Segment Information - Segment Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 230,797	$ 204,122	$ 679,380	$ 597,373
Cost of service revenue	140,832	120,873	413,561	351,938
Provision for bad debts	3,275	4,809	11,658	14,873
General and administrative expenses	66,999	60,472	201,296	179,736
Loss on disposal of assets	142	276	1,389	680
Operating income	19,549	17,692	51,476	50,146
Interest expense	(816)	(434)	(2,167)	(1,533)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	18,733	17,258	49,309	48,613
Income tax expense	6,562	6,148	15,500	17,097
Net income	12,171	11,110	33,809	31,516
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,555	2,265	7,043	6,916
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	9,616	8,845	26,766	24,600
Total assets	613,453	568,887	613,453	568,887	$ 566,054
Home health services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	167,529	155,047	492,090	454,911
Cost of service revenue	100,057	90,013	294,359	262,604
Provision for bad debts	2,049	3,988	8,122	12,109
General and administrative expenses	50,293	47,451	150,948	141,178
Loss on disposal of assets	20	215	811	518
Operating income	15,110	13,380	37,850	38,502
Interest expense	(612)	(343)	(1,640)	(1,211)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	14,498	13,037	36,210	37,291
Income tax expense	5,133	4,602	11,026	12,999
Net income	9,365	8,435	25,184	24,292
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,853	1,812	5,002	5,584
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	7,512	6,623	20,182	18,708
Total assets	425,923	449,038	425,923	449,038
Community-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	11,793	10,628	32,823	30,713
Cost of service revenue	9,100	7,276	24,656	21,632
Provision for bad debts	190	560	488	1,431
General and administrative expenses	2,263	2,084	6,557	6,331
Loss on disposal of assets	0	7	46	45
Operating income	240	701	1,076	1,274
Interest expense	(41)	(5)	(106)	(17)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	199	696	970	1,257
Income tax expense	83	297	413	557
Net income	116	399	557	700
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(29)	(57)	(101)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	116	428	614	801
Total assets	33,549	33,070	33,549	33,070
Hospice Services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	35,322	19,205	100,051	54,688
Cost of service revenue	21,243	11,691	61,836	32,634
Provision for bad debts	797	51	2,364	697
General and administrative expenses	9,491	5,364	27,787	15,325
Loss on disposal of assets	5	34	329	72
Operating income	3,786	2,065	7,735	5,960
Interest expense	(90)	(47)	(232)	(168)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	3,696	2,018	7,503	5,792
Income tax expense	1,275	713	2,484	2,056
Net income	2,421	1,305	5,019	3,736
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	553	279	1,368	778
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,868	1,026	3,651	2,958
Total assets	119,906	41,694	119,906	41,694
Facility-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	16,153	19,242	54,416	57,061
Cost of service revenue	10,432	11,893	32,710	35,068
Provision for bad debts	239	210	684	636
General and administrative expenses	4,952	5,573	16,004	16,902
Loss on disposal of assets	117	20	203	45
Operating income	413	1,546	4,815	4,410
Interest expense	(73)	(39)	(189)	(137)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	340	1,507	4,626	4,273
Income tax expense	71	536	1,577	1,485
Net income	269	971	3,049	2,788
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	149	203	730	655
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	120	768	2,319	2,133
Total assets	$ 34,075	$ 45,085	$ 34,075	$ 45,085