Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis patient service revenues									$ 10,918,421	$ 10,709,981	$ 10,093,670
Provision for uncollectible accounts									(21,715)	(49,587)	(485,364)
Net dialysis patient service revenues									10,896,706	10,660,394	9,608,306
Other revenues									491,773	744,457	1,268,328
Total revenues	$ 2,898,584	$ 2,904,078	$ 2,842,705	$ 2,743,112	$ 2,821,124	$ 2,847,330	$ 2,886,953	$ 2,849,444	11,388,479	11,404,851	10,876,634
Operating expenses and charges									9,745,162	9,879,027	9,063,879
Operating income	462,588	378,336	461,886	340,507	387,908	289,038	438,192	410,686	1,643,317	1,525,824	1,812,755
Debt expense, including debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges									(477,226)	(487,435)	(430,634)
Other income, net									29,348	10,089	17,665
Income tax expense									279,628	258,400	323,859
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations									915,811	790,078	1,075,927
Net income (loss) from discontinuing operations, net of tax									105,483	(457,038)	(245,372)
Net income									1,021,294	333,040	830,555
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(210,313)	(173,646)	(166,937)
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 244,871	$ 143,270	$ 273,551	$ 149,289	$ (149,772)	$ (136,796)	$ 267,276	$ 178,686	810,981	159,394	663,618
Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis patient service revenues									0	0	0
Provision for uncollectible accounts									0	0	0
Net dialysis patient service revenues									0	0	0
Other revenues									804,684	799,230	793,751
Total revenues									804,684	799,230	793,751
Operating expenses and charges									642,717	646,640	527,942
Operating income									161,967	152,590	265,809
Debt expense, including debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges									(482,074)	(491,749)	(426,149)
Other income, net									309,623	418,839	411,731
Income tax expense									(2,616)	23,482	65,965
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									818,849	103,196	478,192
Net income from continuing operations									810,981	159,394	663,618
Net income (loss) from discontinuing operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income									810,981	159,394	663,618
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.									810,981	159,394	663,618
Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis patient service revenues									6,961,825	6,834,865	6,417,574
Provision for uncollectible accounts									(15,296)	(34,977)	(322,085)
Net dialysis patient service revenues									6,946,529	6,799,888	6,095,489
Other revenues									601,394	488,086	408,460
Total revenues									7,547,923	7,287,974	6,503,949
Operating expenses and charges									6,631,471	6,551,328	5,331,545
Operating income									916,452	736,646	1,172,404
Debt expense, including debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges									(183,272)	(201,496)	(200,953)
Other income, net									7,314	3,430	5,979
Income tax expense									263,563	155,372	210,068
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									429,628	388,737	460,261
Net income from continuing operations									906,559	771,945	1,227,623
Net income (loss) from discontinuing operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income									906,559	771,945	1,227,623
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.									906,559	771,945	1,227,623
Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis patient service revenues									4,226,402	4,096,666	3,848,172
Provision for uncollectible accounts									(6,419)	(14,610)	(170,447)
Net dialysis patient service revenues									4,219,983	4,082,056	3,677,725
Other revenues									171,856	558,079	1,080,832
Total revenues									4,391,839	4,640,135	4,758,557
Operating expenses and charges									3,826,941	4,003,547	4,384,015
Operating income									564,898	636,588	374,542
Debt expense, including debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges									(53,043)	(43,414)	(43,490)
Other income, net									46,306	29,132	23,657
Income tax expense									18,681	79,546	47,826
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income from continuing operations									539,480	542,760	306,883
Net income (loss) from discontinuing operations, net of tax									12,751	(649,126)	(429,116)
Net income									552,231	(106,366)	(122,233)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.									552,231	(106,366)	(122,233)
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dialysis patient service revenues									(269,806)	(221,550)	(172,076)
Provision for uncollectible accounts									0	0	7,168
Net dialysis patient service revenues									(269,806)	(221,550)	(164,908)
Other revenues									(1,086,161)	(1,100,938)	(1,014,715)
Total revenues									(1,355,967)	(1,322,488)	(1,179,623)
Operating expenses and charges									(1,355,967)	(1,322,488)	(1,179,623)
Operating income									0	0	0
Debt expense, including debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges									241,163	249,224	239,958
Other income, net									(333,895)	(441,312)	(423,702)
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Equity earnings in subsidiaries									(1,248,477)	(491,933)	(938,453)
Net income from continuing operations									(1,341,209)	(684,021)	(1,122,197)
Net income (loss) from discontinuing operations, net of tax									92,732	192,088	183,744
Net income									(1,248,477)	(491,933)	(938,453)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(210,313)	(173,646)	(166,937)
Net (loss) income attributable to DaVita Inc.									$ (1,458,790)	$ (665,579)	$ (1,105,390)