Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 323,038	$ 508,234
Restricted cash and equivalents	92,382	10,686
Accounts receivable, net	1,858,608	1,714,750
Other current assets	760,566	775,389
Current assets held for sale, net	5,389,565	5,761,642
Total current assets	8,424,159	8,770,701
Property and equipment, net	3,393,669	3,149,213
Intangible assets, net	118,846	113,827
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other long-term assets and investments	331,618	330,516
Goodwill	6,841,960	6,610,279	$ 6,015,375
Total assets	19,110,252	18,974,536
Current liabilities	3,647,402	1,882,450
Current liabilities held for sale	1,243,759	1,185,070
Total current liabilities	4,891,161	3,067,520
Intercompany payables	0	0
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	9,186,052	10,009,590
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	1,124,641	1,011,360
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders' equity	3,703,442	4,690,029
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	204,956	196,037
Total equity	3,908,398	4,886,066
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	19,110,252	18,974,536
Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	60,653	149,305
Restricted cash and equivalents	1,005	1,002
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	37,185	67,025
Current assets held for sale, net	0	0
Total current assets	98,843	217,332
Property and equipment, net	491,462	408,010
Intangible assets, net	153	250
Investments in subsidiaries	10,102,750	10,009,874
Intercompany receivables	3,419,448	3,677,947
Other long-term assets and investments	53,385	47,297
Goodwill	0	0
Total assets	14,166,041	14,360,710
Current liabilities	1,945,943	238,706
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	1,945,943	238,706
Intercompany payables	0	0
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	7,918,581	8,857,373
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	598,075	574,602
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders' equity	3,703,442	4,690,029
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	0	0
Total equity	3,703,442	4,690,029
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	14,166,041	14,360,710
Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and equivalents	12,048	9,384
Accounts receivable, net	1,264,290	1,208,715
Other current assets	601,318	621,409
Current assets held for sale, net	4,440,953	4,992,067
Total current assets	6,318,609	6,831,575
Property and equipment, net	1,624,835	1,560,390
Intangible assets, net	42,933	50,971
Investments in subsidiaries	3,239,862	3,085,722
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Other long-term assets and investments	80,537	68,344
Goodwill	4,812,365	4,732,320
Total assets	16,119,141	16,329,322
Current liabilities	1,251,534	1,207,482
Current liabilities held for sale	722,766	739,294
Total current liabilities	1,974,300	1,946,776
Intercompany payables	3,327,026	3,690,042
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	715,065	682,630
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	0	0
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders' equity	10,102,750	10,009,874
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	0	0
Total equity	10,102,750	10,009,874
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	16,119,141	16,329,322
Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	262,385	358,929
Restricted cash and equivalents	79,329	300
Accounts receivable, net	594,318	506,035
Other current assets	122,063	86,955
Current assets held for sale, net	948,612	769,575
Total current assets	2,006,707	1,721,794
Property and equipment, net	1,277,372	1,180,813
Intangible assets, net	75,760	62,606
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany receivables	1,471,203	1,313,213
Other long-term assets and investments	197,696	214,875
Goodwill	2,029,595	1,877,959
Total assets	7,058,333	6,371,260
Current liabilities	449,925	436,262
Current liabilities held for sale	520,993	445,776
Total current liabilities	970,918	882,038
Intercompany payables	1,563,625	1,301,118
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	552,406	469,587
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	0	0
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders' equity	3,239,862	3,085,722
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	731,522	632,795
Total equity	3,971,384	3,718,517
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,058,333	6,371,260
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Current assets held for sale, net	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(13,342,612)	(13,095,596)
Intercompany receivables	(4,890,651)	(4,991,160)
Other long-term assets and investments	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Total assets	(18,233,263)	(18,086,756)
Current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Intercompany payables	(4,890,651)	(4,991,160)
Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities	0	0
Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions	526,566	436,758
Total DaVita Inc. shareholders' equity	(13,342,612)	(13,095,596)
Noncontrolling interests not subject to put provisions	(526,566)	(436,758)
Total equity	(13,869,178)	(13,532,354)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (18,233,263)	$ (18,086,756)