Segment Information - Segment Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 222,552	$ 193,079
Cost of service revenue	135,601	114,426
Provision for bad debts	4,601	5,259
General and administrative expenses	66,240	59,298
Operating income	16,110	14,096
Interest expense	(885)	(545)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	15,225	13,551
Income tax expense	5,342	4,729
Net income	9,883	8,822
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,197	2,017
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	7,686	6,805
Total assets	582,853	490,964	$ 566,054
Home health services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	161,387	146,592
Cost of service revenue	96,712	85,546
Provision for bad debts	3,455	4,476
General and administrative expenses	49,558	46,454
Operating income	11,662	10,116
Interest expense	(678)	(430)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	10,984	9,686
Income tax expense	3,850	3,657
Net income	7,134	6,029
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,594	1,521
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	5,540	4,508
Total assets	400,924	385,653
Community-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	10,443	9,773
Cost of service revenue	7,727	6,900
Provision for bad debts	82	180
General and administrative expenses	2,079	2,217
Operating income	555	476
Interest expense	(41)	(6)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	514	470
Income tax expense	228	45
Net income	286	425
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(43)	(20)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	329	445
Total assets	33,133	32,971
Hospice Services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	30,824	16,851
Cost of service revenue	19,627	10,099
Provision for bad debts	775	347
General and administrative expenses	8,990	4,888
Operating income	1,432	1,517
Interest expense	(91)	(60)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	1,341	1,457
Income tax expense	420	620
Net income	921	837
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	317	246
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	604	591
Total assets	111,308	34,019
Facility-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	19,898	19,863
Cost of service revenue	11,535	11,881
Provision for bad debts	289	256
General and administrative expenses	5,613	5,739
Operating income	2,461	1,987
Interest expense	(75)	(49)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	2,386	1,938
Income tax expense	844	407
Net income	1,542	1,531
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	329	270
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,213	1,261
Total assets	$ 37,488	$ 38,321