Segments And Nature Of The Business (Segment Data) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	$ 319,466	$ 219,923	$ 205,544
Total interest income	757	513	671
Total interest expense	2,355	4,535	4,990
Total income tax provision	76,524	41,686	34,056
Total identifiable assets	1,434,911	1,268,317	975,529
Total additions to long-lived assets	61,793	189,024	105,883
Total depreciation and amortization	56,583	45,205	38,863
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	359,176	259,532	237,557
Total interest income	26,897	26,800	20,412
Total interest expense	506	514	494
Total income tax provision	113,511	78,987	69,697
Total identifiable assets	1,171,347	1,170,935	904,979
Total additions to long-lived assets	56,547	188,024	105,755
Total depreciation and amortization	56,447	45,049	38,716
Intercompany Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total interest income	(26,153)	(26,287)	(19,741)
VITAS [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	238,782	155,822	138,846
Total interest income	20,565	18,515	13,412
Total interest expense	166	169	175
Total income tax provision	76,473	48,711	40,847
Total identifiable assets	672,246	663,455	553,949
Total additions to long-lived assets	28,865	25,530	36,969
Total depreciation and amortization	22,239	20,055	19,700
Roto-Rooter [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	120,394	103,710	98,711
Total interest income	6,332	8,285	7,000
Total interest expense	340	345	319
Total income tax provision	37,038	30,276	28,850
Total identifiable assets	499,101	507,480	351,030
Total additions to long-lived assets	27,682	162,494	68,786
Total depreciation and amortization	34,208	24,994	19,016
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	(39,710)	(39,609)	(32,013)
Total interest income	13
Total interest expense	1,849	4,021	4,496
Total income tax provision	(36,987)	(37,301)	(35,641)
Total identifiable assets	263,564	97,382	70,550
Total additions to long-lived assets	5,246	1,000	128
Total depreciation and amortization	$ 136	$ 156	$ 147
Sales Revenue [Member] | VITAS [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	64.00%	66.00%	67.00%
Sales Revenue [Member] | Roto-Rooter [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	36.00%	34.00%	33.00%