Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Contingencies [Abstract]
Contingencies	(16) Contingencies The Company is subject to extensive government regulation, including numerous laws directed at preventing fraud and abuse and laws regulating reimbursement under various government programs. The marketing, billing, documenting and other practices of health care companies are all subject to government scrutiny. To ensure compliance with Medicare and other regulations, regional carriers often conduct audits and request patient records and other documents to support claims submitted by Lincare for payment of services rendered to customers. Similarly, government agencies periodically open investigations and obtain information from health care providers pursuant to legal process. Violations of federal and state regulations can result in severe criminal, civil and administrative penalties and sanctions, including disqualification from Medicare and other reimbursement programs. From time to time, the Company receives inquiries from various government agencies requesting customer records and other documents. It has been the Company's policy to cooperate with all such requests for information. There are several pending government inquiries, but the government has not instituted any proceedings or served the Company with any complaints as a result of these inquiries. However, the Company can give no assurances as to the duration or outcome of these inquiries. Private litigants may also make claims against health care providers for violations of health care laws in actions known as qui tam suits. In these cases, the government has the opportunity to intervene in, and take control of, the litigation. From time to time we are named as a defendant in such qui tam proceedings. We vigorously defend these suits. The government has declined to intervene for purposes other than dismissal in all unsealed qui tams. Violations of federal and state regulations can result in severe criminal, civil and administrative penalties and sanctions, including disqualification from Medicare and other reimbursement programs. The Company is involved in certain other claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of its business. The ultimate disposition of all such matters is not expected to have a material adverse impact on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

(16) Contingencies

The Company is subject to extensive government regulation, including numerous laws directed at preventing fraud and abuse and laws regulating reimbursement under various government programs. The marketing, billing, documenting and other practices of health care companies are all subject to government scrutiny. To ensure compliance with Medicare and other regulations, regional carriers often conduct audits and request patient records and other documents to support claims submitted by Lincare for payment of services rendered to customers. Similarly, government agencies periodically open investigations and obtain information from health care providers pursuant to legal process.

Violations of federal and state regulations can result in severe criminal, civil and administrative penalties and sanctions, including disqualification from Medicare and other reimbursement programs.

From time to time, the Company receives inquiries from various government agencies requesting customer records and other documents. It has been the Company's policy to cooperate with all such requests for information. There are several pending government inquiries, but the government has not instituted any proceedings or served the Company with any complaints as a result of these inquiries. However, the Company can give no assurances as to the duration or outcome of these inquiries.

Private litigants may also make claims against health care providers for violations of health care laws in actions known as qui tam suits. In these cases, the government has the opportunity to intervene in, and take control of, the litigation. From time to time we are named as a defendant in such qui tam proceedings. We vigorously defend these suits. The government has declined to intervene for purposes other than dismissal in all unsealed qui tams.

Violations of federal and state regulations can result in severe criminal, civil and administrative penalties and sanctions, including disqualification from Medicare and other reimbursement programs. The Company is involved in certain other claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of its business. The ultimate disposition of all such matters is not expected to have a material adverse impact on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.