UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES INC 10-K

10-K UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K (MARK ONE) ☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 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 No. 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 Number) UNIVERSAL CORPORATE CENTER 367 South Gulph Road P.O. Box 61558 King of Prussia , Pennsylvania 19406-0958 (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 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Class D Common Stock, $.01 par value (Title of each Class) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐ Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐ No ☒ 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 an 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 has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒ If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐ Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒ The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates at June 30, 2023 was $ 9.5 billion. (For the purpose of this calculation, it was assumed that Class A, Class C, and Class D Common Stock, which are not traded but are convertible share-for-share into Class B Common Stock, have the same market value as Class B Common Stock. Also, for purposes of this calculation only, all directors are deemed to be affiliates.) The number of shares of the registrant’s Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value, Class B Common Stock, $.01 par value, Class C Common Stock, $.01 par value, and Class D Common Stock, $.01 par value, outstanding as of January 31, 2024, were 6,577,100 ; 59,969,747 ; 661,688 and 12,802 , respectively. DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2023 (incorporated by reference under Part III). UNIVERSAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. 2023 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I Item 1 Business 1 Item 1A Risk Factors 14 Item 1B Unresolved Staff Comments 27 Item 1C Cybersecurity 27 Item 2 Properties 28 Item 3 Legal Proceedings 37 Item 4 Mine Safety Disclosure 37 PART II Item 5 Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities 38 Item 6 [RESERVED] 39 Item 7 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 40 Item 7A Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 75 Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 76 Item 9 Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 76 Item 9A Controls and Procedures 76 Item 9B Other Information 77 Item 9C Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 77 PART III Item 10 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 78 Item 11 Executive Compensation 78 Item 12 Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 78 Item 13 Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 78 Item 14 Principal Accountant Fees and Services 78 PART IV Item 15 Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 79 Item 16 Form 10-K Summary 86 SIGNATURES 87 This Annual Report on Form 10-K is for the year ended December 31, 2023. This Annual Report modifies and supersedes documents filed prior to this Annual 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 Annual Report. In this Annual 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. PART I ITEM 1. B usiness Our principal business is owning and operating, through our subsidiaries, acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities and behavioral health care facilities. As of February 27, 2024, we owned and/or operated 360 inpatient facilities and 48 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; • 27 free-standing emergency departments, and; • 10 outpatient centers & 1 surgical hospital. Behavioral health care facilities (333 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.: • 144 inpatient behavioral health care facilities, and; • 2 outpatient behavioral health care facilities. Located in Puerto Rico: • 3 inpatient behavioral health care facilities. Net revenues from our acute care hospitals, outpatient facilities and commercial health insurer accounted for 57% of our consolidated net revenues during each of 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 2023 and 2022. Our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. generated net revenues of approximately $761 million in 2023 and $685 million in 2022. Total assets at our U.K. behavioral health care facilities were approximately $1.327 billion as of December 31, 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. Available Information We are a Delaware corporation that was organized in 1979. Our principal executive offices are located at Universal Corporate Center, 367 South Gulph Road, P.O. Box 61558, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Our telephone number is (610) 768-3300. Our website is located at www.uhs.com . Copies of our annual, quarterly and current reports that we file with the SEC, and any amendments to those reports, are available free of charge on our website. Our filings are also available to the public at the website maintained by the SEC, www.sec.gov . The information posted on our website is not incorporated into this Annual Report. Our Board of Directors’ committee charters (Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominating & Governance Committee and Quality and Compliance Committee), Code of Business Conduct and Corporate Standards applicable to all employees, Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers, Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Conduct, Corporate Compliance Manual and Compliance Policies and Procedures are available free of charge on our website. Copies of such reports and charters are available in print to any stockholder who makes a request. Such requests should be made to our Secretary at our King of Prussia, PA corporate headquarters. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K relating to amendments to or waivers of any provision of our Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers by promptly posting this information on our website. In accordance with Section 303A.12(a) of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, we submitted our CEO’s certification to the New York Stock Exchange in 2023. Additionally, contained in Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are our CEO’s and CFO’s certifications regarding the quality of our public disclosures under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 1 Our Mission Our company mission is: To provide superior quality healthcare services that PATIENTS recommend to families and friends, PHYSICIANS prefer for their patients, PURCHASERS select for their clients, EMPLOYEES are proud of, and INVESTORS seek for long-term returns. To achieve this, we have a commitment to: • service excellence • continuous improvement in measurable ways • employee development • ethical and fair treatment of all • teamwork • compassion • innovation in service delivery Business Strategy We believe community-based hospitals will remain the focal point of the healthcare delivery network and we are committed to a philosophy of self-determination for both the company and our hospitals. Acquisition of Additional Hospitals. We selectively seek opportunities to expand our base of operations by acquiring, constructing or leasing additional hospital facilities. We are committed to a program of rational growth around our core businesses, while retaining the missions of the hospitals we manage and the communities we serve. Such expansion may provide us with access to new markets and new healthcare delivery capabilities. We also continue to examine our facilities and consider divestiture of those facilities that we believe do not have the potential to contribute to our growth or operating strategy. In recent years our behavioral health services segment has been focused on efforts to partner with non-UHS acute care hospitals to help operate their behavioral health services. These arrangements include hospital purchases, leased beds and joint venture operating agreements. Improvement of Operations of Existing Hospitals and Services. We also seek to increase the operating revenues and profitability of owned hospitals by the introduction of new services, improvement of existing services, physician recruitment and the application of financial and operational controls. We are involved in continual development activities for the benefit of our existing facilities. From time-to-time applications are filed with state health planning agencies to add new services in existing hospitals in states which require certificates of need, or CONs. Although we expect that some of these applications will result in the addition of new facilities or services to our operations, no assurances can be made for ultimate success by us in these efforts. Quality and Efficiency of Services. Pressures to contain healthcare costs and technological developments allowing more procedures to be performed on an outpatient basis have led payers to demand a shift to ambulatory or outpatient care wherever possible. We are responding to this trend by emphasizing the expansion of outpatient services. In addition, in response to cost containment pressures, we continue to implement programs at our facilities designed to improve financial performance and efficiency while continuing to provide quality care, including more efficient use of professional and paraprofessional staff, monitoring and adjusting staffing levels and equipment usage, improving patient management and reporting procedures and implementing more efficient billing and collection procedures. In addition, we will continue to emphasize innovation in our response to the rapid changes in regulatory trends and market conditions while fulfilling our commitment to patients, physicians, employees, communities and our stockholders. In addition, our aggressive recruiting of highly qualified physicians and developing provider networks help to establish our facilities as an important source of quality healthcare in their respective communities. Hospital Utilization We believe that the most important factors relating to the overall utilization of a hospital include the quality and market position of the hospital and the number, quality and specialties of physicians providing patient care within the facility. Generally, we believe that the ability of a hospital to meet the health care needs of its community is determined by its breadth of services, level of technology, emphasis on quality of care and convenience for patients and physicians. Other factors that affect utilization include 2 general and local economic conditions, market penetration of managed care programs, the degree of outpatient use, the availability of reimbursement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and demographic changes such as the growth in local populations. Utilization across the industry also is being affected by improvements in clinical practice, medical technology and pharmacology. Current industry trends in utilization and occupancy have been significantly affected by changes in reimbursement policies of third party payers. We are also unable to predict the extent to which these industry trends will continue or accelerate. In addition, our acute care services business is typically subject to certain seasonal fluctuations, such as higher patient volumes and net patient service revenues in the first and fourth quarters of the year. Sources of Revenue 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. See Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Sources of Revenue for additional disclosure. Other information related to our revenues, income and other operating information for each reporting segment of our business is provided in Note 12 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, Segment Reporting. Regulation and Other Factors Overview: The healthcare industry is subject to numerous laws, regulations and rules including, among others, those related to government healthcare participation requirements, various licensure and accreditations, reimbursement for patient services, health information privacy and security rules, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse provisions (including, but not limited to, federal statutes and regulations prohibiting kickbacks and other illegal inducements to potential referral sources, false claims submitted to federal or state health care programs and self-referrals by physicians). Providers that are found to have violated any of these laws and regulations may be excluded from participating in government healthcare programs, subjected to significant fines or penalties and/or required to repay amounts received from the government for previously billed patient services. Although we believe our policies, procedures and practices comply with governmental regulations, no assurance can be given that we will not be subjected to additional governmental inquiries or actions, or that we would not be faced with sanctions, fines or penalties if so subjected. Even if we were to ultimately prevail, a significant governmental inquiry or action under one of the above laws, regulations or rules could have a material adverse impact on us. Licensing, Certification and Accreditation: All of our U.S. hospitals are subject to compliance with various federal, state and local statutes and regulations in the U.S. and receive periodic inspection by state licensing agencies to review standards of medical care, equipment and cleanliness. Our hospitals must also comply with the conditions of participation and licensing requirements of federal, state and local health agencies, as well as the requirements of municipal building codes, health codes and local fire departments. Various other licenses and permits are also required in order to dispense narcotics, operate pharmacies, handle radioactive materials and operate certain equipment. Our facilities in the United Kingdom are also subject to various laws and regulations. All of our eligible hospitals have been accredited by The Joint Commission. All of our acute care hospitals and most of our behavioral health centers in the U.S. are certified as providers of Medicare and Medicaid services by the appropriate governmental authorities. If any of our facilities were to lose its Joint Commission accreditation or otherwise lose its certification under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the facility may be unable to receive reimbursement from the Medicare and Medicaid programs and other payers. We believe our facilities are in substantial compliance with current applicable federal, state, local and independent review body regulations and standards. The requirements for licensure, certification and accreditation are subject to change and, in order to remain qualified, it may become necessary for us to make changes in our facilities, equipment, personnel and services in the future, which could have a material adverse impact on operations. Certificates of Need: Certain of the states in which we operate hospitals have certificates of need (“CON”) laws as a condition prior to hospital capital expenditures, construction, expansion, modernization or initiation of major new services. Failure to obtain necessary state approval can result in our inability to complete an acquisition, expansion or replacement, the imposition of civil or, in some cases, criminal sanctions, the inability to receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement or the revocation of a facility’s license, which could harm our business. In addition, significant CON reforms have been proposed in a number of states that would increase the capital spending thresholds and provide exemptions of various services from review requirements. In the past, we have not experienced any material adverse effects from those requirements, but we cannot predict the impact of these changes upon our operations. Conversion Legislation: Many states have enacted or are considering enacting laws affecting the conversion or sale of not-for-profit hospitals to for-profit entities. These laws generally require prior approval from the attorney general, advance notification and community involvement. In addition, attorneys general in states without specific conversion legislation may exercise discretionary authority over these transactions. Although the level of government involvement varies from state to state, the trend is to provide for increased governmental review and, in some cases, approval of a transaction in which a not-for-profit entity sells a health care facility 3 to a for-profit entity. The adoption of new or expanded conversion legislation and the increased review of not-for-profit hospital conversions may limit our ability to grow through acquisitions of not-for-profit hospitals. Utilization Review: Federal regulations require that admissions and utilization of facilities by Medicare and Medicaid patients must be reviewed in order to ensure efficient utilization of facilities and services. The law and regulations require Peer Review Organizations (“PROs”) to review the appropriateness of Medicare and Medicaid patient admissions and discharges, the quality of care provided, the validity of diagnosis related group (“DRG”) classifications and the appropriateness of cases of extraordinary length of stay. PROs may deny payment for services provided, assess fines and also have the authority to recommend to the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) that a provider that is in substantial non-compliance with the standards of the PRO be excluded from participating in the Medicare program. We have contracted with PROs in each state where we do business to perform the required reviews. Audits: Most hospitals are subject to federal audits to validate the accuracy of Medicare and Medicaid program submitted claims. If these audits identify overpayments, we could be required to pay a substantial rebate of prior years’ payments subject to various administrative appeal rights. The federal government contracts with third-party “recovery audit contractors” (“RACs”) and “Medicaid integrity contractors” (“MICs”), on a contingent fee basis, to audit the propriety of payments to Medicare and Medicaid providers. Similarly, Medicare zone program integrity contractors (“ZPICs”) target claims for potential fraud and abuse. Additionally, Medicare administrative contractors (“MACs”) must ensure they pay the right amount for covered and correctly coded services rendered to eligible beneficiaries by legitimate providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) consolidated many of these Medicare and Medicaid program integrity functions into new unified program integrity contractors (“UPICs”), though it remains unclear what effect, if any, this consolidation may have. We have undergone claims audits related to our receipt of federal healthcare payments during the last three years, the results of which have not required material adjustments to our consolidated results of operations. However, potential liability from future federal or state audits could ultimately exceed established reserves, and any excess could potentially be substantial. Further, Medicare and Medicaid regulations also provide for withholding Medicare and Medicaid overpayments in certain circumstances, which could adversely affect our cash flow. Self-Referral and Anti-Kickback Legislation The Stark Law: The Social Security Act includes a provision commonly known as the “Stark Law.” This law prohibits physicians from referring Medicare and Medicaid patients to entities with which they or any of their immediate family members have a financial relationship, unless an exception is met. These types of referrals are known as “self-referrals.” Sanctions for violating the Stark Law include civil penalties up to $29,899 for each violation, and up to $199,338 for sham arrangements. There are a number of exceptions to the self-referral prohibition, including an exception for a physician’s ownership interest in an entire hospital as opposed to an ownership interest in a hospital department unit, service or subpart. However, federal laws and regulations now limit the ability of hospitals relying on this exception to expand aggregate physician ownership interest or to expand certain hospital facilities. This regulation also places a number of compliance requirements on physician-owned hospitals related to reporting of ownership interest. There are also exceptions for many of the customary financial arrangements between physicians and providers, including employment contracts, leases and recruitment agreements that adhere to certain enumerated requirements. CMS issued a final rule in 2020 that created a new Stark exception for value-based models. Although the final regulations provide exceptions to the Stark Law, there may remain regulatory risks for participating hospitals, as well as financial and operational risks. We monitor all aspects of our business and have developed a comprehensive ethics and compliance program that is designed to meet or exceed applicable federal guidelines and industry standards. Nonetheless, because the law in this area is complex and constantly evolving, there can be no assurance that federal regulatory authorities will not determine that any of our arrangements with physicians violate the Stark Law. Anti-kickback Statute: A provision of the Social Security Act known as the “anti-kickback statute” prohibits healthcare providers and others from directly or indirectly soliciting, receiving, offering or paying money or other remuneration to other individuals and entities in return for using, referring, ordering, recommending or arranging for such referrals or orders of services or other items covered by a federal or state health care program. However, changes to the anti-kickback statute have reduced the intent required for violation; one is no longer 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 anti-kickback statute contains certain exceptions, and the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (“OIG”) has issued regulations that provide for “safe harbors,” from the federal anti-kickback statute for various activities. These activities, which must meet certain requirements, include (but are not limited to) the following: investment interests, space rental, equipment rental, practitioner recruitment, personnel services and management contracts, sale of practice, referral services, warranties, discounts, employees, group purchasing organizations, waiver of beneficiary coinsurance and deductible amounts, managed care arrangements, obstetrical malpractice insurance subsidies, investments in group practices, freestanding surgery centers, donation of technology for electronic health records and referral agreements for specialty services. In 2020, the OIG issued a final rule that established an anti-kickback statute safe harbor for value based models. Although the final regulations provide safe harbors, there may remain regulatory risks for participating hospitals, as well as financial and operational risks. The fact that 4 conduct or a business arrangement does not fall within a safe harbor or exception does not automatically render the conduct or business arrangement illegal under the anti-kickback statute. However, such conduct and business arrangements may lead to increased scrutiny by government enforcement authorities. Although we believe that our arrangements with physicians and other referral sources have been structured to comply with current law and available interpretations, there can be no assurance that all arrangements comply with an available safe harbor or that regulatory authorities enforcing these laws will determine these financial arrangements do not violate the anti-kickback statute or other applicable laws. Violations of the anti-kickback statute may be punished by a criminal fine of up to $100,000 for each violation or imprisonment, however, under 18 U.S.C. Section 3571, this fine may be increased to $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for organizations. Civil money penalties may include fines of up to $120,816 per violation and damages of up to three times the total amount of the remuneration and/or exclusion from participation in Medicare and Medicaid. Similar State Laws: Many of the states in which we operate have adopted laws that prohibit payments to physicians in exchange for referrals similar to the anti-kickback statute and the Stark Law, some of which apply regardless of the source of payment for care. These statutes typically provide criminal and civil penalties as well as loss of licensure. In many instances, the state statutes provide that any arrangement falling in a federal safe harbor will be immune from scrutiny under the state statutes. However, in most cases, little precedent exists for the interpretation or enforcement of these state laws. These laws and regulations are extremely complex and, in many cases, we don’t have the benefit of regulatory or judicial interpretation. It is possible that different interpretations or enforcement of these laws and regulations could subject our current or past practices to allegations of impropriety or illegality or could require us to make changes in our facilities, equipment, personnel, services, capital expenditure programs and operating expenses. A determination that we have violated one or more of these laws, or the public announcement that we are being investigated for possible violations of one or more of these laws (see Item 3. Legal Proceedings), could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations and our business reputation could suffer significantly. In addition, we cannot predict whether other legislation or regulations at the federal or state level will be adopted, what form such legislation or regulations may take or what their impact on us may be. If we are deemed to have failed to comply with the anti-kickback statute, the Stark Law or other applicable laws and regulations, we could be subjected to liabilities, including criminal penalties, civil penalties (including the loss of our licenses to operate one or more facilities), and exclusion of one or more facilities from participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal and state health care programs. The imposition of such penalties could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Federal False Claims Act and Similar State Regulations: A current trend affecting the health care industry is the increased use of the federal False Claims Act, and, in particular, actions being brought by individuals on the government’s behalf under the False Claims Act’s qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions. Whistleblower provisions allow private individuals to bring actions on behalf of the government by alleging that the defendant has defrauded the Federal government. When a defendant is determined by a court of law to have violated the False Claims Act, the defendant may be liable for up to three times the actual damages sustained by the government, plus mandatory civil penalties of between $13,508 to $27,018 for each separate false claim. There are many potential bases for liability under the False Claims Act. Liability often arises when an entity knowingly submits a false claim for reimbursement to the federal government. The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 (“FERA”) amended and expanded the number of actions for which liability may attach under the False Claims Act, eliminating requirements that false claims be presented to federal officials or directly involve federal funds. FERA also clarifies that a false claim violation occurs upon the knowing retention, as well as the receipt, of overpayments. In addition, recent changes to the anti-kickback statute have made violations of that law punishable under the civil False Claims Act. Further, a number of states have adopted their own false claims provisions as well as their own whistleblower provisions whereby a private party may file a civil lawsuit on behalf of the state in state court. The False Claims Act require that federal healthcare program overpayments be returned within 60 days from the date the overpayment was identified, or by the date any corresponding cost report was due, whichever is later. Failure to return an overpayment within this period may result in additional civil False Claims Act liability. Other Fraud and Abuse Provisions: The Social Security Act also imposes criminal and civil penalties for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. False claims include, but are not limited to, billing for services not rendered, billing for services without prescribed documentation, misrepresenting actual services rendered in order to obtain higher reimbursement and cost report fraud. Like the anti-kickback statute, these provisions are very broad. Further, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) broadened the scope of the fraud and abuse laws by adding several criminal provisions for health care fraud offenses that apply to all health benefit programs, whether or not payments under such programs are paid pursuant to federal programs. HIPAA also introduced enforcement mechanisms to prevent fraud and abuse in Medicare. There are civil penalties for prohibited conduct, including, but not limited to billing for medically unnecessary products or services. HIPAA Administrative Simplification and Privacy Requirements: The administrative simplification provisions of HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”), require the use of uniform 5 electronic data transmission standards for health care claims and payment transactions submitted or received electronically. These provisions are intended to encourage electronic commerce in the health care industry. HIPAA also established federal rules protecting the privacy and security of personal health information. The privacy and security regulations address the use and disclosure of individual health care information and the rights of patients to understand and control how such information is used and disclosed. Violations of HIPAA can result in both criminal and civil fines and penalties. We believe that we are in material compliance with the privacy regulations of HIPAA, as we continue to develop training and revise procedures to address ongoing compliance. The HIPAA security regulations require health care providers to implement administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of patient information. HITECH has since strengthened certain HIPAA rules regarding the use and disclosure of protected health information, extended certain HIPAA provisions to business associates, and created new security breach notification requirements. HITECH has also extended the ability to impose civil money penalties on providers not knowing that a HIPAA violation has occurred. We believe that we have been in substantial compliance with HIPAA and HITECH requirements to date. Recent changes to the HIPAA regulations may result in greater compliance requirements for healthcare providers, including expanded obligations to report breaches of unsecured patient data, as well as create new liabilities for the actions of parties acting as business associates on our behalf. Red Flags Rule: In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Red Flags Rule requires financial institutions and businesses maintaining accounts to address the risk of identity theft. The Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010, signed on December 18, 2010, appears to exclude certain healthcare providers from the Red Flags Rule, but permits the FTC or relevant agencies to designate additional creditors subject to the Red Flags Rule through future rulemaking if the agencies determine that the person in question maintains accounts subject to foreseeable risk of identity theft. Compliance with any such future rulemaking may require additional expenditures in the future. Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005: On July 29, 2005, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 was enacted, which has the goal of reducing medical errors and increasing patient safety. This legislation establishes a confidential reporting structure in which providers can voluntarily report “Patient Safety Work Product” (“PSWP”) to “Patient Safety Organizations” (“PSOs”). Under the system, PSWP is made privileged, confidential and legally protected from disclosure. PSWP does not include medical, discharge or billing records or any other original patient or provider records but does include information gathered specifically in connection with the reporting of medical errors and improving patient safety. This legislation does not preempt state or federal mandatory disclosure laws concerning information that does not constitute PSWP. PSOs are certified by the Secretary of the HHS for three-year periods and analyze PSWP, provide feedback to providers and may report non-identifiable PSWP to a database. In addition, PSOs are expected to generate patient safety improvement strategies. Environmental Regulations: Our healthcare operations generate medical waste that must be disposed of in compliance with federal, state and local environmental laws, rules and regulations. Infectious waste generators, including hospitals, face substantial penalties for improper disposal of medical waste, including civil penalties of up to $25,000 per day of noncompliance, criminal penalties of up to $50,000 per day, imprisonment, and remedial costs. In addition, our operations, as well as our purchases and sales of facilities are subject to various other environmental laws, rules and regulations. We believe that our disposal of such wastes is in material compliance with all state and federal laws. Corporate Practice of Medicine: Several states, including Florida, Nevada, California and Texas, have laws and/or regulations that prohibit corporations and other entities from employing physicians and practicing medicine for a profit or that prohibit certain direct and indirect payments or fee-splitting arrangements between health care providers that are designed to induce or encourage the referral of patients to, or the recommendation of, particular providers for medical products and services. Possible sanctions for violation of these restrictions include loss of license and civil and criminal penalties. In addition, agreements between the corporation and the physician may be considered void and unenforceable. These statutes and/or regulations vary from state to state, are often vague and have seldom been interpreted by the courts or regulatory agencies. We do not expect these state corporate practice of medicine proscriptions to significantly affect our operations. Many states have laws and regulations which prohibit payments for referral of patients and fee-splitting with physicians. We do not make any such payments or have any such arrangements. EMTALA: All of our hospitals are subject to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (“EMTALA”). This federal law generally requires hospitals with an emergency department that are certified providers under Medicare to conduct a medical screening examination of every person who visits the hospital’s emergency room for treatment and, if the patient is suffering from a medical emergency, to either stabilize the patient’s condition or transfer the patient to a facility that can better handle the condition. Our obligation to screen and stabilize emergency medical conditions exists regardless of a patient’s ability to pay for treatment. There are severe penalties under EMTALA if a hospital fails to screen or appropriately stabilize or transfer a patient or if the hospital delays appropriate treatment in order to first inquire about the patient’s ability to pay. Penalties for violations of EMTALA include civil monetary penalties and exclusion from participation in the Medicare program. In addition to any liabilities that a hospital may incur under EMTALA, an injured patient, the patient’s family or a medical facility that suffers a financial loss as a direct result of another hospital’s violation of the law can bring a civil suit against the hospital unrelated to the rights granted under that statute. 6 The federal government broadly interprets EMTALA to cover situations in which patients do not actually present to a hospital’s emergency room, but present for emergency examination or treatment to the hospital’s campus, generally, or to a hospital-based clinic that treats emergency medical conditions or are transported in a hospital-owned ambulance, subject to certain exceptions. EMTALA does not generally apply to patients admitted for inpatient services; however, CMS has sought industry comments on the potential applicability of EMTALA to hospital inpatients and the responsibilities of hospitals with specialized capabilities, respectively. CMS has not yet issued regulations or guidance in response to that request for comments. The government also has expressed its intent to investigate and enforce EMTALA violations actively in the future. We believe that we operate in substantial compliance with EMTALA. Health Care Industry Investigations: We are subject to claims and suits in the ordinary course of business, including those arising from care and treatment afforded by our hospitals and are party to various government investigations and litigation. Please see Item 3. Legal Proceedings included herein for additional disclosure. In addition, currently, and from time to time, some of our facilities are subjected to inquiries and/or actions and receive notices of potential non-compliance of laws and regulations from various federal and state agencies. Providers that are found to have violated these laws and regulations may be excluded from participating in government healthcare programs, subjected to potential licensure, certification, and/or accreditation revocation, subjected to fines or penalties or required to repay amounts received from the government for previously billed patient services. We monitor all aspects of our business and have developed a comprehensive ethics and compliance program that is designed to meet or exceed applicable federal guidelines and industry standards. Because the law in this area is complex and constantly evolving, governmental investigation or litigation may result in interpretations that are inconsistent with industry practices, including ours. Although we believe our policies, procedures and practices comply with governmental regulations, no assurance can be given that we will not be subjected to inquiries or actions, or that we will not be faced with sanctions, fines or penalties in connection with the investigations. Even if we were to ultimately prevail, the government’s inquiry and/or action in connection with these matters could have a material adverse effect on our future operating results. Our substantial Medicare, Medicaid and other governmental billings may result in heightened scrutiny of our operations. It is possible that governmental entities could initiate additional investigations or litigation in the future and that such matters could result in significant penalties as well as adverse publicity. It is also possible that our executives and/or managers could be included as targets or witnesses in governmental investigations or litigation and/or named as defendants in private litigation. Revenue Rulings 98-15 and 2004-51: In March 1998 and May 2004, the IRS issued guidance regarding the tax consequences of joint ventures between for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals. As a result of the tax rulings, the IRS has proposed, and may in the future propose, to revoke the tax-exempt or public charity status of certain not-for-profit entities which participate in such joint ventures or to treat joint venture income as unrelated business taxable income to them. The tax rulings have limited development of joint ventures and any adverse determination by the IRS or the courts regarding the tax-exempt or public charity status of a not-for-profit partner or the characterization of joint venture income as unrelated business taxable income could further limit joint venture development with not-for-profit hospitals, and/or require the restructuring of certain existing joint ventures with not-for-profits. State Rate Review: Some states where we operate hospitals have adopted legislation mandating rate or budget review for hospitals or have adopted taxes on hospital revenues, assessments or licensure fees to fund indigent health care within the state. In the aggregate, state rate reviews and indigent tax provisions have not materially, adversely affected our results of operations. Medical Malpractice Tort Law Reform: Medical malpractice tort law has historically been maintained at the state level. All states have laws governing medical liability lawsuits. Over half of the states have limits on damages awards. Almost all states have eliminated joint and several liability in malpractice lawsuits, and many states have established limits on attorney fees. Many states had bills introduced in their legislative sessions to address medical malpractice tort reform. Proposed solutions include enacting limits on non-economic damages, malpractice insurance reform, and gathering lawsuit claims data from malpractice insurance companies and the courts for the purpose of assessing the connection between malpractice settlements and premium rates. Reform legislation has also been proposed, but not adopted, at the federal level that could preempt additional state legislation in this area. Compliance Program: Our company-wide compliance program has been in place since 1998. Currently, the program’s elements include a Code of Conduct, risk area specific policies and procedures, employee education and training, an internal system for reporting concerns, auditing and monitoring programs, and a means for enforcing the program’s policies. Since its initial adoption, the compliance program continues to be expanded and developed to meet the industry’s expectations and our needs. Specific written policies, procedures, training and educational materials and programs, as well as auditing and monitoring activities have been prepared and implemented to address the functional and operational aspects of our business. Specific areas identified through regulatory interpretation and enforcement activities have also been addressed in our program. Claims preparation and submission, including coding, billing, and cost reports, comprise the bulk of these areas. Financial arrangements with physicians and other referral sources, including compliance with anti-kickback and Stark laws and emergency department treatment and transfer requirements are also the focus of policy and training, standardized documentation requirements, and review and audit. United Kingdom Regulation: Our operations in the United Kingdom are also subject to a high level of regulation relating to registration and licensing requirements, employee regulation, clinical standards, environmental rules as well as other areas. We are 7 also subject to a highly regulated business environment, and failure to comply with the various laws and regulations applicable to us could lead to substantial penalties and other adverse effects on our business. Human Capital Management Employees and Medical Staff As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 96,700 total employees consisting of: (i) approximately 84,450 employees located in the U.S., of which approximately 61,100 were employed full-time, and; (ii) approximately 12,250 employees located in the U.K. Our hospitals are staffed by licensed physicians who have been admitted to the medical staff of individual hospitals. In a number of our markets, physicians may have admitting privileges at other hospitals in addition to ours. Within our acute care division, approximately 380 physicians are employed by physician practice management subsidiaries of ours either directly or through contracts with affiliated group practices structured as 501A corporations. Members of the medical staffs of our hospitals also serve on the medical staffs of hospitals not owned by us and may terminate their affiliation with our hospitals at any time. In addition, within our behavioral health division, approximately 500 physicians are employed by subsidiaries of ours either directly or through contracts with affiliated group practices structured as 501A corporations. Each of our hospitals is managed on a day-to-day basis by a managing director employed by a subsidiary of ours. In addition, a Board of Governors, including members of the hospital’s medical staff, governs the medical, professional and ethical practices at each hospital. We believe that our relations with our employees are satisfactory. Labor Relations Approximately 535 of our employees at four of our hospitals are unionized. At Valley Hospital Medical Center, housekeeping and dietary employees are represented by the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, and engineers are represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers. At HRI Hospital in Boston, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certain technicians and some clerical employees are represented by the SEIU. At Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital, unionized employees are represented by the Teamsters, and registered nurses are represented by the Northwestern Nurses Association/Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals. At Fairmount Behavioral Health, registered nurses and certain other professional job classifications are represented by District 1199C, National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, as are Licensed Practical Nurses who are currently organized in a separate bargaining unit. Culture and Work Environment During orientation, newly hired employees learn our mission, vision, principles and values, key policies and procedures, a summary of the various benefits and resources available, and perhaps most notably, an overview of our founding principle, Service Excellence. Learning key attributes of our Service Excellence standards, which include continuous improvement, employee development, ethical and fair treatment of all, teamwork, compassion and innovation in service delivery, provides newly hired employees a thorough understanding of our company culture. Other components of our Service Excellence standards, which include treating everyone as a guest, demonstrating professionalism and excellence and practicing teamwork, are shared to help guide the desired approach to day-to-day activities. Service Excellence Facilitator Certification Workshops are available for facility employees identified by their leadership for consistently upholding and demonstrating our Service Excellence standards. Certified facilitators foster the Service Excellence culture and deliver training at their facilities. In 2023, we held 13 workshops with 134 individuals certified as Service Excellence Facilitators. During 2023, we strengthened our recruitment efforts, improved the overall hiring and onboarding experience (89% very satisfied/satisfied with overall recruitment process), expanded the training resources employees need to do their jobs effectively and safely, facilitated more teamwork and collaboration, addressed burnout, expanded mentorship and increased employee engagement. We conducted a Pulse Employee Engagement Survey and had an overall participation rate of 67% across the organization. 81% of staff indicated “I feel included on my team/work unit.” Engagement efforts such as services awards, safety programs and employee-led service excellence/culture committees has assisted with increased employee retention. Ethical Standards Each member of our Board of Directors and senior management is committed to healthcare operations that are ethical and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. We are committed to fostering a culture of accountability at all levels and encourage our employees to report anything they believe could be noncompliant with our values. We prohibit retaliation for the good faith reporting of compliance concerns and offer the ability for individuals to anonymously elevate any concerns. Our commitment to fairness and integrity extends to everyone with whom we interact and do business. Health and Safety Policies and training programs to encourage work safety are a major focus in our organization. We continue to promote the employee assistance program which has provided a superior level of service to all our employees and members of their households. 8 W e have continuous training on workplace safety and launched a “We Care” program guide to ensure our hospitals support employees in a detailed way in the event of an employee injury. Employee Development In keeping with our culture of continuous improvement, training opportunities are available for all employees, regardless of level or status. These include formal instructor-led, in-person or virtual training, informal mentoring or networking opportunities or self-administered online courses. Training programs are designed to assist with personal and skill development, career advancement and succession planning. In addition to mandatory training that focus on keeping employees mindful and informed of key policies and skill sets, many are voluntary. All training is tailored to include potential Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. Across the company, we offer educational and work opportunities, including internships, externships and clinical field placement opportunities. We have partnered with Chamberlin University and Drexel University to provide their students with opportunities to earn clinical experience at our healthcare facilities. In 2023, Chamberlin University students participated in more than 1,000 clinical rotations at various acute care and behavioral health care facilities of ours nationwide. We also offer financial assistance programs, such as educational reimbursement, to support employees participating in degree, certification and continuing education programs. Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") for all employees and applicants. As an EEO Employer we support, and are fully committed, to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age (40 and over or as otherwise defined by applicable law), sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information (including family medical history), national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Diversity and Inclusion We value each member of our team and are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect. Our commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion includes regularly monitoring employment practices to ensure equity, regardless of an employee’s gender, race or ethnicity and championing for inclusive behaviors through leadership example, policies and procedures, training and special events. Employee Assistance We continue to support the overall health and financial well-being of our employees across the extensive programs and benefit plans that we offer. In 2023, we continued to expand the UHS Resource Guide which provides details on access to the benefits, resources and support tools available to employees throughout our organization. In 2023, the UHS Foundation continued to support employees and their families who suffered losses due to natural disasters across the country, including tornados in Arkansas and Hurricane Ian. Environmental We have implemented environmentally sustainable practices and we comply with applicable legal and regulatory environmental standards to protect our patients, visitors, staff and local communities. Our environmental stewardship includes following best practices when managing energy usage, constructing and designing new builds and/or major renovations and protecting the local environment. • Our facilities located in the U.S. utilize a centralized utility billing management system to monitor energy usage and detect significant deviations from normal usage consumption patterns. Also, 23 of our acute care hospitals utilize automatic fault detection and diagnostics software to monitor the efficiencies of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning operations. Most of these facilities also undergo retro-commissioning and monitoring-based commissioning. • Our newly built facilities, or those undergoing major renovations, are required to meet or exceed all federal, state and local energy efficiency stands and energy codes, and use mechanical-electrical-plumbing systems to optimize energy efficiencies and water conservation. Newly constructed acute care facilities are expected to achieve an ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager Score of 90 or higher. In addition, all new construction or major renovation projects costing $20 million or more are required to be assessed for Green Globes and/or U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications. • Our facilities have adopted policies and procedures that are compliant with the applicable laws from the Environmental Protection Agency, local departments of health and other regulatory bodies overseeing the responsible disposal of pollution and waste. • Our water management program is designed to oversee potable, process and utility water programs through active management and hazard control validation. The program is designed to ensure safe water throughout our buildings and meets ANSI/ASHRAE 9 Standard 188 ( Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems) . The program also manages domestic potable, process water and utility water. Our facilities located in the U.K. continue to procure 100% of their electricity from renewable sources, a practice that has been in place since 2021. Recently Cygnet updated its emissions targets: • Net zero carbon for direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions by 2035 • Net zero carbon emissions in our supply chain (Scope 3) by 2040. Our leadership teams actively manage opportunities and risks related to our facilities, including those related to climate change and other environmental risks. Revenue and volume trends may be affected by seasonal and severe weather conditions, including the effects of extreme low temperatures, hurricanes and tornadoes, earthquakes, climate change, current local economic and demographic changes. We have a high concentration of facilities in various geographic areas, including states that have a potentially higher risk of experiencing events such as severe weather conditions and earthquakes. Given the location of our facilities, we are particularly susceptible to revenue loss, cost increase, or damage caused by severe weather conditions or natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, or tornadoes. Any significant loss due to a natural disaster may not be covered by insurance and may lead to an increase in the cost of insurance or unavailability on acceptable terms. Climate change may also have effects on our business by increasing the cost of property insurance or making coverage unavailable on acceptable terms. To the extent that significant changes in the climate occur in areas where our facilities are located, we may experience increased frequency of severe 24 weather conditions or natural disasters or other changes to weather patterns, all of which may result in physical damage to or a decrease in demand for properties affected by these conditions. Should the impact of climate change be material in nature or occur for lengthy periods of time, our financial condition, revenues, results of operations, or cash flow may be adversely affected. In addition, operations may be subject to increases in energy prices as well as increased government regulation, such as the limiting of greenhouse gas emissions, intended to mitigate the impact of climate change, severe weather patterns, or natural disasters. These could result in additional required capital and/or operational expenditures to comply with such regulation without a corresponding increase in our revenues. Competition The health care industry is highly competitive. In recent years, competition among healthcare providers for patients has intensified in the United States due to, among other things, regulatory and technological changes, increasing use of managed care payment systems, cost containment pressures and a shift toward outpatient treatment. In all of the geographical areas in which we operate, there are other facilities that provide services comparable to those offered by our facilities. In addition, some of our competitors include hospitals that are owned by tax-supported governmental agencies or by nonprofit corporations and may be supported by endowments and charitable contributions and exempt from property, sale and income taxes. Such exemptions and support are not available to us. While our facilities tend to be located in fast growing, concentrated geographies, in some markets, certain of our competitors may have greater financial resources, be better equipped and offer a broader range of services than us. Certain hospitals that are located in the areas served by our facilities are specialty or large hospitals that provide medical, surgical and behavioral health services, facilities and equipment that are not available at our hospitals. The increase in outpatient treatment and diagnostic facilities, including outpatient surgical centers and addiction treatment centers, also increases competition for us. In addition, some of our hospitals face competition from hospitals or surgery centers that are physician owned. The number and quality of the physicians on a hospital’s staff are important factors in determining a hospital’s success and competitive advantage. Typically, physicians are responsible for making hospital admissions decisions and for directing the course of patient treatment. We believe that physicians refer patients to a hospital primarily on the basis of the patient’s needs, the quality of other physicians on the medical staff, the location of the hospital and the breadth and scope of services offered at the hospital’s facilities. We strive to retain and attract qualified doctors by maintaining high ethical and professional standards and providing adequate support personnel, technologically advanced equipment and facilities that meet the needs of those physicians. In addition, we depend on the efforts, abilities, and experience of our medical support personnel, including our nurses and other health care professionals, as well as non-professionals such as mental health technicians. We compete with other health care providers in recruiting and retaining qualified hospital management, nurses and other medical personnel. Our acute care and behavioral health care facilities are experiencing the effects of a nationwide staffing shortage, which has caused and may continue to cause an increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense in excess of the inflation rate. To the extent we cannot meet appropriate staffing levels, we may be required to limit the healthcare services provided in these markets which would have a corresponding adverse effect on our net operating revenues. Certain states in which we operate hospitals have CON laws. The application process for approval of additional covered services, new facilities, changes in operations and capital expenditures is, therefore, highly competitive in these states. In those states 10 that do not have CON laws or which set relatively high levels of expenditures before they become reviewable by state authorities, competition in the form of new services, facilities and capital spending is more prevalent. See “Regulation and Other Factors.” Our ability to negotiate favorable service contracts with purchasers of group health care services also affects our competitive position and significantly affects the revenues and operating results of our hospitals. Managed care plans, including managed Medicare and Medicaid plans, attempt to direct and control the use of hospital services and to demand that we accept lower rates of payment. In addition, employers and traditional health insurers are increasingly interested in containing costs through negotiations with hospitals for managed care programs and discounts from established charges. In return, hospitals secure commitments for a larger number of potential patients. Generally, hospitals compete for service contracts with group health care service purchasers on the basis of price, market reputation, geographic location, quality and range of services, quality of the medical staff and convenience. The importance of obtaining contracts with managed care organizations varies from market to market depending on the market strength of such organizations. An element of our growth strategy is expansion through the acquisition of additional hospitals in select markets. The competition to acquire hospitals is significant. We compete for acquisitions with other for-profit health care companies, private equity and venture capital firms, as well as not-for-profit entities. Some of our competitors have greater resources than we do. We intend to selectively seek opportunities to expand our base of operations by adhering to our disciplined program of rational growth, but may not be successful in accomplishing acquisitions on favorable terms. Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust At December 31, 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 31 st 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 2024 at the same rate in place for 2023, 2022 and 2021, providing for an advisory 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 $5.3 million during 2023, approximately $5.1 million during 2022 and $4.4 million during 2021. 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 $874,000 during 2023, $1.2 million during 2022 and $6.2 million during 2021, which are included in other income (expense), net, on the accompanying consolidated statements of income for each year. We received dividends from the Trust amounting to $2.3 million during 2023 and $2.2 million during each of 2022 and 2021. Included in our share of the Trust’s income during 2021 was approximately $5.0 million related to our share of gains on various transactions recorded by the Trust, including an asset purchase and sale transaction between the Trust and UHS, as discussed below. The carrying value of our investment in the Trust was $7.0 million and $8.4 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is included in other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The market value of our investment in the Trust was $34.1 million at December 31, 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 hospital properties from us and immediately leasing the properties back to our respective subsidiaries. The base rents are paid monthly and the bonus rents, which effective 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”), a 102-bed facility 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 11 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 2023 pursuant to the leases for these two facilities, amounted to approximately $5.8 million ($4.0 million related to Aiken and $1.8 million related to Canyon Creek). 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 1 st 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 consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 reflect a financial liability of $77.5 million and $80.9 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 $20.6 million during 2023 and $20.2 million during 2022. Total aggregate rent expense under the operating leases on three hospital facilities with the Trust (McAllen Medical Center, Wellington Regional Medical Center and Inland Valley Campus of Southwest Healthcare System) was $17.7 million during 2021. 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 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, $2.6 million and $2.5 million during 2023, 2022 and 2021, 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. 12 The table below provides certain details for each of the hospitals leased from the Trust as of January 1, 2024: 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 $ 6,639,000 December, 2026 5 (b) Aiken Regional Medical Center/Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services $ 4,072,000 December, 2033 35 (c) Canyon Creek Behavioral Health $ 1,841,000 December, 2033 35 (c) Clive Behavioral Health $ 2,775,000 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. Effective January 1, 2024, the annual lease rate for this hospital is $6.6 million (there is no longer a bonus rental component of the lease payment). On each January 1 st through 2026, the annual rent will increase by 2.50% on a cumulative and compounded basis. (c) We have seven 5-year renewal options at fair market value lease rates (2034 through 2068). On each January 1 st 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 values 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 various 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. Executive Officers of the Registrant The executive officers, whose terms will expire at such time as their successors are elected, are as follows: Name and Age Present Position with the Company Marc D. Miller (53) Chief Executive Officer, President and Director Alan B. Miller (86) Executive Chairman of the Board Steve G. Filton (66) Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Matthew J. Peterson (54) Executive Vice President, President of Behavioral Health Division Edward H. Sim (52) Executive Vice President, President of Acute Care Division Mr. Marc D. Miller was appointed Chief Executive Officer and President effective January 1, 2021. He has served as President since May, 2009 and prior thereto served as Senior Vice President and co-head of our Acute Care Hospitals since 2007. He was elected a Director in May, 2006 and Vice President in 2005. He has served in various capacities related to our acute care division since 2000. He was elected to the Board of Trustees of Universal Health Realty Income Trust in December, 2008. In August, 2015, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Premier, Inc., a publicly traded healthcare performance improvement alliance. See Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements- Relationship with Universal Health Realty Income Trust and Other Related Party Transactions for additional disclosure regarding the Company’s group purchasing organization agreement with Premier, Inc. Marc D. Miller is the son of Alan B. Miller, our Executive Chairman of the Board. 13 Mr. Alan B. Miller was appointed Executive Chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2021. He had been Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since the Company’s inception and also served as President from inception until May, 2009. Prior thereto, he was President, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of American Medicorp, Inc. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Universal Health Realty Income Trust. He is the father of Marc D. Miller, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Director. Mr. Filton was elected Executive Vice President in 2017 and continues to serve as Chief Financial Officer since his appointment in 2003. He has also served as Secretary since 1999. He had served as Senior Vice President since 2003, as Vice President and Controller since 1991, and as Director of Corporate Accounting since 1985. Mr. Peterson’s employment with us commenced in September, 2019 as Executive Vice President and President of our Behavioral Health Division. He was formerly employed at UnitedHealth Group for 11 years serving in various capacities including Chief Operating Officer for OptumGovernment, a health services and technology company, as well as various other Senior Vice President/Vice President roles. In addition to his civilian business career, Mr. Peterson also serves in the Air National Guard ("ANG"), U.S. Airforce, and was recently promoted to Brigadier General. He has also served for over 25 years with the ANG as a Healthcare Executive/Medical Service Corps Officer and has held numerous leadership roles. Mr. Sim's employment with us commenced in December, 2022 as Executive Vice President and President of our Acute Care Division. He was formerly employed as Chief Operating Officer at Centura Health, since 2017. Prior to joining Centura Health, Mr. Sim served in senior leadership roles of increasing responsibility for 11 years at Baptist Health. ITEM 1A. Ri sk Factors We are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, many of which are described below and elsewhere in this Annual Report. Any of the events described below could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are not aware of, or that we currently deem to be immaterial, could also impact our business and results of operations. Risks Related to Business Operations A significant portion of our revenue is produced by facilities located in Texas, Nevada and California. Texas: We own 7 inpatient acute care hospitals, 12 free-standing emergency departments and 21 inpatient behavioral healthcare facilities as listed in Item 2. Properties . On a combined basis, these facilities contributed 17% of our consolidated net revenues during both 2023 and 2022, respectively. On a combined basis, after deducting an allocation for corporate overhead expense, these facilities generated 26% in 2023 and 27% in 2022, of our income from operations after net income attributable to noncontrolling interest. Nevada: We own 9 inpatient acute care hospitals, 9 free-standing emergency departments, 3 acute outpatient centers and 3 inpatient behavioral healthcare facilities as listed in Item 2. Properties . On a combined basis, these facilities contributed 16% and 17% of our consolidated net revenues during 2023 and 2022, respectively. On a combined basis, after deducting an allocation for corporate overhead expense, these facilities generated 16% in 2023 and 14% in 2022, of our income from operations after net income attributable to noncontrolling interest. Excluding the impact of the $57.6 million provision for asset impairment recorded during 2022, as discussed in Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Provision for Asset Impairments, after deducting an allocation for corporate overhead expense, these facilities generated 18% of our income from operations after net income attributable to noncontrolling interest during 2022. California: We own 5 inpatient acute care hospitals, 2 acute outpatient centers, 9 inpatient behavioral healthcare facilities and 3 behavioral healthcare outpatient facilities as listed in Item 2. Properties . On a combined basis, these facilities contributed 11% our consolidated net revenues during both 2023 and 2022, respectively. On a combined basis, after deducting an allocation for corporate overhead expense, these facilities generated 12% in 2023 and 15% in 2022, of our income from operations after net income attributable to noncontrolling interest. This geographic concentration makes us particularly sensitive to regulatory, economic, public health, environmental and competitive conditions in those states. Any material change in the current payment programs or regulatory, economic, public health, environmental or competitive conditions in those states could have a disproportionate effect on our overall business results. In addition, certain of our facilities and our operations in those states may be adversely impacted by wildfires, winter storms, and other severe weather conditions, which adverse weather conditions may be more frequent and/or severe as the result of climate change. Such wildfires, storms or other severe weather conditions may cause considerable disruptions in our operations due to property damage or electrical outages experienced in affected areas by our personnel, payers, vendors and others. Our revenues and results of operations are significantly affected by payments received from the government and other third party payers. We derive a significant portion of our revenue from third-party payers, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Changes in these government programs in recent years have resulted in limitations on reimbursement and, in some cases, reduced 14 levels of reimbursement for healthcare services. Payments from federal and state government programs are subject to statutory and regulatory changes, administrative rulings, interpretations and determinations, requirements for utilization review, and federal and state funding restrictions, all of which could materially increase or decrease program payments, as well as affect the cost of providing service to patients and the timing of payments to facilities. We are unable to predict the effect of recent and future policy changes on our operations. In addition, the uncertainty and fiscal pressures placed upon federal and state governments as a result of, among other things, deterioration in general economic conditions and the funding requirements from the federal healthcare reform legislation, may affect the availability of taxpayer funds for Medicare and Medicaid programs. In addition, the vast majority of the net revenues generated at our behavioral health facilities located in the United Kingdom are derived from governmental payers. If the rates paid or the scope of services covered by governmental payers in the United States or United Kingdom are reduced, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. We receive annual Medicaid revenues of approximately $100 million, or greater, from each of Texas, California, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia. We also receive Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments from 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. In addition to changes in government reimbursement programs, our ability to negotiate favorable contracts with private payers, including managed care organizations, significantly affects the revenues and operating results of our hospitals. Private payers, including managed care organizations, increasingly are demanding that we accept lower rates of payment. 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 of operations. If we are not able to provide high quality medical care at a reasonable price, patients may choose to receive their health care from our competitors. In recent years, the number of quality measures that hospitals are required to report publicly has increased. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) publishes performance data related to quality measures and data on patient satisfaction surveys that hospitals submit in connection with the Medicare program. Federal law provides for the future expansion of the number of quality measures that must be reported. Additionally, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Legislation”) requires all hospitals to annually establish, update and make public a list of their standard charges for products and services. Also, the No Surprises Act, adopted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“CAA”), creates additional price transparency requirements beginning January 1, 2022, including requiring providers to send health plans of insured patients and uninsured patients a good faith estimate of the expected charges and diagnostic codes prior to the scheduled date of the service or item. If any of our hospitals achieve poor results on the quality measures or patient satisfaction surveys (or results that are lower than our competitors) or if our standard charges are higher than our competitors, our patient volume could decline because patients may elect to use competing hospitals or other health care providers that have better metrics and pricing. This circumstance could harm our business and results of operations. An increase in uninsured and underinsured patients in our acute care facilities or the deterioration in the collectability of the accounts of such patients could harm our results of operations. Collection of receivables from third-party payers and patients is our primary source of cash and is critical to our operating performance. Our primary collection risks relate to uninsured patients and the portion of the bill that is the patient’s responsibility, which primarily includes co-payments and deductibles. However, we also have substantial receivables due to us from certain state-based funding programs. We estimate our provisions for doubtful accounts based on general factors such as payer mix, the agings of the receivables, historical collection experience and assessment of probability of future collections. We routinely review accounts receivable balances in conjunction with these factors and other economic conditions that might ultimately affect the collectability of the patient accounts and make adjustments to our allowances as warranted. Significant changes in business office operations, payer mix, economic conditions or trends in federal and state governmental health coverage could affect our collection of accounts receivable, cash flow and results of operations. If we experience unexpected increases in the growth of uninsured and underinsured patients or in bad debt expenses, our results of operations will be harmed. Our hospitals face competition for patients from other hospitals and health care providers. The healthcare industry is highly competitive, and competition among hospitals, and other healthcare providers for patients and physicians has intensified in recent years. In all of the geographical areas in which we operate, there are other facilities that provide services comparable to those offered by our facilities. Some of our competitors include hospitals that are owned by tax-supported governmental agencies or by nonprofit corporations and may be supported by endowments and charitable contributions and exempt from property, sales and income taxes. Such exemptions and support are not available to us. In some markets, certain of our competitors may have greater financial resources, be better equipped and offer a broader range of services than we offer. The number of inpatient facilities, as well as outpatient surgical and diagnostic centers, many of which are 15 fully or partially owned by physicians, in the geographic areas in which we operate has increased significantly. As a result, most of our hospitals operate in an increasingly competitive environment. We also operate health care facilities in the United Kingdom where the National Health Service (the “NHS”) is the principal provider of healthcare services. In addition to the NHS, we face competition in the United Kingdom from independent sector providers and other publicly funded entities for patients. If our competitors are better able to attract patients, recruit physicians and other healthcare professionals, expand services or obtain favorable managed care contracts at their facilities, we may experience a decline in patient volume and our business may be harmed. Our performance depends on our ability to recruit and retain quality physicians. Typically, physicians are responsible for making hospital admissions decisions and for directing the course of patient treatment. As a result, the success and competitive advantage of our hospitals depends, in part, on the number and quality of the physicians on the medical staffs of our hospitals, the admitting practices of those physicians and our maintenance of good relations with those physicians. Physicians generally are not employees of our hospitals, and, in a number of our markets, physicians have admitting privileges at other hospitals in addition to our hospitals. They may terminate their affiliation with us at any time. If we are unable to maintain high ethical and professional standards, adequate support personnel and technologically advanced equipment and facilities that meet the needs of those physicians, they may be discouraged from referring patients to our facilities and our results of operations may decline. It may become difficult for us to attract and retain an adequate number of physicians to practice in certain communities in which our hospitals are located. Our failure to recruit physicians to these communities or the loss of physicians in these communities could make it more difficult to attract patients to our hospitals and thereby may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The loss of one or more of these physicians, even if temporary, could cause a material reduction in our revenues, which could take significant time to replace given the difficulty and cost associated with recruiting and retaining physicians. Continued increase in hospital based physician expenses will materially affect our costs and results of operations. 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. Increases in these physician related expenses could continue to have an unfavorable material impact on our results of operations for the foreseeable future. If we do not continually enhance our hospitals with the most recent technological advances in diagnostic and surgical equipment, our ability to maintain and expand our markets will be adversely affected. The technology used in medical equipment and related devices is constantly evolving and, as a result, manufacturers and distributors continue to offer new and upgraded products to health care providers. To compete effectively, we must continually assess our equipment needs and upgrade when significant technological advances occur. If our facilities do not stay current with technological advances in the health care industry, patients may seek treatment from other providers and/or physicians may refer their patients to alternate sources, which could adversely affect our results of operations and harm our business. Our performance depends on our ability to attract and retain qualified nurses and medical support staff and we face competition for staffing that may increase our labor costs and harm our results of operations. We depend on the efforts, abilities, and experience of our medical support personnel, including our nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians and other healthcare professionals. We compete with other healthcare providers in recruiting and retaining qualified hospital management, nurses and other medical personnel. 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 particular, 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, which shortage has been exacerbated by the COVID‑19 pandemic. We are treating patients with COVID‑19 in our facilities and, in some areas, the increased demand for care 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 may require us to further enhance wages and benefits to recruit and retain nurses and other clinical staff and support personnel or require us to hire expensive temporary personnel. To the extent we cannot maintain sufficient staffing levels at our hospitals, we may be required to limit the acute and behavioral health care services provided at certain of our hospitals which would have a corresponding adverse effect on our net revenues. In addition, in some markets such as California, there are requirements to maintain specified nurse-staffing levels which could adversely affect our net revenues to the extent we cannot meet those levels. If these states increase mandatory nurse-staffing ratios or additional states in which we operate adopt mandatory nurse-staffing ratios, such changes could significantly affect labor costs and have an adverse impact on revenues if we are required to limit admissions in order to meet the required ratios. 16 We cannot predict the degree to which we will be affected by the future availability or cost of attracting and retaining talented medical support staff. If our general labor and related expenses increase, we may not be able to raise our rates correspondingly. Our failure to either recruit and retain qualified hospital management, nurses and other medical support personnel or control our labor costs could harm our results of operations. Increased labor union activity is another factor that could adversely affect our labor costs. Union organizing activities and certain potential changes in federal labor laws and regulations could increase the likelihood of employee unionization in the future, to the extent a greater portion of our employee base unionized, it is possible our labor costs could increase materially. The failure of certain employers, or the closure of certain facilities, could have a disproportionate impact on our hospitals. The economies in the communities in which our hospitals operate are often dependent on a small number of large employers. Those employers often provide income and health insurance for a disproportionately large number of community residents who may depend on our hospitals and other health care facilities for their care. The failure of one or more large employer or the closure or substantial reduction in the number of individuals employed at facilities located in or near the communities where our hospitals operate, could cause affected employees to move elsewhere to seek employment or lose insurance coverage that was otherwise available to them. The occurrence of these events could adversely affect our revenue and results of operations, thereby harming our business. The trend toward value-based purchasing may negatively impact our revenues. We believe that value-based purchasing initiatives of both governmental and private payers tying financial incentives to quality and efficiency of care will increasingly affect the results of operations of our hospitals and other healthcare facilities and may negatively impact our revenues if we are unable to meet expected quality standards. The Legislation contains a number of provisions intended to promote value-based purchasing in federal healthcare programs. Medicare now requires providers to report certain quality measures in order to receive full reimbursement increases for inpatient and outpatient procedures that were previously awarded automatically. In addition, hospitals that meet or exceed certain quality performance standards will receive increased reimbursement payments, and hospitals that have “excess readmissions” for specified conditions will receive reduced reimbursement. Furthermore, Medicare no longer pays hospitals additional amounts for the treatment of certain hospital-acquired conditions unless the conditions were present at admission. Beginning in federal fiscal year 2015, hospitals that rank in the worst 25% of all hospitals nationally for hospital acquired conditions in the previous year were subject to reduced Medicare reimbursements. The Legislation also prohibits the use of federal funds under the Medicaid program to reimburse providers for treating certain provider-preventable conditions. There is a trend among private payers toward value-based purchasing of healthcare services, as well. Many large commercial payers require hospitals to report quality data, and several of these payers will not reimburse hospitals for certain preventable adverse events. We expect value-based purchasing programs, including programs that condition reimbursement on patient outcome measures, to become more common and to involve a higher percentage of reimbursement amounts. We are unable at this time to predict how this trend will affect our results of operations, but it could negatively impact our revenues if we are unable to meet or maintain high quality standards established by both governmental and private payers. Controls designed to reduce inpatient services and increasing rates of “denials” may reduce our revenues. Controls imposed by third-party payers designed to reduce admissions and lengths of stay, commonly referred to as “utilization review,” have affected and are expected to continue to affect our facilities. Utilization review entails the review of the admission and course of treatment of a patient by managed care plans. Inpatient utilization, average lengths of stay and occupancy rates continue to be negatively affected by payer-required preadmission authorization and utilization review and by payer pressure to maximize outpatient and alternative healthcare delivery services for less acutely ill patients. Efforts to impose more stringent cost controls are expected to continue. In addition, we have been experiencing increasing rates of denied claims (“denials”) from managed care payers which have reduced our net revenues and increased our operating costs as we devote additional resources to enhanced documentation and collection efforts. Although we cannot predict the effect these factors will have on our operations, significant limits on the scope of services reimbursed, and reimbursements withheld due to denials, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. We depend heavily on key management personnel and the departure of one or more of our key executives or a significant portion of our local hospital management personnel could harm our business. The expertise and efforts of our senior executives and key members of our local hospital management personnel are critical to the success of our business. The loss of the services of one or more of our senior executives or of a significant portion of our local hospital management personnel could significantly undermine our management expertise and our ability to provide efficient, quality healthcare services at our facilities, which could harm our business. Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic COVID-19 and other pandemics, epidemics, or public health threats may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. 17 The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began during the second half of March, 2020, has had a material effect on our operations and financial results since that time. Since the future volumes and severity of COVID-19 patients remain highly uncertain and subject to change, including potential increases in future COVID-19 patient volumes caused by new variants of the virus, as well as related pressures on staffing and wage rates, we are not able to fully quantify the impact that these factors will have on our future financial results. However, developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to materially affect our financial performance. The healthcare industry is labor intensive and salaries, wages and benefits are subject to inflationary pressures, as are supplies expense and other operating expenses. 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, 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. Many of these factors, which had a material unfavorable impact on our results of operations during 2022, moderated to a certain degree during 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a constrained supply environment which could result in higher cost to procure, and potential unavailability of, critical personal protection equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Should a supply disruption result in the inability to obtain especially high margin drugs and compound components necessary for patient care, our consolidated financial statements could be negatively impacted. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken in response thereto impact our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on numerous factors and future developments, most of which are beyond our control or ability to predict. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the future volumes and severity of COVID-19 patients caused by new variants of the virus, as well as related pressures on staffing and wage rates and the strained supply environment, is highly uncertain and subject to change. We are not able to fully quantify the impact that these factors will have on our future financial results, but expect developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic to materially affect our financial performance for the foreseeable future. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse impacts on our financial condition and our results of operations as a result of its macroeconomic impact, including any recession that has occurred or may occur in the future. If general economic conditions, including inflation, deteriorate or remain volatile or uncertain for an extended period of time, our liquidity and ability to repay our outstanding debt may be harmed and the trading price of our common stock could decline. These factors may affect the availability, terms or timing on which we may obtain any additional funding. There can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional funds on terms acceptable to us, if at all. 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. On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, was signed into law and phased out the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage rate states have received during the COVID-19 PHE and fully eliminated 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. 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. Compliance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (“PPPHCE Act”). The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) created a $175 billion “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund” to reimburse eligible health care providers for “health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus” (the “PHSSEF”). The retention of funds from the PHSSEF is conditioned on eligibility and the acceptance of terms and conditions, and other guidelines or requirements that may change from time to time, including with respect to recordkeeping and repayment requirements. We received payments from the targeted distributions of the PHSSEF. 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 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. We, and other providers, will report healthcare related 18 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. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) is actively auditing recipients of PHSSEF funds to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions thereof. Failure to comply with such terms and conditions could result in recoupment, False Claims Act liability, or other penalty. Risks Related to the Regulatory Environment Reductions or changes in Medicare and Medicaid funding could have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations. The Budget Control Act of 2011 (the “Budget Control Act”) mandated significant reductions in federal spending for fiscal years 2012-2021, including a reduction of 2% on all Medicare payments during this period. Subsequent legislation enacted by Congress eliminated the 2% reduction through 2021 but extended these reductions through 2030 in exchange. The payment reduction suspension was extended 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. Please see Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, Sources of Revenue-Medicare , for additional disclosure. Beginning in 2024 and continuing through 2027, the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (“DSH”) allotment to the states from federal funds will be reduced. Such reductions have been delayed several times, most recently under the CAA, which further delays the DSH reductions through 2024. During the reduction period, state Medicaid DSH allotments from federal funds will be reduced by $8 billion annually. Reductions are imposed on states based on percentage of uninsured individuals, Medicaid utilization and uncompensated care. We are subject to uncertainties regarding health care reform. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Legislation. Two primary goals of the Legislation are to provide for increased access to coverage for healthcare and to reduce healthcare-related expenses. Although it was expected that as a result of the Legislation there would be a reduction in uninsured patients, which would reduce our expense from uncollectible accounts receivable, the Legislation makes a number of other changes to Medicare and Medicaid which we believe may have an adverse impact on us. The Legislation revises 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 implements a value-based purchasing program, which will reward the delivery of efficient care. Conversely, certain facilities will receive reduced reimbursement for failing to meet quality parameters; such hospitals will include those with excessive readmission or hospital-acquired condition rates. It remains unclear what portions of that legislation may remain, or what any replacement or alternative programs may be created by future legislation. 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 program by reducing their existing Medicaid funding. Therefore, states can choose to accept or not to participate 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 had granted section 1115 demonstration waivers providing for work and community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid eligible individuals. However, most recently, the Biden Administration has expressed disfavor with Medicaid program work requirements, with the understanding that such requirements pose a substantial risk that many potential demonstration beneficiaries would be prevented from initially enrolling in coverage or that the requirements would lead to a sizable number of eligibility suspensions and eventual disenrollments among beneficiaries who are initially able to enroll. Accordingly, CMS has recently revoked certain State Medicaid program approvals including work requirements. The various provisions in the Legislation that directly or indirectly affect Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement are scheduled to take effect over a number of years. The impact of the Legislation on healthcare providers will be subject to implementing regulations, interpretive guidance and possible future legislation or legal challenges. Certain Legislation provisions, such as that creating the Medicare Shared Savings Program, create uncertainty in how healthcare may be reimbursed by federal programs in the future. Thus, we cannot predict the impact of the Legislation on our future reimbursement at this time and we can provide no assurance that the Legislation will not have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations. The Legislation also contained provisions aimed at reducing fraud and abuse in healthcare. The Legislation amended 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 19 federal civil False Claims Act, although certain final regulations implementing this statutory requirement remain pending. 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. The impact of the Legislation on each of our hospitals may vary. Initiatives to repeal the Legislation, in whole or in part, to delay elements of implementation or funding, and to offer amendments or supplements to modify its provisions have been persistent. The ultimate outcomes of legislative attempts to repeal or amend the Legislation and legal challenges to the Legislation are unknown. Legislation has already been enacted that has eliminated the penalty for failing to maintain health coverage that was part of the original Legislation. In addition, Congress has considered legislation that would, if enacted, in material part: (i) eliminate the large employer mandate to obtain or provide health insurance coverage, respectively; (ii) permit insurers to impose a surcharge up to 30 percent on individuals who go uninsured for more than two months and then purchase coverage; (iii) provide tax credits towards the purchase of health insurance, with a phase-out of tax credits accordingly to income level; (iv) expand health savings accounts; (v) impose a per capita cap on federal funding of state Medicaid programs, or, if elected by a state, transition federal funding to block grants, and; (vi) permit states to seek a waiver of certain federal requirements that would allow such state to define essential health benefits differently from federal standards and that would allow certain commercial health plans to take health status, including pre-existing conditions, into account in setting premiums. 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. While attempts to repeal the entirety of the Legislation have not been successful to date, a key provision of the Legislation was repealed as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and on December 14, 2018, a Texas Federal District Court Judge declared the Legislation unconstitutional, reasoning that the individual mandate tax penalty was essential to and not severable from the remainder of the Legislation. The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court which ultimately 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. On September 7, 2022, the same Texas Federal District Court judge, in the case of Braidwood Management v. Becerra , ruled that the requirement that certain health plans cover services with an “A” or “B” recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 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. We are unable to predict the outcome of this litigation or its potential impact at this time. While the results of the 2020 elections potentially reduce the risk of the Legislation being eliminated in whole or in part, the continued uncertainties regarding implementation of the Legislation create unpredictability for the strategic and business planning efforts of health care providers, which in itself constitutes a risk. On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (“ARP”) into law. The ARP extends eligibility for Legislation health insurance subsidies to people buying their own health coverage on the Marketplace who have household incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level. ARP also increased the amount of financial assistance for people at lower incomes who were already eligible under the Legislation. 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 and biologics reimbursed under Medicare Part B and Part D, beginning with 10 high-cost drugs paid for by Medicare Part D starting in 2026, followed by 15 Part D drugs in 2027, 15 Part B or Part D drugs in 2028, and 20 Part B or Part D drugs in 2029 and beyond. The IRA also continued the expanded subsidies for individuals to obtain private health insurance under the Legislation through 2025. The effect of IRA on hospitals and the healthcare industry in general is not yet known. 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 20 their payer-specific negotiated rates, minimum negotiated rates, maximum negotiated rates and cash for all items and services, including individual items and services and service packages, that could be provided by a hospital to a patient. 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. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in daily monetary penalties. As part of 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 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 that begin to implement the legislation. The rules have limited the ability of our hospital-based physicians to receive payments for services at usually higher out-of-network rates in certain circumstances, and, as a result, have caused us to increase subsidies to these physicians or to replace their services at a higher cost level. 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. We are required to treat patients with emergency medical conditions regardless of ability to pay. In accordance with our internal policies and procedures, as well as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, we provide a medical screening examination to any individual who comes to one of our hospitals while in active labor and/or seeking medical treatment (whether or not such individual is eligible for insurance benefits and regardless of ability to pay) to determine if such individual has an emergency medical condition. If it is determined that such person has an emergency medical condition, we provide such further medical examination and treatment as is required to stabilize the patient’s medical condition, within the facility’s capability, or arrange for transfer of such individual to another medical facility in accordance with applicable law and the treating hospital’s written procedures. Our obligations under EMTALA may increase substantially going forward; CMS has sought stakeholder comments concerning the potential applicability of EMTALA to hospital inpatients and the responsibilities of hospitals with specialized capabilities, respectively, but has yet to issue further guidance in response to that request. If the number of indigent and charity care patients with emergency medical conditions we treat increases significantly, or if regulations expanding our obligations to inpatients under EMTALA is proposed and adopted, our results of operations will be harmed. If we fail to continue to meet the promoting interoperability criteria related to electronic health record systems (“EHR”), our operations could be harmed. Pursuant to Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) regulations, hospitals that did not qualify as a meaningful user of EHR by 2015 were subject to a reduced market basket update to the inpatient prospective payment system (“IPPS”) standardized amount in 2015 and each subsequent fiscal year. In the 2019 IPPS final rule, CMS re-named the meaningful use program to “promoting interoperability”. We believe that all of our acute care hospitals have met the applicable promoting interoperability criteria and therefore are not subject to a reduced market basked update to the IPPS standardized amount. However, under the HITECH Act, hospitals must continue to meet the applicable 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. If we fail to comply with extensive laws and government regulations, we could suffer civil or criminal penalties or be required to make significant changes to our operations that could reduce our revenue and profitability. The healthcare industry is required to comply with extensive and complex laws and regulations at the federal, state and local government levels relating to, among other things: hospital billing practices and prices for services; relationships with physicians and other referral sources; adequacy of medical care and quality of medical equipment and services; ownership of facilities; qualifications of medical and support personnel; confidentiality, maintenance, privacy and security issues associated with health-related information and patient medical records; the screening, stabilization and transfer of patients who have emergency medical conditions; certification, licensure and accreditation of our facilities; operating policies and procedures, and; construction or expansion of facilities and services. Among these laws are the federal False Claims Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, (“HIPAA”), the federal anti-kickback statute and the provision of the Social Security Act commonly known as the “Stark Law.” These laws, and particularly the anti-kickback statute and the Stark Law, impact the relationships that we may have with physicians and 21 other referral sources. We have a variety of financial relationships with physicians who refer patients to our facilities, including employment contracts, leases and professional service agreements. We also provide financial incentives, including minimum revenue guarantees, to recruit physicians into communities served by our hospitals. The Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, or OIG, has enacted safe harbor regulations that outline practices that are deemed protected from prosecution under the anti-kickback statute. A number of our current arrangements, including financial relationships with physicians and other referral sources, may not qualify for safe harbor protection under the anti-kickback statute. Failure to meet a safe harbor does not mean that the arrangement necessarily violates the anti-kickback statute, but may subject the arrangement to greater scrutiny. We cannot assure that practices that are outside of a safe harbor will not be found to violate the anti-kickback statute. CMS published a Medicare self-referral disclosure protocol, which is intended to allow providers to self-disclose actual or potential violations of the Stark law. Because there are only a few judicial decisions interpreting the Stark law, there can be no assurance that our hospitals will not be found in violation of the Stark Law or that self-disclosure of a potential violation would result in reduced penalties. Federal regulations issued under HIPAA contain provisions that require us to implement and, in the future, may require us to implement additional costly electronic media security systems and to adopt new business practices designed to protect the privacy and security of each of our patient’s health and related financial information. Such privacy and security regulations impose extensive administrative, physical and technical requirements on us, restrict our use and disclosure of certain patient health and financial information, provide patients with rights with respect to their health information and require us to enter into contracts extending many of the privacy and security regulatory requirements to third parties that perform duties on our behalf. Additionally, recent changes to HIPAA regulations may result in greater compliance requirements, including obligations to report breaches of unsecured patient data, as well as create new liabilities for the actions of parties acting as business associates on our behalf. These laws and regulations are extremely complex, and, in many cases, we do not have the benefit of regulatory or judicial interpretation. In the future, it is possible that different interpretations or enforcement of these laws and regulations could subject our current or past practices to allegations of impropriety or illegality or could require us to make changes in our facilities, equipment, personnel, services, capital expenditure programs and operating expenses. A determination that we have violated one or more of these laws (see Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies , as included this Form 10-K), or the public announcement that we are being investigated for possible violations of one or more of these laws, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations and our business reputation could suffer significantly. In addition, we cannot predict whether other legislation or regulations at the federal or state level will be adopted, what form such legislation or regulations may take or what their impact on us may be. See Item 1 Business—Self-Referral and Anti-Kickback Legislation . If we are deemed to have failed to comply with the anti-kickback statute, the Stark Law or other applicable laws and regulations, we could be subjected to liabilities, including criminal penalties, civil penalties (including the loss of our licenses to operate one or more facilities), and exclusion of one or more facilities from participation in the Medicare, Medicaid and other federal and state healthcare programs. The imposition of such penalties could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. We also operate health care facilities in the United Kingdom and have operations and commercial relationships with companies in other foreign jurisdictions and, as a result, are subject to certain U.S. and foreign laws applicable to businesses generally, including anti-corruption laws. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act regulates U.S. companies in their dealings with foreign officials, prohibiting bribes and similar practices, and requires that they maintain records that fairly and accurately reflect transactions and appropriate internal accounting controls. In addition, the United Kingdom Bribery Act has wide jurisdiction over certain activities that affect the United Kingdom. Our operations in the United Kingdom are also subject to a high level of regulation relating to registration and licensing requirements employee regulation, clinical standards, environmental rules as well as other areas. We are also subject to a highly regulated business environment, and failure to comply with the various laws and regulations, applicable to us could lead to substantial penalties, and other adverse effects on our business. Aspects of United Kingdom data protection law, including the UK Data Protection Act and legislation commonly referred to as the UK GDPR, remain unclear following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, including with respect to data transfers between the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions. We cannot fully predict how the Data Protection Act, the UK GDPR, and other United Kingdom data protection laws or regulations may develop in the medium to longer term nor the effects of divergent laws and guidance regarding data transfers. We are subject to occupational health, safety and other similar regulations and failure to comply with such regulations could harm our business and results of operations. We are subject to a wide variety of federal, state and local occupational health and safety laws and regulations. Regulatory requirements affecting us include, but are not limited to, those covering: (i) air and water quality control; (ii) occupational health and safety (e.g., standards regarding blood-borne pathogens and ergonomics, etc.); (iii) waste management; (iv) the handling of asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls and radioactive substances; and (v) other hazardous materials. If we fail to comply with those standards, we may be subject to sanctions and penalties that could harm our business and results of operations. 22 We are subject to pending legal actions, purported stockholder class actions, governmental investigations and regulatory actions. We and our subsidiaries are subject to pending legal actions, governmental investigations and regulatory actions (see Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies , as included this Form 10-K). We may become subject to additional medical malpractice lawsuits, product liability lawsuits, class action lawsuits and other legal actions in the ordinary course of business. Defending ourselves against the allegations in the lawsuits and governmental investigations, or similar matters and any related publicity, could potentially entail significant costs and could require significant attention from our management and our reputation could suffer significantly. We are unable to predict the outcome of these matters or to reasonably estimate the amount or range of any such loss; however, these lawsuits and the related publicity and news articles that have been published concerning these matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows which in turn could cause a decline in our stock price. In an effort to resolve one or more of these matters, we may choose to negotiate a settlement. Amounts we pay to settle any of these matters may be material. All professional and general liability insurance we purchase is subject to policy limitations. We believe that, based on our past experience and actuarial estimates, our insurance coverage is adequate considering the claims arising from the operations of our hospitals. While we continuously monitor our coverage, our ultimate liability for professional and general liability claims could change materially from our current estimates. If such policy limitations should be partially or fully exhausted in the future, or payments of claims exceed our estimates or are not covered by our insurance, it could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We are and may become subject to other loss contingencies, both known and unknown, which may relate to past, present and future facts, events, circumstances and occurrences. Should an unfavorable outcome occur in some or all of our legal proceedings or other loss contingencies, or if successful claims and other actions are brought against us in the future, there could be a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations and liquidity. In particular, government investigations, as well as qui tam and stockholder lawsuits, may lead to material fines, penalties, damages payments or other sanctions, including exclusion from government healthcare programs. The federal False Claims Act permits private parties to bring qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuits on behalf of the government against companies alleging that the defendant has defrauded the federal government. These private parties are entitled to share in any amounts recovered by the government, and, as a result, the number of whistleblower lawsuits that have been filed against providers has increased significantly in recent years. Because qui tam lawsuits are filed under seal, we could be named in one or more such lawsuits of which we are not aware. Settlements of lawsuits involving Medicare and Medicaid issues routinely require both monetary payments and corporate integrity agreements, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows. If any of our existing health care facilities lose their accreditation or any of our new facilities fail to receive accreditation, such facilities could become ineligible to receive reimbursement under Medicare or Medicaid. The construction and operation of healthcare facilities are subject to extensive federal, state and local regulation relating to, among other things, the adequacy of medical care, equipment, personnel, operating policies and procedures, fire prevention, rate-setting and compliance with building codes and environmental protection. Additionally, such facilities are subject to periodic inspection by government authorities to assure their continued compliance with these various standards. All of our hospitals are deemed certified, meaning that they are accredited, properly licensed under the relevant state laws and regulations and certified under the Medicare program. The effect of maintaining certified facilities is to allow such facilities to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. We believe that all of our healthcare facilities are in material compliance with applicable federal, state, local and other relevant regulations and standards. However, should any of our healthcare facilities lose their deemed certified status and thereby lose certification under the Medicare or Medicaid programs, such facilities would be unable to receive reimbursement from either of those programs and our business could be materially adversely effected. State efforts to regulate the construction or expansion of health care facilities could impair our ability to expand. Certain states in which we operate hospitals have certificates of need (“CON”) laws as a condition prior to hospital capital expenditures, construction, expansion, modernization or initiation of major new services. Our failure to obtain necessary state approval could result in our inability to complete a particular hospital acquisition, expansion or replacement, make a facility ineligible to receive reimbursement under the Medicare or Medicaid programs, result in the revocation of a facility’s license or impose civil or criminal penalties on us, any of which could harm our business. In addition, significant CON reforms have been proposed in a number of states that would increase the capital spending thresholds and provide exemptions of various services from review requirements. In the past, we have not experienced any material adverse effects from those requirements, but we cannot predict the impact of these changes upon our operations. Risks Related to Information Technology 23 A cyber security incident could cause a violation of HIPAA, breach of patient or other persons privacy, or other negative impacts. We rely extensively on our information technology (“IT”) systems to manage clinical and financial data, communicate with our patients, payers, vendors and other third parties and summarize and analyze operating results. In addition, we have made significant investments in technology to adopt and utilize electronic health records and to become meaningful users of health information technology pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Our IT systems, and the networks and information systems of third parties that we rely on, are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, facility damage, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches including credit card or personally identifiable information breaches, vandalism, theft, natural disasters, catastrophic events, human error and potential cyber threats, including malicious codes, worms, phishing attacks, denial of service attacks, ransomware and other sophisticated cyber-attacks, and our disaster recovery planning cannot account for all eventualities. Our systems, in turn, interface with and rely on third-party systems that we do not control, including medical devices and other processes supporting the interoperability of healthcare infrastructures. Third parties to whom we outsource certain of our functions, or with whom our systems interface and who may, in some instances, store our sensitive and confidential data, are also subject to the risks outlined above and may not have or use controls effective to protect such information. An attack, breach or other system disruption affecting any of these third parties could similarly harm our business. On February 22, 2024, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (“UnitedHealth”) indicated in a Form 8-K filing, that a suspected nation-state associated cyber security threat actor had gained access to some of its Change Healthcare information technology systems. In the Form 8-K filing, UnitedHealth indicated that it cannot estimate the duration or extent of the disruption. To the best of our knowledge this did not directly have any impact on our information technology systems; however, as a result of the disruption to the Change Healthcare systems, certain of our patient billing and collections processes have been disrupted which may cause delays in a portion of our patient bills being received by commercial payers thereby delaying the related cash remittances to us. In addition, in connection with our acute care segment commercial health insurer, certain functions, including certain administrative functions, interface directly and/or indirectly with Change