section 1115 demonstrations that include work and community requirements are implemented, we anticipate that they would lead to reductions in coverage and likely increases in uncompensated care in those states where these demonstration waivers are granted.

On December 14, 2018, a Texas Federal District Court deemed the Legislation to be unconstitutional in its entirety. The Court concluded that the Individual Mandate is no longer permissible under Congress’s taxing power as a result of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) reducing the individual mandate’s tax to $0 (i.e., it no longer produces revenue, which is an essential feature of a tax), rendering the Legislation unconstitutional. The Court also held that because the individual mandate is “essential” to the Legislation and is inseverable from the rest of the law, the entire Legislation is unconstitutional. That ruling was ultimately appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which decided in California v. Texas that the plaintiffs in the matter lacked standing to bring their constitutionality claims. The Court did not reach the plaintiffs’ merits arguments, which specifically challenged the constitutionality of the Legislation’s individual mandate and the entirety of the Legislation itself. As a result, the Legislation will continue to be law, and HHS and its respective agencies will continue to enforce regulations implementing the law. However, on September 7, 2022, the Legislation faced its most recent challenge when a Texas Federal District Court judge, in the case of Braidwood Management v. Becerra, ruled that a requirement that certain health plans cover services without cost sharing violates the Appointments Clause of the

40


 

U.S. Constitution and that the coverage of certain HIV prevention medication violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The government has appealed the decision to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

The Legislation also contained provisions aimed at reducing fraud and abuse in healthcare. The Legislation amends several existing laws, including the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act, making it easier for government agencies and private plaintiffs to prevail in lawsuits brought against healthcare providers. While Congress had previously revised the intent requirement of the Anti-Kickback Statute to provide that a person is not required to “have actual knowledge or specific intent to commit a violation of” the Anti-Kickback Statute in order to be found in violation of such law, the Legislation also provides that any claims for items or services that violate the Anti-Kickback Statute are also considered false claims for purposes of the federal civil False Claims Act. The Legislation provides that a healthcare provider that retains an overpayment in excess of 60 days is subject to the federal civil False Claims Act. In December, 2022, CMS proposed to change the standard for identification of an overpayment and would require the report and return of an overpayment if a provider or supplier has actual knowledge of the existence of an overpayment or acts in reckless disregard or deliberate ignorance of an overpayment. The Legislation also expands the Recovery Audit Contractor program to Medicaid. These amendments also make it easier for severe fines and penalties to be imposed on healthcare providers that violate applicable laws and regulations.

We have partnered with local physicians in the ownership of certain of our facilities. These investments have been permitted under an exception to the physician self-referral law. The Legislation permits existing physician investments in a hospital to continue under a “grandfather” clause if the arrangement satisfies certain requirements and restrictions, but physicians are prohibited from increasing the aggregate percentage of their ownership in the hospital. The Legislation also imposes certain compliance and disclosure requirements upon existing physician-owned hospitals and restricts the ability of physician-owned hospitals to expand the capacity of their facilities. As discussed below, should the Legislation be repealed in its entirety, this aspect of the Legislation would also be repealed restoring physician ownership of hospitals and expansion right to its position and practice as it existed prior to the Legislation.

In addition to legislative changes, the Legislation can be significantly impacted by executive branch actions. President Biden has taken executive actions that will strengthen the Legislation and may reverse the policies of the prior administration. To date, the Biden administration has issued executive orders implementing a special enrollment period permitting individuals to enroll in health plans outside of the annual open enrollment period and reexamining policies that may undermine the ACA or the Medicaid program. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021's expansion of subsidies to purchase coverage through an exchange contributed to increased exchange enrollment in 2021. The IRA’s extension of the subsidies through 2025 is expected to increase exchange enrollment in future years. The recent and on-going COVID-19 pandemic and related U.S. National Emergency declaration may significantly increase the number of uninsured patients treated at our facilities extending beyond the most recent CBO published estimates due to increased unemployment and loss of group health plan health insurance coverage. It is also anticipated that these policies may create additional cost and reimbursement pressures on hospitals.

It remains unclear what portions of the Legislation may remain, or whether any replacement or alternative programs may be created by any future legislation. Any such future repeal or replacement may have significant impact on the reimbursement for healthcare services generally, and may create reimbursement for services competing with the services offered by our hospitals. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the adoption of any future federal or state healthcare reform legislation will not have a negative financial impact on our hospitals, including their ability to compete with alternative healthcare services funded by such potential legislation, or for our hospitals to receive payment for services.

For additional disclosure related to our revenues including a disaggregation of our consolidated net revenues by major source for each of the periods presented herein, please see Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Revenue.

Medicare: Medicare is a federal program that provides certain hospital and medical insurance benefits to persons aged 65 and over, some disabled persons and persons with end-stage renal disease. All of our acute care hospitals and many of our behavioral health centers are certified as providers of Medicare services by the appropriate governmental authorities. Amounts received under the Medicare program are generally significantly less than a hospital’s customary charges for services provided. Since a substantial portion of our revenues will come from patients under the Medicare program, our ability to operate our business successfully in the future will depend in large measure on our ability to adapt to changes in this program.

Under the Medicare program, for inpatient services, our general acute care hospitals receive reimbursement under the inpatient prospective payment system (“IPPS”). Under the IPPS, hospitals are paid a predetermined fixed payment amount for each hospital discharge. The fixed payment amount is based upon each patient’s Medicare severity diagnosis related group (“MS-DRG”). Every MS-DRG is assigned a payment rate based upon the estimated intensity of hospital resources necessary to treat the average patient with that particular diagnosis. The MS-DRG payment rates are based upon historical national average costs and do not consider the actual costs incurred by a hospital in providing care. This MS-DRG assignment also affects the predetermined capital rate paid with each MS-DRG. The MS-DRG and capital payment rates are adjusted annually by the predetermined geographic adjustment factor for the geographic region in which a particular hospital is located and are weighted based upon a statistically normal distribution of severity. While we generally will not receive payment from Medicare for inpatient services, other than the MS-DRG payment, a

41


 

hospital may qualify for an “outlier” payment if a particular patient’s treatment costs are extraordinarily high and exceed a specified threshold. MS-DRG rates are adjusted by an update factor each federal fiscal year, which begins on October 1. The index used to adjust the MS-DRG rates, known as the “hospital market basket index,” gives consideration to the inflation experienced by hospitals in purchasing goods and services. Generally, however, the percentage increases in the MS-DRG payments have been lower than the projected increase in the cost of goods and services purchased by hospitals.

In August, 2023, CMS published its IPPS 2024 final payment rule which provides for a 3.1% market basket increase to the base Medicare MS-DRG blended rate. When statutorily mandated budget neutrality factors, annual geographic wage index updates (including a change in the Medicare Rural Floor calculation), documenting and coding adjustments, and adjustments mandated by the Legislation are considered, without consideration for the required Medicare DSH payments changes and increase to the Medicare Outlier threshold, the overall increase in IPPS payments is approximately 6.6%. Including DSH payments, an increase to the Medicare Outlier threshold and certain other adjustments, we estimate our overall increase from the final IPPS 2024 rule (covering the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024) will approximate 5.4%.

In August, 2022, CMS published its IPPS 2023 final payment rule which provides for a 4.1% market basket increase to the base Medicare MS-DRG blended rate. When statutorily mandated budget neutrality factors, annual geographic wage index updates, documenting and coding adjustments, and adjustments mandated by the Legislation are considered, without consideration for the required Medicare DSH payments changes and increase to the Medicare Outlier threshold, the overall increase in IPPS payments is approximately 4.6.%. Including DSH payments, an increase to the Medicare Outlier threshold and certain other adjustments, we estimate our overall increase from the final IPPS 2023 rule (covering the period of October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023) will approximate 4.4%. This projected impact from the IPPS 2023 final rule includes an increase of approximately 0.5% to partially restore cuts made as a result of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (“ATRA”), as required by the 21st Century Cures Act, but excludes the impact of the sequestration reductions related to the 2011 Act, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, and Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

In June, 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision favorable to hospitals impacting prior year Medicare DSH payments (Azar v. Allina Health Services, No. 17-1484 (U.S. Jun. 3, 2019)). In Allina, the hospitals challenged the Medicare DSH adjustments for federal fiscal year 2012, specifically challenging CMS’s decision to include inpatient hospital days attributable to Medicare Part C enrollee patients in the numerator and denominator of the Medicare/SSI fraction used to calculate a hospital’s DSH payments. This ruling addresses CMS’s attempts to impose the policy espoused in its vacated 2004 rulemaking to a fiscal year in the 2004–2013 time period without using notice-and-comment rulemaking. This decision should require CMS to recalculate hospitals’ DSH Medicare/SSI fractions, with Medicare Part C days excluded, for at least federal fiscal year 2012, but likely federal fiscal years 2005 through 2013. In August, 2020, CMS issued a rule that proposed to retroactively negate the effects of the aforementioned Supreme Court decision, which rule has yet to be finalized. Although we can provide no assurance that we will ultimately receive additional funds, we estimate that the favorable impact of this court ruling on certain prior year hospital Medicare DSH payments could range between $18 million to $28 million in the aggregate.

The 2011 Act included the imposition of annual spending limits for most federal agencies and programs aimed at reducing budget deficits by $917 billion between 2012 and 2021, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office. Among its other provisions, the law established a bipartisan Congressional committee, known as the Joint Committee, which was responsible for developing recommendations aimed at reducing future federal budget deficits by an additional $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The Joint Committee was unable to reach an agreement by the November 23, 2011 deadline and, as a result, across-the-board cuts to discretionary, national defense and Medicare spending were implemented on March 1, 2013 resulting in Medicare payment reductions of up to 2% per fiscal year. Subsequent legislation has extended this sequestration through 2032. The CARES Act, as amended, temporarily suspended or limited the application of this sequestration from May 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022, with a return to the full 2% Medicare payment reduction thereafter.

Inpatient services furnished by psychiatric hospitals under the Medicare program are paid under a Psychiatric Prospective Payment System (“Psych PPS”). Medicare payments to psychiatric hospitals are based on a prospective per diem rate with adjustments to account for certain facility and patient characteristics. The Psych PPS also contains provisions for outlier payments and an adjustment to a psychiatric hospital’s base payment if it maintains a full-service emergency department.

In July, 2023, CMS published its Psych PPS final rule for the federal fiscal year 2024. Under this final rule, payments to our behavioral health care hospitals and units are estimated to increase by 3.3% compared to federal fiscal year 2023. This amount includes the effect of the 3.5% net market basket update which reflects the offset of a 0.2% productivity adjustment.

In July, 2022, CMS published its Psych PPS final rule for the federal fiscal year 2023. Under this final rule, payments to our behavioral health care hospitals and units are estimated to increase by 3.8% compared to federal fiscal year 2022. This amount includes the effect of the 4.1% net market basket update which reflects the offset of a 0.3% productivity adjustment.

On November 2, 2023, in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in American Hospital Association v. Becerra (142 S. Ct. 1896 (2022)) and the district court’s remand to the agency, CMS issued a final rule outlining the remedy for the 340B-acquired drug payment policy for calendar years 2018-2022. CMS published the final rule to remedy the payment rates the Court held were invalid aspects of their

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past policy and will affect nearly all hospitals paid under the OPPS. As part of the final remedy, CMS will make an adjustment to the update factor to maintain budget neutrality as required by statute. CMS finalized the 340B policy for calendar year 2018 in 2017 in a budget neutral manner that included increasing payments for non-drug items and services; this payment increase was in effect from calendar years 2018 through 2022. CMS estimates that hospitals were paid $7.8 billion more for non-drug items and services during this time period than they would have been paid in the absence of the 340B payment policy. Because CMS is now making additional payments to affected 340B covered entity hospitals to pay them what they would have been paid had the 340B policy never been implemented, CMS will make a corresponding offset to maintain budget neutrality as if the 340B payment policy had never been in effect. To carry out this required $7.8 billion budget neutrality adjustment, CMS will reduce future non-drug item and service payments by adjusting the OPPS conversion factor by minus 0.5% starting in calendar year 2026 and continuing for 16 years. The impact of this 0.5% reduction on our 2026 results of operations is approximately $4 million.

In November, 2023, CMS issued its OPPS final rule for 2024. The hospital market basket increase is 3.3% and the productivity adjustment reduction is 0.2% for a net market basket increase of 3.1%. When other statutorily required adjustments and hospital patient service mix are considered, we estimate that our overall Medicare OPPS update for 2024 will aggregate to a net increase of 9.7%. This percentage reflects the impact resulting from rural floor changes to the Medicare wage index adjustment factor where certain states, such as California and Nevada, will materially benefit from this change.

In November, 2022, CMS issued its OPPS final rule for 2023. The hospital market basket increase is 4.1% and the productivity adjustment reduction is -0.3% for a net market basket increase of 3.8%. The final rule provides that in light of the Supreme Court decision in American Hospital Association v. Becerra, CMS is applying the default rate, generally average sales price plus 6%, to 340B acquired drugs and biologicals for 2023. CMS stated they will address the remedy for 340B drug payments from 2018-2022 in future rulemaking prior to the CY 2024 OPPS/ASC proposed rule. During the 2018-2022 time period, we recorded an aggregate of approximately $45 million to $50 million of Medicare revenues related to the prior 340B payment policy. When other statutorily required adjustments and hospital patient service mix are considered as well as impact of the aforementioned 340B Program policy change, we estimate that our overall Medicare OPPS update for 2023 will aggregate to a net increase of 0.9% which includes a 0.3% increase to behavioral health division partial hospitalization rates.

On November 2, 2021, CMS issued its OPPS final rule for 2022. The hospital market basket increase is 2.7% and the productivity adjustment reduction is -0.7% for a net market basket increase of 2.0%. When other statutorily required adjustments and hospital patient service mix are considered, we estimate that our overall Medicare OPPS update for 2022 will aggregate to a net increase of 2.4% which includes a 3.0% increase to behavioral health division partial hospitalization rates.

In November, 2019, CMS finalized its Hospital Price Transparency rule that implements certain requirements under the June 24, 2019 Presidential Executive Order related to Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First. Under this final rule, effective January 1, 2021, CMS will require: (1) hospitals make public their standard changes (both gross charges and payer-specific negotiated charges) for all items and services online in a machine-readable format, and; (2) hospitals to make public standard charge data for a limited set of “shoppable services” the hospital provides in a form and manner that is more consumer friendly. On November 2, 2021, CMS released a final rule increasing the monetary penalty that CMS can impose on hospitals that fail to comply with the price transparency requirements. We believe that our hospitals are in full compliance with the applicable federal regulations. In July, 2023, CMS proposed multiple provisions, effective as of January 1, 2024, focused on increasing hospital price transparency and compliance enforcement including but not limited to: (1) standard charges data would be posted online using a CMS template, instead of using the hospital’s own form/format; (2) all standard charge information would be encoded with a specified set of data elements (e.g., hospital name; license number; payer/plan name; description of service; billing codes, among others); (3) other technical changes related to increasing consumers’ automated accessibility to hospital standard charges, and; (4) certifications regarding accuracy of standard charge data and related compliance warning notices from CMS and requiring accessibility to health system leadership regarding transparency noncompliance.

In July, 2023, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury announced proposed rules that would:

Mandate that insurers analyze the outcomes of their coverage to ensure there's equivalent access to mental health care, including provider networks, prior authorization rates and payment for out-of-network providers, and take action to get in compliance;
Establish when health plans can’t use prior authorization or other tactics to make it more difficult to access mental health and substance use treatment;
Require additional insurers to comply with the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

While these proposed rules, if adopted, would likely improve patient access to inpatient and outpatient mental health services, we are unable to estimate the related potential impact on our results of operations.

Medicaid: Medicaid is a joint federal-state funded health care benefit program that is administered by the states to provide benefits to qualifying individuals. Most state Medicaid payments are made under a PPS-like system, or under programs that negotiate payment levels with individual hospitals. Amounts received under the Medicaid program are generally significantly less than a hospital’s customary charges for services provided. In addition to revenues received pursuant to the Medicare program, we receive a large

43


 

portion of our revenues either directly from Medicaid programs or from managed care companies managing Medicaid. All of our acute care hospitals and most of our behavioral health centers are certified as providers of Medicaid services by the appropriate governmental authorities.

We receive revenues from various state and county-based programs, including Medicaid in all the states in which we operate. We receive annual Medicaid revenues of approximately $100 million, or greater, from each of Texas, California, Nevada, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida and Massachusetts. We also receive Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments in certain states including, most significantly, Texas. We are therefore particularly sensitive to potential reductions in Medicaid and other state-based revenue programs as well as regulatory, economic, environmental and competitive changes in those states. We can provide no assurance that reductions to revenues earned pursuant to these programs, particularly in the above-mentioned states, will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

The Legislation substantially increases the federally and state-funded Medicaid insurance program, and authorizes states to establish federally subsidized non-Medicaid health plans for low-income residents not eligible for Medicaid starting in 2014. However, the Supreme Court has struck down portions of the Legislation requiring states to expand their Medicaid programs in exchange for increased federal funding. Accordingly, many states in which we operate have not expanded Medicaid coverage to individuals at 133% of the federal poverty level. Facilities in states not opting to expand Medicaid coverage under the Legislation may be additionally penalized by corresponding reductions to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments beginning in fiscal year 2024, as discussed below. We can provide no assurance that further reductions to Medicaid revenues, particularly in the above-mentioned states, will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

In January, 2020, CMS announced a new opportunity to support states with greater flexibility to improve the health of their Medicaid populations. The new 1115 Waiver Block Grant Type Demonstration program, titled Healthy Adult Opportunity (“HAO”), emphasizes the concept of value-based care while granting states extensive flexibility to administer and design their programs within a defined budget. CMS believes this state opportunity will enhance the Medicaid program’s integrity through its focus on accountability for results and quality improvement, making the Medicaid program stronger for states and beneficiaries. The Biden administration has signaled its intent to withdraw the HAO demonstration and it has not been implemented in any states. Accordingly, we are unable to predict whether the HAO demonstration will impact our future results of operations.

Various State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs:

We incur health-care related taxes (“Provider Taxes”) imposed by states in the form of a licensing fee, assessment or other mandatory payment which are related to: (i) healthcare items or services; (ii) the provision of, or the authority to provide, the health care items or services, or; (iii) the payment for the health care items or services. Such Provider Taxes are subject to various federal regulations that limit the scope and amount of the taxes that can be levied by states in order to secure federal matching funds as part of their respective state Medicaid programs. As outlined below, we derive a related Medicaid reimbursement benefit from assessed Provider Taxes in the form of Medicaid claims based payment increases and/or lump sum Medicaid supplemental payments.

On April 27, 2023, CMS released two proposed rules addressing access, quality and payment in Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicaid/CHIP Managed Care plans. Together, the Access NPRM and Managed Care NPRM (“Managed Care Rule”) include new and updated proposed requirements for states and managed care plans that would establish consistent access standards, and a standardized approach to transparently review and assess Medicaid payment rates across states. The Managed Care rule also proposes standards to allow enrollees to easily compare plans based on quality and access to providers through the state’s website.

Importantly, the Managed Care Rule proposes several new requirements related to Medicaid State Directed Payments. These proposed changes would include:

A broader requirement that states ensure each provider receiving a state directed payment attest that it does not participate in any arrangement that holds taxpayers harmless for the cost of a tax in violation of federal requirements.
Requiring that provider payment levels for inpatient and outpatient hospital services not exceed the average commercial rate.
Removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to help states use state directed payments to implement value-based payment arrangements.

The Managed Care proposed rule, if implemented, could have a significant impact on the means by which states finance the non-federal share of their Medicaid programs. Under the proposal, CMS would have the ability to strike down common financing arrangements such as a provider taxes. These changes could have detrimental impacts on state Medicaid programs. If finalized as proposed, the rule could potentially force states to raise taxes or cut their Medicaid budgets. In subsequent years, it could have an unfavorable impact on Medicaid beneficiaries by likely limiting access to providers and requiring states to consider reductions to their Medicaid programs.

As disclosed herein, we receive a significant amount of Medicaid and Medicaid managed care revenue from both base payments and supplemental payments. Although we are unable to estimate the impact of the Managed Care Rule on our future results of operations,

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if implemented as proposed, Managed Care Rule related changes could have a material adverse impact on our future results of operations.

