Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 1,021,294	$ 333,040	$ 830,555
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	1,051,061	1,438,600	1,082,611
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,072,355	1,771,640	1,913,166
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment, net	(766,546)	(987,138)	(905,250)
Acquisitions	(100,861)	(183,156)	(803,879)
Proceeds from asset sales, net of cash divested	3,877,392	150,205	92,336
Investments and other items	(14,645)	14,446	252,061
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	2,995,340	(1,005,643)	(1,364,732)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(2,080,191)	694,777	154,848
Intercompany borrowing	0	0	0
Other items	(2,616,259)	(1,320,131)	(921,105)
Net cash used in financing activities	(4,696,450)	(625,354)	(766,257)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,760)	(3,350)	254
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	369,485	137,293	(217,569)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	415,420	518,920	683,463
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	1,208,718	415,420	518,920
Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	810,981	159,394	663,618
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	(602,288)	(86,070)	(533,300)
Net cash provided by operating activities	208,693	73,324	130,318
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment, net	(145,378)	(175,787)	(155,972)
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Proceeds from asset sales, net of cash divested	3,824,516	0	0
Investments and other items	(4,606)	30,962	211,619
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	3,674,532	(144,825)	55,647
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(2,052,197)	725,889	173,529
Intercompany borrowing	1,267,138	404,897	22,589
Other items	(2,387,084)	(1,147,934)	(781,697)
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,172,143)	(17,148)	(585,579)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	711,082	(88,649)	(399,614)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	61,658	150,307	549,921
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	772,740	61,658	150,307
Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	906,559	771,945	1,227,623
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	(73,356)	(150,976)	(739,023)
Net cash provided by operating activities	833,203	620,969	488,600
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment, net	(310,032)	(425,008)	(348,292)
Acquisitions	(11,851)	(42,987)	(528,588)
Proceeds from asset sales, net of cash divested	1,777	55,184	25,989
Investments and other items	(6,676)	(8,286)	(3,526)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(326,782)	(421,097)	(854,417)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(10,481)	(8,874)	(8,186)
Intercompany borrowing	(455,405)	(168,224)	382,452
Other items	(53,283)	(29,457)	(2,205)
Net cash used in financing activities	(519,169)	(206,555)	372,061
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(12,748)	(6,683)	6,244
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	13,280	19,963	13,719
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	532	13,280	19,963
Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	552,231	(106,366)	(122,233)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	478,228	1,183,713	1,416,481
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,030,459	1,077,347	1,294,248
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment, net	(311,136)	(386,343)	(400,986)
Acquisitions	(89,010)	(140,169)	(275,291)
Proceeds from asset sales, net of cash divested	51,099	95,021	66,347
Investments and other items	(3,363)	(8,230)	43,968
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(352,410)	(439,721)	(565,962)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(17,513)	(22,238)	(10,495)
Intercompany borrowing	(811,733)	(236,673)	(405,041)
Other items	(175,892)	(142,740)	(137,203)
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,005,138)	(401,651)	(552,739)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(1,760)	(3,350)	254
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(328,849)	232,625	175,801
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	340,482	348,650	119,823
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	435,446	340,482	348,650
Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	(1,248,477)	(491,933)	(938,453)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	1,248,477	491,933	938,453
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment, net	0	0	0
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Proceeds from asset sales, net of cash divested	0	0	0
Investments and other items	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	0	0	0
Intercompany borrowing	0	0	0
Other items	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	0	0	0
Discontinued Operations
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(423,813)	240,793	(53,026)
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(423,813)	240,793	(53,026)
Discontinued Operations | Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Continuing Operations
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	793,298	(103,500)	(164,543)
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	711,082	(88,649)	(399,614)
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(12,748)	(6,683)	6,244
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	94,964	(8,168)	228,827
Continuing Operations | Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0