Healthcare systems. Such functions include, but are not limited to, eligibility and enrollment, patient access, claims management and payments, and billings and collections. As of the filing date of this report on Form 10-K, the Change Healthcare systems remain inoperable. As we continue to assess the potential impact of this event, we have not determined that this incident is reasonably likely to materially impact our cash flows, financial condition or results of operations. As cyber criminals continue to become more sophisticated through evolution of their tactics, techniques and procedures, we have taken, and will continue to take, additional preventive measures to strengthen the cyber defenses of our networks and data. However, if any of our or our third-party service providers’ systems are damaged, fail to function properly or otherwise become unavailable, we may incur substantial costs to repair or replace them, and may experience loss or corruption of critical data such as protected health information or other data subject to privacy laws and proprietary business information and interruptions or disruptions and delays in our ability to perform critical functions, which could materially and adversely affect our businesses and results of operations and could result in significant penalties or fines, litigation, loss of customers, significant damage to our reputation and business, and other losses. In the event of a material breach or cyber-attack, the associated expenses and losses may exceed our current insurance coverage for such events. In addition, some adverse consequences are not insurable, such as reputational harm and third-party business interruption. In addition, our future results of operations, as well as our reputation, could be adversely impacted by theft, destruction, loss, or misappropriation of public health information, other confidential data or proprietary business information. Further, consumer confidence in the integrity, availability and confidentiality of information systems and information, including patient personal information and critical operations data, in the healthcare industry generally could be impacted to the extent there are successful cyberattacks at other healthcare services companies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position or results of operations. In September, 2020, we had experienced an information technology security incident which led us to suspend user access to our information technology applications related to operations located in the United States. While our information technology applications were offline, patient care was delivered safely and effectively at our facilities across the country utilizing established back-up processes, including offline documentation methods. We have investigated the nature and potential impact of the security incident and engaged third-party information technology and forensic vendors to assist. No evidence of unauthorized access, copying or misuse of any patient or employee data has been identified to date. Promptly after the incident, our information technology applications were restored at our acute care and behavioral health hospitals, as well as at the corporate level, thereby re-establishing connections to all major systems and applications, including electronic medical records, laboratory and pharmacy systems and our hospitals resumed normal operations. Risks Related to the Market Conditions and Liquidity Our revenues and volume trends may be adversely affected by certain factors over which we have no control. Our revenues and volume trends are dependent on many factors, including physicians’ clinical decisions and availability, payer programs shifting to a more outpatient-based environment, whether or not certain services are offered, seasonal and severe weather conditions, including the effects of extreme low temperatures, hurricanes and tornadoes, earthquakes, climate change, current local economic and demographic changes. We have a high concentration of facilities in various geographic areas, including states that have a potentially higher risk of experiencing events such as severe weather conditions and earthquakes. Given the location of our facilities, 24 we are particularly susceptible to revenue loss, cost increase, or damage caused by severe weather conditions or natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, or tornadoes. Any significant loss due to a natural disaster may not be covered by insurance and may lead to an increase in the cost of insurance or unavailability on acceptable terms. Climate change may also have effects on our business by increasing the cost of property insurance or making coverage unavailable on acceptable terms. To the extent that significant changes in the climate occur in areas where our facilities are located, we may experience increased frequency of severe weather conditions or natural disasters or other changes to weather patterns, all of which may result in physical damage to or a decrease in demand for properties affected by these conditions. Should the impact of climate change be material in nature or occur for lengthy periods of time, our financial condition, revenues, results of operations, or cash flow may be adversely affected. In addition, government regulation intended to mitigate the impact of climate change, severe weather patterns, or natural disasters could result in additional required capital expenditures to comply with such regulation without a corresponding increase in our revenues. In addition, technological developments and pharmaceutical improvements may reduce the demand for healthcare services or the profitability of the services we offer. Further, the Medicare program’s three-year phase out and eventual elimination of the Inpatient Only List, a list of surgeries and procedures that are only covered by Medicare when provided in an inpatient setting, may reduce inpatient volumes. A worsening of economic and employment conditions in the United States could materially affect our business and future results of operations. Our patient volumes, revenues and financial results depend significantly on the universe of patients with health insurance, which to a large extent is dependent on the employment status of individuals in our markets. Worsening of economic conditions, including inflation and rising interest rates, may result in a higher unemployment rate which may increase the number of individuals without health insurance. As a result, our facilities may experience a decrease in patient volumes, particularly in less intense, more elective service lines, or an increase in services provided to uninsured patients. These factors could have a material unfavorable impact on our future patient volumes, revenues and operating results. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $3.9 billion of goodwill recorded on our consolidated balance sheets. Should the revenues and financial results of our acute care and/or behavioral health care facilities be materially, unfavorably impacted due to, among other things, a worsening of the economic and employment conditions in the United States that could negatively impact our patient volumes and reimbursement rates, a continued rise in the unemployment rate and increases in the number of uninsured patients treated at our facilities, we may incur future charges to recognize impairment in the carrying value of our goodwill and other intangible assets, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results. Continuing Inflationary Pressures continue to increase our operating costs and we may not be able to pass on increases in costs commensurate with these increases in costs. 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, commercial payers may be unwilling or unable to increase reimbursement rates commensurate with the inflationary impacts on our costs. The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union will continue to have uncertain effects and could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition. On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally exited the European Union, which exit, commonly referred to as “Brexit”, may cause disruptions to, and uncertainty surrounding, our business in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The ultimate effects of the Brexit are still difficult to predict as there remain ongoing significant legal and regulatory uncertainty as the United Kingdom determines which European Union laws to replace or replicate and the resulting divergence between the national laws and regulations in the United Kingdom and the European Union laws and regulations. Changes related to Brexit could subject us to heightened risks in that region, including disruptions to trade and free movement of goods, services and people that may lead to increased costs of goods imported into the United Kingdom, disruptions to our employees in the United Kingdom and the workforce of our business partners, increased foreign exchange volatility with respect to the British pound and additional legal, political and economic uncertainty. Additional currency volatility could result in a weaker British pound, which may decrease the profitability of our operations in the United Kingdom. A weaker British pound versus the U.S. Dollar also causes local currency results of our United Kingdom operations to be translated into fewer U.S. Dollars during a reporting period. While we may elect to enter into hedging arrangements to protect our business against certain currency fluctuations, these hedging arrangements do not provide comprehensive protection, and our results of operations could be adversely affected by foreign exchange fluctuations. The exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union could also create future economic uncertainty, both in the United Kingdom and globally, and could cause disruptions to and create uncertainty surrounding our business. Any of these effects of Brexit, and others we cannot anticipate, could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. 25 We continue to see rising costs in construction materials and labor. Such increased costs could have an adverse effect on the cash flow return on investment relating to our capital projects. The cost of construction materials and labor has significantly increased. As we continue to invest in modern technologies, emergency rooms and operating room expansions, the construction of medical office buildings for physician expansion and reconfiguring the flow of patient care, we spend large amounts of money generated from our operating cash flow or borrowed funds. Although we evaluate the financial feasibility of such projects by determining whether the projected cash flow return on investment exceeds our cost of capital, such returns may not be achieved if the cost of construction continues to rise significantly or the expected patient volumes are not attained. The deterioration of credit and capital markets may adversely affect our access to sources of funding and we cannot be certain of the availability and terms of capital to fund the growth of our business when needed. We require substantial capital resources to fund our acquisition growth strategy and our ongoing capital expenditure programs for renovation, expansion, construction and addition of medical equipment and technology. We believe that our capital expenditure program is adequate to expand, improve and equip our existing hospitals. We cannot predict, however, whether financing for our growth plans and capital expenditure programs will be available to us on satisfactory terms when needed, which could harm our business. To fund all or a portion of our future financing needs, we rely on borrowings from various sources including fixed rate, long-term debt as well as borrowings pursuant to our revolving credit facility and accounts receivable securitization program. If any of the lenders were unable to fulfill their future commitments, our liquidity could be impacted, which could have a material unfavorable impact our results of operations and financial condition. The increase in interest rates has substantially increased our borrowing costs and reduced our ability to access the capital markets on favorable terms. Additional increases in interest rates and the effect on capital markets could adversely affect our ability to carry out our strategy. Risks Related to Our Common Stock The number of outstanding shares of our Class B Common Stock is subject to potential increases or decreases. At December 31, 2023, 20.5 million shares of Class B Common Stock were reserved for issuance upon conversion of shares of Class A, C and D Common Stock outstanding, for issuance upon exercise of options to purchase Class B Common Stock and for issuance of stock under other incentive plans. Class A, C and D Common Stock are convertible on a share for share basis into Class B Common Stock. To the extent that these shares were converted into or exercised for shares of Class B Common Stock, the number of shares of Class B Common Stock available for trading in the public market place would increase substantially and the current holders of Class B Common Stock would own a smaller percentage of that class. In addition, from time-to-time, our Board of Directors approve stock repurchase programs authorizing us to purchase shares of our Class B Common Stock on the open market at prevailing market prices or in negotiated transactions off the market. Such repurchases decrease the number of outstanding shares of our Class B Common Stock. During 2023, in conjunction with our stock repurchase program, we have repurchased approximately 3.9 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $525 million. As of December 31, 2023, we had an aggregate available repurchase authorization of approximately $423 million. Pursuant to our stock repurchase 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 programs. Our ability to repurchase shares will depend upon, among other factors, our cash flows from operations, our available capital and potential future capital requirements for strategic transactions, including acquisitions, debt service requirements, and investing in our existing markets as well as our results of operations, financial condition, interest rates, our access to the capital markets and other factors beyond our control that our Board of Directors may deem relevant. A suspension or elimination of our share repurchase could have a negative effect on our stock price. Conversely, as a potential means of generating additional funds to operate and expand our business, we may from time-to-time issue equity through the sale of stock which would increase the number of outstanding shares of our Class B Common Stock. Based upon factors such as, but not limited to, the market price of our stock, interest rate on borrowings and uses or potential uses for cash, repurchase or issuance of our stock could have a dilutive effect on our future basic and diluted earnings per share. The right to elect the majority of our Board of Directors and the majority of the general shareholder voting power resides with the holders of Class A and C Common Stock, the majority of which is owned by Alan B. Miller, Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors. Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, with respect to the election of directors, holders of Class A Common Stock vote as a class with the holders of Class C Common Stock, and holders of Class B Common Stock vote as a class with holders of Class D Common Stock, with holders of all classes of our Common Stock entitled to one vote per share. As of March 22, 2023, the shares of Class A and Class C Common Stock constituted 10.3% of the aggregate outstanding shares of our Common Stock, had the right to elect five members of the Board of Directors and constituted 90.4% of our general voting 26 power as of that date. And as of that date, the shares of Class B and Class D Common Stock (excluding shares issuable upon exercise of options) constituted 89.7% of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock, had the right to elect two members of the Board of Directors and constituted 9.6% of our general voting power as of that date. As to matters other than the election of directors, our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that holders of Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D Common Stock all vote together as a single class, except as otherwise provided by law. Each share of Class A Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote; each share of Class B Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to one-tenth of a vote; each share of Class C Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to 100 votes (provided the holder of Class C Common Stock holds a number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to ten times the number of shares of Class C Common Stock that holder holds); and each share of Class D Common Stock entitles the holder thereof to ten votes (provided the holder of Class D Common Stock holds a number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to ten times the number of shares of Class D Common Stock that holder holds). In the event a holder of Class C or Class D Common Stock holds a number of shares of Class A or Class B Common Stock, respectively, less than ten times the number of shares of Class C or Class D Common Stock that holder holds, then that holder will be entitled to only one vote for every share of Class C Common Stock, or one-tenth of a vote for every share of Class D Common Stock, which that holder holds in excess of one-tenth the number of shares of Class A or Class B Common Stock, respectively, held by that holder. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, may require beneficial owners to provide satisfactory evidence that such owner holds ten times as many shares of Class A or Class B Common Stock as Class C or Class D Common Stock, respectively, if such facts are not apparent from our stock records. Since a substantial majority of the Class A shares and Class C shares are controlled by Mr. Alan B. Miller and members of his family, one of whom is Marc D. Miller, our Chief Executive Officer, President and a director, and they can elect a majority of our company’s directors and effect or reject most actions requiring approval by stockholders without the vote of any other stockholders, there are potential conflicts of interest in overseeing the management of our company. In addition, because this concentrated control could discourage others from initiating any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transaction that may otherwise be beneficial to our businesses, our business and prospects and the trading price of our securities could be adversely affected. ITEM 1B. Unresolve d Staff Comments None. ITEM 1C. Cybersecurity Cybersecurity risk management and strategy Protecting our data, which includes information related to our patients, members, and customers, is a primary area of our focus. Given the critical nature of this information, we have developed and implemented a robust cybersecurity risk management program to assess, identify, and manage risks associated with cybersecurity threats as identified in Item 106(a) of Regulation S-K. Cybersecurity is an important and integrated part of our risk management program that identifies, monitors and mitigates business, operational and legal risks. This program has a multi-tier risk management structure that includes regular reviews of laws, policies, vulnerabilities, and resource levels to address risks facing our organization. Such risks include operational, intellectual property theft, fraud, risks that have potential unfavorable impacts on our employees and/or patients, and violation of data privacy or security laws. To address cybersecurity risks facing our organization, we have adopted a “continuous risk assessment” process. We engage a third party to conduct a bi-annual National Institute of Technology-Cyber Security Framework assessment to determine the maturity of our program and related controls. The results of that assessment are shared with management, which drives prioritization and investment in resources to address those risks. Likewise, annual penetration tests occur to review the efficacy of our technical controls, results which are reviewed by management and resolved in a timely manner. Other factors that feed into our risk management practices are also operational events and incidents, which can lead to controls being reviewed and enhanced. We also have a mature incident response process in place in the event a cybersecurity incident occurs. This process defines roles, responsibilities and action plans designed to contain, eradicate, and restore systems in the event of a major disruption. Regularly, we conduct tabletop exercises to simulate responses to an incident and implement any insight gained from those exercises to improve our recovery practices. As part of these processes, we regularly engage with assessors, consultants, auditors, and other third parties to review our cybersecurity program to help identify areas for continued focus, improvement, and compliance. Third parties who provide services and solutions to our organization are also a source of cyber risk. Through a third-party risk management program, we review risks associated with these third parties through contractual reviews, vendor risk assessments, and 27 continual risk reviews by monitoring the cybersecurity risk exposure these third parties pose and implementing remediation where necessary. Based on the information available as of the date of this Form 10-K, during our fiscal year 2023 and through the date of this filing, we did not identify any risks from cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents (as such terms are defined in Item 106(a) of Regulation S-K), that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. For more information on risks to us from cybersecurity threats, see “ Risks Related to Information Technology - A cyber security incident could cause a violation of HIPAA, breach of patient or other persons privacy, or other negative impacts .” under “ Item 1A. Risk Factors .” Governance of Cybersecurity Cybersecurity is an integral part of our risk management program and is an area of focus for our Board of Directors and management. The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is responsible for the oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats. Members of the Audit Committee receive updates, as warranted, including quarterly updates from our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) regarding matters of cybersecurity, such as key risks facing the organization, core topics, review of incidents, as well as progress against key information security initiatives. Senior executive leadership also engage in ad-hoc discussions with management on cybersecurity topics. In addition, our Board of Directors are provided with an annual report regarding cybersecurity information and related topics. Our cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes are overseen by our CISO along with leaders from our Information Security, Compliance, Legal and Internal Auditing teams. Such individuals have an average of over 20 years of prior work experience in various roles involving information technology, including security, auditing, compliance, systems and programming. These individuals monitor the prevention, mitigation, detection and remediation of cybersecurity incidents through their management of, and participation in, the cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes described above, including the operation of our incident response plan. ITEM 2. P roperties Executive and Administrative Offices and Commercial Health Insurer We own various office buildings in King of Prussia and Wayne, Pennsylvania, Brentwood, Tennessee, Denton, Texas and Reno, Nevada. Facilities The following tables set forth the name, location, type of facility and, for acute care hospitals and behavioral health care facilities, the number of licensed beds: Acute Care Hospitals Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Aiken Regional Medical Centers (1) Aiken, South Carolina 211 Leased Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services (1) Aiken, South Carolina 62 Leased ER at Sweetwater North Augusta, South Carolina — Owned Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center Las Vegas, Nevada 339 Owned ER at Valley Vista North Las Vegas, Nevada — Owned ER at West Craig Las Vegas, Nevada — Owned Corona Regional Medical Center Corona, California 259 Owned Desert View Hospital Pahrump, Nevada 25 Owned Doctors Hospital of Laredo (6) Laredo, Texas 183 Owned Doctors Hospital Emergency Room Saunders Laredo, Texas — Owned Doctors Hospital Emergency Room South Laredo, Texas — Leased Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Eagle Pass, Texas 101 Owned The George Washington University Hospital (17) Washington, D.C. 395 Leased Henderson Hospital Henderson, Nevada 303 Owned ER at Green Valley Ranch Henderson, Nevada — Owned 28 Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Lakewood Ranch, Florida 120 Owned ER at Fruitville Sarasota, Florida — Owned Manatee Memorial Hospital Bradenton, Florida 295 Owned ER at Sun City Center Wimauma, Florida −− Owned Manatee ER at Bayshore Gardens Bradenton, Florida −− Owned Northern Nevada Medical Center Sparks, Nevada 124 Owned ER at Damonte Ranch Reno, Nevada — Owned ER at McCarran NW Reno, Nevada — Owned Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center Reno, Nevada 158 Owned ER at Spanish Springs Sparks, Nevada — Owned Northwest Texas Healthcare System Amarillo, Texas 405 Owned Northwest Texas Healthcare System Behavioral Health Amarillo, Texas 90 Owned Northwest Emergency at Town Square Amarillo, Texas — Owned Northwest Emergency on Georgia Amarillo, Texas — Owned Palmdale Regional Medical Center Palmdale, California 184 Owned South Texas Health System (2) South Texas Health System Edinburg/South Texas Health System Children’s (2) Edinburg, Texas 294 Owned South Texas Health System Behavioral (2) McAllen, Texas 134 Owned South Texas Health System Heart (2) McAllen, Texas 60 Owned South Texas Health System McAllen (1) (2) McAllen, Texas 431 Leased South Texas Health System ER Alamo (2) Alamo, Texas — Owned South Texas Health System ER McColl (2) Edinburg, Texas — Owned South Texas Health System ER Mission (1) (2) Mission, Texas — Leased South Texas Health System ER Monte Cristo (2) Edinburg, Texas — Owned South Texas Health System ER Ware Road (2) McAllen, Texas — Owned South Texas Health System ER Weslaco (1) (2) Weslaco, Texas — Leased Southwest Healthcare System Southwest Healthcare Inland Valley Hospital Wildomar, California 120 Owned Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs Hospital Murrieta, California 120 Owned Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center Las Vegas, Nevada 364 Owned ER at Blue Diamond Las Vegas, Nevada — Owned Valley Health Specialty Hospital Las Vegas, Nevada 66 Owned St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Enid, Oklahoma 229 Owned Summerlin Hospital Medical Center Las Vegas, Nevada 490 Owned Temecula Valley Hospital Temecula, California 140 Owned Texoma Medical Center Denison, Texas 354 Owned TMC Behavioral Health Center Denison, Texas 60 Owned ER at Anna Anna, Texas — Owned ER at Sherman Sherman, Texas — Owned Valley Hospital Medical Center Las Vegas, Nevada 306 Owned Elite Medical Center (ER) Las Vegas, Nevada 0 Owned ER at Desert Springs Las Vegas, Nevada — Owned ER at North Las Vegas North Las Vegas, Nevada — Owned Wellington Regional Medical Center (1) Wellington, Florida 235 Leased ER at Westlake Westlake, Florida — Leased Inpatient Behavioral Health Care Facilities United States: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Alabama Clinical Schools Birmingham, Alabama 80 Owned Alliance Health Center Meridian, Mississippi 214 Owned Anchor Hospital Atlanta, Georgia 122 Owned 29 United States: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Arbour Hospital Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 138 Owned Arrowhead Behavioral Health (14) Maumee, Ohio 48 Owned Aspen Grove Behavioral Hospital Orem, Utah 80 Owned Austin Oaks Hospital Austin, Texas 80 Owned Beaumont Behavioral Health (16) Dearborn, Michigan 137 Leased Behavioral Hospital of Bellaire Houston, Texas 124 Leased Belmont Pines Hospital Youngstown, Ohio 127 Owned Benchmark Behavioral Health Systems Woods Cross, Utah 94 Owned BHC Alhambra Hospital Rosemead, California 115 Owned Black Bear Lodge Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia 115 Owned Bloomington Meadows Hospital Bloomington, Indiana 78 Owned Brentwood Behavioral Healthcare Flowood, Mississippi 121 Owned Brentwood Hospital Shreveport, Louisiana 260 Owned The Bridgeway North Little Rock, Arkansas 127 Owned The Brook Hospital—Dupont Louisville, Kentucky 88 Owned The Brook Hospital—KMI Louisville, Kentucky 110 Owned Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital Fort Washington, Pennsylvania 146 Owned Brynn Marr Hospital Jacksonville, North Carolina 102 Owned Calvary Healing Center Phoenix, Arizona 68 Owned Canyon Creek Behavioral Health (1) Temple, Texas 102 Leased Canyon Ridge Hospital Chino, California 157 Owned The Carolina Center for Behavioral Health Greer, South Carolina 156 Owned Cedar Creek Hospital St. Johns, Michigan 54 Owned Cedar Grove Residential Treatment Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 45 Owned Cedar Hills Hospital (7) Portland, Oregon 98 Owned Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 60 Owned Cedar Ridge Residential Treatment Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 56 Owned Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital at Bethany Bethany, Oklahoma 56 Owned Cedar Springs Hospital Colorado Springs, Colorado 110 Owned Centennial Peaks Hospital Louisville, Colorado 104 Owned Center for Change Orem, Utah 58 Owned Central Florida Behavioral Hospital Orlando, Florida 174 Owned Chris Kyle Patriots Hospital Anchorage, Alaska 36 Owned Clarion Psychiatric Center Clarion, Pennsylvania 112 Owned Clive Behavioral Health (1) (11) Clive, Iowa 100 Leased Coastal Behavioral Health Savannah, Georgia 50 Owned Coastal Harbor Treatment Center Savannah, Georgia 145 Owned Columbus Behavioral Center for Children and Adolescents Columbus, Indiana 57 Owned Compass Intervention Center Memphis, Tennessee 148 Owned Copper Hills Youth Center West Jordan, Utah 197 Owned Coral Shores Behavioral Health Stuart, Florida 80 Owned Cumberland Hall Hospital Hopkinsville, Kentucky 97 Owned Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents New Kent, Virginia 108 Owned Cypress Creek Hospital Houston, Texas 128 Owned Del Amo Behavioral Health System Torrance, California 166 Owned Diamond Grove Center Louisville, Mississippi 57 Owned Dover Behavioral Health System Dover, Delaware 104 Owned El Paso Behavioral Health System El Paso, Texas 166 Owned Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital Panama City, Florida 86 Owned Fairfax Fairfax Behavioral Health Kirkland, Washington 157 Owned Fairfax Behavioral Health—Everett Everett, Washington 30 Leased Fairfax Behavioral Health—Monroe Monroe, Washington 34 Leased Fairmount Behavioral Health System Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 239 Owned Forest View Hospital Grand Rapids, Michigan 108 Owned 30 United States: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center Fort Lauderdale, Florida 182 Owned Foundations Behavioral Health Doylestown, Pennsylvania 122 Leased Foundations for Living Mansfield, Ohio 84 Owned Fox Run Center St. Clairsville, Ohio 100 Owned Fremont Hospital Fremont, California 148 Owned Friends Hospital (13) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 219 Owned Fuller Hospital Attleboro, Massachusetts 109 Owned Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital Chicago, Illinois 88 Owned Glen Oaks Hospital Greenville, Texas 54 Owned Granite Hills Hospital West Allis, Wisconsin 120 Leased Gulf Coast Treatment Center Fort Walton Beach, Florida 28 Owned Gulfport Behavioral Health System Gulfport, Mississippi 109 Owned Hampton Behavioral Health Center Westhampton, New Jersey 120 Owned Harbour Point Behavioral Health Center Portsmouth, Virginia 186 Owned Hartgrove Behavioral Health System Chicago, Illinois 160 Owned Havenwyck Hospital Auburn Hills, Michigan 243 Owned Heartland Behavioral Health Services Nevada, Missouri 121 Owned Heritage Oaks Hospital Sacramento, California 125 Owned Heritage Oaks Patient Enrichment Center Sacramento, California 16 Owned Hermitage Hall Nashville, Tennessee 111 Owned Hickory Trail Hospital DeSoto, Texas 86 Owned Highlands Behavioral Health System Littleton, Colorado 86 Owned Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services Birmingham, Alabama 221 Owned Holly Hill Hospital Raleigh, North Carolina 296 Owned The Horsham Clinic Ambler, Pennsylvania 206 Owned HRI Hospital Brookline, Massachusetts 66 Owned The Hughes Center Danville, Virginia 96 Owned Inland Northwest Behavioral Health (9) Spokane, Washington 100 Owned Intermountain Hospital Boise, Idaho 155 Owned Kempsville Center of Behavioral Health Norfolk, Virginia 106 Owned KeyStone Center Wallingford, Pennsylvania 153 Owned Kingwood Pines Hospital Kingwood, Texas 116 Owned La Amistad Behavioral Health Services Maitland, Florida 85 Owned Lakeside Behavioral Health System Memphis, Tennessee 373 Owned Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital (8) Lancaster, Pennsylvania 126 Owned Laurel Heights Hospital Atlanta, Georgia 124 Owned Laurel Oaks Behavioral Health Center Dothan, Alabama 118 Owned Laurel Ridge Treatment Center San Antonio, Texas 330 Owned Liberty Point Behavioral Healthcare Stauton, Virginia 58 Owned Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital Conway, South Carolina 105 Owned Lighthouse Care Center of Augusta Augusta, Georgia 82 Owned Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center Springfield, Illinois 97 Owned Lincoln Trail Behavioral Health System Radcliff, Kentucky 140 Owned Mayhill Hospital Denton, Texas 59 Leased McDowell Center for Children Dyersburg, Tennessee 32 Owned The Meadows Psychiatric Center Centre Hall, Pennsylvania 119 Owned Meridell Achievement Center Austin, Texas 134 Owned Mesilla Valley Hospital Las Cruces, New Mexico 120 Owned Michael’s House Palm Springs, California 110 Owned Michiana Behavioral Health Plymouth, Indiana 83 Owned Midwest Center for Youth and Families Kouts, Indiana 74 Owned Millwood Hospital Arlington, Texas 134 Leased Mountain Youth Academy Mountain City, Tennessee 90 Owned Natchez Trace Youth Academy Waverly, Tennessee 115 Owned Newport News Behavioral Health Center Newport News, Virginia 132 Owned 31 United States: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Leesburg, Virginia 127 Leased North Star Bragaw Anchorage, Alaska 30 Owned North Star DeBarr Residential Treatment Center Anchorage, Alaska 30 Owned North Star Hospital Anchorage, Alaska 74 Owned North Star Palmer Residential Treatment Center Palmer, Alaska 30 Owned Oak Plains Academy Ashland City, Tennessee 20 Owned Okaloosa Youth Academy Crestview, Florida 72 Leased Old Vineyard Behavioral Health Services Winston-Salem, North Carolina 164 Owned Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health North Charleston, South Carolina 108 Owned Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health Summerville, South Carolina 64 Leased Palm Point Behavioral Health Titusville, FL 74 Owned Palm Shores Behavioral Health Center Bradenton, Florida 65 Owned Palo Verde Behavioral Health Tucson, Arizona 84 Leased Parkwood Behavioral Health System Olive Branch, Mississippi 148 Owned The Pavilion Behavioral Health System Champaign, Illinois 122 Owned Peachford Hospital Atlanta, Georgia 246 Owned Pembroke Hospital Pembroke, Massachusetts 120 Owned Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System Little Rock, Arkansas 127 Owned Poplar Springs Hospital Petersburg, Virginia 208 Owned Prairie St John’s Fargo, North Dakota 132 Owned PRIDE Institute Eden Prairie, Minnesota 42 Owned Provo Canyon School Provo, Utah 250 Owned Psychiatric Institute of Washington Washington, D.C. 130 Owned Quail Run Behavioral Health Phoenix, Arizona 116 Owned The Recovery Center Wichita Falls, Texas 34 Leased The Ridge Behavioral Health System Lexington, Kentucky 110 Owned Rivendell Behavioral Health Hospital Bowling Green, Kentucky 125 Owned Rivendell Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas Benton, Arkansas 80 Owned River Crest Hospital San Angelo, Texas 80 Owned River Oaks Hospital Harahan, Louisiana 126 Owned River Park Hospital Huntington, West Virginia 187 Owned River Point Behavioral Health Jacksonville, Florida 84 Owned River Vista Behavioral Health Madera, California 128 Owned Riveredge Hospital Forest Park, Illinois 210 Owned Rockford Center Newark, Delaware 148 Owned Rolling Hills Hospital Franklin, Tennessee 130 Owned Roxbury Treatment Center Shippensburg, Pennsylvania 112 Owned Saint Simons By-The-Sea Saint Simons Island, Georgia 101 Owned Salt Lake Behavioral Health Salt Lake City, Utah 118 Leased San Marcos Treatment Center San Marcos, Texas 265 Owned SandyPines Residential Treatment Center Jupiter, Florida 149 Owned Sierra Vista Hospital Sacramento, California 171 Owned Skywood Recovery Augusta, Michigan 100 Owned Southeast Behavioral Health (15) Cape Girardeau, Missouri 102 Owned Spring Mountain Sahara Las Vegas, Nevada 30 Owned Spring Mountain Treatment Center Las Vegas, Nevada 110 Owned Springwoods Behavioral Health Fayetteville, Arkansas 80 Owned Stonington Institute North Stonington, Connecticut 64 Owned Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System Streamwood, Illinois 178 Owned Summit Oaks Hospital Summit, New Jersey 126 Owned SummitRidge Hospital Lawrenceville, Georgia 106 Owned Suncoast Behavioral Health Center Bradenton, Florida 60 Owned Texas NeuroRehab Center Austin, Texas 137 Owned Three Rivers Behavioral Health West Columbia, South Carolina 129 Owned Three Rivers Midlands West Columbia, South Carolina 64 Owned 32 United States: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Turning Point Care Center Moultrie, Georgia 79 Owned University Behavioral Center Orlando, Florida 112 Owned University Behavioral Health of Denton Denton, Texas 104 Owned Valle Vista Health System Greenwood, Indiana 140 Owned Valley Hospital Phoenix, Arizona 122 Owned Via Linda Behavioral Hospital (12) Scottsdale, Arizona 120 Leased The Vines Hospital Ocala, Florida 98 Owned Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center Virginia Beach, Virginia 100 Owned Wekiva Springs Center Jacksonville, Florida 120 Owned Wellstone Regional Hospital Jeffersonville, Indiana 100 Owned West Oaks Hospital Houston, Texas 176 Owned Willow Springs Center Reno, Nevada 116 Owned Windmoor Healthcare of Clearwater Clearwater, Florida 144 Owned Windsor Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine Willoughby, Ohio 160 Leased Wyoming Behavioral Institute Casper, Wyoming 129 Owned United Kingdom: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Adarna House Bradford, UK 9 Owned Adele Cottages Rainworth, UK 4 Owned Amberwood Lodge Dorset, UK 9 Owned Ashbrook Birmingham, UK 16 Owned Ashfield House Huddersfield, UK 6 Owned Beacon House Lower Bradford, UK 8 Owned Beacon House Upper Bradford, UK 8 Owned Beckly Halifax, UK 12 Owned Beeches Retford, UK 12 Owned Birches Newark, UK 6 Owned Broughton House Lincolnshire, UK 34 Owned Broughton Lodge Macclesfield, UK 20 Owned Chaseways Sawbridgeworth, UK 6 Owned Cherry Tree House Mansfield Woodhouse, UK 6 Owned Conifers Derby, UK 7 Owned Cygnet Acer Chesterfield, UK 14 Owned Cygnet Acer 2 Chesterfield, UK 14 Owned Cygnet Alders Clinic Gloucester, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Appletree Meadowfield, UK 26 Owned Cygnet Aspen Clinic Doncaster, UK 16 Owned Cygnet Aspen House Doncaster, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Bostall House Abbey Wood, UK 6 Owned Cygnet Brunel Bristol, UK 32 Owned Cygnet Cedars Birmingham, UK 24 Owned Cygnet Cedar Vale East Bridgeford, UK 16 Owned Cygnet Churchill London, UK 57 Owned Cygnet Delfryn House Flintshire, UK 28 Owned Cygnet Delfryn Lodge Flintshire, UK 24 Owned Cygnet Elms Birmingham, UK 10 Owned Cygnet Fountains Blackburn, UK 34 Owned Cygnet Grange Sutton-in-Ashfield, UK 8 Owned Cygnet Heathers West Bromwich, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Beckton London, UK 62 Owned 33 United Kingdom: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Cygnet Hospital—Bierley Bradford, UK 63 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Blackheath London, UK 32 Leased Cygnet Hospital—Bury Bury, UK 187 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Clifton Nottingham, UK 25 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Derby Derby, UK 50 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Ealing Ealing, UK 26 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Godden Green Sevenoaks, UK 39 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Harrogate Middlesex, UK 36 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Harrow Harrow, UK 60 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Hexham Northumberland, UK 27 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Kewstoke Weston-super-Mare, UK 72 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Maidstone Maidstone, UK 65 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Sheffield Sheffield, UK 57 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Sherwood Mansfield, UK 44 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Stevenage Stevenage, UK 88 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Taunton Taunton, UK 57 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Woking Woking, UK 62 Owned Cygnet Hospital—Wyke Bradford, UK 52 Owned Cygnet Hospital Colchester - Highwoods Colchester, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Hospital Colchester - Larch Court Essex, UK 4 Owned Cygnet Hospital Colchester - Oak Court Essex, UK 12 Owned Cygnet Hospital Colchester - Ramsey Colchester, UK 21 Owned Cygnet Joyce Parker Hospital Coventry, UK 57 Owned Cygnet Lodge Sutton-in-Ashfield, UK 8 Owned Cygnet Lodge—Brighouse Brighouse, UK 25 Owned Cygnet Lodge—Kenton Middlesex, UK 15 Owned Cygnet Lodge—Lewisham London, UK 17 Owned Cygnet Lodge—Salford Manchester, UK 24 Owned Cygnet Lodge—Woking Woking, UK 31 Owned Cygnet Manor Shirebrook, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Newham House Middlesbrough, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Nield House Crewe, UK 30 Owned Cygnet Oaks Barnsley, UK 35 Owned Cygnet Pindar House Barnsley, UK 22 Owned Cygnet Raglan House West Midlands, UK 25 Owned Cygnet Sedgley House Wolverhampton, UK 20 Owned Cygnet Sedgley Lodge Wolverhampton, UK 14 Owned Cygnet Sherwood House Mansfield, UK 30 Owned Cygnet Sherwood Lodge Mansfield, UK 17 Owned Cygnet St. Augustine’s Stoke on Trent, UK 32 Owned Cygnet St. Teilo House Gwent, UK 23 Owned Cygnet St. Williams Darlington, UK 12 Owned Cygnet Storthfield House Derbyshire, UK 22 Owned Cygnet Victoria House Darlington, UK 26 Owned Cygnet Views Matlock, UK 10 Owned Cygnet Wallace Hospital Dundee, UK 10 Owned Cygnet Wast Hills Birmingham, UK 26 Owned Dene Brook Rotherham, UK 13 Owned Devon Lodge Southampton, UK 12 Owned Dove Valley Mews Barnsley, UK 10 Owned Ducks Halt Essex, UK 5 Owned Eleni House Essex, UK 8 Owned Ellen Mhor Dundee, UK 12 Owned Elston House Newark, UK 8 Owned Fairways Ipswich, UK 8 Owned 34 United Kingdom: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest The Fields Sheffield, UK 54 Owned Gables Essex, UK 7 Owned Gledcliffe Road Huddersfield, UK 6 Owned Gledholt Huddersfield, UK 9 Owned Gledholt Mews Huddersfield, UK 21 Owned Glyn House Stoke on Trent, UK 5 Owned Hansa Lodge Rainham, UK 5 Owned Hawkstone Keighley, UK 10 Owned Hollyhurst Darlington, UK 19 Owned Hope House Hartlepool, UK 11 Owned Kirkside House Leeds, UK 7 Owned Kirkside Lodge Leeds, UK 8 Owned Langdale Coach House Huddersfield, UK 3 Owned Langdale House Huddersfield, UK 8 Owned Lindsay House Dundee, UK 2 Owned Longfield House Bradford, UK 9 Owned Lowry House Hyde, UK 12 Owned Malborn & Teroan Mansfield, UK 6 Owned Marion House Derby, UK 5 Owned Meadows Mews Tipton, UK 10 Owned Morgan House Stoke on Trent, UK 5 Owned Nightingale Dorset, UK 10 Owned Norcott House Liversedge, UK 11 Owned Norcott Lodge Liversedge, UK 9 Owned Oakhurst Lodge Hampshire, UK 8 Owned Oaklands Northumberland, UK 19 Owned Old Leigh House Essex, UK 7 Leased The Orchards Essex, UK 5 Owned Outwood Leeds, UK 10 Owned Oxley Lodge Huddersfield, UK 4 Owned Oxley Woodhouse Huddersfield, UK 13 Owned Pines Mansfield Woodhouse, UK 7 Owned Ranaich House Dunblane, UK 14 Owned Redlands Darlington, UK 5 Owned Rhyd Alyn Flintshire, UK 6 Owned River View Darlington, UK 4 Owned Shear Meadow Hemel Hempstead, UK 4 Owned Sherwood Lodge Step Down Mansfield, UK 9 Owned The Squirrels Hampshire, UK 9 Owned 4, 5, 7 The Sycamores South Normanton, UK 6 Owned 15 The Sycamores South Normanton, UK 4 Owned Tabley House Nursing Home Knutsford, UK 51 Leased Thistle House Dundee, UK 10 Owned Thornfield Grange Bishop Auckland, UK 9 Owned Thornfield House Bradford, UK 7 Owned Thors Park Essex, UK 14 Owned Toller Road Leicestershire, UK 8 Owned Trinity House Galloway, UK 13 Owned Trinity Lodge Lockerbie, UK 6 Owned Tupwood Gate Nursing Home Caterham, UK 33 Owned Ty Alarch Merthyr Tydfil 6 Owned 1Vincent Court Lancashire, UK 5 Owned Walkern Lodge Stevenage, UK 4 Owned Willow House Birmingham, UK 8 Owned Woodcross & Turls Hill Wolverhampton, UK 8 Owned 35 United Kingdom: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest Woodrow House Stockport, UK 9 Owned Puerto Rico: Name of Facility Location Number of Beds Real Property Ownership Interest First Hospital Panamericano—Cidra Cidra, Puerto Rico 165 Owned First Hospital Panamericano—Ponce Ponce, Puerto Rico 30 Owned First Hospital Panamericano—San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico 45 Owned Outpatient Behavioral Health Care Facilities United States: Name of Facility Location Real Property Ownership Interest Arbour Counseling Services Rockland, Massachusetts Owned The Canyon at Santa Monica Los Angeles, California Leased Foundations San Francisco San Francisco, California Leased Michael’s House Outpatient Palm Springs, California Leased The Pointe Outpatient Behavioral Health Services Little Rock, Arkansas Leased Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute St. Louis, Missouri Owned Skywood Outpatient Bingham Farms, Michigan Leased Talbott Recovery Atlanta, Georgia Owned United Kingdom: Name of Facility Location Real Property Ownership Interest Long Eaton Day Services Nottingham, UK Owned Sheffield Day Services Sheffield, UK Owned Outpatient Centers and Surgical Hospital Name of Facility Location Real Property Ownership Interest Cancer Care Institute of Carolina Aiken, South Carolina Owned Cedar Hill Urgent Care Washington, DC Leased Cornerstone Regional Hospital (3) Edinburg, Texas Leased Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Surgery Las Vegas, NV Leased Manatee Diagnostic Center Bradenton, Florida Leased Palms Westside Clinic ASC (5) Royal Palm Beach, Florida Leased Personalized Radiation Oncology (18) Reno, Nevada Leased Quail Surgical and Pain Management Center (10) Reno, Nevada Leased Riverside Medical Clinic Surgery Center Riverside, California Leased The Surgery Center of Aiken Aiken, South Carolina Owned Temecula Valley Day Surgery (4) Murrieta, California Leased 36 (1) Real property leased from Universal Health Realty Income Trust. (2) These entities are consolidated under one license operating as the South Texas Health System. (3) We manage and own a noncontrolling interest of approximately 50% in the entity that operates this facility. (4) We manage and own a majority interest in an LLC that owns and operates this center. (5) We own a noncontrolling ownership interest of approximately 50% in the entity that operates this facility that is managed by a third-party. (6) We hold an 93% ownership interest in this facility through both general and limited partnership interests. The remaining 7% ownership interest is held by unaffiliated third parties. (7) Land of this facility is leased. (8) We manage and own a noncontrolling interest of 50% in this facility. The remaining 50% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. Land of this facility is leased from the unaffiliated third party member. (9) We manage and hold an 80% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 20% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (10) We hold a 51% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 49% ownership interest is held by unaffiliated third parties. (11) We manage and hold a 52% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 48% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (12) We manage and hold a 51% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 49% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (13) We manage and hold a 80% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 20% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (14) We manage and hold a 70% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 30% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (15) We manage and hold a 75% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 25% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (16) We manage and hold a 74% ownership interest in this facility. The remaining 26% ownership interest is held by an unaffiliated third party. (17) The land of this facility is leased pursuant to the terms of a lease that is scheduled to expire in August, 2082. The lease contains one, twenty-five year renewal option. (18) We own a noncontrolling ownership interest of 30% in the entity that operates this facility that is managed by a third-party. We own or lease medical office buildings adjoining some of our hospitals. We believe that the leases on the facilities, medical office buildings and other real estate leased or owned by us do not impose any material limitation on our operations. The aggregate lease payments on facilities leased by us were $107 million in 2023, $104 million in 2022 and $93 million in 2021. ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings The information regarding our legal proceedings is contained in Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Commitments and Contingencies , as included this Form 10-K, is incorporated herein by reference. ITEM 4. Mine Saf ety Disclosures Not applicable. 37 PART II ITEM 5 . Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Our Class B Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol UHS. Shares of our Class A, Class C and Class D Common Stock are not traded in any public market, but are each convertible into shares of our Class B Common Stock on a share-for-share basis. The number of stockholders of record as of January 31, 2024, were as follows: Class A Common 17 Class B Common 656 Class C Common 1 Class D Common 81 Stock Repurchase Programs As of January 1, 2023, we had an aggregate available repurchase authorization of $947.37 million under 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 programs. As reflected below, during the fourth quarter of 2023, we have repurchased approximately 1.13 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $157.32 million (approximately $139.28 per share) pursuant to the terms of our stock repurchase program. In addition, during the three-month period ended December 31, 2023, 32,019 shares were repurchased in connection with income tax withholding obligations resulting from stock-based compensation programs. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we have repurchased approximately 3.86 million shares at an aggregate cost of approximately $524.48 million (approximately $136.05 per share). In addition, for the year ended December 31, 2023, 164,649 shares were repurchased in connection with income tax withholding obligations resulting from stock-based compensation programs. As of December 31, 2023, we had an aggregate available repurchase authorization of $422.88 million pursuant to our stock repurchase program. During the period of October 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, we repurchased the following shares: Additional Dollars Authorized For Repurchase (in thousands) Total number of shares purchased (1) 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 (2) Average price paid per share for shares purchased as part of publicly announced program Aggregate purchase price paid (in thousands) Maximum number of dollars that may yet be purchased under the program (in thousands) October, 2023 — 388 40 $ 0.01 — $ — $ — $ 580,204 November, 2023 — 681,009 46 $ 0.01 679,495 $ 131.47 $ 89,334 $ 490,870 December, 2023 — 480,746 543 $ 0.01 450,000 $ 151.08 $ 67,987 $ 422,883 Total October through December $ — 1,162,143 629 $ 0.01 1,129,495 $ 139.28 $ 157,321 (1) Includes shares that were repurchased in connection with income tax withholding obligations resulting from the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock grants. Also includes 40, 46 and 543 restricted shares that were forfeited and canceled by former employees pursuant to the terms of our restricted stock purchase plan during October, November and December, 2023, respectively. (2) The only publicly announced program pursuant to which the shares were repurchased was the share repurchase program described above. There is no other plan or program that has expired during this time period. Also, there is no other plan or program that we have determined to terminate prior to expiration, or under which we do not intend to make further purchases. Dividends During the year ended December 31, 2023 we paid dividends of $0.80 per share. Dividend equivalents are accrued on unvested restricted stock units and are paid upon vesting of the restricted stock unit. Our Credit Agreement contains covenants that include limitations on, among other things, dividends and stock repurchases (see below in Capital Resources-Credit Facilities and Outstanding Debt Securities ). 38 Equity Compensation Refer to Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters, of this report for information regarding securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans. Stock Price Performance Graph The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total return on the stock included in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and a Peer Group Index during the five-year period ended December 31, 2023. The graph assumes an investment of $100 made in our common stock and each Index as of January 1, 2019 and has been weighted based on market capitalization. Note that our common stock price performance shown below should not be viewed as being indicative of future performance. Companies in the peer group, which consist of companies in the S&P 500 Index or S&P MidCap 400 Index are as follows: Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc., Community Health Systems, Inc., HCA Healthcare, Inc., and Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Company Name / Index 2018 Base 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Universal Health Services, Inc. $ 100.00 $ 123.62 $ 118.67 $ 112.54 $ 123.09 $ 133.96 S&P 500 Index $ 100.00 $ 131.49 $ 155.68 $ 200.37 $ 164.08 $ 207.21 Peer Group $ 100.00 $ 124.34 $ 141.81 $ 224.60 $ 207.65 $ 237.61 ITEM 6. [RESERVED] 39 ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to promote an understanding of our operating results and financial condition. The MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, as included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The MD&A contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, those presented under Item 1A. Risk Factors, and below in Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors and as included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This section generally discusses our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. For discussion of our result of operations and changes in our financial condition for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, please refer to Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2023. Overview Our principal business is owning and operating, through our subsidiaries, acute care hospitals and outpatient facilities and behavioral health care facilities. As of February 27, 2024, we owned and/or operated 360 inpatient facilities and 48 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; • 27 free-standing emergency departments, and; • 10 outpatient centers & 1 surgical hospital. Behavioral health care facilities (333 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.: • 144 inpatient behavioral health care facilities, and; • 2 outpatient behavioral health care facilities. Located in Puerto Rico: • 3 inpatient behavioral health care facilities. Net revenues from our acute care hospitals, outpatient facilities and commercial health insurer accounted for 57% of our consolidated net revenues during each of 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 2023 and 2022. Our behavioral health care facilities located in the U.K. generated net revenues of approximately $761 million in 2023 and $685 million in 2022. Total assets at our U.K. behavioral health care facilities were approximately $1.327 billion as of December 31, 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 Annual Report, and should particularly consider any risk factors that we set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In this Annual Report, we state our beliefs of future events and of our future financial performance. This Annual 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 40 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, or the negative of those words and 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. 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 are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Many factors, including those set forth herein in Item 1A. Risk Factors , and other important factors disclosed in this report, and from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Such factors include, among other things, the following: • 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; • 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 the past, the staffing shortage has, at times, 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, 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, moderated to a certain degree during 2023; • 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 January 19, 2024, President Biden signed into law H.R. 2872 which provides fiscal year 2024 appropriations to federal agencies for continuing projects and activities funded in four of the 12 annual appropriations bills through March 1, 2024. The remaining eight annual appropriations bills are funded through March 8, 2024. 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 41 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 federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) created a $175 billion “Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund” to reimburse eligible health care providers for “health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus” (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 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. 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 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively, the "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 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; 42 • 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 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 have limited the ability of our hospital-based physicians to receive payments for services at usually higher out-of-network rates in certain circumstances, and, as a result, have caused us to increase subsidies to these physicians or to replace their services at a higher cost level. 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 8 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, or any third-party security systems that we rely on, 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; • our business, results of operations, financial condition, or stock price may be adversely affected if we are not able to achieve our environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) goals or comply with emerging ESG regulations, or otherwise meet the expectations of our stakeholders with respect to ESG matters; • 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, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Florida, Massachusetts and Virginia. 