Included in these Provider Tax programs are reimbursements received in connection with the Texas Uncompensated Care/Upper Payment Limit program (“UC/UPL”) and Texas Delivery System Reform Incentive Payments program (“DSRIP”). Additional disclosure related to the Texas UC/UPL and DSRIP programs is provided below.

Texas Uncompensated Care/Upper Payment Limit Payments:

Certain of our acute care hospitals located in various counties of Texas (Grayson, Hidalgo, Maverick, Potter and Webb) participate in Medicaid supplemental payment Section 1115 Waiver indigent care programs. Section 1115 Waiver Uncompensated Care (“UC”) payments replace the former Upper Payment Limit (“UPL”) payments. These hospitals also have affiliation agreements with third-party hospitals to provide free hospital and physician care to qualifying indigent residents of these counties. Our hospitals receive both supplemental payments from the Medicaid program and indigent care payments from third-party, affiliated hospitals. The supplemental payments are contingent on the county or hospital district making an Inter-Governmental Transfer (“IGT”) to the state Medicaid program while the indigent care payment is contingent on a transfer of funds from the applicable affiliated hospitals. However, the county or hospital district is prohibited from entering into an agreement to condition any IGT on the amount of any private hospital’s indigent care obligation.

On December 21, 2017, CMS approved the 1115 Waiver for the period January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2022. The Waiver continued to include UC and DSRIP payment pools with modifications and new state specific reporting deadlines that if not met by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission ("THHSC") will result in material decreases in the size of the UC and DSRIP pools. For UC during the initial two years of this renewal, the UC program will remain relatively the same in size and allocation methodology. For year three of this waiver renewal, the federal fiscal year (“FFY”) 2020, and through FFY 2022, the size and distribution of the UC pool will be determined based on charity care costs reported to THHSC in accordance with Medicare cost report Worksheet S-10 principles. In September 2019, CMS approved the annual UC pool size in the amount of $3.9 billion for demonstration years (“DYs”) 9, 10 and 11 (October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2022). In June 2022, THHSC announced that CMS approved the UC Pool size for Demonstration Years 12 through 16 (October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2027) for the current 1115 Waiver which will be $4.51 billion per year. The UC pool will be resized again in 2027 for DYs 17 through 19 (October 1, 2027 to September 30, 2030). On April 16, 2021, CMS rescinded its January 15, 2021, 1115 Waiver ten year expedited renewal approval that was effective through September 30, 2030. In July, 2021, THHSC submitted another 1115 Waiver renewal application to CMS which reflects the same terms and conditions agreed to by CMS on January 15, 2021, in order to receive an extension beyond September 30, 2022. On April 22, 2022, CMS withdrew its rescission of the 1115 Waiver and now considers the 1115 Waiver approved as extended and governed by the special terms and conditions that CMS approved on January 15, 2021.

Effective April 1, 2018, certain of our acute care hospitals located in Texas began to receive Medicaid managed care rate enhancements under the Uniform Hospital Rate Increase Program (“UHRIP”). The non-federal share component of these UHRIP rate enhancements are financed by Provider Taxes. The Texas 1115 Waiver rules require UHRIP rate enhancements be considered in the Texas UC payment methodology which results in a reduction to our UC payments. The UC amounts reported in the State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program Table below reflect the impact of this new UHRIP program. In July 2020, THHSC announced CMS approval of an increase to UHRIP pool for the state’s 2021 fiscal year to $2.7 billion from its prior funding level of $1.6 billion.

On March 26, 2021, THHSC published a final rule that will apply to program periods on or after September 1, 2021, and UHRIP was re-named the Comprehensive Hospital Increase Reimbursement Program (“CHIRP”). CHIRP will be comprised of a UHRIP component and an Average Commercial Incentive Award component. CHIRP has a pool size of $4.7 billion. On March 25, 2022, CMS approved the CHIRP program retroactive to September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2022. The impact of the CHIRP program is reflected in the State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program Table below including approximately $12 million of estimated CHIRP revenues which were recorded during the first quarter of 2022, attributable to the period September 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, net of associated provider taxes. On August 1, 2022, CMS approved the CHIRP program, with a pool of $5.2 billion, for the rate period effective September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023. On July 31, 2023, CMS approved the CHIRP program, with a pool of $6.5 billion, for the rate period of September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024.

Certain of our acute care hospitals located in Texas recorded an aggregate of $25 million in Quality Incentive Fund (“QIF”) revenues during each of the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The amounts recorded during 2023 were applicable to the period of September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022; and the amounts recorded during 2022 were applicable to the period of September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021. This revenue was earned pursuant to contract terms with various Medicaid managed care plans which requires the annual payout of QIF funds when a managed care service delivery area’s actual claims-based UHRIP payments are less than targeted UHRIP payments for a specific rate year. We also anticipate recording an additional $9 million in QIF revenues during the fourth quarter of 2023 increasing the aggregate for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $34 million.

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On September 24, 2021, THHSC finalized New Fee-for-Service Supplemental Payment Program: Hospital Augmented Reimbursement Program (“HARP”) to be effective October 1, 2021. The HARP program continues the financial transition for providers who have historically participated in the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program described below. The program, which was approved by CMS on August 15, 2023, will provide additional funding to hospitals to help offset the cost hospitals incur while providing Medicaid services. Included in our results of operations during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 was approximately $13 million of HARP revenues applicable to the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. In addition, we expect to record HARP revenues of approximately $3 million per quarter beginning in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Texas Delivery System Reform Incentive Payments:

In addition, the Texas Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver included a DSRIP pool to incentivize hospitals and other providers to transform their service delivery practices to improve quality, health status, patient experience, coordination, and cost-effectiveness. DSRIP pool payments are incentive payments to hospitals and other providers that develop programs or strategies to enhance access to health care, increase the quality of care, the cost-effectiveness of care provided and the health of the patients and families served. In FFY 2022, DSRIP funding under the waiver is eliminated except for certain carryover DSRIP projects. No revenues were recorded by us during 2023 in connection with this DSRIP program. Included in our results of operations during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, was approximately $18 million of DSRIP revenues, all of which were recorded during the second quarter of 2022.

Summary of Amounts Related To The Above-Mentioned Various State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs:

The following table summarizes the revenues, Provider Taxes and net benefit related to each of the above-mentioned Medicaid supplemental programs for three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The Provider Taxes are recorded in other operating expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income as included herein.

 

(amounts in millions)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

2023

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

2022

 

Texas UC/UPL:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Revenues

$

87

 

$

87

 

 

$

176

 

$

213

 

 Provider Taxes

 

(30

)

 

(30

)

 

 

(62

)

 

(76

)

 Net benefit

$

57

 

$

57

 

 

$

114

 

$

137

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas DSRIP:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Revenues

$

0

 

$

0

 

 

$

0

 

$

27

 

 Provider Taxes

 

0

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

(9

)

 Net benefit

$

0

 

$

0

 

 

$

0

 

$

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various other state programs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Revenues

$

121

 

$

112

 

 

$

375

 

$

329

 

 Provider Taxes

 

(46

)

 

(41

)

 

 

(129

)

 

(119

)

 Net benefit

$

75

 

$

71

 

 

$

246

 

$

210

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total all Provider Tax programs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Revenues

$

208

 

$

199

 

 

$

551

 

$

569

 

 Provider Taxes

 

(76

)

 

(71

)

 

 

(191

)

 

(204

)

 Net benefit

$

132

 

$

128

 

 

$

360

 

$

365

 

We estimate that our aggregate net benefit from the Texas and various other state Medicaid supplemental payment programs will approximate $525 million (net of Provider Taxes of $297 million) during the year ended December 31, 2023. These amounts are based upon various terms and conditions that are out of our control including, but not limited to, the states’/CMS’s continued approval of the programs and the applicable hospital district or county making IGTs consistent with 2022 levels.

Future changes to these terms and conditions could materially reduce our net benefit derived from the programs which could have a material adverse impact on our future consolidated results of operations. In addition, Provider Taxes are governed by both federal and state laws and are subject to future legislative changes that, if reduced from current rates in several states, could have a material adverse impact on our future consolidated results of operations. As described below in 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease Medicare and Medicaid Payment Related Legislation, a 6.2% increase to the Medicaid Federal Matching Assistance Percentage (“FMAP”) was included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (“CAA of 2023”) provided

46


 

for the transitional reduction of the 6.2% enhanced FMAP during 2023 to 5.0% during the second quarter, 2.5% during the third quarter and 1.5% during the fourth quarter of 2023. The impact of the enhanced FMAP Medicaid supplemental and DSH payments are reflected in our financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. We are unable to estimate the prospective financial impact of this provision at this time as our financial impact is contingent on unknown state action during future eligible federal fiscal quarters.

Texas and South Carolina Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments:

Hospitals that have an unusually large number of low-income patients (i.e., those with a Medicaid utilization rate of at least one standard deviation above the mean Medicaid utilization, or having a low income patient utilization rate exceeding 25%) are eligible to receive a DSH adjustment. Congress established a national limit on DSH adjustments. Although this legislation and the resulting state broad-based provider taxes have affected the payments we receive under the Medicaid program, to date the net impact has not been materially adverse.

Upon meeting certain conditions and serving a disproportionately high share of Texas’ and South Carolina’s low income patients, five of our facilities located in Texas and one facility located in South Carolina received additional reimbursement from each state’s DSH fund. The Texas DSH program was renewed for the state’s 2024 DSH fiscal year (covering the period of October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024). However, the South Carolina Health Access, Workforce and Quality (“HAWQ”) Program, as described below, which was recently approved by CMS, ended our DSH payment eligibility in the South Carolina Medicaid DSH program (approximately $5 million annually previously received), effective as of September 30, 2023.

In connection with these DSH programs, included in our financial results was an aggregate of approximately $13 million and $17 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $38 million and $41 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. When the final payment methodology changes in Texas as discussed below are implemented, we expect the aggregate reimbursements to our hospitals pursuant to the Texas and South Carolina 2023 fiscal year programs to be approximately $46 million. On June 16, 2023, the THHSC published a final rule that modified both the Medicaid DSH and Medicaid UC payment methodologies for the period of October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. THHSC's financial modeling estimates indicate this final rule would reduce our annual Medicaid DSH payments by approximately $8 million.

