| **Long-term Debt**             | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| **Debt Disclosure [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Long-term Debt                 | Long-term DebtOur long-term debt outstanding consists of the following (in millions): March 31, 2015 December 31, 2014Credit Agreement—   Advances under revolving credit facility$10.0 $325.0Term loan facilities197.5 450.0Bonds payable—   8.125% Senior Notes due 2020287.2 287.07.75% Senior Notes due 2022227.1 227.15.125% Senior Notes due 2023300.0 —5.75% Senior Notes due 2024864.0 456.22.0% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2043260.2 258.0Other notes payable41.1 41.6Capital lease obligations85.2 86.7 2,272.3 2,131.6Less: Current portion(149.8) (20.8)Long-term debt, net of current portion$2,122.5 $2,110.8The following chart shows scheduled principal payments due on long-term debt for the next five years and thereafter (in millions): Face Amount Net AmountApril 1 through December 31, 2015$145.7 $144.4201620.6 20.6201718.9 18.9201818.7 18.72019342.0 340.42020322.5 262.7Thereafter1,451.5 1,466.6Total$2,319.9 $2,272.3In December 2014, we drew $375 million under our term loan facilities and $325 million under our revolving credit facility to fund the acquisition of Encompass Home Health and Hospice (“Encompass”). See Note 2, Business Combinations, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2014 Form 10‑K. In January 2015, we issued an additional $400 million of our 5.75% Senior Notes due 2024 at a price of 102% of the principal amount and used $250 million of the net proceeds to repay borrowings under our term loan facilities, with the remaining net proceeds used to repay borrowings under our revolving credit facility. As a result of this transaction, we recorded a $1.2 millionLoss on early extinguishment of debt in the first quarter of 2015.In March 2015, we issued $300 million of 5.125% Senior Notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes) at a price of 100.0% of the principal amount, which resulted in approximately $295 million in net proceeds from the public offering. The 2023 Notes will be governed by the Base Indenture, as defined in Note 8, Long-term debt, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2014 Form 10-K, and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated March 12, 2015. The 2023 Notes mature on March 15, 2023 and bear interest at a per annum rate of 5.125%. Interest on the 2023 Notes is payable semiannually in arrears on March 15 and September 15, beginning on September 15, 2015. We may redeem the 2023 Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after March 15, 2018 at the redemption prices set forth below:Period RedemptionPrice*2018 103.844%2019 102.563%2020 101.281%2021 and thereafter 100.000%* Expressed in percentage of principal amountApproximately $135 million of the net proceeds from the offering of the 2023 Notes were invested in short-term interest-bearing instruments and are included in Cash and cash equivalents in our consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2015. The remainder of the net proceeds from this offering were initially used to repay borrowings under our revolving credit facility. On March 11, 2015, we gave notice of, and made an irrevocable commitment for, the redemption of all the outstanding principal amount of our 8.125% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “2020 Notes”). On April 10, 2015, we used the net proceeds from the 2023 Notes offering, a portion of which represented a re-borrowing under our revolving credit facility, along withCash and cash equivalentson hand, to execute the redemption. Therefore, approximately$160 millionof the 2020 Notes were classified as noncurrent as of March 31, 2015. Pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Notes, this redemption was made at a price of104.063%, which resulted in a total cash outlay of approximately$302 millionto retire the$290 millionin principal. As a result of this redemption, we expect to record an approximate$19 millionLoss on early extinguishment of debtin the second quarter of 2015.For additional information regarding our indebtedness, see Note 8, Long-term Debt, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2014 Form 10-K. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for long-term debt.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5
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