Segment Information- Segment Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 235,443	$ 230,797	$ 226,031	$ 222,552	$ 218,993	$ 204,122	$ 200,172	$ 193,079	$ 914,823	$ 816,366	$ 733,632
Cost of service revenue									557,650	480,878	434,775
Provision for bad debts									14,790	19,243	15,780
General and administrative expenses									270,622	247,919	233,898
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets									1,199	710	47
Impairment of intangibles and other										1,273	3,646
Operating income									70,562	66,343	45,486
Interest expense									(2,936)	(2,302)	(2,486)
Non-operating income									492	457	265
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									68,118	64,498	43,265
Income tax expense									22,176	22,848	14,513
Income from continuing operations									45,942	41,650	28,752
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									9,359	9,315	6,915
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders	9,817	$ 9,616	$ 9,464	$ 7,686	7,735	$ 8,845	$ 8,950	$ 6,805	36,583	32,335	21,837
Total assets	614,071				566,054				614,071	566,054	491,739
Home-based services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue									665,896	613,188	564,966
Cost of service revenue									398,450	354,750	329,856
Provision for bad debts									9,609	15,736	13,072
General and administrative expenses									203,418	190,591	187,280
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets									857	544	1
Impairment of intangibles and other										1,245	3,269
Operating income									53,562	50,322	31,488
Interest expense									(2,216)	(1,819)	(1,969)
Non-operating income									422	397	201
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									51,768	48,900	29,720
Income tax expense									16,505	17,173	10,999
Income from continuing operations									35,263	31,727	18,721
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									6,876	7,424	5,121
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders									28,387	24,303	13,600
Total assets	427,782				394,392				427,782	394,392	386,511
Facility-based services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue									70,088	76,122	73,347
Cost of service revenue									43,238	46,146	45,504
Provision for bad debts									983	689	926
General and administrative expenses									21,212	22,426	21,192
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets									(45)	45	39
Impairment of intangibles and other											175
Operating income									4,700	6,816	5,511
Interest expense									(259)	(207)	(249)
Non-operating income									31	19	19
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									4,472	6,628	5,281
Income tax expense									1,535	2,347	1,454
Income from continuing operations									2,937	4,281	3,827
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									674	958	708
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders									2,263	3,323	3,119
Total assets	36,679				38,786				36,679	38,786	36,354
Hospice Entity [Member]
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue									134,948	85,854	67,621
Cost of service revenue									83,359	50,906	39,804
Provision for bad debts									3,401	1,002	909
General and administrative expenses									37,207	26,437	18,875
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets									338	80	7
Impairment of intangibles and other											202
Operating income									10,643	7,429	7,824
Interest expense									(317)	(253)	(249)
Non-operating income									25	38	43
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									10,351	7,214	7,618
Income tax expense									3,485	2,541	1,955
Income from continuing operations									6,866	4,673	5,663
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									1,867	1,077	1,122
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders									4,999	3,596	4,541
Total assets	116,090				101,641				116,090	101,641	34,847
Community-Based Services [Member]
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue									43,891	41,202	27,698
Cost of service revenue									32,603	29,076	19,611
Provision for bad debts									797	1,816	873
General and administrative expenses									8,785	8,465	6,551
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets									49	41	0
Impairment of intangibles and other										28	0
Operating income									1,657	1,776	663
Interest expense									(144)	(23)	(19)
Non-operating income									14	3	2
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									1,527	1,756	646
Income tax expense									651	787	105
Income from continuing operations									876	969	541
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(58)	(144)	(36)
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders									934	1,113	577
Total assets	$ 33,520				$ 31,235				$ 33,520	$ 31,235	$ 34,027