Segment Information - Summary of segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	$ 487,320	$ 517,842	$ 1,000,191	$ 1,020,427
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	306,712	325,860	627,914	646,852
General and administrative expenses	150,574	148,584	308,440	293,805
Impairment of intangibles and other	600	1,018	600	7,337
Government Stimulus Income	(44,435)	0	(44,435)	0
Operating income	73,869	42,380	107,672	72,433
Interest expense	(841)	(2,885)	(3,609)	(5,937)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	73,028	39,495	104,063	66,496
Income tax expense (benefit)	15,227	9,557	18,586	13,157
Net income	57,801	29,938	85,477	53,339
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	13,109	4,938	18,761	9,483
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	44,692	25,000	66,716	43,856
Total assets	2,357,099	2,029,855	2,357,099	2,029,855	$ 2,140,295
Home health services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	339,872	375,253	707,693	738,288
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	205,146	230,545	425,586	456,668
General and administrative expenses	110,209	108,958	226,232	213,797
Impairment of intangibles and other	0	748	0	7,066
Government Stimulus Income	(35,019)		(35,019)
Operating income	59,536	35,002	90,894	60,757
Interest expense	(594)	(2,023)	(2,494)	(4,161)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	58,942	32,979	88,400	56,596
Income tax expense (benefit)	12,807	8,070	16,096	11,278
Net income	46,135	24,909	72,304	45,318
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	9,922	3,948	14,528	7,728
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	36,213	20,961	57,776	37,590
Total assets	1,656,022	1,407,221	1,656,022	1,407,221
Hospice services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	61,055	55,057	121,586	106,793
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	37,271	34,858	75,305	68,034
General and administrative expenses	16,266	15,096	32,892	29,949
Impairment of intangibles and other	600	270	600	271
Government Stimulus Income	(4,731)		(4,731)
Operating income	11,649	4,833	17,520	8,539
Interest expense	(97)	(323)	(400)	(666)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	11,552	4,510	17,120	7,873
Income tax expense (benefit)	2,439	1,581	3,047	2,027
Net income	9,113	2,929	14,073	5,846
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,164	898	3,131	1,499
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	6,949	2,031	10,942	4,347
Total assets	268,771	234,789	268,771	234,789
Home and community-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	47,675	52,414	96,139	104,199
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	38,747	39,505	77,200	79,360
General and administrative expenses	11,124	11,213	22,583	22,195
Impairment of intangibles and other	0	0	0	0
Government Stimulus Income	(2,865)		(2,865)
Operating income	669	1,696	(779)	2,644
Interest expense	(79)	(284)	(345)	(585)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	590	1,412	(1,124)	2,059
Income tax expense (benefit)	(12)	(171)	(218)	(20)
Net income	602	1,583	(906)	2,079
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	33	(267)	(122)	(577)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	569	1,850	(784)	2,656
Total assets	259,742	240,746	259,742	240,746
Facility-based services
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	33,639	27,975	63,320	55,676
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	21,785	17,572	42,127	35,304
General and administrative expenses	10,165	9,335	20,545	18,512
Impairment of intangibles and other	0	0	0	0
Government Stimulus Income	(1,656)		(1,656)
Operating income	3,345	1,068	2,304	1,860
Interest expense	(47)	(170)	(266)	(350)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	3,298	898	2,038	1,510
Income tax expense (benefit)	373	148	174	153
Net income	2,925	750	1,864	1,357
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	997	365	1,240	846
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	1,928	385	624	511
Total assets	101,258	77,686	101,258	77,686
HCI
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Net service revenue	5,079	7,143	11,453	15,471
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)	3,763	3,380	7,696	7,486
General and administrative expenses	2,810	3,982	6,188	9,352
Impairment of intangibles and other	0	0	0	0
Government Stimulus Income	(164)		(164)
Operating income	(1,330)	(219)	(2,267)	(1,367)
Interest expense	(24)	(85)	(104)	(175)
Income before income taxes and noncontrolling interest	(1,354)	(304)	(2,371)	(1,542)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(380)	(71)	(513)	(281)
Net income	(974)	(233)	(1,858)	(1,261)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7)	(6)	(16)	(13)
Net income attributable to LHC Group, Inc.’s common stockholders	(967)	(227)	(1,842)	(1,248)
Total assets	$ 71,306	$ 69,413	$ 71,306	$ 69,413