CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Patient service operating revenues	$ 822,522	$ 805,776
Patient service operating revenues			$ 737,318
Provision for uncollectible accounts			(8,316)
Net patient service operating revenues			729,002
Operating expenses:
Patient care costs	610,179	570,009	483,101
General and administrative	91,081	101,101	102,093
Transaction-related costs	0	856	717
Gain on business interruption insurance	0	(375)	0
Depreciation, amortization and impairment	43,765	39,802	37,634
Certain legal and other matters	25,824	39,061	15,249
Total operating expenses	770,849	750,454	638,794
Operating income	51,673	55,322	90,208
Interest expense, net	(43,587)	(32,632)	(29,309)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	(526)
Change in fair value of income tax receivable agreement	221	2,673	7,234
Income before income taxes	8,307	25,363	67,607
Income tax (benefit) expense	(17,838)	2,896	9,471
Net income (loss)	26,145	22,467	58,136
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(39,935)	(51,234)	(62,733)
Net loss attributable to American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.	(13,790)	(28,767)	(4,597)
Less: Change in the difference between the redemption value and estimated fair value for accounting purposes of the related noncontrolling interests	(7,999)	(2,566)	(11,503)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (21,789)	$ (31,333)	$ (16,100)
Loss per share:
Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.68)	$ (0.98)	$ (0.52)
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.68)	$ (0.98)	$ (0.52)
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding
Basic (in shares)	32,274,570	31,965,844	31,081,824
Diluted (in shares)	32,274,570	31,965,844	31,081,824