Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net income	$ 57,957,000	$ 64,072,000	$ 52,695,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	29,792,000	28,901,000	27,141,000
Provision for doubtful accounts receivable	2,455,000	2,430,000	2,256,000
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated investments	(13,616,000)	(9,674,000)	(8,993,000)
Distributions from unconsolidated investments	6,317,000	10,828,000	6,462,000
Recovery of assets in acquisition of healthcare centers			(3,563,000)
Gains on sale of marketable securities	(1,640,000)	(754,000)	(891,000)
Deferred income taxes	558,000	1,990,000	3,505,000
Stock-based compensation	2,366,000	2,751,000	321,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of the effect of acquisitions:
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	(7,636,000)	(7,830,000)	(2,509,000)
Accounts receivable	(7,263,000)	5,032,000	(15,817,000)
Income tax receivable	537,000	(3,779,000)	3,470,000
Inventories	759,000	434,000	(372,000)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(77,000)	169,000	(166,000)
Trade accounts payable	831,000	(1,113,000)	(352,000)
Accrued payroll	(16,418,000)	2,008,000	5,205,000
Amounts due to third party payors	481,000	(860,000)	(891,000)
Other current liabilities and accrued risk reserves	11,675,000	(9,129,000)	(103,000)
Other noncurrent liabilities	(2,354,000)	(2,617,000)	(3,772,000)
Deferred revenue	(31,000)	(35,000)	(265,000)
Net cash provided by operating activities	64,693,000	82,824,000	63,361,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Additions to and acquisitions of property and equipment	(22,003,000)	(23,372,000)	(32,293,000)
Acquisition of non-controlling interest in hospice business	(7,500,000)	(7,500,000)
Acquisition of homecare business			(14,342,000)
Collections of notes receivable, net	660,000	1,222,000	1,300,000
Decrease in restricted cash and cash equivalents	46,660,000	9,235,000	47,451,000
Purchases of marketable securities	(111,691,000)	(57,597,000)	(93,305,000)
Sale of marketable securities	62,649,000	46,266,000	43,849,000
Cash acquired in acquisition of facilities			989,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(31,225,000)	(31,746,000)	(46,351,000)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Tax (expense) benefit from stock-based compensation	(267,000)	(52,000)	154,000
Dividends paid to preferred stockholders	(8,671,000)	(8,671,000)	(8,673,000)
Dividends paid to common stockholders	(30,849,000)	(15,952,000)	(14,780,000)
Issuance of common shares	13,412,000	8,392,000	2,655,000
Repurchase of common shares			(5,944,000)
Entrance fee refunds	(1,630,000)	(2,170,000)	(957,000)
(Increase) decrease in deposits	230,000	(95,000)	21,000
Other			(30,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(27,775,000)	(18,548,000)	(27,554,000)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	5,693,000	32,530,000	(10,544,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period	61,008,000	28,478,000	39,022,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period	66,701,000	61,008,000	28,478,000
Supplemental Information:
Cash payments for interest	383,000	501,000	658,000
Cash payments for income taxes	34,142,000	40,798,000	22,969,000
Effective January 1, 2012, NHC assigned the assets and liabilities of eight Solaris Hospice programs to Caris in exchange for an additional limited partnership interest.
Current assets assigned	1,862,000
Property and equipment assigned	303,000
Current liabilities assigned	(799,000)
Goodwill	2,945,000
Investment in limited liability company	(4,311,000)
Effective December 1, 2010, NHC acquired the assets and assumed certain liabilities of two 120-bed long-term health care centers. The consideration given was first mortgage bonds owned by NHC.
Real and personal property			(4,873,000)
Current assets acquired			(1,958,000)
Current liabilities acquired			1,623,000
First mortgage revenue bonds			1,645,000
Gain on recovery of assets			$ 3,563,000