COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands								1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			27 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2016 patient	Jan. 18, 2016 USD ($) claim	Nov. 03, 2015 patient	May 21, 2015 patient	Jan. 30, 2015	Apr. 23, 2014	Jun. 06, 2011 beneficiary	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($) claim	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2010 beneficiary	Jan. 10, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 12, 2017 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Securities Class Action Lawsuit settlement, net										$ 0	$ 0	$ 28,712
Indemnity receivable									$ 14,200	13,600	14,200
Other General and Administrative Expense										188,434	166,897	159,980
Patient accounts receivable									188,972	237,596	$ 188,972
Health insurance retention limit										1,300
Workers' compensation insurance retention limit										1,000
Professional liability insurance retention limit										300
South Carolina [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of beneficiaries | beneficiary													30
Indemnity receivable related to amounts withheld prior to August 2009										2,800
Indemnity receivable														$ 2,800	$ 4,900
Other General and Administrative Expense									$ 2,100
Indemnification amount														$ 2,800
South Carolina [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Extrapolated [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of beneficiaries | beneficiary							16
South Carolina [Member] | Hospice [Member] | Unfavorable [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Recovery amount of the overpayment made to the subsidiary		$ 3,700
Recovery amount of overpayment made to subsidiary including interest		$ 5,600
Number of claims submitted by subsidiary | claim		9
Recovery amount of over payment made to subsidiary including interest withheld										5,700
US Department of Justice [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual										6,500
US Department of Justice [Member] | Massachusetts [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patients | patient				53
US Department of Justice [Member] | Morgantown, West Virginia [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patients | patient			66
US Department of Justice [Member] | Parkersburg, West Virginia [Member] | Hospice [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patients | patient	68
Securities Class Action Lawsuit [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual																$ 43,700
Payments for legal settlements												28,700
Settlement amount to be paid by Company's insurance carriers												15,000
Securities Class Action Lawsuit settlement, net												28,700
Amedisys CIA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Corporate integrity agreement term (years)						5 years
Compassionate Care Hospice CIA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Corporate integrity agreement term (years)					5 years
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual										17,400
Indemnity receivable										10,900
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member] | Infinity HomeCare [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Indemnification amount								$ 12,600
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Florida Zpic revenue reduction												$ 6,500
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Recovery amount of the overpayment made to the subsidiary								6,500
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Recovery amount of the overpayment made to the subsidiary								38,800		29,300
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member] | Infinity HomeCare [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Patient accounts receivable										1,500
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Lakeland, Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Recovery amount of the overpayment made to the subsidiary								$ 34,000		26,000
Number of claims submitted by subsidiary | claim								72
Actual claims payment								$ 200
Error rate (percent)								100.00%
Safeguard Zone Program Integrity Contractor [Member] | Clearwater, Florida [Member] | Home Health [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Recovery amount of the overpayment made to the subsidiary								$ 4,800		$ 3,300
Number of claims submitted by subsidiary | claim								70
Actual claims payment								$ 200
Error rate (percent)								100.00%