Consolidating Financial Statements - Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 333,040	$ 830,555	$ 1,033,082
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	1,438,600	1,082,611	939,044
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,771,640	1,913,166	1,972,126
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment	(987,138)	(905,250)	(829,095)
Acquisitions	(183,156)	(803,879)	(563,856)
Proceeds from asset and business sales	150,205	92,336	64,725
Investments and other items	14,446	252,061	126,558
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,005,643)	(1,364,732)	(1,201,668)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	694,777	154,848	(124,442)
Intercompany borrowing	0	0	0
Other items	(1,320,131)	(921,105)	(1,227,539)
Net cash used in financing activities	(625,354)	(766,257)	(1,351,981)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Including Disposal Group and Discontinued Operations	(3,350)	254	4,276
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	137,293	(217,569)	(577,247)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	518,920	683,463	1,244,917
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	415,420	518,920	683,463
Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	159,394	663,618	879,874
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	(86,070)	(533,300)	(612,706)
Net cash provided by operating activities	73,324	130,318	267,168
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment	(175,787)	(155,972)	(139,303)
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Proceeds from asset and business sales	0	0	0
Investments and other items	30,962	211,619	153,031
Net cash used in investing activities	(144,825)	55,647	13,728
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	725,889	173,529	(92,460)
Intercompany borrowing	404,897	22,589	236,052
Other items	(1,147,934)	(781,697)	(1,061,203)
Net cash used in financing activities	(17,148)	(585,579)	(917,611)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Including Disposal Group and Discontinued Operations	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(88,649)	(399,614)	(636,715)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	150,307	549,921	1,186,636
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	61,658	150,307	549,921
Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	103,196	478,192	693,720
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	818,027	368,135	359,366
Net cash provided by operating activities	921,223	846,327	1,053,086
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment	(534,278)	(490,800)	(382,305)
Acquisitions	(73,046)	(693,522)	(472,413)
Proceeds from asset and business sales	61,962	90,340	70,342
Investments and other items	(16,362)	(7,004)	(29,038)
Net cash used in investing activities	(561,724)	(1,100,986)	(813,414)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(11,437)	(12,662)	(27,830)
Intercompany borrowing	(311,778)	218,980	(231,800)
Other items	(28,067)	(2,493)	(21,525)
Net cash used in financing activities	(351,282)	203,825	(281,155)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Including Disposal Group and Discontinued Operations	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	8,217	(50,834)	(41,483)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	9,384	8,687	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	12,048	9,384	8,687
Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	517,671	241,312	820,486
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	259,422	695,209	(168,614)
Net cash provided by operating activities	777,093	936,521	651,872
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment	(277,073)	(258,478)	(307,487)
Acquisitions	(110,110)	(110,357)	(91,443)
Proceeds from asset and business sales	88,243	1,996	(5,617)
Investments and other items	(154)	47,446	2,565
Net cash used in investing activities	(299,094)	(319,393)	(401,982)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	(19,675)	(6,019)	(4,152)
Intercompany borrowing	(93,119)	(241,569)	(4,252)
Other items	(144,130)	(136,915)	(144,811)
Net cash used in financing activities	(256,924)	(384,503)	(153,215)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Including Disposal Group and Discontinued Operations	(3,350)	254	4,276
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	217,725	232,879	100,951
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	359,229	124,855	58,281
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	341,714	359,229	124,855
Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	(447,221)	(552,567)	(1,360,998)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities and non-cash items included in net income	447,221	552,567	1,360,998
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions of property and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Proceeds from asset and business sales	0	0	0
Investments and other items	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Long-term debt and related financing costs, net	0	0	0
Intercompany borrowing	0	0	0
Other items	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Including Disposal Group and Discontinued Operations	0	0	0
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at beginning of the year	0	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of continuing operations at end of the year	0	0	0
Discontinued Operations
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	240,793	(53,026)	(15,793)
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	5,553	(51,531)	(50,170)
Discontinued Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	235,240	(1,495)	34,377
Discontinued Operations | Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Continuing Operations
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(103,500)	(164,543)	(561,454)
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | DaVita Inc.
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(88,649)	(399,614)	(636,715)
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	2,664	697	8,687
Continuing Operations | Reportable Legal Entites | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	(17,515)	234,374	66,574
Continuing Operations | Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from financing activities:
Less: Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0