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 FIRST QUARTER 2006

RESULTS

COMPANY TO HOST CONFERENCE CALL

TODAY AT 10:00 AM ET

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (May 2, 2006) – Amedisys, Inc. (NasdaqNM: “AMED”, “Amedisys” or “the Company”), one of America’s leading home health nursing companies, today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2006, the Company reported quarterly net income of $7.3 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, on record quarterly net service revenue of $127.2 million. Net service revenue increased by 81 percent when compared with the $70.4 million reported for the comparable period in the prior year. Amedisys reported net income of $7.1 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2005. The diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding approximated 16.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 and 15.7 million for the comparable period of 2005.

“Our record quarterly revenue is indicative of the Company’s strong, and ongoing, commitment to both organic growth and acquisitions, as well as the continued significant demand for our services,” noted William F. Borne, Chief Executive Officer of Amedisys. “In particular, we have continued to deliver strong internal growth in Medicare admissions. This growth rate was approximately 17 percent for the first quarter and reflects the significant efforts made by our field staff towards further enhancing the clinical reputation of the Company. Amedisys believes that its internal growth rate of Medicare admissions will be at least 15 percent for 2006.”

“Our net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, which reflects a slight increase in net income when compared with the same period in the prior year, includes $0.6 million pretax cost of severance payments incurred in the most recent quarter, or approximately $0.02 cents per diluted share,” said Mr. Borne. “Also included is approximately $0.5 million pretax, or approximately $0.02 cents per diluted share, reflecting the additional expense of implementing SFAS123R in the current quarter.”

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“Management has undertaken considerable effort aimed at improving the operating results from our recent acquisitions, as well as the streamlining of our corporate office functions,” continued Mr. Borne. “The current quarterly results do not yet fully reflect the results of our cost-cutting and margin improvement initiatives. However, we anticipate on-going earnings improvements in subsequent quarters.”

“Our Balance Sheet continues to position Amedisys to take advantage of strategic acquisition opportunities in home health,” said Mr. Borne. “Additionally, the Company improved its collection activities during the quarter, thereby assisting in reducing our days sales outstanding from 62 days to 55 days. We continue to expect further improvement in this area.”

“We have made significant progress in this quarter towards restoring our margins to historical levels,” continued Mr. Borne. “However, the timing of improvements to margins, the commencement of start-ups, increased expenses associated with SFAS123R, and higher interest rates, dictate a more cautious approach to guidance. Therefore, based on currently available information, we are reducing our earnings guidance from the previously announced $2.33 to $2.43 cents per diluted share to $2.25 to $2.35 cents per diluted share for fiscal 2006. Fully diluted shares for 2006 are expected to be approximately 16.4 million. This guidance reflects our 2006 estimated income tax rate of approximately 38.8 percent. Annual revenue is expected to exceed $520 million.”

The Company will provide further information today on these results during a teleconference call that is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET today. To access this call, please dial 877-691-0877 (domestic) or 1-973-582-2767 (international). A replay of the conference call will be available until May 9^th 2006, by dialing 877-519-4471 (domestic) or 973-341-3080 (international). The replay pin number is 7293847.

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 INCOME STATEMENTS

For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2006 and 2005

(Dollars amounts in thousands, except per share data)

	(Unaudited)
	Three months ended
	March 31, 2006			March 31, 2005
Net service revenue	$	127,187		$	70,437
Cost of service		55,770			28,461
General and administrative:
Salaries and benefits		32,145			18,005
Non-cash compensation		596			85
Other		23,583			11,041
Depreciation and amortization		2,373			1,333
Operating expense		114,467			58,925
Operating income		12,720			11,512
Other income (expense):
Interest income		206			381
Interest expense		(1,124	)		(145	)
Miscellaneous, net		100			(15	)
Total other income (expense)		(818	)		221
Income before income taxes		11,902			11,733
Income tax expense		4,618			4,623
Net income	$	7,284		$	7,110
Earnings per share:
Basic	$	0.46		$	0.46
Diluted	$	0.45		$	0.45
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic		15,902			15,390
Diluted		16,283			15,740

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AMEDISYS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005

(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share data)

	As of
	March 31, 2006 (Unaudited)			December 31, 2005
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	9,476		$	17,231
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $10,615 at March 31, 2006 and $12,387 at December 31, 2005		67,402			68,139
Prepaid expenses		4,906			2,693
Other current assets		2,366			4,277
Total current assets		84,150			92,340
Property and equipment, net		30,282			27,389
Goodwill		201,218			197,002
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $3,722 March 31, 2006 and $3,108 at December 31, 2005		11,417			11,447
Other assets, net		12,444			11,819
Total assets	$	339,511		$	339,997
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	7,919		$	29,922
Accrued expenses		49,415			45,165
Obligations due Medicare		10,546			10,551
Current portion of long-term obligations		9,881			10,144
Short-term revolving line of credit		10,000			—
Current portion of deferred income taxes		3,180			4,173
Total current liabilities		90,941			99,955
Long-term obligations, less current portions		41,151			43,063
Deferred income taxes		3,421			3,556
Other long-term obligations		1,062			824
Total liabilities		136,575			147,398
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; 15,951,648 and 15,881,691 shares issued at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 and 15,947,481 and 15,877,524 shares outstanding at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively		16			16
Additional paid-in capital		149,109			146,684
Treasury stock at cost, 4,167 shares held at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005		(25	)		(25	)
Unearned compensation		—			(628	)
Retained earnings		53,836			46,552
Total stockholders’ equity		202,936			192,599
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	339,511		$	339,997

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