SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Net Sales

The Company's net sales are comprised of the following:

	Years Ended December 31,
Net sales	2013		2012		2011
Clinical diagnostics laboratory:
Core Testing	$	3,445.1	$	3,246.6	$	3,143.9
Genomic and Esoteric Testing	2,020.1		2,089.8		2,089.0
Other	343.1		335.0		309.4
Total	$	5,808.3	$	5,671.4	$	5,542.3

Reconciliation of Basic earnings per Share to Diluted Earnings per Share

The following represents a reconciliation of basic earnings per share to diluted earnings per share:

	2013					2012					2011
	Income		Shares	Per Share Amount		Income		Shares	Per Share Amount		Income		Shares	Per Share Amount
Basic earnings per share	$	573.8	90.2	$	6.36	$	583.1	95.7	$	6.09	$	519.7	100.0	$	5.20
Stock options	—		1.1			—		0.8			—		0.9
Restricted stock awards and other	—		—			—		0.3			—		0.3
Effect of convertible debt, net of tax	—		0.5			—		0.6			—		0.6
Diluted earnings per share	$	573.8	91.8	$	6.25	$	583.1	97.4	$	5.99	$	519.7	101.8	$	5.11

Potential common shares not included in computation of diluted earnings per share

	Years Ended December 31,
	2013	2012	2011
Stock options	0.1	2.4	1.3

Property, Plant and Equipment

	Years
Buildings and building improvements	10	-	35
Machinery and equipment	3	-	10
Furniture and fixtures	5	-	10
Software	3	-	10

Finite-Lived Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected periods to be benefited, as set forth in the table below, such as legal life for patents and technology and contractual lives for non-compete agreements.

	Years
Customer relationships	10	-	30
Patents, licenses and technology	3	-	15
Non-compete agreements	5	-	10
Trade names	5	-	10