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; 43 • 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 The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. A summary of our significant accounting policies is outlined in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements . We consider our critical accounting policies to be those that require us to make significant judgments and estimates when we prepare our financial statements, including the following: Revenue Recognition: We report net patient service revenue at the estimated net realizable amounts from patients and third-party payers and others for services rendered. We have agreements with third-party payers that provide for payments to us at amounts different from our established rates. Payment arrangements include rates per discharge, reimbursed costs, discounted charges and per diem payments. Estimates of contractual allowances under managed care plans, which represent explicit price concessions, are based upon the payment terms specified in the related contractual agreements. We closely monitor our historical collection rates, as well as changes in applicable laws, rules and regulations and contract terms, to assure that provisions are made using the most accurate information available. However, due to the complexities involved in these estimations, actual payments from payers may be different from the amounts we estimate and record. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Revenue Recognition , 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. 44 We estimate our Medicare and Medicaid revenues using the latest available financial information, patient utilization data, government provided data and in accordance with applicable Medicare and Medicaid payment rules and regulations. The laws and regulations governing the Medicare and Medicaid programs are extremely complex and subject to interpretation and as a result, there is at least a reasonable possibility that recorded estimates will change by material amounts in the near term. Certain types of payments by the Medicare program and state Medicaid programs (e.g. Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital, Medicare Allowable Bad Debts and Inpatient Psychiatric Services) are subject to retroactive adjustment in future periods as a result of administrative review and audit and our estimates may vary from the final settlements. Such amounts are included in accounts receivable, net, on our consolidated balance sheets. The funding of both federal Medicare and state Medicaid programs are subject to legislative and regulatory changes. As such, we cannot provide any assurance that future legislation and regulations, if enacted, will not have a material impact on our future Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Adjustments related to the final settlement of these retrospectively determined amounts did not materially impact our results in 2023, 2022 or 2021. If it were to occur, each 1% adjustment to our estimated net Medicare revenues that are subject to retrospective review and settlement as of December 31, 2023, would change our after-tax net income by approximately $2 million. Charity Care, Uninsured Discounts and Other Adjustments to Revenue: Collection of receivables from third-party payers and patients is our primary source of cash and is critical to our operating performance. Our primary collection risks relate to uninsured patients and the portion of the bill which is the patient’s responsibility, primarily co-payments and deductibles. We estimate our revenue adjustments for implicit price concessions based on general factors such as payer mix, the aging of the receivables and historical collection experience. We routinely review accounts receivable balances in conjunction with these factors and other economic conditions which might ultimately affect the collectability of the patient accounts and make adjustments to our allowances as warranted. At our acute care hospitals, third party liability accounts are pursued until all payment and adjustments are posted to the patient account. For those accounts with a patient balance after third party liability is finalized or accounts for uninsured patients, the patient receives statements and collection letters. Historically, a significant portion of the patients treated throughout our portfolio of acute care hospitals are uninsured patients which, in part, has resulted from patients who are employed but do not have health insurance or who have policies with relatively high deductibles. Patients treated at our hospitals for non-elective services, who have gross income of various amounts, dependent upon the state, ranging from 200% to 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, are deemed eligible for charity care. The federal poverty guidelines are established by the federal government and are based on income and family size. Because we do not pursue collection of amounts that qualify as charity care, the transaction price is fully adjusted and there is no impact in our net revenues or in our accounts receivable, net. A portion of the accounts receivable at our acute care facilities are comprised of Medicaid accounts that are pending approval from third-party payers but we also have smaller amounts due from other miscellaneous payers such as county indigent programs in certain states. Our patient registration process includes an interview of the patient or the patient’s responsible party at the time of registration. At that time, an insurance eligibility determination is made and an insurance plan code is assigned. There are various pre-established insurance profiles in our patient accounting system which determine the expected insurance reimbursement for each patient based on the insurance plan code assigned and the services rendered. Certain patients may be classified as Medicaid pending at registration based upon a screening evaluation if we are unable to definitively determine if they are currently Medicaid eligible. When a patient is registered as Medicaid eligible or Medicaid pending, our patient accounting system records net revenues for services provided to that patient based upon the established Medicaid reimbursement rates, subject to the ultimate disposition of the patient’s Medicaid eligibility. When the patient’s ultimate eligibility is determined, reclassifications may occur which impacts net revenues in future periods. Although the patient’s ultimate eligibility determination may result in adjustments to net revenues, these adjustments did not have a material impact on our results of operations in 2023 or 2022 since our facilities make estimates at each financial reporting period to adjust revenue based on historical collections. We also provide discounts to uninsured patients (included in “uninsured discounts” amounts below) who do not qualify for Medicaid or charity care. Because we do not pursue collection of amounts classified as uninsured discounts, the transaction price is fully adjusted and there is no impact in our net revenues or in our net accounts receivable. In implementing the discount policy, we first attempt to qualify uninsured patients for governmental programs, charity care or any other discount program. If an uninsured patient does not qualify for these programs, the uninsured discount is applied. 45 Uncompensated care (charity care and uninsured discounts): The following table shows the amounts recorded at our acute care hospitals for charity care and uninsured discounts, based on charges at established rates, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022: (dollar amounts in thousands) 2023 2022 Amount % Amount % Charity care $ 843,449 32 % $ 786,962 35 % Uninsured discounts 1,792,493 68 % 1,474,933 65 % Total uncompensated care $ 2,635,942 100 % $ 2,261,895 100 % The estimated cost of providing uncompensated care: The estimated cost 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 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. An increase in the level of uninsured patients to our facilities and the resulting adverse trends in the adjustments to net revenues and uncompensated care provided could have a material unfavorable impact on our future operating results. (amounts in thousands) 2023 2022 Estimated cost of providing charity care $ 83,383 $ 85,434 Estimated cost of providing uninsured discounts 177,206 160,122 Estimated cost of providing uncompensated care $ 260,589 $ 245,556 Self-Insured/Other Insurance Risks: We provide for self-insured risks, primarily general and professional liability claims, workers’ compensation claims and healthcare and dental claims. 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, estimate of incurred but not reported claims based on historical experience, and estimates of amounts recoverable under our commercial insurance policies. All relevant information, including our own historical experience is used in estimating the expected amount of claims. 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. Our estimated self-insured reserves are reviewed and changed, if necessary, at each reporting date and changes are recognized currently as additional expense or as a reduction of expense. In addition, we also: (i) own commercial health insurers headquartered in Nevada and Puerto Rico, and; (ii) maintain self-insured employee benefits programs for employee healthcare and dental claims. The ultimate costs related to these programs/operations include expenses for claims incurred and paid in addition to an accrual for the estimated expenses incurred in connection with claims incurred but not yet reported. Given our significant insurance-related exposure, 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. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Commitments and Contingencies for additional disclosure related to our self-insured general and professional liability and workers’ compensation liability. Long-Lived Assets: We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on our ability to recover the carrying value of our asset based on our estimate of its undiscounted future cash flow. If the analysis indicates that the carrying value is not recoverable from future cash flows, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value and an impairment loss is recognized. Fair values are determined based on estimated future cash flows using appropriate discount rates. Please see additional disclosure below in Provision for Asset Impairments . Goodwill and Intangible Assets: Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis or more often if indicators of impairment arise. Our judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on market conditions and operational performance of each reporting unit. We have designated October 1 st as our annual impairment assessment date for our goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. We performed an impairment assessment as of October 1, 2023 which indicated no impairment of goodwill. There was no goodwill impairment during 2022. Future changes in the estimates used to conduct the impairment review, including profitability and market value projections, could indicate impairment in future periods potentially resulting in a write-off of a portion or all of our goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets. 46 Income Taxes: Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the amount of taxes payable or deductible in future years as a result of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements. We believe that future income will enable us to realize our deferred tax assets net of recorded valuation allowances relating to state and foreign net operating loss carry-forwards, tax credits, and interest deduction limitations. Due to recent guidance and enacted laws surrounding the global 15% minimum tax rate that will be effective after 2024 from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") as well as jurisdictions that we operate in, we anticipate adverse effects to our provision for income taxes as well as cash taxes. We do not expect these adverse effects to be material and will continue to monitor changes in tax policies and laws issued by the OECD and jurisdictions that we operate in. We operate in multiple jurisdictions with varying tax laws. We are subject to audits by any of these taxing authorities. We believe that adequate accruals have been provided for federal, foreign and state taxes. See Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Income Taxes for additional disclosure of our effective tax rates. Recent Accounting Pronouncements: For a summary of recent accounting pronouncements, please see Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Standards as included in this Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Results of Operations Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses and Effects of Inflation: 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 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, moderated to a certain degree during 2023. 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. 47 The following table summarizes our results of operations, and is used in the discussion below, for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2023 2022 % of Net % of Net Amount Revenues Amount Revenues Net revenues $ 14,281,976 100.0 % $ 13,399,370 100.0 % Operating charges: Salaries, wages and benefits 7,107,484 49.8 % 6,762,256 50.5 % Other operating expenses 3,757,216 26.3 % 3,445,733 25.7 % Supplies expense 1,532,828 10.7 % 1,474,339 11.0 % Depreciation and amortization 568,041 4.0 % 581,861 4.3 % Lease and rental expense 141,026 1.0 % 131,626 1.0 % Subtotal-operating expenses 13,106,595 91.8 % 12,395,815 92.5 % Income from operations 1,175,381 8.2 % 1,003,555 7.5 % Interest expense, net 206,674 1.4 % 126,889 0.9 % Other (income) expense, net 28,281 0.2 % 10,406 0.1 % Income before income taxes 940,426 6.6 % 866,260 6.5 % Provision for income taxes 221,119 1.5 % 209,278 1.6 % Net income 719,307 5.0 % 656,982 4.9 % Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,512 0.0 % (18,627 ) -0.1 % Net income attributable to UHS $ 717,795 5.0 % $ 675,609 5.0 % Net revenues increased by 6.6%, or $883 million, to $14.28 billion during 2023 as compared to $13.40 billion during 2022. The increase in net revenues was primarily attributable to: • a $1.01 billion or 7.8% increase in net revenues generated from our acute care and behavioral health care operations owned during both periods (which we refer to as “same facility”), and; • $123 million of other combined net decreases including $162 million of decreased revenues at Desert Springs which discontinued all inpatient operations during the first quarter of 2023. Income before income taxes increased by $74 million to $940 million during 2023 as compared to $866 million during 2022. The increase was attributable to: • an increase of $111 million at our acute care facilities, as discussed below in Acute Care Hospital Services ; • an increase of $103 million at our behavioral health care facilities, as discussed below in Behavioral Health Services ; • a decrease of $80 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; • $60 million of other combined net decreases, including a $28 million increase in the unrealized loss in the market value of certain equity securities. Net income attributable to UHS increased by $42 million to $718 million during 2023 as compared to $676 million during 2022. This increase was attributable to: • an increase of $74 million in income before income taxes, as discussed above; • a decrease of $20 million due to an increase in the income attributable to noncontrolling interests, and; • a decrease of $12 million resulting from an increase in the provision for income taxes due primarily to the income tax expense recorded in connection with the $54 million increase in pre-tax income. Please see additional disclosure below in Other Operating Results-Provision for Income Taxes and Effective Tax Rates. 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 48 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, 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 2023 and $16 million during 2022. During 2023, approximately $18 million of the reserves increase is included in our Same Facility basis acute care hospitals services’ results, and approximately $7 million is included in our behavioral health services’ results. During 2022, approximately $10 million of the reserves increase 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 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 The following table sets forth certain operating statistics for our acute care hospital services for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Same Facility Basis All 2023 2022 2023 2022 Average licensed beds 6,604 6,640 6,691 6,923 Average available beds 6,432 6,468 6,519 6,751 Patient days 1,564,390 1,512,013 1,576,074 1,569,611 Average daily census 4,286.0 4,142.5 4,318.0 4,300.3 Occupancy-licensed beds 64.9 % 62.4 % 64.5 % 62.1 % Occupancy-available beds 66.6 % 64.0 % 66.2 % 63.7 % Admissions 319,829 300,507 322,218 311,537 Length of stay 4.9 5.0 4.9 5.0 Acute Care Hospital Services-Same Facility Basis 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 tables below also exclude from net revenues and other operating expenses, provider tax assessments incurred in each period as discussed below Sources of Revenue-Summary of 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 consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 49 The following table summarizes the results of operations for our acute care hospital services on a Same Facility basis and is used in the discussions below for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022 % of Net % of Net Amount Revenues Amount Revenues Net revenues $ 7,840,740 100.0 % $ 7,284,868 100.0 % Operating charges: Salaries, wages and benefits 3,363,213 42.9 % 3,225,039 44.3 % Other operating expenses 2,144,102 27.3 % 1,863,414 25.6 % Supplies expense 1,303,018 16.6 % 1,226,294 16.8 % Depreciation and amortization 358,308 4.6 % 369,493 5.1 % Lease and rental expense 95,565 1.2 % 85,915 1.2 % Subtotal-operating expenses 7,264,206 92.6 % 6,770,155 92.9 % Income from operations 576,534 7.4 % 514,713 7.1 % Interest (income) expense, net (2,501 ) 0.0 % 1,109 0.0 % Other (income) expense, net 6,099 0.1 % 1,493 0.0 % Income before income taxes $ 572,936 7.3 % $ 512,111 7.0 % During 2023, as compared to 2022, net revenues from our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $556 million or 7.6%. Income before income taxes (and before income attributable to noncontrolling interests) increased by $61 million, or 11.9%, amounting to $573 million, or 7.3% of net revenues during 2023, as compared to $512 million, or 7.0% of net revenues during 2022. During 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission decreased by 0.6% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased by 2.2%, as compared to 2022. During 2023, as compared to 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 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 2023, as compared to 2022, inpatient admissions to our acute care hospitals increased by 6.4% and adjusted admissions (adjusted for outpatient activity) increased by 7.6%. Patient days at these facilities increased by 3.5% and adjusted patient days increased by 4.7% during 2023, as compared to 2022. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 4.9 days during 2023 and 5.0 days during 2022. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 67% during 2023, as compared to 64% during 2022. On a Same Facility basis during 2023, as compared to 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $138 million, or 4.3%. As a percentage of net revenues, salaries, wages and benefits expense decreased to 42.9% during 2023 as compared to 44.3% during 2022. Other operating expenses increased $281 million, or 15.1%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. Operating expenses incurred by our commercial health insurer, consisting primarily of medical costs, increased approximately $40 million during 2023 as compared to 2022. Excluding the operating expenses incurred by our commercial health insurer, other operating expenses increased $241 million, or 16.4% during 2023 as compared to 2022. The increase during 2023, as compared to 2022, was due primarily to a $127 million, or 26.6%, increase in physician-related expenses (as discussed above in Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses and Effects of Inflation), as well as the expenses related to the increase in patient volumes. Supplies expense increased $77 million, or 6.3%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase was due, in part, to the increase in patient volumes experienced during 2023, as compared to 2022 . As a percentage of net revenues, supplies expense decreased to 16.6% during 2023 as compared to 16.8% during 2022. All Acute Care Hospital Services The following table summarizes the results of operations for all our acute care operations during 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 operating results of recently acquired/opened facilities, or divested/closed facilities, including the operating results and provision for asset impairment (recorded during 2022) for Desert Springs Hospital which discontinued all inpatient operations during the first quarter of 2023. Dollar amounts below are reflected in thousands. 50 Year Ended Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022 % of Net % of Net Amount Revenues Amount Revenues Net revenues $ 8,081,402 100.0 % $ 7,646,749 100.0 % Operating charges: Salaries, wages and benefits 3,406,060 42.1 % 3,332,535 43.6 % Other operating expenses 2,347,560 29.0 % 2,146,196 28.1 % Supplies expense 1,317,917 16.3 % 1,264,688 16.5 % Depreciation and amortization 367,644 4.5 % 383,115 5.0 % Lease and rental expense 96,589 1.2 % 86,654 1.1 % Subtotal-operating expenses 7,535,770 93.2 % 7,213,188 94.3 % Income from operations 545,632 6.8 % 433,561 5.7 % Interest (income) expense, net (2,501 ) 0.0 % 1,109 0.0 % Other (income) expense, net 7,788 0.1 % 2,788 0.0 % Income before income taxes $ 540,345 6.7 % $ 429,664 5.6 % During 2023, as compared to 2022, net revenues from our acute care hospital services increased by $435 million, or 5.7%, due to: (i) the $556 million, or 7.6% increase in Same Facility revenues, as discussed above, and; (ii) $121 million of other combined net decreases consisting primarily of decreased revenues at Desert Springs Hospital 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 $111 million, or 25.8%, to $540 million, or 6.7% of net revenues during 2023, as compared to $430 million, or 5.6% of net revenues during 2022. The $111 million increase in income before income taxes from our acute care hospital services resulted from the $61 million, or 12%, increase in income before income taxes at our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above, and $50 million of other combined net increases resulting primarily from decreased losses incurred at Desert Springs Hospital (a $58 million provision for asset impairment was recorded for Desert Springs Hospital during 2022). During 2023, as compared to 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $74 million, or 2.2%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $138 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by a combined net decrease of $64 million resulting primarily from decreased salaries, wages and benefits expense related to Desert Springs Hospital. Other operating expenses increased $201 million, or 9.4%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase was due primarily to the $281 million above-mentioned increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by a combined net decrease of $80 million resulting primarily from decreased operating expenses related to Desert Springs Hospital (2022 included a $58 million provision for asset impairment). Supplies expense increased by $53 million, or 4.2%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $77 million increase related to our acute care hospital services, on a Same Facility basis, partially offset by a combined net decrease of $24 million resulting primarily from decreased supplies expense related to Desert Springs Hospital. Please see Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses and Effects of Inflation above for additional disclosure regarding the factors impacting our operating costs. Behavioral Health Care Services The following table sets forth certain operating statistics for our behavioral health care services for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Same Facility Basis All 2023 2022 2023 2022 Average licensed beds 24,016 24,014 24,224 24,259 Average available beds 23,916 23,914 24,124 24,159 Patient days 6,289,388 6,175,143 6,336,927 6,230,124 Average daily census 17,231.2 16,918.2 17,361.4 17,068.8 Occupancy-licensed beds 71.7 % 70.5 % 71.7 % 70.4 % Occupancy-available beds 72.0 % 70.7 % 72.0 % 70.7 % Admissions 468,131 454,441 472,307 459,245 Length of stay 13.4 13.6 13.4 13.6 51 Behavioral Health Care Services-Same Facility Basis 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 excludes from net revenues and other operating expenses, provider tax assessments incurred in each period as discussed below Sources of Revenue-Summary of 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 consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following table summarizes the results of operations for our behavioral health care services, on a same facility basis, and is used in the discussions below for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands): Year Ended Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022 % of Net % of Net Amount Revenues Amount Revenues Net revenues $ 6,048,883 100.0 % $ 5,598,764 100.0 % Operating charges: Salaries, wages and benefits 3,343,222 55.3 % 3,088,108 55.2 % Other operating expenses 1,163,365 19.2 % 1,078,918 19.3 % Supplies expense 216,879 3.6 % 210,903 3.8 % Depreciation and amortization 187,105 3.1 % 184,684 3.3 % Lease and rental expense 43,785 0.7 % 41,951 0.7 % Subtotal-operating expenses 4,954,356 81.9 % 4,604,564 82.2 % Income from operations 1,094,527 18.1 % 994,200 17.8 % Interest expense, net 4,434 0.1 % 5,169 0.1 % Other (income) expense, net (3,426 ) -0.1 % (6,343 ) -0.1 % Income before income taxes $ 1,093,519 18.1 % $ 995,374 17.8 % During 2023, as compared to 2022, net revenues from our behavioral health services, on a Same Facility basis, increased by $450 million or 8.0%. Income before income taxes increased by $98 million, or 9.9%, amounting to $1.094 billion or 18.1% of net revenues during 2023, as compared to $995 million or 17.8% of net revenues during 2022. During 2023, net revenue per adjusted admission increased by 4.7% while net revenue per adjusted patient day increased by 5.9%, as compared to 2022. During 2023, as compared to 2022, inpatient admissions and adjusted admissions to our behavioral health care hospitals increased by 3.0% and 3.2%, respectively. Patient days at these facilities increased by 1.9% and adjusted patient days increased by 2.1% during 2023, as compared to 2022. The average length of inpatient stay at these facilities was 13.4 days and 13.6 days during 2023 and 2022, respectively. The occupancy rate, based on the average available beds at these facilities, was 72% and 71% during 2023 and 2022, respectively. On a Same Facility basis during 2023, as compared to 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased $255 million or 8.3%. The increase during 2023, as compared to 2022, was due to a 4.1% increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense per average full-time equivalent employee, as well as a 4.0% 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 year, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased slightly to 55.3% during 2023 as compared to 55.2% during 2022. Other operating expenses increased $84 million, or 7.8%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase during 2023, as compared to 2022, was due, in part, to increased patient volumes. As a percentage of net revenues during each year, other operating expenses decreased slightly to 19.2% during 2023 as compared to 19.3% during 2022. Supplies expense increased $6 million, or 2.8%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. 52 All Behavioral Health Care Services The following table summarizes the results of operations for all our behavioral health care services during 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, if applicable, including the results of facilities acquired or opened during the past year as well as the results of certain facilities that were closed or restructured during the past year. Dollar amounts below are reflected in thousands. Year Ended Year Ended December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022 % of Net % of Net Amount Revenues Amount Revenues Net revenues $ 6,190,921 100.0 % $ 5,729,758 100.0 % Operating charges: Salaries, wages and benefits 3,353,008 54.2 % 3,107,216 54.2 % Other operating expenses 1,303,311 21.1 % 1,201,563 21.0 % Supplies expense 217,310 3.5 % 211,786 3.7 % Depreciation and amortization 189,297 3.1 % 186,555 3.3 % Lease and rental expense 44,028 0.7 % 43,868 0.8 % Subtotal-operating expenses 5,106,954 82.5 % 4,750,988 82.9 % Income from operations 1,083,967 17.5 % 978,770 17.1 % Interest expense, net 4,558 0.1 % 5,323 0.1 % Other (income) expense, net (4,271 ) -0.1 % (6,843 ) -0.1 % Income before income taxes $ 1,083,680 17.5 % $ 980,290 17.1 % During 2023, as compared to 2022, net revenues generated from our behavioral health services increased by $461 million, or 8.0%. The increase was primarily attributable to the $450 million, or 8.0%, increase in net revenues at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above. Income before income taxes increased by $103 million, or 11%, to $1.084 billion or 17.5% of net revenues during 2023, as compared to $980 million or 17.1% of net revenues during 2022. The increase in income before income taxes at our behavioral health facilities during 2023, as compared to 2022, was primarily attributable to the $98 million, or 10%, increase in income before income taxes generated at our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as discussed above. During 2023, as compared to 2022, salaries, wages and benefits expense increased by $246 million or 7.9%. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $255 million, or 8.3%, increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis. Other operating expenses increased by $102 million, or 8.5%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase was due primarily to the above-mentioned $84 million, or 7.8%, increase related to our behavioral health facilities, on a Same Facility basis, as well as a $23 million increase in provider tax assessments. Supplies expense increased $6 million, or 2.6%, during 2023, as compared to 2022. Please see Results of Operations - Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses and Effects of Inflation above for additional disclosure regarding the factors impacting our operating costs. 