Revenue Recognition (Schedule Of Patient Care Service Revenue) (Details) - VITAS [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	$ 330,147	$ 309,240	$ 968,196	$ 907,857
Net revenue	321,748	301,764	941,279	890,577
Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	274,746	257,134	800,059	748,546
Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	29,446	30,385	92,476	91,664
Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	23,599	19,617	69,063	61,803
Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	327,791	307,136	961,598	902,013
All Other Revenue- Self-pay, Respite Care, Etc. [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	2,356	2,104	6,598	5,844
Medicare Cap Adjustment [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Medicare cap adjustment	(1,317)	(1,950)	(7,915)	(668)
Implicit Price Concessions [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Implicit price concessions	(4,236)	(2,957)	(10,904)	(8,749)
Room And Board [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Room and board, net	(2,846)	(2,569)	(8,098)	(7,863)
Medicare [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	255,856	239,590	745,835	696,248
Medicare [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	26,423	27,391	83,372	82,604
Medicare [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	20,038	16,287	58,309	52,174
Medicare [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	302,317	283,268	887,516	831,026
Medicaid [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	12,332	11,984	35,913	35,283
Medicaid [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,549	1,539	4,744	4,570
Medicaid [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,976	1,998	6,241	5,899
Medicaid [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	15,857	15,521	46,898	45,752
Commercial [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	6,558	5,560	18,311	17,015
Commercial [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,474	1,455	4,360	4,490
Commercial [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	1,585	1,332	4,513	3,730
Commercial [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Patient care service revenue	$ 9,617	$ 8,347	$ 27,184	$ 25,235