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	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Non- controlling interests subject to put provisions	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Retained earnings	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Non- controlling interests not subject to put provisions
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2018					$ 1,124,641
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					102,078
Distributions					(98,103)
Contributions					24,714
Acquisitions and divestitures					1,782
Partial purchases					(2,240)
Fair value remeasurements					143,225
Temporary equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019					1,296,059
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 3,703,442				$ 166			$ 995,006			$ 2,743,194	$ 0	$ (34,924)	$ 204,956	$ 39,876	$ (38)	$ 39,876	$ (6)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018						166,387,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 566,110	566,110										566,110			50,144
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (42,680)	(42,680)												(42,680)
Stock shares issued (in shares)							154,000
Stock unit shares issued			$ (3,245)				$ 1			$ (3,246)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		47,723							47,723
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(59,067)
Contributions															19,381
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(1,981)
Partial purchases		10,732							10,732						(19,480)
Fair value remeasurements		(143,225)							(143,225)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(32,652,000)												(32,652,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (1,860,157)	(1,860,157)											$ (1,860,157)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019		2,318,576				$ 167			906,990			3,349,180	$ (1,860,157)	(77,604)	193,947
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019						166,541,000							(32,652,000)
Temporary equity, start balance at Jun. 30, 2019					1,185,733
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					38,778
Distributions					(37,868)
Contributions					8,946
Acquisitions and divestitures					(91)
Partial purchases					8
Fair value remeasurements					100,553
Temporary equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019					1,296,059
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2019		4,049,298				$ 167			989,021			3,205,910	$ (112,189)	(33,611)	193,771
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019						166,533,000							(2,060,000)
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	143,270	143,270										143,270			19,640
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (43,993)	(43,993)												(43,993)
Stock shares issued (in shares)							8,000
Stock unit shares issued			0
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		18,724							18,724
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(23,588)
Contributions															3,868
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															10
Partial purchases		(202)							(202)						246
Fair value remeasurements		(100,553)							(100,553)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(30,592,000)												(30,592,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (1,747,968)	(1,747,968)											$ (1,747,968)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019		2,318,576				$ 167			906,990			3,349,180	$ (1,860,157)	(77,604)	193,947
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019						166,541,000							(32,652,000)
Temporary equity, start balance at Dec. 31, 2019					1,180,376
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					107,737
Distributions					(115,289)
Contributions					24,443
Acquisitions and divestitures					(3,214)
Partial purchases					(6,673)
Fair value remeasurements					116,554
Temporary equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020					1,303,934
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 2,319,242	2,133,409				$ 126			749,043			1,431,738	$ 0	(47,498)	185,833
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	125,842,853					125,843,000							0
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 599,869	599,869										599,869			52,701
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (75,032)	(75,032)												(75,032)
Stock shares issued (in shares)							166,000	56,000
Stock unit shares issued			(7,141)							(7,141)
Stock appreciation rights shares issued				$ (2,004)							$ (2,004)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		66,591							66,591
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(63,809)
Contributions															8,411
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															(247)
Partial purchases		4,197							4,197						(4,306)
Fair value remeasurements		(116,554)							(116,554)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(12,284,000)												(12,284,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (1,028,578)	(1,028,578)											$ (1,028,578)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 1,753,340	1,574,757				$ 126			694,132			2,031,607	$ (1,028,578)	(122,530)	178,583
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020	113,781,317					126,065,000							(12,284,000)
Temporary equity, start balance at Jun. 30, 2020					1,241,937
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income					40,854
Distributions					(38,154)
Contributions					10,348
Fair value remeasurements					48,949
Temporary equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020					$ 1,303,934
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2020		2,153,915				$ 126			719,102			1,872,933	$ (303,139)	(135,107)	179,902
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020						126,037,000							(4,052,000)
Comprehensive income:
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 158,674	158,674										158,674			18,012
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 12,577	12,577												12,577
Stock shares issued (in shares)							5,000	23,000
Stock unit shares issued			$ 10							$ 10
Stock appreciation rights shares issued				$ (944)							$ (944)
Stock-settled stock-based compensation expense		24,913							24,913
Changes in noncontrolling interest from:
Distributions															(22,391)
Contributions															1,924
Acquisitions and divestitures, non-controlling interest															1,136
Fair value remeasurements		(48,949)							(48,949)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)	(8,232,000)												(8,232,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (725,439)	(725,439)											$ (725,439)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 1,753,340	$ 1,574,757				$ 126			$ 694,132			$ 2,031,607	$ (1,028,578)	$ (122,530)	$ 178,583
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020	113,781,317					126,065,000							(12,284,000)