The Legislation and subsequent federal legislation provides for a significant reduction in Medicaid disproportionate share payments beginning in federal fiscal year 2024 (see above in Sources of Revenues and Health Care Reform-Medicaid for additional disclosure related to the delay of these DSH reductions). HHS is to determine the amount of Medicaid DSH payment cuts imposed on each state based on a defined methodology. As Medicaid DSH payments to states will be cut, consequently, payments to Medicaid-participating providers, including our hospitals in Texas and South Carolina, will be reduced in the coming years. Based on the CMS final rule published in September, 2019, beginning in fiscal year 2024 (as amended by the CARES Act and the CAA), annual Medicaid DSH payments in South Carolina and Texas could be reduced by approximately 65% and 41%, respectively, from 2022 DSH payment levels. On September 30, 2023, a continuing resolution was passed by the federal government which provided for federal funding for 45 days. The measure includes a 45-day delay of these Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts. The continuing resolution will expire on November 17, 2023. 

Our behavioral health care facilities in Texas have been receiving Medicaid DSH payments since FFY 2016. As with all Medicaid DSH payments, hospitals are subject to state audits that typically occur up to three years after their receipt. DSH payments are subject to a federal Hospital Specific Limit (“HSL”) and are not fully known until the DSH audit results are concluded. In general, freestanding psychiatric hospitals tend to provide significantly less charity care than acute care hospitals and therefore are at more risk for retroactive recoupment of prior year DSH payments in excess of their respective HSL. In light of the retroactive HSL audit risk for freestanding psychiatric hospitals, we have established DSH reserves for our facilities that have been receiving funds since FFY 2016. These DSH reserves are also impacted by the resolution of federal DSH litigation related to Children’s Hospital Association of Texas v. Azar (“CHAT”) where the calculation of HSL was being challenged. In August, 2019, DC Circuit Court of Appeals issued a unanimous decision in CHAT and reversed the judgment of the district court in favor of CMS and ordered that CMS’s “2017 Rule” (regarding Medicaid DSH Payments—Treatment of Third Party Payers in Calculating Uncompensated Care Costs) be reinstated. CMS has not issued any additional guidance post the ruling. In April 2020, the plaintiffs in the case have petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States to hear their case. Additionally, there have been separate legal challenges on this same issue in the Fifth and Eight Circuits. On November 4, 2019, in Missouri Hosp. Ass’n v. Azar, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued an opinion upholding the 2017 Rule. On April 20, 2020, in Baptist Memorial Hospital v. Azar, the United States Court of Appeals of the Fifth Circuit issued a decision also upholding the 2017 Rule. In light of these court decisions, we continue to maintain reserves in the financial statements for cumulative Medicaid DSH and UC reimbursements related to our behavioral health hospitals located in Texas that amounted to $31 million as of September 30, 2023 and $42 million as of December 31, 2022.

Nevada SPA and SDP:

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State Plan Amendment ("SPA")

CMS initially approved an SPA in Nevada in August, 2014 and this SPA has been approved for additional state fiscal years, including the 2023 fiscal year covering the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. CMS approval for the 2024 fiscal year, which is still pending, is expected to occur.

In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $5 million during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and approximately $22 million and $16 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $27 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

State Directed Payment Program ("SDP")

On February 7, 2023, the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (“DHCFP”) held a public workshop that outlined a new provider fee on private hospitals located in Nevada that would effectively capture new Medicaid federal share for certain categories of services eligible for the new payment programs. Final approval of each of these Medicaid supplemental payment programs is subject to various state and federal actions.

DHCFP indicated the new Medicaid supplemental payments will include two components as follows:

Medicaid fee for service upper payment limit component.
o
We anticipate state and federal approval of the fee for service upper payment limit component, which is expected to be effective either as of July 1, 2023, or October 1, 2023, to occur during 2023. If approved, we estimate that our aggregate net reimbursements pursuant to this program (net of related provider taxes) will approximate $3 million to $6 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.
Medicaid managed care SDP component.
o
We cannot predict whether or not the managed care component will ultimately receive state and federal approval. If approved, which could be effective as of January 1, 2024, we believe that based upon certain preliminary estimates, this program would have a material favorable effect on our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2024, and potentially in future years as well. However, there can be no assurance that the program will be approved, and if approved, we cannot be certain of the timing or amount of aggregate net reimbursements that we may receive in connection with this program.

California SPA:

In California, the state continues to operate Medicaid supplemental payment programs consisting of three components Fee For Service Payment, Managed Care-Pass-Through Payment and Managed Care-Directed Payment. The non-federal share for these programs are financed by a statewide provider tax.

The Directed Payment method will be based on actual concurrent hospital Medicaid managed care in-network patient volume whereas the other programs are based on prior year Medicaid utilization. The CMS program approval status is outlined in the table below.

California Hospital Fee Program CMS Approval Status:

Hospital Fee Program Component

CMS Methodology Approval Status

CMS Rate Setting Approval Status

Fee For Service Payment

Approved through December 31, 2022

Approved through December 31, 2021; Paid through December 31, 2022

Managed Care-Pass-Through Payment

Approved through December 31, 2022

Approved and paid through December 31, 2021

Managed Care-Directed Payment

Approved through December 31, 2022

Approved and paid through December 31, 2021

In connection with the existing program, included in our financial results was approximately $10 million during each of the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and approximately $33 million and $38 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $46 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. The aggregate impact of the California supplemental payment program, as outlined above, is included in the above State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program table.

Kentucky Hospital Rate Increase Program (“HRIP”):

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In early 2021, CMS approved the Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care Hospital Rate Increase Program (“HRIP”). Included in our financial results in connection with this program was approximately $15 million and $18 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $57 million and $47 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Programs such as HRIP require an annual state submission and approval by CMS. In February, 2023, CMS approved the program for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 at rates comparable to the prior year. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to HRIP will approximate $71 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Florida Medicaid Managed Care Directed Payment Program (“DPP”):

The Florida DPP provides for an additional payment for Medicaid managed care contracted services. The DPP requires various related legislative and regulatory approvals each year. We did not record any revenues in connection with this program during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 or 2022. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this DPP will approximate $42 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Oklahoma Transition to Managed Care and Implementation of a Medicaid Managed Care DPP

In May, 2022, Oklahoma enacted legislation (SB 1337 and SB 1396) that directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority ("OHCA") to: (i) transition its Medicaid program from a fee for service payment model to a managed care payment model by no later than October 1, 2023, and: (ii) concurrently implement a Medicaid managed care DPP using a managed care gap of ninety percent (90%) average commercial rates. In December, 2022, the OHCA delayed the implementation date of the Medicaid managed care change and related DPP until April 1, 2024. In September, 2023, CMS approved the DPP program effective as of April 1, 2024. Although we estimate that the DPP may have a favorable impact on our future results of operations, we are unable to quantify the ultimate impact since implementation of this program is subject to various additional administrative and regulatory procedures.

Illinois Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs

The Illinois Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs are comprised of three components: (1) Medicaid managed care directed payment program; (2) Medicaid managed care pass-through program, and; (3) Medicaid fee for service supplemental payment program. The results of this program are included in the above State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Program table. These programs require various related legislative and regulatory approvals each year.

In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $8 million and $13 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $29 million and $38 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to these supplemental payment programs will approximate $41 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Idaho Medicaid Upper Payment Limit (“UPL”) Program

During the first quarter of 2023, Idaho modified their Medicaid UPL program, effective as of July 1, 2022, which resulted in the state increasing the amount of the UPL pool size. In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $4 million and $1 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and approximately $19 million and $2 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Approximately $7 million of the amount included in our financial results during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 related to the prior year. We anticipate that future UPL program payments will be made at comparable levels. We estimate that our revenues pursuant to this UPL program will approximate $22 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Mississippi Hospital Access Program

In September, 2023, subject to CMS approval, Mississippi announced a $689 million, two-part Medicaid payment proposal, effective retroactively to July 1, 2023, that would be funded by annual hospital assessments to the state's Medicaid program. These hospital assessments are calculated using a formula provided under state law.

The first part of the proposal, known as the Mississippi Hospital Access Program, would provide direct payments for hospitals that serve patients in the state's Medicaid managed care delivery system. Hospitals would be reimbursed near the average commercial rate, which is the upper limit for Medicaid managed care reimbursements. The second part of the proposal would supplement Medicaid payment rates for hospitals providing inpatient and outpatient services up to Medicaid's regulated upper payment limit.

Although there can be no assurance that this program will be approved by CMS, but if approved, pursuant to estimates published by Mississippi, we estimate that our net additional reimbursements earned pursuant to this program will approximate $40 million annually.

South Carolina Health Access, Workforce and Quality (“HAWQ”) Program

In September 2023, CMS approved the South Carolina HAWQ Program retroactive to July 1, 2023. This program is Medicaid managed care directed payment program that provides for a rate enhancement to Medicaid managed care encounters. We estimate that

49


 

our net reimbursements earned pursuant to this program will approximate $21 million annually. In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $6 million during the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $11 million during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Risk Factors Related To State Supplemental Medicaid Payments:

As outlined above, we receive substantial reimbursement from multiple states in connection with various supplemental Medicaid payment programs. The states include, but are not limited to, Texas, Kentucky, California, Illinois, Indiana and Nevada. Failure to renew these programs beyond their scheduled termination dates, failure of the public hospitals to provide the necessary IGTs for the states’ share of the DSH programs, failure of our hospitals that currently receive supplemental Medicaid revenues to qualify for future funds under these programs, or reductions in reimbursements, could have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

In April, 2016, CMS published its final Medicaid Managed Care Rule which explicitly permits but phases out the use of pass-through payments (including supplemental payments) by Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (“MCO”) to hospitals over ten years but allows for a transition of the pass-through payments into value-based payment structures, delivery system reform initiatives or payments tied to services under a MCO contract. Since we are unable to determine the financial impact of this aspect of the final rule, we can provide no assurance that the final rule will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations. In November, 2020, CMS issued a final rule permitting pass-through supplemental provider payments during a time-limited period when states transition populations or services from fee-for-service Medicaid to managed care.

