BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION Business Segment information (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION

The following table is a summary of segment information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013. Segment asset information is not presented because it is not used by the chief operating decision maker at the operating segment level. Operating earnings (loss) of each segment represents net revenues less directly identifiable expenses to arrive at operating income for the segment. General management and administrative corporate expenses are included in general corporate expenses below. The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those of the Company as set forth in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and Note 1 (Basis of Financial Statement Presentation) above to the interim consolidated financial statements.

Laboratory tests and procedures are used generally by hospitals, physicians and other health care providers and commercial clients to assist in the diagnosis, evaluation, detection, therapy selection, monitoring and treatment of diseases and other medical conditions through the examination of substances in the blood, tissues and other specimens. The Clinical diagnostics laboratory

segment includes financial information related to the broad range of testing services that are reported primarily through the Company's U.S. business operations. The Other segment includes the portion of the Company's non-U.S. clinical diagnostic laboratory operations in Ontario, Canada, which are reviewed separately by corporate management for the purposes of allocation of resources.

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
Net revenues:
Clinical diagnostics laboratory	$	1,468.9		$	1,377.8		$	4,250.5		$	4,113.4
Other	82.9			84.4			248.4			257.9
Total net revenues	1,551.8			1,462.2			4,498.9			4,371.3
Operating earnings (loss):
Clinical diagnostics laboratory	375.8			359.5			1,082.5			1,113.8
Other	21.2			24.0			64.6			71.7
General corporate expenses	(155.6		)	(138.9		)	(455.7		)	(409.6		)
Total operating income	241.4			244.6			691.4			775.9
Other income (expense), net	(22.4		)	(14.6		)	(52.2		)	(54.5		)
Earnings before income taxes	219.0			230.0			639.2			721.4
Provision for income taxes	81.5			81.3			246.5			272.7
Net earnings	137.5			148.7			392.7			448.7
Less income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(0.3		)	(0.4		)	(1.1		)	(1.2		)
Net income attributable to Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings	$	137.2		$	148.3		$	391.6		$	447.5