Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Accounts Receivable

The following table is an aging of the Company’s gross accounts receivable (net of allowances for contractual adjustments), aged based on payment terms and categorized based on the three primary types of accounts receivable characteristics (in thousands):

March 31, 2013	Current and 0-180 Days Past Due		181 Days and Over Past Due		Total
Medicare (Part D and Part B), Medicaid and Third-Party payors	$	224,747	$	129,579	$	354,326
Facility payors	409,412		146,882		556,294
Private Pay payors	71,033		100,818		171,851
Total gross accounts receivable	$	705,192	$	377,279	$	1,082,471
December 31, 2012
Medicare (Part D and Part B), Medicaid and Third-Party payors	$	238,348	$	163,773	$	402,121
Facility payors	383,848		168,945		552,793
Private Pay payors	70,835		100,719		171,554
Total gross accounts receivable	$	693,031	$	433,437	$	1,126,468

Accumulated other comprehensive income(loss)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCI") by component and in the aggregate, follows (in thousands):

	March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012
Unrealized loss on fair value of investments	$	(510	)	$	(428	)
Pension and postemployment benefits	(2,334		)	(2,392		)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	$	(2,844	)	$	(2,820	)

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Text Block]

Fair Value

The Company’s financial assets and liabilities, measured at fair value on a recurring basis, were as follows (in thousands):

			Based on
	Fair Value		Quoted Prices in Active Markets  (Level 1)		Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
March 31, 2013
Bond portfolio	$	25,075	$	—	$	25,075	$	—
7.75% interest rate swap agreements - fair value hedge	39,961		—		39,961		—
Derivatives	—		—		—		—
Total	$	65,036	$	—	$	65,036	$	—
December 31, 2012
Bond portfolio	$	24,887	$	—	$	24,887	$	—
7.75% interest rate swap agreements - fair value hedge	46,090		—		46,090		—
Derivatives	—		—		—		—
Total	$	70,977	$	—	$	70,977	$	—

The fair value of the Company’s fixed-rate debt facilities, excluding the previously disclosed swap values, is based on quoted market prices (Level II) and is summarized as follows (in thousands):

Fair Value of Financial Instruments
	March 31, 2013				December 31, 2012
Financial Instrument	Book Value		Market Value		Book Value		Market Value
7.75% senior subordinated notes, due 2020	$	550,000	$	613,300	$	550,000	$	614,600
3.75% convertible senior subordinated notes, due 2025
Carrying value	205,846		—		204,608		—
Unamortized debt discount	112,208		—		113,446		—
Principal amount	318,054		512,100		318,054		459,600
4.00% junior subordinated convertible debentures, due 2033
Carrying value	206,947		—		206,266		—
Unamortized debt discount	138,053		—		138,734		—
Principal amount	345,000		355,300		345,000		331,600
3.25% convertible senior debentures, due 2035
Carrying value	381,510		—		377,782		—
Unamortized debt discount	45,990		—		49,718		—
Principal amount	427,500		430,200		427,500		425,400
3.75% convertible senior subordinated notes, due 2042
Carrying value	230,046		—		229,624		—
Unamortized debt discount	159,954		—		160,376		—
Principal amount	390,000		434,900		390,000		397,100

Schedule of Other Nonoperating Expense, by Component [Table Text Block]

Other charges

Other charges consist of the following (in thousands):

	Three months ended March 31,
	2013		2012
Acquisition and other related costs	$	537	$	3,109
Disposition of businesses	—		5,903
Separation costs	3,469		2,500
Total - other charges	$	4,006	$	11,512