CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 1,072,086	$ 914,823	$ 816,366
Cost of service revenue	675,810	557,650	480,878
Gross margin	396,276	357,173	335,488
Provision for bad debts	9,484	14,790	19,243
General and administrative expenses	310,539	270,622	247,919
Impairment of intangibles and other	1,511	0	1,273
Loss on disposal of assets	60	1,199	710
Operating income	74,682	70,562	66,343
Interest expense	(3,876)	(2,936)	(2,302)
Non-operating income	524	492	457
Income from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	71,330	68,118	64,498
Income tax expense	10,944	22,176	22,848
Income from continuing operations	60,386	45,942	41,650
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	10,274	9,359	9,315
Net Income Attributable to LHC Group Inc.'s Common Stockholders	$ 50,112	$ 36,583	$ 32,335
Earnings Per Share - Basic:
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.' common stockholders	$ 2.83	$ 2.08	$ 1.86
Earnings Per Share - Diluted:
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.' common stockholders	$ 2.79	$ 2.07	$ 1.84
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding:
Basic	17,715,992	17,559,477	17,405,379
Diluted	17,961,018	17,682,820	17,547,531