Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014 Parent Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Parent Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Parent Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Convertible Senior Debentures [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Consolidating, Eliminating Adjustments [Member] Guaranteed Senior Notes Payable [Member]
Summary Consolidating Statements of Income [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,571,038	$ 1,458,945			$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0		$ 1,540,006	$ 1,427,130			$ 1,571,038	$ 1,458,945		$ 31,032	$ 31,815					$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0
Cost of sales	1,212,584	1,109,241			0	0		0	0		1,194,399	1,091,162			1,212,584	1,109,241		18,185	18,079					0	0		0	0
Gross profit	358,454	349,704			0	0		0	0		345,607	335,968			358,454	349,704		12,847	13,736					0	0		0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	186,813	190,693			987	1,006		436	399		182,120	184,978			185,390	189,288		3,706	4,709					0	0		0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	21,561	24,010			0	0		0	0		21,047	23,532			21,561	24,010		514	478					0	0		0	0
Settlement, litigation and other related charges	7,052	22,619			0	0		0	0		7,052	22,619			7,052	22,619		0	0					0	0		0	0
Other miscellaneous charges	10,276	4,006			0	0		0	0		10,276	4,006			10,276	4,006		0	0					0	0		0	0
Operating income	132,752	108,376			(987)	(1,006)		(436)	(399)		125,112	100,833			134,175	109,781		8,627	8,549					0	0		0	0
Interest expense, net of investment income	(29,441)	(29,462)			(29,156)	(28,991)		0	0		(285)	(293)			(285)	(471)		0	(178)					0	0		0	0
Income before income taxes	103,311	78,914			(30,143)	(29,997)		(436)	(399)		124,827	100,540			133,890	109,310		8,627	8,371					0	0		0	0
Income tax (benefit) expense	39,673	30,600			(11,671)	(11,546)		(169)	(154)		48,004	38,924			51,513	42,300		3,340	3,222					0	0		0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent	63,638	48,314			(18,472)	(18,451)		(267)	(245)		76,823	61,616			82,377	67,010		5,287	5,149					0	0		0	0
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	136	6,040			0	0		0	0		171	6,063			136	6,040		(35)	(23)					0	0		0	0
Equity of net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0			82,246	72,805		0	0		0	0			0	0		0	0					(82,246)	(72,805)		(82,246)	(72,805)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								(267)	(245)						82,513	73,050								(82,246)	(72,805)
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	63,774	54,354			63,774	54,354					76,994	67,679						5,252	5,126								(82,246)	(72,805)
Comprehensive income (loss)	63,997	54,330			63,997	54,330		(267)	(245)		76,994	67,679			82,513	73,050		5,252	5,126			(82,246)	(72,805)
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	346,987	498,508		498,508	284,410	437,264		0	0		49,777	51,869			62,577	61,244		12,800	9,375					0			0
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	755,620		695,684		0		0	188		210	752,924			693,729	755,620		695,684	336,511			315,323			(188)		(210)	(333,815)		(313,368)
Inventory, Net	442,634		512,418		0		0	0		0	435,847			505,567	442,634		512,418	6,787			6,851			0		0	0		0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Current	126,738		135,094		0		0	0		0	126,717			135,148	126,738		135,094	21			0			0		0	0		(54)
Other Assets, Current	277,113		265,536		1,407		1,989	0		0	250,744			242,166	275,706		263,547	24,962			21,381			0		0	0		0
Assets of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Current	46,659		49,995		0		0	0		0	46,537			49,128	46,659		49,995	122			867			0		0	0		0
Total current assets	1,995,751		2,014,728		285,817		277,899	188		210	1,662,546			1,693,788	1,709,934		1,736,829	381,203			356,463			(188)		(210)	(333,815)		(313,422)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	317,856		305,888		0		0	17		19	313,016			301,200	317,839		305,869	4,840			4,688			0		0	0		0
Goodwill	4,057,456		4,057,456		0		0	0		0	4,028,651			4,028,651	4,057,456		4,057,456	28,805			28,805			0		0	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	122,057		129,974		0		0	0		0	120,093			127,798	122,057		129,974	1,964			2,176			0		0	0		0
Other Assets, Noncurrent	95,999		96,722		42,079		41,825	19		19	53,855			54,834	53,901		54,878	65			63			0		0	0		0
