Revenue Recognition (Schedule Of Patient Care Service Revenue) (Details) - VITAS [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	$ 323,197	$ 347,946
Net revenue	315,788	337,916
Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	263,754	271,762
Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	27,349	40,555
Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	29,156	32,482
Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	320,259	344,799
All Other Revenue- Self-pay, Respite Care, Etc. [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	2,938	3,147
Medicare Cap [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Medicare cap adjustment	(1,500)	(2,500)
Implicit Price Concessions [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Implicit price concessions	(3,244)	(4,149)
Room And Board [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Room and board, net	(2,665)	(3,381)
Medicare [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	246,064	253,965
Medicare [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	24,907	37,132
Medicare [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	25,438	28,148
Medicare [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	296,409	319,245
Medicaid [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	11,579	12,133
Medicaid [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	1,259	1,871
Medicaid [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	2,473	2,559
Medicaid [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	15,311	16,563
Commercial [Member] | Routine Home Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	6,111	5,664
Commercial [Member] | Continuous Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	1,183	1,552
Commercial [Member] | Inpatient Care [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	1,245	1,775
Commercial [Member] | Care Services Total [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements [Line Items]
Care service revenue	$ 8,539	$ 8,991