Other Assets - Narrative (Details) - 1 months ended Mar. 31, 2017 - Four Seasons £ in Millions, $ in Millions	USD ($)	GBP (£)	GBP (£)
Other assets
Marketable debt security, par value			£ 138.5
Marketable debt security, par value, discounted	$ 101		83.0
Market debt security, carrying value	50		£ 41.0
Other income, net
Other assets
Gain on sale	$ 51	£ 42.0

This item represents the discounted par value of investments in debt securities which are categorized as held-to-maturity.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesDiscountedParValue
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the par value of investments in debt securities which are categorized as held-to-maturity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesParValue
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_ScheduleOfOtherAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the gross profit realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGains
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For any sales of securities categorized as held-to-maturity, this item represents the net carrying amount of the sold security.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27405-111563

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=hcp_FourSeasonsHealthCareMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: