CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Dialysis patient service revenues before provision	$ 11,039,709	$ 10,918,421	$ 10,709,981
Provision for uncollectible accounts	(13,458)	(21,715)	(49,587)
Dialysis patient service revenues	11,026,251	10,896,706	10,660,394
Other revenues	524,353	491,773	744,457
Total revenues	11,550,604	11,388,479	11,404,851
Operating expenses and charges:
Patient care costs	7,988,613	7,914,485	8,195,513
General and administrative	1,247,584	1,103,312	1,135,454
Depreciation and amortization	630,435	615,152	591,035
Provision for uncollectible accounts	0	0	(7,300)
Equity investment (income) loss	(26,916)	(12,679)	4,484
Other asset impairments	0	0	17,338
Goodwill impairment charges	0	124,892	3,106
Loss (gain) on changes in ownership interest, net	16,252	0	(60,603)
Total operating expenses and charges	9,855,968	9,745,162	9,879,027
Operating income	1,694,636	1,643,317	1,525,824
Debt expense	(304,111)	(443,824)	(487,435)
Debt prepayment, refinancing and redemption charges	(89,022)	(33,402)	0
Other income, net	16,759	29,348	10,089
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	1,318,262	1,195,439	1,048,478
Income tax expense	313,932	279,628	258,400
Net income from continuing operations	1,004,330	915,811	790,078
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(9,653)	105,483	(457,038)
Net income	994,677	1,021,294	333,040
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(221,035)	(210,313)	(173,646)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 773,642	$ 810,981	$ 159,394
Earnings per share attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Basic net income from continuing operations (in usd per share)	$ 6.54	$ 4.61	$ 3.66
Basic net income (in usd per share)	6.46	5.29	0.93
Diluted net income from continuing operations (in usd per share)	6.39	4.60	3.62
Diluted net income (in usd per share)	$ 6.31	$ 5.27	$ 0.92
Weighted average shares for earnings per share:
Basic shares (in shares)	119,797,000	153,181,000	170,786,000
Diluted shares (in shares)	122,623,000	153,812,000	172,365,000
Amounts attributable to DaVita Inc.:
Net income from continuing operations	$ 783,295	$ 706,832	$ 624,321
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations	(9,653)	104,149	(464,927)
Net income attributable to DaVita Inc.	$ 773,642	$ 810,981	$ 159,394