Assets of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Noncurrent	85,059		87,078		0		0	0		0	85,028			87,047	85,059		87,078	31			31			0		0	0		0
Investments in and Advance to Affiliates, Subsidiaries, Associates, and Joint Ventures	0		0		5,059,898		5,131,280	0		0	0			0	0		0	0			0			(5,059,898)		(5,131,280)	(5,059,898)		(5,131,280)
Total assets	6,674,178		6,691,846		5,387,794		5,451,004	224		248	6,263,189			6,293,318	6,346,246		6,372,084	416,908			392,226			(5,060,086)		(5,131,490)	(5,393,713)		(5,444,702)
Current liabilities of continuing operations	584,392		587,107		37,402		83,028	0		0	852,060			793,461	547,178		504,289	28,745			23,986			(188)		(210)	(333,815)		(313,368)
Debt, Current	528,475		527,204		528,475		527,204	0		0	0			0	0		0	0			0			0		0	0		0
Liabilities of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Current	17,407		18,846		0		0	0		0	17,404			18,829	17,407		18,846	3			17			0		0	0		0
Liabilities of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Noncurrent	840		1,398								840			1,398	840		1,398	0			0
Temporary Equity, Liquidation Preference	329,425		331,101		329,425		331,101	0		0	0			0	0		0	0			0			0		0	0		0
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	1,417,491		1,418,819		1,405,876		1,405,628	0		0	11,615			13,191	11,615		13,191	0			0			0		0	0		0
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,023,415		1,012,733		368,532		363,240	0		0	640,955			635,640	654,883		649,493	13,928			13,907			0		0	0		(54)
Other noncurrent liabilities	54,649		53,835		0		0	0		0	52,960			52,072	54,649		53,835	1,689			1,763			0		0	0		0
Stockholders' equity	2,718,084		2,740,803		2,718,084		2,740,803	224		248	4,687,355			4,778,727	5,059,674		5,131,032	372,543			352,553			(5,059,898)		(5,131,280)	(5,059,898)		(5,131,280)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	6,674,178		6,691,846		5,387,794		5,451,004	224		248	6,263,189			6,293,318	6,346,246		6,372,084	416,908			392,226			(5,060,086)		(5,131,490)	(5,393,713)		(5,444,702)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash flows (used in) from operating activities	177,498	108,895			(1,854)	(3,365)		0	0		178,130	114,407			179,352	112,260		1,222	(2,147)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested					0			0			3,629				3,629			0
Capital expenditures	(26,165)	(22,415)			0	0		0	0		(25,702)	(22,099)			(26,165)	(22,415)		(463)	(316)
Other Investing Activities	(284)	140
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	12	854			0	(227)		0	0		(284)	367			(284)	367		0	0
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(22,820)	(22,275)			0	(227)		0	0		(22,357)	(21,732)			(22,820)	(22,048)		(463)	(316)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on Term Loans	(5,313)	(5,313)			(5,313)	(5,313)		0	0		0	0			0	0		0	0
Payments on long-term borrowings and obligations	(39,030)	(1,684)			(39,030)	(1,684)		0	0		0				0	0		0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Bank Overdrafts	(3,537)	(9,774)			(2,611)	(10,900)		0	0		(926)		1,126		(926)	1,126		0		0
Payments for Omnicare common stock repurchase	(95,417)	(302)			(95,417)	(302)		0	0		0	0			0	0		0	0
Dividends paid	(19,596)	(14,479)			(19,596)	(14,479)		0	0		0	0			0	0		0	0
Proceeds from (payments for) Other Financing Activities including disc Ops	4,817	537			172,321	89,860		0	0		(167,504)	(89,323)			(167,504)	(89,323)		0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(158,076)	(31,015)			10,354	57,182		0	0		(168,430)	(88,197)			(168,430)	(88,197)		0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,398)	55,605			8,500	53,590		0	0		(12,657)	4,478			(11,898)	2,015		759	(2,463)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	356,001	444,620		498,508	275,910	383,674		0	0		68,050	49,108			80,091	60,946		12,041	11,838					0			0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	346,987	498,508		498,508	284,410	437,264		0	0		49,777	51,869			62,577	61,244		12,800	9,375					0			0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations	5,616	1,717			0	0		0	0		5,616	1,717			5,616	1,717		0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents Period Increase (Decrease) from Continuing Operations	$ (9,014)	$ 53,888			$ 8,500	$ 53,590		$ 0	$ 0		$ (18,273)	$ 2,761			$ (17,514)	$ 298		$ 759	$ (2,463)