SETTLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Loss Contingency, Settlement [Abstract]
SETTLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT	SETTLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT On May 9, 2011, the Company announced an agreement in principle to settle, and on May 19, 2011, the Company finalized a settlement of, a qui tam case filed by a competitor under the California False Claims Act in California state court (the "California Lawsuit") related to the Company's billing practices to Medi-Cal, the California Medicaid program. While denying liability, in order to avoid the uncertainty, expense and risks of litigation, the Company agreed to resolve these matters for $241 million. As a result of the agreement in principle, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge to earnings in the first quarter of 2011 of $236 million (the "Medi-Cal charge"), which represented the cost to resolve the matters noted above and related claims, less amounts previously reserved for related matters. The Company funded the $241 million payment in the second quarter of 2011 with cash on hand and borrowings under its existing credit facilities.

SETTLEMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAWSUIT

On May 9, 2011, the Company announced an agreement in principle to settle, and on May 19, 2011, the Company finalized a settlement of, a qui tam case filed by a competitor under the California False Claims Act in California state court (the "California Lawsuit") related to the Company's billing practices to Medi-Cal, the California Medicaid program. While denying liability, in order to avoid the uncertainty, expense and risks of litigation, the Company agreed to resolve these matters for $241 million. As a result of the agreement in principle, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge to earnings in the first quarter of 2011 of $236 million (the "Medi-Cal charge"), which represented the cost to resolve the matters noted above and related claims, less amounts previously reserved for related matters. The Company funded the $241 million payment in the second quarter of 2011 with cash on hand and borrowings under its existing credit facilities.