Employee Benefit Plans Obligation and Funded Status (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	$ (241)	$ (224)	$ (242)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(75,000)	(58,000)
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	0	2,226	1,499
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	269	3,323	5,997
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	1,145	(49,463)	40,342
Defined Benefit Plan, Pension Plans with Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets, Aggregate Projected Benefit Obligation		(953)
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation		5,034
Omnicare General Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	4,359	4,081	3,917
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	387	291
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	31	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(140)	(127)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	6,454	5,034
Defined Benefit Plan, Curtailments	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost	269
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses	1,291
Defined Benefit Plan, Pension Plans with Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets, Aggregate Projected Benefit Obligation	(2,095)
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Benefit Obligation	6,454
Omnicare General Pension Pland and Excess Benefit Plan Combined [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid		(47,060)
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation			157,120
Defined Benefit Plan, Curtailments		(23,359)
Establishment of Notes Payable Related to Excess Benefit Plan		(86,389)
Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost		2,226
Defined Benefit Plan, Interest Cost		3,323
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Net (Gains) Losses		$ (827)