HITECH Act: In July 2010, HHS published final regulations implementing the health information technology (“HIT”) provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (referred to as the “HITECH Act”). The final regulation defines the “meaningful use” of Electronic Health Records (“EHR”) and establishes the requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR payment incentive programs. The final rule established an initial set of standards and certification criteria. The implementation period for these Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments started in federal fiscal year 2011 and can end as late as 2016 for Medicare and 2021 for the state Medicaid programs. State Medicaid program participation in this federally funded incentive program is voluntary but all of the states in which our eligible hospitals operate have chosen to participate. Our acute care hospitals qualified for these EHR incentive payments upon implementation of the EHR application assuming they meet the “meaningful use” criteria. The government’s ultimate goal is to promote more effective (quality) and efficient healthcare delivery through the use of technology to reduce the total cost of healthcare for all Americans and utilizing the cost savings to expand access to the healthcare system.

All of our acute care hospitals have met the applicable meaningful use criteria. However, under the HITECH Act, hospitals must continue to meet the applicable meaningful use criteria in each fiscal year or they will be subject to a market basket update reduction in a subsequent fiscal year. Failure of our acute care hospitals to continue to meet the applicable meaningful use criteria would have an adverse effect on our future net revenues and results of operations.

In the 2019 IPPS final rule, CMS overhauled the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program to focus on interoperability, improve flexibility, relieve burden and place emphasis on measures that require the electronic exchange of health information between providers and patients. We can provide no assurance that the changes will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

Managed Care: A significant portion of our net patient revenues are generated from managed care companies, which include health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations and managed Medicare (referred to as Medicare Part C or Medicare Advantage) and Medicaid programs. In general, we expect the percentage of our business from managed care programs to continue to grow. The consequent growth in managed care networks and the resulting impact of these networks on the operating results of our facilities vary among the markets in which we operate. Typically, we receive lower payments per patient from managed care payers than we do from traditional indemnity insurers, however, during the past few years we have secured price increases from many of our commercial payers including managed care companies.

Commercial Insurance: Our hospitals also provide services to individuals covered by private health care insurance. Private insurance carriers typically make direct payments to hospitals or, in some cases, reimburse their policy holders, based upon the particular hospital’s established charges and the particular coverage provided in the insurance policy. Private insurance reimbursement varies among payers and states and is generally based on contracts negotiated between the hospital and the payer.

Commercial insurers are continuing efforts to limit the payments for hospital services by adopting discounted payment mechanisms, including predetermined payment or DRG-based payment systems, for more inpatient and outpatient services. To the extent that such efforts are successful and reduce the insurers’ reimbursement to hospitals and the costs of providing services to their beneficiaries, such reduced levels of reimbursement may have a negative impact on the operating results of our hospitals.

Surprise Billing Interim Final Rule: On September 30, 2021, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury, along with the Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”), released an interim final rule with comment period, entitled “Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part II.” This rule is related to Title I (the “No Surprises Act”) of Division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and establishes new protections from surprise billing and excessive cost sharing for consumers receiving

50


 

health care items/services. It implements additional protections against surprise medical bills under the No Surprises Act, including provisions related to the independent dispute resolution process, good faith estimates for uninsured (or self-pay) individuals, the patient-provider dispute resolution process, and expanded rights to external review. On February 28, 2022, a district judge in the Eastern District of Texas invalidated portions of the rule governing aspects of the Independent Dispute Resolution (“IDR”) process. In light of this decision, the government issued a final rule on August 19, 2022 eliminating the rebuttable presumption in favor of the qualifying payment amount (“QPA”) by the IDR entity and providing additional factors the IDR entity should consider when choosing between two competing offers. CMS regulations and guidance implementing the IDR process has been subject to a significant amount of provider-initiated litigation. As a result, portions of those regulations and guidance materials have been vacated by a federal district court, causing CMS to, on several occasions, pause and resume IDR process operations, causing significant delay in the processing of claims. On October 27, 2023, HHS, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, and OPM issued a proposed rule intended to improve the functioning of the federal IDR process. Additionally, arguments made by the plaintiffs in such litigation have included allegations that CMS’s regulations and guidance materials are favorable to payers. We cannot predict the impact of the proposed rule on our operations at this time.

Other Sources: Our hospitals provide services to individuals that do not have any form of health care coverage. Such patients are evaluated, at the time of service or shortly thereafter, for their ability to pay based upon federal and state poverty guidelines, qualifications for Medicaid or other state assistance programs, as well as our local hospitals’ indigent and charity care policy. Patients without health care coverage who do not qualify for Medicaid or indigent care write-offs are offered substantial discounts in an effort to settle their outstanding account balances.

Health Care Reform: Listed below are the Medicare, Medicaid and other health care industry changes which have been, or are scheduled to be, implemented as a result of the Legislation.

Medicaid Federal DSH Allotment:

Although the implementation has been delayed several times, the Legislation (as amended by subsequent federal legislation) requires annual aggregate reductions in federal Medicaid DSH allotment from FFY 2024 through FFY 2027. Commencing in federal fiscal year 2024, and continuing through 2027, DSH payments are scheduled to be reduced by $8 billion annually. On September 30, 2023, a continuing resolution was passed by the federal government which provided for federal funding for 45 days. The measure includes a 45-day delay of these Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts. The continuing resolution will expire on November 17, 2023. 

Value-Based Purchasing:

There is a trend in the healthcare industry toward value-based purchasing of healthcare services. These value-based purchasing programs include both public reporting of quality data and preventable adverse events tied to the quality and efficiency of care provided by facilities. Governmental programs including Medicare and Medicaid currently require hospitals to report certain quality data to receive full reimbursement updates. In addition, Medicare does not reimburse for care related to certain preventable adverse events. Many large commercial payers currently require hospitals to report quality data, and several commercial payers do not reimburse hospitals for certain preventable adverse events.

The Legislation required HHS to implement a value-based purchasing program for inpatient hospital services which became effective on October 1, 2012. The Legislation requires HHS to reduce inpatient hospital payments for all discharges by 2% in FFY 2017 and subsequent years. HHS will pool the amount collected from these reductions to fund payments to reward hospitals that meet or exceed certain quality performance standards established by HHS. HHS will determine the amount each hospital that meets or exceeds the quality performance standards will receive from the pool of dollars created by these payment reductions. As part of the FFY 2022 IPPS final rule and FFY 2023 final rule, as discussed above, and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS has implemented a budget neutral payment policy to fully offset the 2% VBP withhold during each of FFY 2022 and FFY 2023.

Hospital Acquired Conditions:

The Legislation prohibits the use of federal funds under the Medicaid program to reimburse providers for medical assistance provided to treat hospital acquired conditions (“HAC”). Beginning in FFY 2015, hospitals that fall into the top 25% of national risk-adjusted HAC rates for all hospitals in the previous year will receive a 1% reduction in their total Medicare payments. As part of the FFY 2023 final rule discussed above, and as a result of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, CMS will suppress all six measures in the HAC Reduction Program for the FY 2023 program year and eliminate the HAC reduction program’s one percent payment penalty.

Readmission Reduction Program:

In the Legislation, Congress also mandated implementation of the hospital readmission reduction program (“HRRP”). Hospitals with excessive readmissions for conditions designated by HHS will receive reduced payments for all inpatient discharges, not just discharges relating to the conditions subject to the excessive readmission standard. The HRRP currently assesses penalties on hospitals having excess readmission rates for heart failure, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and/or total knee arthroplasty (TKA), excluding planned readmissions, when compared to expected rates. In the fiscal year 2015 IPPS final rule, CMS added readmissions for coronary artery

51


 

bypass graft (CABG) surgical procedures beginning in fiscal year 2017. To account for excess readmissions, an applicable hospital's base operating DRG payment amount is adjusted for each discharge occurring during the fiscal year. Readmissions payment adjustment factors can be no more than a 3 percent reduction. As part of the FFY 2023 IPPS final rule discussed above, CMS will modify all of the condition-specific readmission measures to include an adjustment for patient history of COVID-19 for FFY 2024.

Accountable Care Organizations:

The Legislation requires HHS to establish a Medicare Shared Savings Program that promotes accountability and coordination of care through the creation of accountable care organizations (“ACOs”). The ACO program allows providers (including hospitals), physicians and other designated professionals and suppliers to voluntarily work together to invest in infrastructure and redesign delivery processes to achieve high quality and efficient delivery of services. The program is intended to produce savings as a result of improved quality and operational efficiency. ACOs that achieve quality performance standards established by HHS will be eligible to share in a portion of the amounts saved by the Medicare program. CMS is also developing and implementing more advanced ACO payment models that require ACOs to assume greater risk for attributed beneficiaries. On December 21, 2018, CMS published a final rule that, in general, requires ACO participants to take on additional risk associated with participation in the program. On April 30, 2020, CMS issued an interim final rule with comment in response to the COVID-19 national emergency permitting ACOs with current agreement periods expiring on December 31, 2020 the option to extend their existing agreement period by one year, and permitting certain ACOs to retain their participation level through 2021. It remains unclear to what extent providers will pursue federal ACO status or whether the required investment would be warranted by increased payment.

 

2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease Medicare and Medicaid Payment Related Legislation

In response to the growing threat of COVID-19, on March 13, 2020 a national emergency was declared. The declaration empowered the HHS Secretary to waive certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”) program requirements and Medicare conditions of participation under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act. Having been granted this authority by HHS, CMS issued a broad range of blanket waivers, which eased certain requirements for impacted providers, including:

 

Waivers and Flexibilities for Hospitals and other Healthcare Facilities including those for physical environment requirements and certain Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act provisions
Provider Enrollment Flexibilities
Flexibility and Relief for State Medicaid Programs including those under section 1135 Waivers
Suspension of Certain Enforcement Activities

 

In addition to the national emergency declaration, Congress passed and Presidents Trump and Biden have signed various forms of legislation intended to support state and local authority responses to COVID-19 as well as provide fiscal support to businesses, individuals, financial markets, hospitals and other healthcare providers.

Some of the financial support included in the various legislative actions include:

Medicaid FMAP Enhancement

The FMAP was increased by 6.2% retroactive to the federal fiscal quarter beginning January 1, 2020 and each subsequent federal fiscal quarter for all states and U.S. territories during the declared public health emergency through December 31, 2022, in accordance with specified conditions. The CAA of 2023, signed into law on December 29, 2022, provides for the transitional reduction of the 6.2% enhanced FMAP during 2023 to 5.0% during the second quarter, 2.5% during the third quarter and 1.5% during the fourth quarter of 2023.
Effective April 1, 2023, the CAA of 2023 allows states to initiate Medicaid renewals, post-enrollment verifications, and redeterminations over a 12-month period for all individuals who are enrolled in such plan (or waiver) as of April 1, 2023. This activity was previously prohibited as a condition for the receipt of the enhanced FMAP during the PHE. This Medicaid enrollment related activity is likely to reduce Medicaid beneficiary enrollment. In the states in which we operate, we cannot predict the extent to which disenrolled Medicaid beneficiaries will be able to replace their Medicaid coverage with employer-based insurance coverage or via coverage obtained through the ACA Health Insurance Exchange. We are therefore unable to estimate the impact of this Medicaid enrollment activity on our results of operations.

