Segment Information - Summary of segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 517,842	$ 502,024	$ 1,020,427	$ 793,078
Cost of service revenue	325,860	321,004	646,852	509,622
General and administrative expenses	148,584	149,214	293,805	241,245
Other intangible impairment charge	1,018	778	7,337	778
Operating income	42,380	31,028	72,433	41,433
Interest expense	(2,885)	(3,202)	(5,937)	(4,652)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	39,495	27,826	66,496	36,781
Income tax expense (benefit)	9,557	7,170	13,157	8,147
Net income	29,938	20,656	53,339	28,634
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,938	3,859	9,483	6,842
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	25,000	16,797	43,856	21,792
Total assets	2,029,855	1,881,670	2,029,855	1,881,670	$ 1,928,715
Home health services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	375,253	360,276	738,288	564,463
Cost of service revenue	230,545	223,490	456,668	353,651
General and administrative expenses	108,958	105,674	213,797	171,963
Other intangible impairment charge	748	291	7,066	291
Operating income	35,002	30,821	60,757	38,558
Interest expense	(2,023)	(2,256)	(4,161)	(3,344)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	32,979	28,565	56,596	35,214
Income tax expense (benefit)	8,070	7,091	11,278	7,814
Net income	24,909	21,474	45,318	27,400
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	3,948	3,810	7,728	6,047
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	20,961	17,664	37,590	21,353
Total assets	1,407,221	1,306,773	1,407,221	1,306,773
Hospice services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	55,057	50,554	106,793	93,180
Cost of service revenue	34,858	32,998	68,034	61,016
General and administrative expenses	15,096	15,108	29,949	28,406
Other intangible impairment charge	270	0	271	0
Operating income	4,833	2,448	8,539	3,758
Interest expense	(323)	(473)	(666)	(690)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	4,510	1,975	7,873	3,068
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,581	483	2,027	594
Net income	2,929	1,492	5,846	2,474
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	898	412	1,499	829
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	2,031	1,080	4,347	1,645
Total assets	234,789	189,447	234,789	189,447
Home and community-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	52,414	52,753	104,199	66,844
Cost of service revenue	39,505	39,682	79,360	50,472
General and administrative expenses	11,213	12,444	22,195	15,742
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Operating income	1,696	627	2,644	630
Interest expense	(284)	(158)	(585)	(229)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	1,412	469	2,059	401
Income tax expense (benefit)	(171)	139	(20)	124
Net income	1,583	330	2,079	277
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(267)	(90)	(577)	(69)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,850	420	2,656	346
Total assets	240,746	255,456	240,746	255,456
Facility-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	27,975	28,304	55,676	58,454
Cost of service revenue	17,572	19,307	35,304	38,956
General and administrative expenses	9,335	10,601	18,512	19,747
Other intangible impairment charge	0	487	0	487
Operating income	1,068	(2,091)	1,860	(736)
Interest expense	(170)	(159)	(350)	(232)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	898	(2,250)	1,510	(968)
Income tax expense (benefit)	148	(313)	153	(155)
Net income	750	(1,937)	1,357	(813)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	365	(207)	846	101
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	385	(1,730)	511	(914)
Total assets	77,686	66,665	77,686	66,665
HCI
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	7,143	10,137	15,471	10,137
Cost of service revenue	3,380	5,527	7,486	5,527
General and administrative expenses	3,982	5,387	9,352	5,387
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Operating income	(219)	(777)	(1,367)	(777)
Interest expense	(85)	(156)	(175)	(157)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(304)	(933)	(1,542)	(934)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(71)	(230)	(281)	(230)
Net income	(233)	(703)	(1,261)	(704)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6)	(66)	(13)	(66)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	(227)	(637)	(1,248)	(638)
Total assets	$ 69,413	$ 63,329	$ 69,413	$ 63,329