Note 8 - Investments in Marketable Securities (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]

Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]

	March 31, 2014				December 31, 2013
(in thousands)	Amortized Cost		Fair Value		Amortized Cost		Fair Value
Investments available for sale:
Marketable equity securities	$	30,176	$	113,461	$	30,176	$	105,009
Restricted investments available for sale:
Corporate debt securities		66,442		66,122		65,852		65,006
Commercial mortgage–backed securities		54,003		53,253		46,977		45,856
U.S. Treasury securities		12,389		12,326		22,932		22,841
State and municipal securities		8,115		8,377		8,123		8,300
	$	171,125	$	253,539	$	174,060	$	247,012

Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

	March 31, 2014						December 31, 2013
	Shares		Cost		Fair Value		Shares		Cost		Fair Value
NHI Common Stock		1,630,642	$	24,734	$	98,589		1,630,642	$	24,734	$	91,479

Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]

	March 31, 2014				December 31, 2013
(in thousands)	Cost		Fair Value		Cost		Fair Value
Maturities:
Within 1 year	$	9,328	$	9,363	$	9,279	$	9,324
1 to 5 years		89,786		90,276		91,787		92,011
6 to 10 years		38,154		37,070		40,387		38,335
Over 10 years		3,681		3,369		2,431		2,333
	$	140,949	$	140,078	$	143,884	$	142,003