Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	May 01, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Selected quarterly financial information:
Total revenues		$ 2,905,322	$ 2,924,066	$ 2,879,979	$ 2,841,237	$ 2,898,584	$ 2,904,078	$ 2,842,705	$ 2,743,112	$ 11,550,604	$ 11,388,479	$ 11,404,851
Operating income		381,671	437,669	409,920	465,376	462,588	378,336	461,886	340,507	1,694,636	1,643,317	1,525,824
Amounts attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Net income from continuing operations		193,406	158,674	201,602	229,613	242,242	150,113	194,223	120,254	783,295	706,832	624,321
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations		(19,633)	0	0	9,980	2,629	(6,843)	79,328	29,035	(9,653)	104,149	(464,927)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.		$ 173,773	$ 158,674	$ 201,602	$ 239,593	$ 244,871	$ 143,270	$ 273,551	$ 149,289	$ 773,642	$ 810,981	$ 159,394
Earnings per share attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Basic Share		$ 1.73	$ 1.31	$ 1.65	$ 1.84	$ 1.87	$ 1.00	$ 1.17	$ 0.72	$ 6.54	$ 4.61	$ 3.66
Basic net loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)		(0.17)	0	0	0.08	0.02	(0.05)	0.47	0.18	(0.08)	0.68	(2.73)
Basic net income per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)		1.56	1.31	1.65	1.92	1.89	0.95	1.64	0.90	6.46	5.29	0.93
Diluted net income from continuing operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)		1.67	1.28	1.62	1.81	1.86	0.99	1.16	0.72	6.39	4.60	3.62
Diluted net loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)		(0.17)	0	0	0.08	0.02	(0.04)	0.48	0.18	(0.08)	0.67	(2.70)
Diluted net income per share attributable to DaVita Inc. (in usd per share)		$ 1.50	$ 1.28	$ 1.62	$ 1.89	$ 1.88	$ 0.95	$ 1.64	$ 0.90	$ 6.31	$ 5.27	$ 0.92
Footnotes to Selected Quarterly Financial Information:
Goodwill impairment charges										$ 0	$ 124,892	$ 3,106
RMS Lifeline
Footnotes to Selected Quarterly Financial Information:
Gain (Loss) on Divestiture	$ 16,252			$ 16,252
Pending legal settlements
Footnotes to Selected Quarterly Financial Information:
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss				$ 35,000
Other - Ancillary services
Selected quarterly financial information:
Total revenues										$ 1,035,955	957,898	$ 1,161,852
Footnotes to Selected Quarterly Financial Information:
Goodwill impairment charges							$ 83,855				124,892
Kidney Care | GERMANY
Footnotes to Selected Quarterly Financial Information:
Goodwill impairment charges									$ 41,037		$ 119,476