Revenue Recognition (Schedule Of Patient Care Service Revenue) (Details) - VITAS [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	$ 322,378	$ 302,969	$ 638,048	$ 598,617
Net revenue	312,750	296,799	619,531	588,813
Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	266,461	250,381	525,312	491,412
Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	30,786	30,513	63,030	61,279
Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	22,894	20,077	45,464	42,186
Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	320,141	300,971	633,806	594,877
All Other Revenue- Self-pay, Respite Care, Etc. [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	2,237	1,998	4,242	3,740
Medicare Cap [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Medicare cap adjustment	(3,198)	(536)	(6,598)	1,282
Implicit Price Concessions [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Implicit price concessions	(3,720)	(2,959)	(6,667)	(5,792)
Room And Board [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Room and board, net	2,710	2,675	5,252	5,294
Medicare [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	248,545	232,637	489,978	456,658
Medicare [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	27,975	27,581	56,949	55,213
Medicare [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	19,282	17,029	38,271	35,887
Medicare [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	295,802	277,247	585,198	547,758
Medicaid [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	11,907	12,019	23,581	23,299
Medicaid [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,408	1,428	3,195	3,031
Medicaid [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	2,117	1,853	4,265	3,901
Medicaid [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	15,432	15,300	31,041	30,231
Commercial [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	6,009	5,725	11,753	11,455
Commercial [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,403	1,504	2,886	3,035
Commercial [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,495	1,195	2,928	2,398
Commercial [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	$ 8,907	$ 8,424	$ 17,567	$ 16,888