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 53 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 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 54 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 10 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 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 55 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 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 56 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 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, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Florida, Massachusetts and Virginia. 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. 57 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. Summary of Various State Medicaid Supplemental Payment Programs: The following table summarizes the revenues, healthcare provider taxes (“Provider Taxes”) and net benefit related to each of the above-mentioned Medicaid supplemental programs for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Provider Taxes are recorded in other operating expenses on the consolidated statements of income as included herein. (amounts in millions) Estimated 2024 2023 2022 Texas Supplemental Payment Programs: Revenues $ 300 $ 247 $ 285 Provider Taxes (120 ) (82 ) (110 ) Net benefit $ 180 $ 165 $ 175 Nevada SDP: Revenues $ 265 $ 13 $ 0 Provider Taxes (107 ) (4 ) 0 Net benefit $ 158 $ 9 $ 0 Various Other State Programs: Revenues $ 662 $ 593 $ 499 Provider Taxes (246 ) (211 ) (177 ) Net benefit $ 416 $ 382 $ 322 Subtotal-Provider Tax Programs: Revenues $ 1,227 $ 853 $ 784 Provider Taxes (473 ) (297 ) (287 ) Aggregate net benefit from Provider Tax Programs $ 754 $ 556 $ 497 Texas, Nevada and South Carolina DSH/SPA Programs: Revenues $ 55 $ 73 $ 75 Provider Taxes 0 0 0 Net benefit $ 55 $ 73 $ 75 Total Supplemental Medicaid Programs: Revenues $ 1,282 $ 926 $ 859 Provider Taxes (473 ) (297 ) (287 ) Aggregate net benefit from all Supplemental Programs $ 809 $ 629 $ 572 Texas Supplemental Payment Programs: Certain of our acute care hospitals located in various counties of Texas participate in Medicaid supplemental payment Section 1115 Waiver indigent care programs. The 1115 Waiver has been approved by CMS through September 30, 2030. 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. CHIRP (including QIF) On March 26, 2021, THHSC published a final rule that will apply to program periods on or after September 1, 2021, and Uniform Hospital Rate Increase Program ("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 58 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. On January 26, 2024, THHSC issued a final rule that will modify the CHIRP payments beginning with the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 rate period to promote the advancement of the quality goals and strategies the program is designed to advance. The final modifications include: • Creation of a new a pay-for-performance incentive payment through a third component in CHIRP, the Alternate Participating Hospital Reimbursement for Improving Quality Award ("APHRIQA"). For state fiscal years beginning with SFY 2025, THHSC does not anticipate that behavioral health hospitals or rural hospitals will be included in a pay-for-performance program. • The funds for payment of the APHRIQA component will be transitioned from the existing uniform rate increase components of the UHRIP and the Average Commercial Incentive Award and will be paid using a scorecard that directs managed care organizations to pay providers for performance achievements on quality outcome measures. Payments will be distributed under APHRIQA on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis that aligns with the measurement period determined for quality metrics reporting. We cannot determine the impact of this final rule. However, CHIRP payment levels could be reduced materially if: (1) the pool size of the new APHRIQA component is materially less than THHSC carve-out of the current CHIRP pool, or; (2) if our hospitals are not able meet the required APHRIQA pay-for-performance metrics. Certain of our acute care hospitals located in Texas recorded an aggregate of $33 million in Quality Incentive Fund (“QIF”) revenues during each of 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 CHIRP payments are less than targeted CHIRP payments for a specific rate year. We also anticipate these hospitals may be entitled to a comparable amount of aggregate QIF revenue during 2024. UC Included in these provider pax programs are reimbursements received in connection with the Texas Uncompensated Care program ("UC"). The size and distribution of the UC pool are determined based on charity care costs reported to THHSC in accordance with Medicare cost report Worksheet S-10 principles. HARP 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 2023 was approximately $20 million, approximately $13 million of which is applicable to the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. During 2024, we expect to record HARP revenues of approximately $28 million. The HARP program is technically a Medicaid Upper Payment Limit as payment under this program is based on a reasonable estimate of the amount that would be paid for the services under Medicare payment principles but is referred to as HARP by THHSC. DSRIP In addition, the Texas Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver included a Delivery System Reform Incentive Payments ("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 2022, was approximately $18 million of DSRIP revenues. Nevada State Directed Payment Program ("SDP"): As previously reported, in February, 2023, the Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (“DHCFP”) 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 program. In late December, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) approved the Medicaid managed care component of the Nevada SDP program, with an effective date of January 1, 2024. Based upon financial data provided by the DHCFP for our facilities located in Nevada, we estimate that our aggregate net 59 reimbursements pursuant to the Medicaid managed care component of the Nevada SDP program (net of related provider taxes) will approximate $140 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Payments made pursuant to this component of the Nevada SDP program, which requires annual approval by CMS, are subject to reconciliation by DHCFP based on actual Medicaid managed care utilization during 2024. There can be no assurance that the Medicaid managed care component of the Nevada SDP will continue for any period after December 31, 2024, or that it will not be modified. Including the impact of the Medicaid fee for service upper payment limit component of the Nevada SDP program (estimated net reimbursements of $18 million attributable to our Nevada facilities during the year ended December 31, 2024), which was approved by CMS in November and December of 2023, we estimate that our aggregate net reimbursements pursuant to both components of the Nevada SDP program (net of related provider taxes) will approximate $158 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Various Other State Programs: We receive substantial reimbursement from multiple states in connection with various supplemental Medicaid payment programs. The states include, but are not limited to, the state programs listed below from which we receive significant reimbursements. Kentucky Hospital Rate Increase Program (“HRIP”): In early 2021, CMS approved the Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care Hospital Rate Increase Program (“HRIP”). Included in our financial results was approximately $73 million during 2023 and approximately $69 million during 2022, Programs such as HRIP require an annual state submission and approval by CMS. In January, 2024, CMS approved the program for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 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, 2024. 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, 2024 Approved through December 31, 2024; Paid through December 31, 2022 Managed Care-Pass-Through Payment Approved through December 31, 2022 Approved through December 31, 2021 and paid in advance through December 31, 2022 Managed Care-Directed Payment Approved through December 31, 2022 Approved through December 31, 2021 and paid through December 31, 2021 In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $46 million during 2023 and approximately $50 million during 2022. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $51 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. 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 (“MHAP”), 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. In December, 2023, CMS approved the MHAP program component. In connection with this new program and the prior program, included in our financial results was approximately $33 million during 2023 and $16 million during 2022. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to these supplemental payment programs will approximate $45 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. 60 Florida Medicaid Managed Care Directed Payment Program (“DPP”): The Florida DPP provides for an additional payment for Medicaid managed care contracted services. In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $43 million during 2023 and $36 million during 2022 (recorded during fourth quarters of each year). We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this DPP will approximate $41 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. 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. These programs require various related legislative and regulatory approvals each year. In connection with these programs, included in our financial results was approximately $36 million during 2023 and $49 million during 2022 . Included in the 2022 amount was a non-recurring Medicaid managed care claims processing catchup payment amounting to approximately $10 million. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to these supplemental payment programs will approximate $38 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Indiana Medicaid Managed Care DPP The Indiana DPP provides for an additional payment for Medicaid managed care contracted services. In connection with this program, included in our financial results was approximately $31 million during 2023 and $27 million during 2022 . We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $34 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Oklahoma (Transition to Managed Care and Implementation of a Medicaid Managed Care DPP) The current Oklahoma Medicaid supplemental payment program in effect, prior to the planned implementation of the new DPP in 2024, is the Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program (“SHOPP”). The SHOPP component will remain in place for certain categories of Medicaid patients that will continue to be enrolled in the traditional Medicaid Fee for Service program. In May, 2022, Oklahoma enacted legislation 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 90% of 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. In connection with the SHOPP program, included in our financial results was approximately $12 million during 2023 and $9 million during 2022. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to these two supplemental payment programs (i.e. SHOPP and DPP) will approximate $21 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. 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. In connection with this new program and the prior program, included in our financial results was approximately $11 million during 2023. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to these supplemental payment programs will approximate $21 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Texas, Nevada and South Carolina DSH/Other Programs: Texas DSH: Upon meeting certain conditions and serving a disproportionately high share of Texas’ low income patients, our qualifying facilities located in Texas receive additional reimbursement from the 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). In connection with this DSH program, included in our financial results was an aggregate of approximately $47 million and $48 million during 2023 and 2022, respectively. We estimate that our aggregate reimbursements earned pursuant to the Texas DSH program will approximate $34 million during 2024. 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, 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 Texas could be reduced by approximately 41% from current DSH payment levels. A series of federal continuing resolutions ("CR") were passed by the federal government which provided for ongoing federal funding. 61 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 December 31, 2023 and $42 million as of December 31, 2022 related to certain DSH and UC adverse federal court decisions including the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas v. Azar (“CHAT”). Nevada 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 $25 million and $21 million during 2023 and 2022, respectively. We estimate that our reimbursements pursuant to this program will approximate $21 million during 2024. South Carolina DSH: One of our facilities located in South Carolina received additional reimbursement from the state’s DSH fund. However, the South Carolina HAWQ Program, as described above, ended our DSH payment eligibility in the South Carolina DSH program during 2023. In connection with this DSH program, included in our financial results was approximately $6 million during 2022. 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 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 years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. 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. 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 cause our estimates to differ by material amounts which 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. We receive Medicaid SDP payments from managed care organizations (“MCO’s”) authorized by CMS under 42 CFR §438.6 (c). Consistent with capitated rates paid by Medicaid state agencies to MCO’s for managing Medicaid beneficiary lives under a risk-based arrangement, SDP program related capitated rates must also be developed by the state in accordance with actuarial soundness standards noted at 42 CFR §438.4 and non-compliance could result in a reduction to SDP payment levels. We incur 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 that are used by respective states to finance the non-federal share of SDP’s (or other Medicaid supplemental payment programs). 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 supplemental payment programs. States are subject to CMS both concurrent and retrospective review for their compliance with the applicable Provider Tax regulations and related federal statute. If CMS determines Provider Taxes used by a state Medicaid program to finance the non-federal share of a SDP (or other Medicaid supplemental payment programs) are not in compliance with the applicable Provider Tax regulations and related federal statute, Company SDP payments (and other Medicaid supplemental payments) could be subject to recoupment by the respective state agency when non-compliance is determined by CMS to exist. We believe that the SDP (and other state supplemental payment) programs are designed by each state to be in full compliance with the applicable federal regulations and federal statutes. However, we are unable to provide assurance CMS will determine on a 62 retroactive basis that a state’s SDP (or other Medicaid supplemental payment program) design and Medicaid financing structures is in full compliance with the applicable federal regulations and federal statute(s). On April 27, 2023, CMS released two proposed rules addressing access, quality and payment in Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program ("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. 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, if implemented as proposed, Managed Care Rule related changes could have a material adverse impact on our future results of operations. 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 63 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 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. The most recent CR (H.R. 2872) enacted into law on January 17, 2024, funds four appropriations bills through March 1, 2024, and eight appropriations bills through March 8, 2024. This CR also delayed the aforementioned Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital cuts through March 8, 2024.  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. In FFY 2024, as part of the FFY 2024 IPPS final rule, CMS removed the budget neutral policy that was in place in FFY 2022 and FFY 2023. 64 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. In FFY 2024, as part of the FFY 2024 IPPS final rule, CMS eliminated the suppression of the applicable HAC measures and as a result reinstated the HAC reduction program. 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 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 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: (i) Waivers and Flexibilities for hospitals and other healthcare facilities including those for physical environment requirements and certain Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act provisions; (ii) Provider Enrollment Flexibilities; (iii) Flexibility and Relief for State Medicaid Programs including those under section 1135 Waivers, and; (iv) Suspension of Certain Enforcement Activities. In addition to the national emergency declaration, various forms of legislation were enacted 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, provided 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 65 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 • Up to its expiration on May 11, 2023, the PHE provided for certain Medicare payment provisions that were contingent on the PHE including the twenty percent (20%) Medicare add-on for inpatient hospital COVID-19 patients noted below. Reimburse hospitals at Medicare rates for uncompensated COVID-19 care for the uninsured • Our financial results for 2023 included no revenues recorded in connection with the COVID-19 uninsured program while our financial results for 2022 included revenues of approximately $22 million. • 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 2023 included no revenues recorded in connection with the Medicare sequestration relief program while our financial results for 2022 included revenues of approximately $17 million. 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 recorded in connection with the COVID-19 add-on program amounting to approximately $6 million during 2023 and $30 million during 2022. 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. 66 Other Operating Results Interest Expense As reflected on the schedule below, interest expense was $207 million during 2023 and $127 million during 2022 (amounts in thousands): 2023 2022 Revolving credit & demand notes (a.) $ 23,139 $ 9,791 Tranche A term loan facility (a.) 155,673 68,782 $800 million, 2.65% Senior Notes due 2030 (b.) 21,426 21,426 $700 million, 1.65% Senior Notes due 2026 (c.) 11,725 11,725 $500 million, 2.65% Senior Notes due 2032 (d.) 13,380 13,380 Accounts receivable securitization program (e.) — 39 Subtotal - revolving credit, demand notes, Senior Notes, term loan facilities and accounts receivable securitization program 225,343 125,143 Amortization of financing fees 5,035 4,903 Other combined interest expense 1,290 5,844 Capitalized interest on major projects (24,422 ) (8,623 ) Interest income (572 ) (378 ) Interest expense, net $ 206,674 $ 126,889 (a.) As of December 31, 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 December 31, 2023, had $701 million of aggregate available borrowing capacity net of $496 million of outstanding borrowings and $3 million of letters of credit), and; • a tranche A term loan facility with $2.26 billion of outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 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 by $80 million during 2023 to $207 million as compared to $127 million during 2022. The increase was primarily due to: (i) a net $102 million increase in aggregate interest expense on our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan facilities and accounts receivable securitization program, resulting from an increase in our aggregate average cost of borrowings pursuant to these facilities (4.8% during 2023 as compared to 2.8% during 2022), as well as an increase in the aggregate average outstanding borrowings ($4.63 billion during 2023 as compared to $4.40 billion during 2022), partially offset by; (ii) a net $22 million decrease in other combined interest expenses, including a $16 million increase in capitalized interest on major projects. The average effective interest rate, including amortization of deferred financing costs, original issue discount and designated interest rate swap expense/income, on borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit, demand notes, senior notes, term loan A facility and accounts receivable securitization program, which amounted to approximately $4.63 billion during 2023 and $4.40 billion during 2022, were 4.9% during 2023 and 2.9% during 2022. Provision for Asset Impairments Our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, include a pre-tax provision for asset impairment of approximately $58 million, which is included in other operating expenses on the accompanying consolidated statements of income, to write-down the asset value of Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center, a 282-bed acute care hospital located in Las Vegas, Nevada. In early 2023, as a result of various competitive pressures and operational challenges experienced in the market, which had a significant unfavorable impact on the hospital's results of operations during the past year, as well as physical plant constraints and limitations resulting from the advanced age of the facility (which opened in 1971), we announced plans to discontinue all inpatient operations by March of 2023. For a period of time, we plan to continue providing emergency department services within a portion of the existing facility while we construct a new free-standing emergency department on the hospital's campus. The provision for asset impairment reduced the asset values of the facility's real estate and equipment to their estimated fair values. 67 During 2021, in connection with the discontinuation of a certain module of a new clinical/financial information technology application under development, our financial results included a pre-tax provision for asset impairment of approximately $14 million to write-off the applicable portion of the capitalized costs incurred and is included in other operating expenses on the accompanying consolidated statements of income. 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 each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollar amounts in thousands): 2023 2022 Provision for income taxes $ 221,119 $ 209,278 Income before income taxes 940,426 866,260 Effective tax rate 23.5 % 24.2 % The provision for income taxes increased $12 million during 2023, as compared to 2022, due primarily to the income tax provision recorded in connection with the $54 million increase in pre-tax income ($74 million increase in income before income taxes partially offset by a $20 million increase in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests). Due to recent guidance and enacted laws surrounding the global 15% minimum tax rate that will be effective after 2024 from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") as well as jurisdictions that we operate in, we anticipate adverse effects to our provision for income taxes as well as cash taxes. We do not expect these adverse effects to be material and will continue to monitor changes in tax policies and laws issued by the OECD and jurisdictions that we operate in. Effects of Inflation and Seasonality Seasonality —Our acute care services business is typically seasonal, with higher patient volumes and net patient service revenue in the first and fourth quarters of the year. This seasonality occurs because, generally, more people become ill during the winter months, which results in significant increases in the number of patients treated in our hospitals during those months. Inflation — See disclosure above in Results of Operations-Clinical Staffing, Physician Related Expenses and Effects of Inflation. Liquidity Year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to December 31, 2022: Net cash provided by operating activities Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.268 billion during 2023 as compared to $996 million during 2022. The net increase of $272 million was primarily attributable to the following: • a favorable change of $114 million from other working capital accounts due primarily to the timing of disbursements for accrued compensation and certain other accrued liabilities; • a favorable change of $76 million in accounts receivable; • a favorable change of $29 million in other assets and deferred charges, and; • $53 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 year. The result is divided into the accounts receivable balance at the end of the year. Our DSO were 57 days at December 31, 2023 and 55 days at December 31, 2022. Net cash used in investing activities Net cash used in investing activities was $763 million during 2023 and $647 million during 2022. 2023: The $763 million of net cash used in investing activities during 2023 consisted of: • $743 million spent on capital expenditures including capital expenditures for equipment, renovations and new projects at various existing facilities; • $41 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; • $24 million of proceeds received from sales of assets and businesses, and; 68 • $4 million spent on the acquisition of businesses and property. 2022: The $647 million of net cash used in investing activities during 2022 consisted of: • $734 million spent on capital expenditures including capital expenditures for equipment, renovations and new projects at various existing facilities; • $95 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; • $20 million spent on the acquisition of businesses and property, and; • $12 million of proceeds received from sales of assets and businesses. Net cash used in financing activities Net cash used in financing activities was $494 million during 2023 and $318 million during 2022. 2023: The $494 million of net cash used in financing activities during 2023 consisted of the following: • generated $185 million of proceeds from additional borrowings pursuant to our revolving credit facility; • spent $547 million to repurchase shares of our Class B Common Stock in connection with: (i) open market purchases pursuant to our stock repurchase program ($524 million), and; (ii) income tax withholding obligations related to stock-based compensation programs ($23 million); • spent $85 million on net repayment of debt as follows: (i) $79 million related to our tranche A term loan facility, and; (ii) $6 million related to other debt facilities; • spent $55 million to pay quarterly cash dividends of $.20 per share; • generated $14 million from the issuance of shares of our Class B Common Stock pursuant to the terms of employee stock purchase plans; • spent $7 million to pay profit distributions related to noncontrolling interests in majority owned businesses, and; • received $3 million for the purchase of minority ownership interests in majority owned businesses. 2022: The $318 million of net cash used in financing activities during 2022 consisted of the following: • generated $705 million of proceeds from new borrowings consisting primarily of $700 million of proceeds generated from the new tranche A term loan facility which commenced in June, 2022; • spent $833 million to repurchase shares of our Class B Common Stock in connection with: (i) open market purchases pursuant to our stock repurchase program ($811 million), and; (ii) income tax withholding obligations related to stock-based compensation programs ($22 million); • spent $89 million on net repayment of debt as follows: (i) $51 million related to our tranche A term loan facility; (ii) $32 million related to our revolving credit facility, and; (iii) $6 million related to other debt facilities; • spent $58 million to pay quarterly cash dividends of $.20 per share; • 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 the George Washington University Hospital (we now own 100% of the hospital); • generated $14 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. 2024 Expected Capital Expenditures: During 2024, we expect to spend approximately $850 million to $1.000 billion on capital expenditures which includes expenditures for capital equipment, construction of new facilities, and renovations and expansions at existing hospitals. 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. 69 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 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 December 31, 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 December 31, 2023, had $701 million of aggregate available borrowing capacity net of $496 million of outstanding borrowings and $3 million of letters of credit), and; • a tranche A term loan facility with $2.26 billion of outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2023. The tranche A term loan facility provides for installment payments of $30.0 million per quarter 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 December 31, 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 December 31, 2023 and 2022. The average amounts outstanding under our Credit Agreement were $2.629 billion during 2023, $2.396 billion during 2022 and $2.214 billion during 2021. The average effective interest rate on borrowings under our Credit Agreement, including amortization of deferred financing costs, were 6.80% during 2023, 3.33% during 2022 and 1.69% during 2021. 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 December 31, 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. 70 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 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. As discussed in Note 9 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.