Exhibit 99.1

Contact:	Amedisys, Inc.
	Gregory H. Browne
	Chief Financial Officer
	(225) 292-2031
	gbrowne@amedisys.com
	Noonan/Russo
	Investor Relations
	Brian Ritchie (212) 845-4269
	brian.ritchie@eurorscg.com

AMEDISYS REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND 2004

YEAR END RESULTS

Company Reports Record Full Year Revenue and Net Income

Amedisys Provides Updated Guidance for 2005

COMPANY TO HOST CONFERENCE CALL

TODAY AT 10:00 AM ET

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (March 10, 2005) – Amedisys, Inc. (NasdaqNM: “AMED”, “Amedisys” or “the Company”), one of America’s leading home health nursing companies, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2004.

For the year ended December 31, 2004, the Company reported record net income of $20.5 million, or $1.51 per diluted share, on net service revenue of $227.1 million. For the same period in the previous year, Amedisys reported net income of $8.4 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, on net service revenue of $142.5 million. The diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding approximated 13.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2004 and 10.1 million in the comparable period of 2003.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2004, the Company reported record net income of $6.1 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, on record net service revenue of $64.4 million. Net service revenue increased by 53 percent when compared with the $42.1 million reported for the comparable period in the prior year. Amedisys reported net income of $3.4 million, or $0.30 per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2003. The diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding approximated 15.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 and 11.2 million for the comparable period of 2003.

“Our record revenue and net income, both for the quarter and the full year, are indicative of the

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Company’s strong, and ongoing, commitment to both organic growth and selective acquisitions,” noted William F. Borne, Chief Executive Officer of Amedisys. “We reported an increase in net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 of approximately 144 percent when compared with the prior year. Our results exceeded guidance previously communicated due, in part, to the continued strong internal growth of Medicare admissions. This growth rate was approximately 27 percent for the fourth quarter, and 28 percent for the year, and reflects the significant efforts made by all our field staff towards further enhancing the clinical reputation of the Company.”

“ Further, Amedisys opened a total of 13 new locations throughout 2004, and expects to open at least 20 new locations in 2005, of which five are expected to be up and running by the end of the first quarter.”

“We are as excited about our future opportunities as we are about our past performance. The Company has recently announced a significant acquisition in South Carolina, and our first acquisition in Maryland. Our Balance Sheet well positions Amedisys to take advantage of future strategic acquisition opportunities in home health. The Company had a cash position in excess of $89 million at year-end, and substantial unused borrowing capacity. Combined with an internal growth rate of Medicare admissions expected to be between 15 and 20 percent in 2005, as well as possible acquisition opportunities, the Company believes it can continue to deliver strong earnings growth for our shareholders.”

“Therefore, based on currently available information, and inclusive of the most recent acquisitions, we are increasing our earnings guidance from the previously announced $1.63 to $1.73 cents per diluted share, to between $1.71 and $1.77 cents per diluted share for fiscal 2005. This guidance reflects an increased effective income tax rate—expected to be approximately 39.4 percent—which amounts to a reduction of approximately $0.04 cents per diluted share. However, it does not include the impact of expensing outstanding stock options commencing in the second half of fiscal 2005 – expected to be approximately $0.04 per diluted share. Annual revenue is expected to be between $295 and $305 million after giving consideration to our most recent acquisitions.”

The Company will provide further information today on these results during a teleconference call that is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET. To access this call, please dial 1-800-231-5571 (domestic) or 1-973-582-2703 (international). A replay of the conference call will be available until March 17^th 2005, by dialing 1-877-519-4471 (domestic) or 1-973-341-3080 (international). The replay pin number is 5685697.

Amedisys, Inc., a leading provider of home health nursing services, is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Its common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “AMED”.

This press release includes statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements, usually containing the words “believe”, “estimate”, “project”, “expect” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, continued acceptance of the Company’s services in the marketplace, competitive factors, changes in government reimbursement procedures, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks discussed in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

Additional information on the Company can be found on the World Wide Web

http://www.amedisys.com

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AMEDISYS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

For the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2004 and 2003

(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

	(Unaudited)
	For the three months ended December 31,						For the twelve months ended December 31,
	2004			2003			2004			2003
Income:
Net service revenue	$	64,360		$	42,099		$	227,089		$	142,473
Cost of service revenue (excluding depreciation and amortization)		27,332			17,346			96,078			58,554
Gross margin		37,028			24,753			131,011			83,919
General and administrative expenses:
Salaries and benefits		15,348			11,048			56,916			41,252
Other		11,730			7,999			40,717			28,329
Total general and administrative expenses		27,078			19,047			97,633			69,581
Operating income		9,950			5,706			33,378			14,338
Other income (expense):
Interest income		370			32			550			91
Interest expense		(144	)		(296	)		(510	)		(1,293	)
Miscellaneous, net		(31	)		9			(59	)		491
Total other income (expense), net		195			(255	)		(19	)		(711	)
Income before income taxes		10,145			5,451			33,359			13,627
Income tax expense		4,009			2,088			12,855			5,220
Net income	$	6,136		$	3,363		$	20,504		$	8,407
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding		15,255			10,701			13,057			9,808
Basic income per common share:
Net income	$	0.40		$	0.31		$	1.57		$	0.86
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding		15,639			11,159			13,542			10,074
Diluted income per common share:
Net income	$	0.39		$	0.30		$	1.51		$	0.83

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AMEDISYS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of December 31, 2004 and 2003

(Amounts in thousands, except share data)

	December 31, 2004			December 31, 2003
	(unaudited)
ASSETS:
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	89,679		$	29,229
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $3,751 at December 31, 2004 and $3,008 at December 31, 2003		24,478			15,185
Prepaid expenses		1,356			1,103
Deferred income taxes		—			1,650
Inventory and other current assets		3,377			2,429
Total current assets		118,890			49,596
Property and equipment, net		10,003			7,219
Goodwill and other assets, net		70,840			35,658
Total assets	$	199,733		$	92,473
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	$	6,681		$	3,340
Accrued expenses:
Payroll and payroll taxes		11,914			9,163
Insurance		4,663			2,336
Income taxes		271			575
Legal settlements		1,833			1,248
Other		3,822			2,818
Deferred income taxes		1,353			—
Current portion of long-term debt		1,689			3,974
Current portion of obligations under capital leases		423			1,217
Current portion of Medicare liabilities		9,327			9,347
Total current liabilities		41,976			34,018
Long-term debt		1,380			2,696
Obligations under capital leases		329			391
Deferred income taxes		6,749			2,756
Other long-term liabilities		826			1,213
Total liabilities		51,260			41,074
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Preferred stock, $.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized; None issued and outstanding		—			—
Common stock, $.001 par value, 30,000,000 shares authorized; 15,310,547 and 11,908,146 shares issued at December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively		15			12
Additional paid-in capital		132,032			55,465
Treasury stock at cost, 4,167 shares held at December 31, 2004 and 2003		(25	)		(25	)
Retained earnings (deficit)		16,451			(4,053	)
Total stockholders’ equity		148,473			51,399
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	199,733		$	92,473

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