Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Revenues:
Net patient revenues	$ 254,817,000	$ 227,383,000	$ 708,648,000	$ 697,149,000
Other revenues	11,491,000	11,111,000	33,916,000	34,463,000
Government stimulus income	10,429,000	12,132,000	48,304,000	36,780,000
Net operating revenues and grant income	276,737,000	250,626,000	790,868,000	768,392,000
Costs and expenses:
Salaries, wages, and benefits	159,305,000	151,564,000	461,239,000	455,947,000
Other operating	84,039,000	70,887,000	226,235,000	213,416,000
Facility rent	10,204,000	10,320,000	30,437,000	30,972,000
Depreciation and amortization	10,229,000	10,548,000	30,521,000	31,531,000
Interest	198,000	285,000	657,000	1,150,000
Total costs and expenses	263,975,000	243,604,000	749,089,000	733,016,000
Income from operations	12,762,000	7,022,000	41,779,000	35,376,000
Other income:
Non–operating income	3,399,000	6,478,000	15,245,000	18,870,000
Gains on acquisitions of equity method investments	0	0	95,202,000	1,708,000
Unrealized losses on marketable equity securities	(23,797,000)	(241,000)	(23,227,000)	(40,580,000)
Income/(loss) before income taxes	(7,636,000)	13,259,000	128,999,000	15,374,000
Income tax (provision)/benefit	4,090,000	(391,000)	(5,907,000)	(800,000)
Net income/(loss)	(3,546,000)	12,868,000	123,092,000	14,574,000
Net (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	198,000	(19,000)	(290,000)	(253,000)
Net income/(loss) attributable to National HealthCare Corporation	$ (3,348,000)	$ 12,849,000	$ 122,802,000	$ 14,321,000
Earnings/(loss) per share attributable to National HealthCare Corporation stockholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.22)	$ 0.84	$ 8.00	$ 0.94
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.22)	$ 0.84	$ 7.97	$ 0.93
Basic (in shares)	15,364,043	15,310,754	15,347,042	15,304,235
Diluted (in shares)	15,364,043	15,371,311	15,414,683	15,368,775
Dividends declared to common stockholders, per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.52	$ 1.56	$ 1.56