CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 148,342	$ 295,586
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $245,975 and $235,747 at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	946,753	867,010
Inventories	89,442	93,050
Deferred income taxes	158,786	174,209
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	126,376	90,950
Current assets held for sale	0	40,192
Total current assets	1,469,699	1,560,997
Property, plant and equipment, net	751,814	755,831
Goodwill	5,665,845	5,535,848
Intangible assets, net	929,421	872,172
Other assets	219,406	204,631
Non-current assets held for sale	0	354,384
Total assets	9,036,185	9,283,863
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	915,927	1,016,191
Short-term borrowings and current portion of long-term debt	374,764	9,404
Current liabilities held for sale	0	22,008
Total current liabilities	1,290,691	1,047,603
Long-term debt	3,121,601	3,354,173
Other liabilities	685,327	635,558
Non-current liabilities held for sale	0	60,800
Quest Diagnostics stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share; 600,000 shares authorized at both June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012; 215,358 shares and 215,075 shares issued at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	2,154	2,151
Additional paid-in capital	2,326,926	2,370,677
Retained earnings	4,898,331	4,690,378
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(12,769)	14,320
Treasury stock, at cost; 63,538 shares and 56,744 shares at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	(3,302,686)	(2,914,479)
Total Quest Diagnostics stockholders' equity	3,911,956	4,163,047
Noncontrolling interests	26,610	22,682
Total stockholders' equity	3,938,566	4,185,729
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 9,036,185	$ 9,283,863