Goodwill (Schedule of movement in Goodwill) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 472,322	$ 466,722
Business combinations		5,944
Foreign currency adjustments	96	(344)
Ending balance	472,418	472,322
Segment VITAS [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	328,301	328,301
Business combinations
Foreign currency adjustments
Ending balance	328,301	328,301
Roto-Rooter segment [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	144,021	138,421
Business combinations		5,944
Foreign currency adjustments	96	(344)
Ending balance	$ 144,117	$ 144,021

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975

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Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

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Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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