CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total	Total Restricted Stock Units	Total Stock Appreciation Rights	Non- controlling interests subject to put provisions	Common stock	Common stock Restricted Stock Units	Common stock Stock Appreciation Rights	Additional paid-in capital	Additional paid-in capital Restricted Stock Units	Additional paid-in capital Stock Appreciation Rights	Retained earnings	Treasury stock	Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	Non- controlling interests not subject to put provisions
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 4,648,047			$ 973,258	$ 195			$ 1,027,182			$ 3,710,313	$ 0	$ (89,643)	$ 201,694
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						194,554,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 360,222
Other comprehensive income (loss)	93,117
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Fair value remeasurements	0
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016		4,648,047			973,258	$ 195			1,027,182			3,710,313	$ 0	(89,643)	201,694
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						194,554,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.		663,618			103,641							663,618			63,296
Other comprehensive income (loss)		102,878												102,878	(2)
Stock purchase shares issued (in shares)						360,000
Stock purchase shares issued		22,131							22,131
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							117,000	398,000
Stock unit shares issued			$ (101)	$ 0						$ (101)	$ 0
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		34,981							34,981
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions					(128,853)										(82,614)
Contributions					52,911										21,641
Acquisitions and divestitures		(823)			43,799				(823)						(5,770)
Partial purchases		(2,752)			(397)				(2,752)						(2,208)
Fair value remeasurements		32,999			(32,999)				32,999
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)													(12,967,000)
Purchase of treasury stock		(810,949)											$ (810,949)
Retirement of treasury stock						(12,967,000)							12,967,000
Retirement of treasury stock		0				$ (13)			(70,718)			(740,218)	$ 810,949
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 4,886,066	4,690,029			1,011,360	$ 182			1,042,899			3,633,713	$ 0	13,235	196,037
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	182,462,278					182,462,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (214,476)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	30,784
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Fair value remeasurements	0
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption		0										8,368		(8,368)
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	309,166	309,166			77,803							309,166			47,914
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(33,976)	(33,976)												(33,976)
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							154,000	212,000
Stock unit shares issued			$ (448)	$ (4,886)				$ 1		$ (448)	$ (4,887)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		59,539							59,539
Distributions					(85,372)										(54,301)
Contributions					26,367										16,812
Acquisitions and divestitures		79			11,262				79						(212)
Partial purchases		(17,482)			869				(17,482)						(1,637)
Fair value remeasurements	$ 0	(23,861)			23,861				(23,861)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(16,844,000)												(16,844,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (1,153,511)	(1,153,511)											$ (1,153,511)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 4,029,262	3,824,649			1,064,412	$ 183			1,055,839			3,951,247	$ (1,153,511)	(29,109)	204,613
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018	165,984,480					182,828,000							(16,844,000)
Comprehensive income:
Net income (loss) attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ (136,796)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(7,184)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Fair value remeasurements	98
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 4,029,262	$ 3,824,649			$ 1,064,412	$ 183			$ 1,055,839			$ 3,951,247	$ (1,153,511)	$ (29,109)	$ 204,613
Ending Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018	165,984,480					182,828,000							(16,844,000)