v2.4.1.9

Components of Changes in Health Care Costs Payable (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Less: Claims paid
Health care costs payable, end of the year	$ 314,347dva_MedicalExpensePayable	$ 287,452dva_MedicalExpensePayable
Healthcare Cost
Medical Expense And Medical Claims Payable [Line Items]
Health care costs payable, beginning of the year	172,310dva_MedicalExpensePayable / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	119,512dva_MedicalExpensePayable / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Acquisitions and other adjustments		26,575dva_ProductWarrantyAccrualAcquisitionsAndOtherAdjustments / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Add: Components of incurred health care costs
Current year	1,572,723dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurredRelatedToCurrentYear / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	1,329,887dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurredRelatedToCurrentYear / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Prior years	3,429dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurredInPriorYears / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	(16,587)dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurredInPriorYears / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Total incurred health care costs	1,576,152dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurred / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	1,313,300dva_MedicalExpensePayableIncurred / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Less: Claims paid
Current year	1,378,137us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear1 / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	1,169,455us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear1 / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Prior years	155,920us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears1 / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	117,622us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears1 / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Total claims paid	1,534,057us-gaap_PaymentsForLossesAndLossAdjustmentExpense / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	1,287,077us-gaap_PaymentsForLossesAndLossAdjustmentExpense / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember
Health care costs payable, end of the year	$ 214,405dva_MedicalExpensePayable / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember	$ 172,310dva_MedicalExpensePayable / dva_TypeOfCostAxis = dva_HealthcareCostMember

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Carrying amount as of balance sheet date of health care costs payable representing estimated costs of professional medical services provided by non-employed physicians and other providers, as well as inpatient and other ancillary costs for all markets, other than California where state regulation allows for assumption of global risk.

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Medical expense payable incurred in prior years.

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Medical expense payable incurred related to current year.

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Medical expense and medical claims payable associated with acquisitions and other adjustments.

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Amount of payments to settle claims incurred in the current period and related claims settlement costs.

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Amount of payments to settle insured claims and pay costs incurred in the claims settlement process.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

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