NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Amedisys, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries (“Amedisys,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) are a multi-state provider of home health and hospice services with approximately 78% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and approximately 79% and 80% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015. As of September 30, 2016, we owned and operated 326 Medicare-certified home health care centers, 79 Medicare-certified hospice care centers and 14 personal-care care centers in 34 states within the United States and the District of Columbia. Basis of Presentation In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our financial position, our results of operations and our cash flows in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”). Our results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results of our operations for the entire year and have not been audited by our independent auditors. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial information presented. This report should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 10, 2016 (the “Form 10-K”), which includes information and disclosures not included herein. Use of Estimates Our accounting and reporting policies conform with U.S. GAAP. In preparing the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that impact the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. Reclassifications and Comparability Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods' financial statements in order to conform to the current period's presentation. In compliance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, we have reclassified 2015 amounts related to unamortized debt issuance costs from other assets, net to long-term obligations, less current portion. Principles of Consolidation These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amedisys, Inc., and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, and business combinations accounted for as purchases have been included in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. In addition to our wholly owned subsidiaries, we also have certain equity investments that are accounted for as set forth below. Equity Investments We consolidate investments when the entity is a variable interest entity and we are the primary beneficiary or if we have controlling interests in the entity, which is generally ownership in excess of 50%. Third party equity interests in our consolidated joint ventures are reflected as noncontrolling interests in our condensed consolidated financial statements. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2016, we sold a 30% interest in one of our care centers while maintaining controlling interest in the newly formed joint venture. We account for investments in entities in which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50% or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a variable interest entity in which we are the primary beneficiary. The book value of investments that we accounted for under the equity method of accounting was $28.2 million as of September 30, 2016, and $25.7 million as of December 31, 2015. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20% ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee.

NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS, CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Amedisys, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries (“Amedisys,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) are a multi-state provider of home health and hospice services with approximately 78% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and approximately 79% and 80% of our revenue derived from Medicare for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015. As of September 30, 2016, we owned and operated 326 Medicare-certified home health care centers, 79 Medicare-certified hospice care centers and 14 personal-care care centers in 34 states within the United States and the District of Columbia.

Basis of Presentation

In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our financial position, our results of operations and our cash flows in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”). Our results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results of our operations for the entire year and have not been audited by our independent auditors.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from the interim financial information presented. This report should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 10, 2016 (the “Form 10-K”), which includes information and disclosures not included herein.

Use of Estimates

Our accounting and reporting policies conform with U.S. GAAP. In preparing the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that impact the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications and Comparability

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods' financial statements in order to conform to the current period's presentation. In compliance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, we have reclassified 2015 amounts related to unamortized debt issuance costs from other assets, net to long-term obligations, less current portion.

Principles of Consolidation

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amedisys, Inc., and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, and business combinations accounted for as purchases have been included in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. In addition to our wholly owned subsidiaries, we also have certain equity investments that are accounted for as set forth below.

Equity Investments

We consolidate investments when the entity is a variable interest entity and we are the primary beneficiary or if we have controlling interests in the entity, which is generally ownership in excess of 50%. Third party equity interests in our consolidated joint ventures are reflected as noncontrolling interests in our condensed consolidated financial statements. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2016, we sold a 30% interest in one of our care centers while maintaining controlling interest in the newly formed joint venture.

We account for investments in entities in which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50% or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a variable interest entity in which we are the primary beneficiary. The book value of investments that we accounted for under the equity method of accounting was $28.2 million as of September 30, 2016, and $25.7 million as of December 31, 2015. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20% ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee.