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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle		$ 0										$ 8,368		$ (8,368)
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2017					1,011,360
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					52,278
Distributions					(57,997)
Contributions					19,176
Acquisitions and divestitures					665
Partial purchases					(820)
Fair value remeasurements					22,496
Temporary equity, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018					1,047,158
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017		4,690,029				$ 182			$ 1,042,899			3,633,713	$ 0	13,235	$ 196,037
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017						182,462,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 445,962	445,962										445,962			33,311
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(26,792)	(26,792)												(26,792)
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							146,000	207,000
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			$ (448)	$ (4,885)				$ (1)		$ (448)	$ (4,886)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		19,832							19,832
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(36,009)
Contributions															12,393
Acquisitions and divestitures		79							79
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(203)
Partial purchases		(12,197)							(12,197)						(206)
Fair value remeasurements	(98)	(22,496)							(22,496)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)													(11,995,000)
Purchase of treasury stock		(809,900)											$ (809,900)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018		4,279,184				$ 183			1,022,783			4,088,043	$ (809,900)	(21,925)	205,323
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018						182,815,000							(11,995,000)
Temporary equity, start balance at Mar. 31, 2018					1,034,501
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					28,171
Distributions					(31,831)
Contributions					9,668
Acquisitions and divestitures					(23)
Partial purchases					(820)
Fair value remeasurements					7,492
Temporary equity, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018					1,047,158
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2018		4,580,680				$ 183			1,030,772			3,820,767	$ (298,377)	27,335	201,401
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018						182,661,000							(4,197,000)
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	267,276	267,276										267,276			10,875
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(49,260)	(49,260)												(49,260)
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							142,000	12,000
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			(448)	(1)						(448)	$ (1)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		10,150							10,150
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(16,708)
Contributions															9,892
Acquisitions and divestitures		3							3
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(137)
Partial purchases		(10,203)							(10,203)
Fair value remeasurements	(98)	(7,492)							(7,492)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)													(7,798,000)
Purchase of treasury stock		(511,523)											$ (511,523)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018		4,279,184				$ 183			1,022,783			4,088,043	$ (809,900)	(21,925)	205,323
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018						182,815,000							(11,995,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle		39,876			(38)							39,876			(6)
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2018					1,124,641
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					63,300
Distributions					(60,235)
Contributions					15,768
Acquisitions and divestitures					1,873
Partial purchases					(2,248)
Fair value remeasurements					42,672
Temporary equity, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019					1,185,733
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,908,398	3,703,442				$ 166			995,006			2,743,194	$ 0	(34,924)	204,956
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	166,387,307					166,387,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 422,840	422,840										422,840			30,504
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,313	1,313												1,313
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans						0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan		0							0
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							146,000	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Net of Forfeitures							$ 1
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			(3,245)	0						(3,246)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		28,999							28,999
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(35,479)
Contributions															15,513
Acquisitions and divestitures		0							0
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(1,991)
Partial purchases		10,934							10,934						(19,726)
Fair value remeasurements	$ 0	(42,672)							(42,672)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(2,060,000)												(2,060,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (112,189)	(112,189)											$ (112,189)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 4,243,069	4,049,298				$ 167			989,021			3,205,910	$ (112,189)	(33,611)	193,771
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019	164,472,913					166,533,000							(2,060,000)
Temporary equity, start balance at Mar. 31, 2019					1,143,044
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					37,911
Distributions					(32,670)
Contributions					9,353
Acquisitions and divestitures					111
Partial purchases					(281)
Fair value remeasurements					28,265
Temporary equity, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019					$ 1,185,733
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019		3,875,354				$ 166			990,380			2,932,359	$ 0	(47,551)	211,319
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019						166,396,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 273,551	273,551										273,551			15,695
Other comprehensive income (loss)	13,940	13,940												13,940
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans						0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan		0							0
Stock unit shares issued (in shares)							137,000	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Net of Forfeitures							$ 1
Stock-settled SAR shares issued			$ (3,141)	$ 0						$ (3,142)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		16,908							16,908
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(18,814)
Contributions															2,981
Acquisitions and divestitures		0							0
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(1,991)
Partial purchases		13,140							13,140						(15,419)
Fair value remeasurements	$ 0	(28,265)							(28,265)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(2,060,000)												(2,060,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (112,189)	(112,189)											$ (112,189)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 4,243,069	$ 4,049,298				$ 167			$ 989,021			$ 3,205,910	$ (112,189)	$ (33,611)	$ 193,771
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019	164,472,913					166,533,000							(2,060,000)