Public Health Emergency Declaration

The HHS Secretary renewed the PHE effective February 11, 2023, for 90 days. As a result, certain Medicare payment provisions contingent on the PHE were extended including the twenty percent (20%) Medicare add-on for

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inpatient hospital COVID-19 patients noted below. Pursuant to formal notice subsequently published by HHS, the PHE expired on May 11, 2023.

Reimburse hospitals at Medicare rates for uncompensated COVID-19 care for the uninsured

Our financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 include no revenues recorded in connection with this program. Our financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2022 included approximately $4 million and $22 million, respectively, of revenues recorded in connection with this program.
Effective March 22, 2022, HHS announced that the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program and Coverage Assistance Fund is no longer accepting claims due to insufficient funding.

Medicare Sequestration Relief

Suspension of the 2% Medicare sequestration offset for Medicare services provided from May 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021 by various legislative extensions. In December, 2021, the suspended 2% payment reduction was extended until June 30, 2022 and partially suspended at a 1% payment reduction for an additional three-month period that ended on June 30, 2022, with a return to the full 2% Medicare payment reduction thereafter.
Our financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 included no revenues related to this program. Our financial results for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, included approximately $17 million of revenues recorded in connection with this program.

Medicare add-on for inpatient hospital COVID-19 patients

Increases the payment that would otherwise be made to a hospital for treating a Medicare patient admitted with COVID-19 by twenty percent (20%) for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Included in our financial results were revenues of approximately $7 million during the three-month period ended September 30, 2022 (no revenues were recorded during the third quarter of 2023), and approximately $6 million and $25 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, recorded in connection with this program. These payments were intended to offset the increased expenses associated with the treatment of Medicare COVID-19 patients.

In addition to statutory and regulatory changes to the Medicare program and each of the state Medicaid programs, our operations and reimbursement may be affected by administrative rulings, new or novel interpretations and determinations of existing laws and regulations, post-payment audits, requirements for utilization review and new governmental funding restrictions, all of which may materially increase or decrease program payments as well as affect the cost of providing services and the timing of payments to our facilities. The final determination of amounts we receive under the Medicare and Medicaid programs often takes many years, because of audits by the program representatives, providers’ rights of appeal and the application of numerous technical reimbursement provisions. We believe that we have made adequate provisions for such potential adjustments. Nevertheless, until final adjustments are made, certain issues remain unresolved and previously determined allowances could become either inadequate or more than ultimately required.

Finally, we expect continued third-party efforts to aggressively manage reimbursement levels and cost controls. Reductions in reimbursement amounts received from third-party payers could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and our results.

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Other Operating Results

Interest Expense:

As reflected on the schedule below, interest expense was $53 million and $36 million during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $153 million and $83 million during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively (amounts in thousands):

 

 

 

Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2023

 

 

Three Months
Ended
September 30,
2022

 

 

Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2023

 

 

Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2022

 

Revolving credit & demand notes (a.)

 

$

6,408

 

 

$

1,440

 

 

$

15,746

 

 

$

7,752

 

Tranche A term loan facility (a.)

 

 

40,410

 

 

 

22,177

 

 

 

115,156

 

 

 

37,710

 

$800 million, 2.65% Senior Notes due 2030 (b.)

 

 

5,356

 

 

 

5,356

 

 

 

16,069

 

 

 

16,069

 

$700 million, 1.65% Senior Notes due 2026 (c.)

 

 

2,931

 

 

 

2,931

 

 

 

8,794

 

 

 

8,794

 

$500 million, 2.65% Senior Notes due 2032 (d.)

 

 

3,345

 

 

 

3,345

 

 

 

10,035

 

 

 

10,035

 

Accounts receivable securitization program (e.)

 

 

-

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

30

 

Subtotal-revolving credit, demand notes, Senior Notes,
   term loan facilities and accounts receivable
   securitization program

 

 

58,450

 

 

 

35,259

 

 

 

165,800

 

 

 

80,390

 

Amortization of financing fees

 

 

1,260

 

 

 

1,259

 

 

 

3,777

 

 

 

3,481

 

Other combined interest expense

 

 

253

 

 

 

1,441

 

 

 

1,066

 

 

 

5,052

 

Capitalized interest on major projects

 

 

(6,479

)

 

 

(2,199

)

 

 

(17,100

)

 

 

(5,738

)

Interest income

 

 

(106

)

 

 

(107

)

 

 

(458

)

 

 

(183

)

Interest expense, net

 

$

53,378

 

 

$

35,653

 

 

$

153,085

 

 

$

83,002

 

(a.)
As of September 30, 2023, our credit agreement dated November 15, 2010, as amended, provided for the following:
a $1.2 billion aggregate amount revolving credit facility that is scheduled to mature in August, 2026 (which, as of September 30, 2023, had $721 million of aggregate available borrowing capacity net of $475 million of outstanding borrowings and $4 million of letters of credit), and;
a tranche A term loan facility with $2.29 billion of outstanding borrowings as of September 30, 2023 (including the $700 million increase that occurred in June, 2022).
(b.)
In September, 2020, we completed the offering of $800 million aggregate principal amount of 2.65% Senior Notes due in 2030.
(c.)
In August, 2021, we completed the offering of $700 million aggregate principal amount of 1.65% Senior Notes due in 2026.
(d.)
In August, 2021, we completed the offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.65% Senior Notes due in 2032.
(e.)
The accounts receivable securitization program expired on its maturity date in December, 2022 and was not renewed or replaced.

Interest expense increased approximately $18 million, or 50%, during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the three-month period ended September 30, 2022. The increase was primarily due to: (i) a net $23 million increase in aggregate interest expense on our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan facilities and accounts receivable securitization program (as applicable), resulting from an increase in our aggregate average cost of borrowings pursuant to these facilities (4.9% during the third quarter of 2023 as compared to 3.08% during the comparable quarter of 2022), as well as an increase in the aggregate average outstanding borrowings pursuant to these facilities ($4.65 billion during the third quarter of 2023 as compared to $4.46 billion during the third quarter of 2022), partially offset by; (ii) a net $5 million decrease in other combined interest expenses, due primarily to a $4 million increase in capitalized interest on major projects. The average effective interest rates, including amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount, on borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan A facility and accounts receivable securitization program (as applicable), which amounted to approximately $4.65 billion and $4.46 billion during the third quarters of 2023 and 2022, respectively, were 5.0% and 3.2% during the three-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Interest expense increased approximately $70 million, or 84%, during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the nine-month period ended September 30, 2022. The increase was primarily due to: (i) a net $85 million increase in aggregate interest expense on our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan facilities and accounts receivable securitization program (as applicable), resulting from an increase in our aggregate average cost of borrowings pursuant to these facilities (4.73% during the first nine months of 2023 as compared to 2.41% during the comparable period of 2022), as well as an increase in the aggregate average outstanding borrowings pursuant to these facilities ($4.61 billion during 2023 as compared to $4.37 billion during

54


 

2022), partially offset by; (ii) a net $15 million decrease in other combined interest expenses, due primarily to an $11 million increase in capitalized interest on major projects . The average effective interest rates, including amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount, on borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan A facility and accounts receivable securitization program (as applicable), which amounted to approximately $4.61 billion and $4.37 billion during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, were 4.85% and 2.53% during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Provision for Income Taxes and Effective Tax Rates:

The effective tax rates, as calculated by dividing the provision for income taxes by income before income taxes, were as follows for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands):

 

 

Three months ended

 

 

Nine months ended

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Provision for income taxes

 

$

52,499

 

 

$

57,401

 

 

$

159,618

 

 

$

157,312

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

220,507

 

 

 

234,212

 

 

 

659,303

 

 

 

643,925

 

Effective tax rate

 

 

23.8

%

 

 

24.5

%

 

 

24.2

%

 

 

24.4

%

The provision for income taxes decreased $5 million during the third quarter of 2023, as compared to the third quarter of 2022, due primarily to the income tax expense recorded in connection with a $21 million decrease in pre-tax income (consisting of $14 million decrease in income before income taxes and a $7 million unfavorable change in the income/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests).

The provision for income taxes increased $2 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, as compared to the comparable period of 2022, due primarily to the income tax expense recorded in connection with the $3 million increase in pre-tax income (consisting of $15 million increase in income before income taxes partially offset by a $12 million decrease in the loss attributable to noncontrolling interests).

Liquidity

Net cash provided by operating activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $815 million during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023 and $699 million during the first nine months of 2022. The net increase of $117 million was attributable to the following:

a favorable change of $109 million from other working capital accounts due primarily to the timing of disbursements for accrued compensation and accounts payable, and;
$8 million of other combined net favorable changes.

Days sales outstanding (“DSO”): Our DSO are calculated by dividing our net revenue by the number of days in the nine-month periods. The result is divided into the accounts receivable balance at September 30th of each year to obtain the DSO. Our DSO were 58 days and 52 days at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Included in our accounts receivable balance as of September 30, 2023, were increased receivables recorded in connection with Medicaid supplemental revenue programs in Texas.

Net cash used in investing activities

During the first nine months of 2023, we used $524 million of net cash in investing activities as follows:

$537 million spent on capital expenditures including capital expenditures for equipment, renovations and new projects at various existing facilities;
$24 million received from the sales of assets and businesses;
$8 million paid in connection with net cash outflows from forward exchange contracts that hedge our investment in the U.K. against movements in exchange rates, and;
$4 million spent on the acquisition of businesses and property.

During the first nine months of 2022, we used $399 million of net cash in investing activities as follows:

$570 million spent on capital expenditures including capital expenditures for equipment, renovations and new projects at various existing facilities;
$177 million received in connection with net cash inflows from forward exchange contracts that hedge our investment in the U.K. against movements in exchange rates;

55


 

$19 million spent on the acquisition of businesses and property, and;
$12 million received from the sales of assets and businesses.

Net cash used in financing activities

During the first nine months of 2023, we used $312 million of net cash in financing activities as follows:

generated $165 million of additional borrowings related to our revolving credit facility;
spent $385 million to repurchase shares of our Class B Common Stock in connection with: (i) open market purchases pursuant to our stock repurchase program ($367 million), and; (ii) income tax withholding obligations related to stock-based compensation programs ($18 million);
spent $54 million on net repayments of debt as follows: (i) $49 million related to our tranche A term loan facility, and; (ii) $5 million related to other debt facilities;
spent $42 million to pay quarterly cash dividends of $.20 per share;
spent $5 million to pay profit distributions related to noncontrolling interests in majority owned businesses, and;
generated $10 million from the issuance of shares of our Class B Common Stock pursuant to the terms of employee stock purchase plans.

During the first nine months of 2022, we used $303 million of net cash in financing activities as follows:

generated $705 million of additional borrowings consisting primarily of the $700 million generated pursuant to the new tranche A term loan facility which commenced in June, 2022;
spent $723 million to repurchase shares of our Class B Common Stock in connection with: (i) open market purchases pursuant to our stock repurchase program ($703 million), and; (ii) income tax withholding obligations related to stock-based compensation programs ($20 million);
spent $194 million on net repayments of debt as follows: (i) $153 million related to our revolving credit facility; (ii) $36 million related to our tranche A term loan facility, and; (iii) $5 million related to other debt facilities;
spent $49 million in connection with the purchase of ownership interests from minority members, net of sales, consisting primarily of our purchase of George Washington University’s 20% ownership in George Washington University Hospital;
spent $44 million to pay quarterly cash dividends of $.20 per share;
generated $10 million from the issuance of shares of our Class B Common Stock pursuant to the terms of employee stock purchase plans;
spent $5 million to pay profit distributions related to noncontrolling interests in majority owned businesses, and;
spent $3 million to pay financing costs.

.

Expected capital expenditures during remainder of 2023

During the full year of 2023, we expect to spend approximately $725 million to $775 million on capital expenditures which includes expenditures for capital equipment, construction of new facilities, and renovations and expansions at existing hospitals. During the first nine months of 2023, we spent approximately $537 million on capital expenditures. During the remaining three months of 2023, we expect to spend approximately $188 million to $238 million on capital expenditures.

We believe that our capital expenditure program is adequate to expand, improve and equip our existing hospitals. We expect to finance all capital expenditures and acquisitions with internally generated funds and/or additional funds, as discussed below.

Capital Resources

Credit Facilities and Outstanding Debt Securities

In June, 2022, we entered into a ninth amendment to our credit agreement dated as of November 15, 2010, as amended and restated as of September, 2012, August, 2014, October, 2018, August, 2021, and September, 2021, among UHS, as borrower, the several banks and other financial institutions from time to time parties thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, (the “Credit Agreement”). The ninth amendment provided for, among other things, the following: (i) a new incremental tranche A term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of $700 million which is scheduled to mature on August 24, 2026, and; (ii) replaces the option to make Eurodollar borrowings (which bear interest by reference to the LIBO Rate) with Term Benchmark Loans, which will bear interest by reference to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The net proceeds generated from the

56


 

incremental tranche A term loan facility were used to repay a portion of the borrowings that were previously outstanding under our revolving credit facility.

As of September 30, 2023, our Credit Agreement provided for the following:

a $1.2 billion aggregate amount revolving credit facility that is scheduled to mature in August, 2026 (which, as of September 30, 2023, had $721 million of aggregate available borrowing capacity net of $475 million of outstanding borrowings and $4 million of letters of credit), and;
a tranche A term loan facility with $2.29 billion of outstanding borrowings as of September 30, 2023.

The tranche A term loan facility provides for installment payments of $30.0 million per quarter during the period of December, 2023 through June, 2026. The unpaid principal balance at June 30, 2026 is payable on the August 24, 2026 scheduled maturity date of the Credit Agreement.

Revolving credit and tranche A term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at our election at either (1) the ABR rate which is defined as the rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the lender’s prime rate, (b) the weighted average of the federal funds rate, plus 0.5% and (c) one month term SOFR rate plus 1%, in each case, plus an applicable margin based upon our consolidated leverage ratio at the end of each quarter ranging from 0.25% to 0.625%, or (2) the one, three or six month term SOFR rate plus 0.1% (at our election), plus an applicable margin based upon our consolidated leverage ratio at the end of each quarter ranging from 1.25% to 1.625%. As of September 30, 2023, the applicable margins were 0.50% for ABR-based loans and 1.50% for SOFR-based loans under the revolving credit and term loan A facilities. The revolving credit facility includes a $125 million sub-limit for letters of credit. The Credit Agreement is secured by certain assets of the Company and our material subsidiaries (which generally excludes asset classes such as substantially all of the patient-related accounts receivable of our acute care hospitals, if sold to a receivables facility pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and certain real estate assets and assets held in joint-ventures with third parties) and is guaranteed by our material subsidiaries.

The Credit Agreement includes a material adverse change clause that must be represented at each draw. The Credit Agreement also contains covenants that include a limitation on sales of assets, mergers, change of ownership, liens, indebtedness, transactions with affiliates, dividends and stock repurchases; and requires compliance with financial covenants including maximum leverage. We were in compliance with all required covenants as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

On August 24, 2021, we completed the following via private offerings to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended:

Issued $700 million of aggregate principal amount of 1.65% senior secured notes due on September 1, 2026, and;
Issued $500 million of aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due on January 15, 2032.

On September 13, 2021, we redeemed $400 million of aggregate principal amount of 5.00% senior secured notes, that were scheduled to mature on June 1, 2026, at 102.50% of the aggregate principal, or $410 million.

As of September 30, 2023, we had combined aggregate principal of $2.0 billion from the following senior secured notes:

$700 million aggregate principal amount of 1.65% senior secured notes due in September, 2026 (“2026 Notes”) which were issued on August 24, 2021.
$800 million aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due in October, 2030 (“2030 Notes”) which were issued on September 21, 2020.
$500 million of aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior secured notes due in January, 2032 (“2032 Notes”) which were issued on August 24, 2021.

Interest on the 2026 Notes is payable on March 1st and September 1st until the maturity date of September 1, 2026. Interest on the 2030 Notes is payable on April 15th and October 15th, until the maturity date of October 15, 2030. Interest on the 2032 Notes is payable on January 15th and July 15th until the maturity date of January 15, 2032.

The 2026 Notes, 2030 Notes and 2032 Notes (collectively “The Notes”) were initially issued only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In December, 2022, we completed a registered exchange offer in which virtually all previously outstanding Notes were exchanged for identical Notes that were registered under the Securities Act, and thereby became freely transferable (subject to certain restrictions applicable to affiliates and broker dealers). Notes originally issued under Rule 144A or Regulation S that were not exchanged remain outstanding and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration requirements thereunder.

The Notes are guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) on a senior secured basis by all of our existing and future direct and indirect subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) that guarantee our Credit Agreement, or other first lien obligations or any junior lien obligations. The

57


 

Notes and the Guarantees are secured by first-priority liens, subject to permitted liens, on certain of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ assets now owned or acquired in the future by the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors (other than real property, accounts receivable sold pursuant to the Company’s Existing Receivables Facility (as defined in the Indenture pursuant to which The Notes were issued (the “Indenture”)), and certain other excluded assets). The Company’s obligations with respect to The Notes, the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantees, and the performance of all of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ other obligations under the Indenture, are secured equally and ratably with the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ obligations under the Credit Agreement and The Notes by a perfected first-priority security interest, subject to permitted liens, in the collateral owned by the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors, whether now owned or hereafter acquired. However, the liens on the collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will be released if: (i) The Notes have investment grade ratings; (ii) no default has occurred and is continuing, and; (iii) the liens on the collateral securing all first lien obligations (including the Credit Agreement and The Notes) and any junior lien obligations are released or the collateral under the Credit Agreement, any other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations is released or no longer required to be pledged. The liens on any collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will also be released if the liens on that collateral securing the Credit Agreement, other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations are released.

On its December, 2022 maturity date, our $20 million accounts receivable securitization program expired and was not renewed or replaced.

As discussed in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust and Other Related Party Transactions, on December 31, 2021, we (through wholly-owned subsidiaries of ours) entered into an asset purchase and sale agreement with Universal Health Realty Income Trust (the “Trust”). Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, which was amended during the first quarter of 2022, we, among other things, transferred to the Trust, the real estate assets of Aiken Regional Medical Center (“Aiken”) and Canyon Creek Behavioral Health (“Canyon Creek”). In connection with this transaction, Aiken and Canyon Creek (as lessees), entered into a master lease and individual property leases, as amended, (with the Trust as lessor), for initial lease terms on each property of approximately twelve years, ending on December 31, 2033. As a result of our purchase option within the Aiken and Canyon Creek lease agreements, this asset purchase and sale transaction is accounted for as a failed sale leaseback in accordance with U.S. GAAP and we have accounted for the transaction as a financing arrangement. Our lease payments payable to the Trust are recorded to interest expense and as a reduction of the outstanding financial liability, and the amount allocated to interest expense is determined based upon our incremental borrowing rate and the outstanding financial liability. In connection with this transaction, our condensed consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 reflect financial liabilities, which are included in debt, of approximately $78 million and $81 million, respectively.

At September 30, 2023, the carrying value and fair value of our debt were approximately $4.9 billion and $4.5 billion, respectively. At December 31, 2022, the carrying value and fair value of our debt were approximately $4.8 billion and $4.4 billion, respectively. The fair value of our debt was computed based upon quotes received from financial institutions. We consider these to be “level 2” in the fair value hierarchy as outlined in the authoritative guidance for disclosures in connection with debt instruments.

