SUMMARIZED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	$ 1,999,778	$ 2,039,616
Loans receivable and other investments, net	94,466	300,177
Cash and cash equivalents	19,674	7,434	$ 31,473	$ 61,793
Restricted cash	9,150	9,813
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	116,353	111,797
Intercompany	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Total assets	2,239,421	2,468,837
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	162,130	174,846
Revolving credit facility	0	255,000
Term loans, net	337,641	264,229
Senior unsecured notes, net	687,607	685,704
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	38,156	35,182
Intercompany	0	0
Total liabilities	1,225,534	1,414,961
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,013,847	1,053,770
Noncontrolling interests	40	106
Total equity	1,013,887	1,053,876	1,059,244	941,823
Total liabilities and equity	2,239,421	2,468,837
Elimination [Member]
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Loans receivable and other investments, net	(2,301)	(2,105)
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	(3,117)	(2,746)
Intercompany	(1,076,658)	(1,407,972)
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,541,826)	(1,416,345)
Total assets	(2,623,902)	(2,829,168)
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	0	0
Revolving credit facility		0
Term loans, net	0	0
Senior unsecured notes, net	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(2,117)	(1,746)
Intercompany	(1,076,658)	(1,407,972)
Total liabilities	(1,078,775)	(1,409,718)
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	(1,545,127)	(1,419,450)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(1,545,127)	(1,419,450)
Total liabilities and equity	(2,623,902)	(2,829,168)
Parent Company [Member]
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	156	48
Loans receivable and other investments, net	(400)	0
Cash and cash equivalents	14,258	2,548	26,909	58,799
Restricted cash	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	403	2,047
Intercompany	407,320	489,763
Investment in subsidiaries	607,204	568,841
Total assets	1,028,941	1,063,247
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	0	0
Revolving credit facility		0
Term loans, net	0	0
Senior unsecured notes, net	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	15,094	9,477
Intercompany	0	0
Total liabilities	15,094	9,477
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,013,847	1,053,770
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,013,847	1,053,770
Total liabilities and equity	1,028,941	1,063,247
Issuers [Member]
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Loans receivable and other investments, net	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	12,372	13,384
Intercompany	669,338	918,209
Investment in subsidiaries	867,360	792,065
Total assets	1,549,070	1,723,658
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	0	0
Revolving credit facility		255,000
Term loans, net	243,540	200,000
Senior unsecured notes, net	687,607	685,704
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	10,719	14,113
Intercompany	0	0
Total liabilities	941,866	1,154,817
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	607,204	568,841
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	607,204	568,841
Total liabilities and equity	1,549,070	1,723,658
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	1,781,095	1,816,813
Loans receivable and other investments, net	97,167	302,282
Cash and cash equivalents	2,487	1,008	211	0
Restricted cash	152	1,618
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	95,296	89,590
Intercompany	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	67,262	55,439
Total assets	2,043,459	2,266,750
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	0	0
Revolving credit facility		0
Term loans, net	94,101	64,229
Senior unsecured notes, net	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	12,945	11,254
Intercompany	1,032,675	1,391,115
Total liabilities	1,139,721	1,466,598
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	903,738	800,152
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	903,738	800,152
Total liabilities and equity	2,043,459	2,266,750
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation	218,527	222,755
Loans receivable and other investments, net	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	2,929	3,878	$ 4,353	$ 2,994
Restricted cash	8,998	8,195
Prepaid expenses, deferred financing costs and other assets, net	11,399	9,522
Intercompany	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Total assets	241,853	244,350
Liabilities
Mortgage notes, net	162,130	174,846
Revolving credit facility		0
Term loans, net	0	0
Senior unsecured notes, net	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,515	2,084
Intercompany	43,983	16,857
Total liabilities	207,628	193,787
Total Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. stockholders' equity	34,185	50,457
Noncontrolling interests	40	106
Total equity	34,225	50,563
Total liabilities and equity	$ 241,853	$ 244,350