ACQUISITIONS - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands						3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2018 USD ($)	May 01, 2018 USD ($) care_center	Mar. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill additions														$ 329,000	$ 9,600
Net service revenue						$ 500,700	$ 494,600	$ 493,000	$ 467,300	$ 434,400	$ 417,300	$ 411,600	$ 399,300	1,955,633	1,662,578	$ 1,511,272
Operating Income (Loss)														$ 177,472	155,148	$ 78,524
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life														1 year 6 months
Home Health [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill additions														$ 0	2,100
Hospice [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill additions														329,000	0
Personal Care [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill additions														0	7,500
Compassionate Care Hospice [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Receivables						24,500								24,500
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense						800								800
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Other Current Asset						100								100
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment						200								200
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded						27,200								27,200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Operating lease right of use assets						3,400								3,400
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed, Other Assets						1,100								1,100
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets						57,300								57,300
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable						(14,900)								(14,900)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Payroll and Employee Benefits						(11,700)								(11,700)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accrued Expenses						(11,700)								(11,700)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities						(900)								(900)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Operating Lease Liabilities						(3,400)								(3,400)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities						(42,600)								(42,600)
Payments to acquire business		$ 327,900												327,900
Goodwill additions														313,200
Acquisition, recorded other assets and liabilities						14,700								14,700
Net service revenue														167,400
Operating Income (Loss)														5,600
Business Combination, Integration Related Costs														14,500
Cash Acquired from Acquisition		6,700
Goodwill deductible for income tax purposes		$ 278,800
Period of time goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes		15 years
Compassionate Care Hospice [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		2 years 3 months 18 days
Compassionate Care Hospice [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Acquired Names [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		2 years
RoseRock Healthcare [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire business	$ 17,500
Goodwill additions														15,800
Net service revenue														6,800
Operating Income (Loss)														800
Period of time goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes	15 years
RoseRock Healthcare [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded						700								700
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	3 years
RoseRock Healthcare [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Acquired Names [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded						$ 1,000								$ 1,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	3 years
Christian Care at Home [Member] | Home Health [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire business					$ 2,300
Goodwill additions															2,100
Period of time goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes					15 years
Christian Care at Home [Member] | Home Health [Member] | Certificates Of Need [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded										200					200
East Tennessee Personal Care [Member] | Personal Care [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire business				$ 2,000
Goodwill additions															1,900
Period of time goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes				15 years
East Tennessee Personal Care [Member] | Personal Care [Member] | Promissory Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Notes payable issued in acquisition				$ 200
East Tennessee Personal Care [Member] | Personal Care [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded										100					100
East Tennessee Personal Care [Member] | Personal Care [Member] | Tennessee [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, number of care centers acquired | care_center				1
Bring Care Home [Member] | Personal Care [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire business			$ 5,700
Goodwill additions															5,500
Period of time goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes			15 years
Bring Care Home [Member] | Personal Care [Member] | Promissory Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Notes payable issued in acquisition			$ 600
Bring Care Home [Member] | Personal Care [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition, other intangibles recorded										$ 200					$ 200