Segment Information - Summary of segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [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
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 (benefit)	9,508	6,685	22,665	14,832
Net income	34,601	24,981	87,940	53,615
Less net income (loss) 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
Total assets	2,097,864	1,910,764	2,097,864	1,910,764	$ 1,928,715
Home health services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	375,599	360,000	1,113,887	924,463
Cost of service revenue	237,414	222,765	694,082	576,416
General and administrative expenses	108,318	105,112	322,115	277,075
Other intangible impairment charge	197	345	7,263	636
Operating income	29,670	31,778	90,427	70,336
Interest expense	(1,758)	(2,284)	(5,919)	(5,627)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	27,912	29,494	84,508	64,709
Income tax expense (benefit)	5,900	6,209	17,178	14,022
Net income	22,012	23,285	67,330	50,687
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	3,577	3,425	11,305	9,472
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	18,435	19,860	56,025	41,215
Total assets	1,458,991	1,316,792	1,458,991	1,316,792
Hospice services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	62,028	52,962	168,821	146,142
Cost of service revenue	35,819	34,540	103,853	95,557
General and administrative expenses	15,218	14,685	45,167	43,090
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	271	0
Operating income	10,991	3,737	19,530	7,495
Interest expense	(310)	(491)	(976)	(1,181)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	10,681	3,246	18,554	6,314
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,689	774	3,716	1,368
Net income	8,992	2,472	14,838	4,946
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,213	386	2,712	1,215
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	7,779	2,086	12,126	3,731
Total assets	235,865	203,921	235,865	203,921
Home and community-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	53,411	52,773	157,610	119,617
Cost of service revenue	39,694	39,860	119,054	90,331
General and administrative expenses	10,809	12,922	33,004	28,664
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Operating income	2,908	(9)	5,552	622
Interest expense	(272)	(163)	(857)	(393)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	2,636	(172)	4,695	229
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,299	(74)	1,279	50
Net income	1,337	(98)	3,416	179
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(180)	(87)	(757)	(157)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,517	(11)	4,173	336
Total assets	243,779	246,963	243,779	246,963
Facility-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	28,715	27,891	84,391	86,345
Cost of service revenue	18,508	20,146	53,812	59,102
General and administrative expenses	9,498	9,823	28,010	29,571
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	0	487
Operating income	709	(2,078)	2,569	(2,815)
Interest expense	(174)	(163)	(524)	(395)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	535	(2,241)	2,045	(3,210)
Income tax expense (benefit)	144	(541)	297	(695)
Net income	391	(1,700)	1,748	(2,515)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(67)	27	779	129
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	458	(1,727)	969	(2,644)
Total assets	88,905	61,089	88,905	61,089
HCI
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	8,746	13,417	24,217	23,554
Cost of service revenue	3,333	4,885	10,819	10,412
General and administrative expenses	2,986	7,030	12,338	12,417
Other intangible impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Operating income	2,427	1,502	1,060	725
Interest expense	(82)	(163)	(257)	(320)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	2,345	1,339	803	405
Income tax expense (benefit)	476	317	195	87
Net income	1,869	1,022	608	318
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9)	0	(22)	(66)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,878	1,022	630	384
Total assets	$ 70,324	$ 81,999	$ 70,324	$ 81,999