CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 528,499	$ 507,043	$ 1,548,926	$ 1,300,121
Cost of service revenue	334,768	322,196	981,620	831,818
Gross margin	193,731	184,847	567,306	468,303
General and administrative expenses	146,829	149,572	440,634	390,817
Other intangible impairment charge	197	345	7,534	1,123
Operating income	46,705	34,930	119,138	76,363
Interest expense	(2,596)	(3,264)	(8,533)	(7,916)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	44,109	31,666	110,605	68,447
Income tax expense	9,508	6,685	22,665	14,832
Net income	34,601	24,981	87,940	53,615
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,534	3,751	14,017	10,593
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	$ 30,067	$ 21,230	$ 73,923	$ 43,022
Earnings per share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.97	$ 0.69	$ 2.39	$ 1.63
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.96	$ 0.68	$ 2.37	$ 1.61
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	30,971	30,750	30,919	26,393
Diluted (in shares)	31,247	31,084	31,203	26,641