CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Rental and related revenues	$ 1,144,482	$ 1,174,256	$ 1,128,054
Tenant recoveries	126,485	110,688	100,649
Resident fees and services	525,453	241,965	146,288
Income from direct financing leases	633,835	663,070	636,881
Interest income	112,184	74,491	86,159
Investment management fee income	1,873	1,809	1,847
Total revenues	2,544,312	2,266,279	2,099,878
Costs and expenses:
Interest expense	479,596	439,742	435,252
Depreciation and amortization	510,785	459,995	423,312
Operating	614,375	384,603	298,282
General and administrative	96,022	82,175	103,042
Acquisition and pursuit costs	27,309	17,142	6,191
Impairments (recoveries)	1,403,853
Total costs and expenses	3,131,940	1,383,657	1,266,079
Other (expense) income:
Gain on sales of real estate, net of income taxes	6,377	3,288
Other income, net	14,404	7,528	18,216
Total other income, net	20,781	10,816	18,216
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity income from and impairment of unconsolidated joint ventures	(566,847)	893,438	852,015
Income tax benefit (expense)	9,011	(250)	(5,815)
Equity income from unconsolidated joint ventures	57,313	49,570	64,433
Impairments of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(45,895)	(35,913)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(546,418)	906,845	910,633
Discontinued operations:
Income before impairment losses and gain on sales of real estate, net of income taxes		1,736	5,879
Impairment losses on real estate			(1,372)
Gain on sales of real estate, net of income taxes		28,010	69,866
Total discontinued operations		29,746	74,373
Net (loss) income	(546,418)	936,591	985,006
Noncontrolling interests' share in earnings	(12,817)	(14,358)	(14,169)
Net (loss) income attributable to HCP, Inc.	(559,235)	922,233	970,837
Participating securities' share in earnings	(1,317)	(2,437)	(1,734)
Net (loss) income applicable to common shares	$ (560,552)	$ 919,796	$ 969,103
Basic earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.21)	$ 1.94	$ 1.97
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		0.07	0.16
Net (loss) income applicable to common shares (in dollars per share)	(1.21)	2.01	2.13
Diluted earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(1.21)	1.94	1.97
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		0.06	0.16
Net (loss) income applicable to common shares (in dollars per share)	$ (1.21)	$ 2.00	$ 2.13
Weighted average shares used to calculate earnings per common share:
Basic (in shares)	462,795	458,425	455,002
Diluted (in shares)	462,795	458,796	455,702