Segments And Nature Of The Business (Segment Data) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	$ 219,923	$ 205,544	$ 98,177
Total interest income	513	671	427
Total interest expense	4,535	4,990	4,272
Total income tax provision	41,686	34,056	18,740
Total identifiable assets	1,268,317	975,529	920,026
Total additions to long-lived assets	189,024	105,883	69,338
Total depreciation and amortization	45,205	38,863	35,625
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	259,532	237,557	130,944
Total interest income	26,800	20,412	17,679
Total interest expense	514	494	511
Total income tax provision	78,987	69,697	49,218
Total identifiable assets	1,170,935	904,979	839,967
Total additions to long-lived assets	188,024	105,755	68,855
Total depreciation and amortization	45,049	38,716	35,420
Intercompany Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total interest income	(26,287)	(19,741)	(17,252)
VITAS [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	155,822	138,846	57,645
Total interest income	18,515	13,412	12,044
Total interest expense	169	175	188
Total income tax provision	48,711	40,847	16,436
Total identifiable assets	663,455	553,949	545,304
Total additions to long-lived assets	25,530	36,969	23,469
Total depreciation and amortization	20,055	19,700	18,630
Roto-Rooter [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	103,710	98,711	73,299
Total interest income	8,285	7,000	5,635
Total interest expense	345	319	323
Total income tax provision	30,276	28,850	32,782
Total identifiable assets	507,480	351,030	294,663
Total additions to long-lived assets	162,494	68,786	45,386
Total depreciation and amortization	24,994	19,016	16,790
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	(39,609)	(32,013)	(32,767)
Total interest expense	4,021	4,496	3,761
Total income tax provision	(37,301)	(35,641)	(30,478)
Total identifiable assets	97,382	70,550	80,059
Total additions to long-lived assets	1,000	128	483
Total depreciation and amortization	$ 156	$ 147	$ 205
Sales Revenue [Member] | VITAS [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	66.00%	67.00%	69.00%
Sales Revenue [Member] | Roto-Rooter [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	34.00%	33.00%	31.00%