Unaudited Summarized Quarterly Financial Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								4 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	May 05, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Net service revenue	$ 366,300	$ 361,600	$ 360,700	$ 348,800	$ 338,400	$ 326,400	$ 314,100	$ 301,600		$ 1,437,454	$ 1,280,541	$ 1,204,554
Net income (loss) attributable to Amedisys, Inc.	$ 8,900	$ 11,400	$ 10,700	$ 6,200	$ 12,900	$ 8,400	$ 10,600	$ (35,000)		$ 37,261	$ (3,021)	$ 12,776
Earnings Per Share Basic	$ 0.27	$ 0.34	$ 0.32	$ 0.19	$ 0.39	$ 0.25	$ 0.32	$ (1.07)		$ 1.12	$ (0.09)	$ 0.39
Earnings Per Share Diluted	$ 0.26	$ 0.34	$ 0.32	$ 0.19	$ 0.38	$ 0.25	$ 0.32	$ (1.07)		$ 1.10	$ (0.09)	$ 0.39
Asset impairment charge										$ 4,432	$ 77,268	$ 3,107
Write Off Of Deferred Debt Issuance Cost						$ 2,500
Gain on sale of care centers										0	184	2,967
Hospice Inpatient Unit [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Gain on sale of care centers												$ (500)
OIG Self-Disclosure [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual									$ 4,700		4,700
Net Of Tax [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Asset impairment charge	$ 2,700					1,200		$ 45,500
Legal fees	1,800	$ 200	$ 300	$ 900		200	$ 4,800	$ 1,300
Legal fee accrual reversal					$ (1,100)						$ (1,100)
Software Implementation Costs	800	1,200	1,600	1,500	1,400	$ 1,200
Transaction-related expenses for aquisitions	$ 500	$ 300	$ 200	$ 1,000						$ 500
Net Of Tax [Member] | OIG Self-Disclosure [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual					$ 3,400