Restructuring and Other Related Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		$ 4,020,000	$ 7,663,000	$ 7,572,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(1,985,000)	(3,643,000)	(12,338,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		2,035,000	4,020,000	7,663,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				12,429,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date		110,000,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Number of Positions Eliminated, Inception to Date		2,700
cumulative restructuring severance costs to date		25,000,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		224,000	710,000	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(224,000)	(486,000)	(5,688,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		0	224,000	710,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				6,398,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | employment agreement buy-outs [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		0	0	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		0	0	0
Restructuring liabilities, ending		0	0	0
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				0
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Contract Termination [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		3,774,000	6,572,000	7,113,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(1,739,000)	(2,798,000)	(4,119,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		2,035,000	3,774,000	6,572,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				3,578,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Other assets, fees and facility exit costs [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		22,000	381,000	459,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(22,000)	(359,000)	(2,531,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		0	22,000	381,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				2,453,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Other Costs Related to Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				1,466,000
Omnicare Full Potential Program [Member] | Restructuring and Other Related Charges [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense				13,895,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		395,000	2,105,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(2,694,000)	(1,710,000)	(1,165,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		8,466,000	395,000	2,105,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense	11,000,000	10,765,000		3,270,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date		14,000,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		27,000	305,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(27,000)	(278,000)	(141,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		0	27,000	305,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		0		446,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | employment agreement buy-outs [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		368,000	1,800,000
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(368,000)	(1,432,000)	(933,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		0	368,000	1,800,000
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		0		2,733,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Contract Termination [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		0	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(1,935,000)	0	(91,000)
Restructuring liabilities, ending		8,099,000	0	0
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		10,034,000		91,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Other assets, fees and facility exit costs [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring liabilities, beginning		0	0
Restructuring liabilities, utilized		(364,000)	0	0
Restructuring liabilities, ending		367,000	0	0
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		731,000		0
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Other Costs Related to Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		281,000
Company-wide Reorganization Plan [Member] | Restructuring and Other Related Charges [Member]
Restructuring liabilities [Roll Forward]
Restructuring Reserve, Period Expense		$ 11,046,000