Intangibles (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Intangibles
Intangible assets, gross	$ 948	$ 830
Intangible assets, accumulated amortization	388	349
Intangible liabilities, gross	204	209
Intangible liabilities, accumulated amortization	$ 131	$ 124

Accumulated amount of amortization of liabilities, excluding financial liabilities, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before amortization of liabilities, excluding financial liabilities, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_FiniteLivedIntangibleLiabilitiesGross
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_IntangiblesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant