Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended						0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 17, 2010	Jan. 03, 2010	Nov. 30, 2012 Banner Health [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Banner Health [Member]	May 31, 2012 MP Healthcare Partners [Member]	May 31, 2012 MP Healthcare Partners [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Home Health [Member] Louisiana [Member] Branch	Sep. 30, 2012 Home Health and Hospice [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Home Health and Hospice [Member] Louisiana [Member]	Jan. 30, 2010 Home Health Iowa Branch [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Hospice [Member] Louisiana [Member] Branch	Aug. 31, 2012 Family Home Care [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 North Mississippi Hospice [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 North Mississippi Hospice [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Advocate Hospice Llc [Member]	Jul. 22, 2012 Advocate Hospice Llc [Member]	Apr. 30, 2011 Odyssey Health Care Inc [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 Odyssey Health Care Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Odyssey Health Care Inc [Member]	Aug. 17, 2010 Odyssey Health Care Inc [Member]	May 15, 2010 United Health Care Group [Member]	Mar. 05, 2010 Heart to Heart Hospice of Starkville [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cost Savings Initiative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost Savings Initiative [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cost Savings Initiative [Member]	Jan. 03, 2010 Cost Savings Initiative [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Home Health Iowa Branch [Member]	Sep. 10, 2011 Rehab Without Walls [Member]	Oct. 14, 2011 Homemaker Services Agency [Member]	Feb. 01, 2010 HME and IV [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Rehab Without Walls [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Rehab Without Walls [Member]	Sep. 10, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Rehab Without Walls [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Homemaker Services Agency [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Discontinued Operations [Member] Homemaker Services Agency [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Homemaker Services Agency [Member]	Oct. 14, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] Homemaker Services Agency [Member]	Feb. 01, 2010 Discontinued Operations [Member] HME and IV [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Discontinued Operations [Member] HME and IV [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member] HME and IV [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Discontinued Operations [Member] HME and IV [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma, Weighted Average Interest Rate												7.90%
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma, Effective Tax Rate												39.90%
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill, Expected tax Deductible Percent														0.00%
Restructuring reserve	$ 2,696,000				$ 38,379,000					$ 2,696,000	$ 38,379,000	$ 19,377,000			$ 3,646,000																					$ 1,685,000	$ 8,671,000	$ 2,893,000	$ 646,000
Cost of acquired entity, cash paid													22,300,000												12,300,000		4,500,000		5,500,000				1,087,000,000	6,000,000	2,500,000
Reduction in Escrow Fund Payable																										200,000
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Debt Assumed																															108,800,000
Goodwill																																	780,986,000
Contingent consideration, potential cash payment																													2,000,000
Contingent consideration, at fair value																												1,100,000	(1,900,000)
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Asset	800,000
Purchased the outstanding member units representing the noncontrolling interest																														300,000
Outstanding member units																																	100.00%
Medicare Certified Providers														100
Number of States in which Entity Operates														30
Dispositions [Abstract]
Total consideration from sale of business																3,500,000	3,500,000	300,000	300,000			6,400,000	300,000																	300,000	9,800,000	2,400,000		9,800,000			2,400,000				16,400,000
Gain (loss) on sale of business																	2,600,000																							100,000
Number of branches sold																				8				4
Proceeds from sale of businesses										9,220,000	146,315,000	9,796,000									5,900,000																								9,200,000				2,000,000			8,500,000
Noncash or Part Noncash Divestiture, Amount of Consideration Received																																																				2,500,000
Receivables from business dispositions																					500,000
Gain on sale of assets and businesses, net	2,600,000		5,400,000						5,447,000	8,014,000	1,061,000	103,000
Escrow fund						10,600,000																																					400,000			600,000				400,000	5,000,000
Reduction in escrow fund receivable										700,000																																						300,000				3,200,000	100,000	1,000,000
Restructuring charges	201,000	53,000	25,000	5,391,000	14,282,000	9,845,000	21,246,000	3,765,000		5,670,000	49,138,000	46,003,000																								1,701,000	15,259,000	6,269,000															300,000	2,200,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Transaction Costs																																	14,300,000																		700,000
Proceeds from issuance of debt										0	0	1,075,000,000
Repayments of Assumed Debt										0	0	108,822,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs																																26,000,000
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax																																																				$ 100,000