Our total debt as a percentage of total capitalization was approximately 45% at each of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

We expect to finance all capital expenditures and acquisitions and pay dividends and potentially repurchase shares of our common stock utilizing internally generated and additional funds. Additional funds may be obtained through: (i) borrowings under our existing revolving credit facility, which had $721 million of available borrowing capacity as of September 30, 2023, or through refinancing the existing Credit Agreement; (ii) the issuance of other short-term and/or long-term debt, and/or; (iii) the issuance of equity. We believe that our operating cash flows, cash and cash equivalents, available commitments under existing agreements, as well as access to the capital markets, provide us with sufficient capital resources to fund our operating, investing and financing requirements for the next twelve months. However, in the event we need to access the capital markets or other sources of financing, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain financing on acceptable terms or within an acceptable time. Our inability to obtain financing on terms acceptable to us could have a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information

As of September 30, 2023, we had combined aggregate principal of $2.0 billion from The Notes:

$700 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes;
$800 million aggregate principal amount of the 2030 Notes, and;
$500 million of aggregate principal amount of the 2032 Notes.

The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed pursuant to the Guarantees on a senior secured basis by the Subsidiary Guarantors. The Notes and the Guarantees are secured by first-priority liens, subject to permitted liens, on certain of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ assets now owned or acquired in the future by the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors (other than real property, accounts receivable sold pursuant to the Company’s existing receivables facility (as defined in the Indentures pursuant to which The Notes were issued), and certain other excluded assets). The Company’s obligations with respect to The Notes, the

58


 

obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantees, and the performance of all of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ other obligations under the Indentures, are secured equally and ratably with the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ obligations under the Credit Agreement and The Notes by a perfected first-priority security interest, subject to permitted liens, in the collateral owned by the Company and its Subsidiary Guarantors, whether now owned or hereafter acquired. However, the liens on the collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will be released if: (i) The Notes have investment grade ratings; (ii) no default has occurred and is continuing, and; (iii) the liens on the collateral securing all first lien obligations (including the Credit Agreement and The Notes) and any junior lien obligations are released or the collateral under the Credit Agreement, any other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations is released or no longer required to be pledged. The liens on any collateral securing The Notes and the Guarantees will also be released if the liens on that collateral securing the Credit Agreement, other first lien obligations and any junior lien obligations are released.

The Notes are structurally subordinated to all obligations of our existing and future subsidiaries that are not and do not become Subsidiary Guarantors of The Notes. No appraisal of the value of the collateral has been made, and the value of the collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. Consequently, liquidating the collateral securing The Notes may not produce proceeds in an amount sufficient to pay any amounts due on The Notes.

We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although our Credit Agreement contains restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness and our Credit Agreement and The Notes contain restrictions on our ability to incur liens to secure additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. These restrictions also will not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. In addition, if we incur any additional indebtedness secured by liens that rank equally with The Notes, subject to collateral arrangements, the holders of that debt will be entitled to share ratably with you in any proceeds distributed in connection with any insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of our company. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid to holders of The Notes.

Federal and state fraudulent transfer and conveyance statutes may apply to the issuance of The Notes and the incurrence of the Guarantees. Under federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws, which may vary from state to state, The Notes or the Guarantees (or the grant of collateral securing any such obligations) could be voided as a fraudulent transfer or conveyance if we or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, (a) issued The Notes or incurred the Guarantees with the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or (b) under certain circumstances received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration in return for either issuing The Notes or incurring the Guarantees.

Basis of Presentation

The following tables include summarized financial information of Universal Health Services, Inc. and the other obligors in respect of debt issued by Universal Health Services, Inc. The summarized financial information of each obligor group is presented on a combined basis with balances and transactions within the obligor group eliminated. Investments in and the equity in earnings of non-guarantor subsidiaries, which would otherwise be consolidated in accordance with GAAP, are excluded from the below summarized financial information pursuant to SEC Regulation S-X Rule 13-01.

The summarized balance sheet information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Universal Health Services, Inc. is presented in the table below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(in thousands)

September 30, 2023

 

 

December 31, 2022

 

Current assets

$

2,196,809

 

 

$

2,062,900

 

Noncurrent assets (1)

 

8,872,855

 

 

 

8,773,036

 

Current liabilities

 

1,720,254

 

 

 

1,686,005

 

Noncurrent liabilities

 

5,748,391

 

 

 

5,587,141

 

Due to non-guarantors

 

926,531

 

 

 

942,731

 

(1) Includes goodwill of $3,267 million and $3,273 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

 

The summarized results of operations information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Universal Health Services, Inc. is presented in the table below:

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

Twelve Months Ended

 

(in thousands)

September 30, 2023

 

 

December 31, 2022

 

Net revenues

$

8,514,492

 

 

$

10,853,259

 

Operating charges

 

7,728,923

 

 

 

9,947,778

 

Interest expense, net

 

157,272

 

 

 

193,486

 

Other (income) expense, net

 

29,429

 

 

 

7,487

 

Net income

$

428,003

 

 

$

532,047

 

Affiliates Whose Securities Collateralize the Senior Secured Notes

59


 

The Notes and the Guarantees are secured by, among other things, pledges of the capital stock of our subsidiaries held by us or by our secured Guarantors, in each case other than certain excluded assets and subject to permitted liens. Such collateral securities are secured equally and ratably with our and the Guarantors’ obligations under our Credit Agreement. For a list of our subsidiaries the capital stock of which has been pledged to secure The Notes, see Exhibit 22.1 to this Report.

Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an event of default under the indentures governing The Notes, subject to the terms of the Security Agreement relating to The Notes provide for (among other available remedies) the foreclosure upon and sale of the Collateral (including the pledged stock) and the distribution of the net proceeds of any such sale to the holders of The Notes, the lenders under the Credit Agreement and the holders of any other permitted first priority secured obligations on a pro rata basis, subject to any prior liens on the collateral.

No appraisal of the value of the collateral securities has been made, and the value of the collateral securities in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. Consequently, liquidating the collateral securities securing The Notes may not produce proceeds in an amount sufficient to pay any amounts due on The Notes.

The security agreement relating to The Notes provides that the representative of the lenders under our Credit Agreement will initially control actions with respect to that collateral and, consequently, exercise of any right, remedy or power with respect to enforcing interests in or realizing upon such collateral will initially be at the direction of the representative of the lenders.

No trading market exists for the capital stock pledged as collateral.

The assets, liabilities and results of operations of the combined affiliates whose securities are pledged as collateral are not materially different than the corresponding amounts presented in the consolidated financial information of Universal Health Services, Inc.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

During the three months ended September 30, 2023 there have been no material changes in the off-balance sheet arrangements consisting of standby letters of credit and surety bonds.

As of September 30, 2023 we were party to certain off balance sheet arrangements consisting of standby letters of credit and surety bonds which totaled $189 million consisting of: (i) $170 million related to our self-insurance programs, and; (ii) $19 million of other debt and public utility guarantees.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

There have been no material changes in the quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk during the three months ended September 30, 2023. Reference is made to Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

As of September 30, 2023, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), we performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). Based on this evaluation, the CEO and CFO have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that material information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported by management on a timely basis in order to comply with our disclosure obligations under the 1934 Act and the SEC rules thereunder.

 

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting or in other factors during the third quarter of 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

60


 

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

See Note 6-Commitments and Contingencies to our condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 of Part I of this report for a description of our legal proceedings. Such information is hereby incorporated by reference.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 includes a listing of risk factors to be considered by investors in our securities. During the third quarter of 2023, there have been no material changes in our risk factors from those set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

As of December 31, 2022, we had an aggregate available repurchase authorization of $947.37 million pursuant to our stock repurchase program. Pursuant to this program, shares of our Class B Common Stock may be repurchased, from time to time as conditions allow, on the open market or in negotiated private transactions. There is no expiration date for our stock repurchase program.

As reflected below, during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, we have repurchased 1,316,973 shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $175.08 million (approximately $132.94 per share) pursuant to the terms of our stock repurchase program. In addition, during the three-month period ended September 30, 2023, 3,627 shares were repurchased in connection with income tax withholding obligations resulting from stock-based compensation programs.

During the period of July 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023, we repurchased the following shares:

 

 

 

Additional
Dollars
Authorized
For
Repurchase
(in
thousands)

 

 

Total
number of
shares
purchased

 

 

Total
number of
shares
cancelled

 

 

Average
price paid
per share
for forfeited
restricted
shares

 

 

Total
Number
of shares
purchased
as part of
publicly
announced
programs

 

 

Average
price paid
per share
for shares
purchased
as part of
publicly
announced
program

 

 

Aggregate
purchase
price paid for shares purchased as part of publicly announced program
(in thousands)

 

 

Maximum
number of
shares that
may yet be
purchased
under the
program

 

 

Maximum
number of
dollars that
may yet be
purchased
under the
program
(in thousands)

 

July, 2023

 

$

-

 

 

 

150,993

 

 

 

140

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

150,000

 

 

$

138.50

 

 

$

20,775

 

 

 

 

 

$

734,508

 

August, 2023

 

$

-

 

 

 

897,087

 

 

 

94

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

896,973

 

 

$

133.45

 

 

$

119,698

 

 

 

 

 

$

614,810

 

September, 2023

 

$

-

 

 

 

272,520

 

 

 

382

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

270,000

 

 

$

128.17

 

 

$

34,606

 

 

 

 

 

$

580,204

 

Total July through September, 2023

 

$

-

 

 

 

1,320,600

 

 

 

616

 

 

$

0.01

 

 

 

1,316,973

 

 

 

132.94

 

 

$

175,079

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends

During the quarter ended September 30, 2023, we declared and paid dividends of $.20 per share. Dividend equivalents are accrued on unvested restricted stock units and will be paid upon vesting of the restricted stock unit.

Item 5. Other Information

None of the Company’s directors or officers adopted, modified or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement during the Company’s quarter ended September 30, 2023, as such terms are defined under Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

 

61


 

 

Item 6. Exhibits

  22.1

List of Guarantor Subsidiaries and Issuers of Guaranteed Securities and Affiliates Whose Securities Collateralize Securities of the Registrant.

  31.1

Certification of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

  31.2

Certification of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

  32.1

Certification of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

  32.2

Certification of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

101.INS

Inline XBRL Instance Document –the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.

101.SCH

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.CAL

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.DEF

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

101.LAB

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

101.PRE

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

104

The cover page from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, has been formatted in Inline XBRL.

 

 

62


 

UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Universal Health Services, Inc.

    (Registrant)

Date: November 8, 2023

/s/ Marc D. Miller

Marc D. Miller,

President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Steve Filton

Steve Filton,

 

 

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

63