Number of shares issued during the period to employees related to Restricted stock awards.

No definition available.

Name:	lhcg_NonvestedStockGrantsToEmployees
Namespace Prefix:	lhcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period to independent directors.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lhcg_NonvestedStockGrantsToIndependentDirectors
Namespace Prefix:	lhcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Directors

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lhcg_NumberOfDirectors
Namespace Prefix:	lhcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares reserved for the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lhcg_NumberOfSharesReservedForEmployeeStockPurchasePlan
Namespace Prefix:	lhcg_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of directors stock grant vested on one year anniversary date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lhcg_PercentageOfDirectorsStockGrantVestedOnOneYearAnniversaryDate
Namespace Prefix:	lhcg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of adjustment to stockholders' equity associated with an employee's income tax withholding obligation as part of a net-share settlement of a share-based award.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense for employee benefit and equity-based compensation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeBenefitsAndShareBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of additional shares authorized for issuance under an established share-based compensation plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfAdditionalSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Purchase price of common stock expressed as a percentage of its fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPurchasePriceOfCommonStockPercent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For net-share settlement of share-based awards when the employer settles employees' income tax withholding obligations, this element represents the number of shares the employees use to repay the employer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharesPaidForTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=us-gaap_DirectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=lhcg_NewDirectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=lhcg_EmployeeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=lhcg_AFAMOptionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	lhcg_IncentivePlanTypeAxis=lhcg_A2018LongTermIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	lhcg_IncentivePlanTypeAxis=lhcg_A2010LongTermIncentivePlanMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 20, 2013 shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) director $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2006 shares	Jun. 07, 2018 shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved and available for issuance (in shares)		1,500,000
Shares available for issuance (in shares)		2,194,074				2,210,544
Number of directors \| director		4
Granted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares		$ 64.11	$ 48.52	$ 37.99
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested shares of common stock granted \| $		$ 19.4
Weighted average period of cost recognized		3 years 1 month 5 days
Fair value of shares vested \| $		$ 8.0	$ 5.6	$ 4.5
Compensation expense related to nonvested stock grants \| $		$ 9.4	$ 6.0	$ 4.9
Price of shares issued under Employee Stock Purchase Plan as a percentage of FMV					95.00%
Number of shares reserved for the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (in shares)					250,000
Additional shares authorized for issuance (in shares)	250,000
Shares redeemed to satisfy personal tax obligations (in shares)		68,217	61,825	52,119
Director
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Period of vested shares		1 year
Nonvested stock grants to employees (in shares)		14,000
Nonvested stock grants to Independent directors (in shares)		13,600	11,700	15,300
New Director
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of directors' stock grant vested on one year anniversary date		33.33%
Employee
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Period of vested shares		5 years
AFAM Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares redeemed to satisfy personal tax obligations (in shares)		68,070
Treasury shares redeemed to pay income tax \| $		$ 2.5
2018 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved and available for issuance (in shares)		2,000,000
2018 Long-Term Incentive Plan \| Employee
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Nonvested stock grants to employees (in shares)		16,470
2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved and available for issuance (in shares)		300,000
2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan \| Employee
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Nonvested stock grants to employees (in shares)		213,105	139,310	220,800
Restricted stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Granted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares		$ 64.11
Aggregate intrinsic value, outstanding \| $		$ 9.0
Aggregate intrinsic value, exercised \| $		$ 6.8