CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 133,603	$ 295,586
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $238,574 and $235,747 at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	929,966	867,010
Inventories	89,817	93,050
Deferred income taxes	158,676	174,209
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	97,810	90,950
Current assets held for sale	47,294	40,192
Total current assets	1,457,166	1,560,997
Property, plant and equipment, net	753,936	755,831
Goodwill	5,630,102	5,535,848
Intangible assets, net	899,423	872,172
Other assets	212,722	204,631
Non-current assets held for sale	352,815	354,384
Total assets	9,306,164	9,283,863
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	935,018	1,016,191
Short-term borrowings and current portion of long-term debt	254,420	9,404
Current liabilities held for sale	18,778	22,008
Total current liabilities	1,208,216	1,047,603
Long-term debt	3,146,783	3,354,173
Other liabilities	663,449	635,558
Non-current liabilities held for sale	60,363	60,800
Quest Diagnostics stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share; 600,000 shares authorized at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012; 215,321 shares and 215,075 shares issued at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	2,153	2,151
Additional paid-in capital	2,364,695	2,370,677
Retained earnings	4,778,602	4,690,378
Accumulated other comprehensive income	10,095	14,320
Treasury stock, at cost; 57,411 shares and 56,744 shares at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	(2,955,596)	(2,914,479)
Total Quest Diagnostics stockholders' equity	4,199,949	4,163,047
Noncontrolling interests	27,404	22,682
Total stockholders' equity	4,227,353	4,185,729
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 9,306,164	$ 9,283,863