LHC Group Inc. announced that it has entered into a home health joint venture with Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky. The primary service area of this joint venture spans one county in Kentucky, a Certificate of Need (CON) state. The estimated population of the service area is 26,000, with almost 15% over the age of 65. Net revenue for the Leitchfield, Kentucky agency during the most recent 12 months was approximately $640,000. This joint venture has an effective date of November 1, 2009, and is not expected to add materially to LHC Group's earnings in 2009.

LHC Group, Inc. provided CapEx guidance for the fourth quarter of 2009. For the fourth quarter of 2009, the company expects CapEx to be between $3 million and $3.5 million.

LHC Group Inc. announced financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009. For the quarter, the company's net service revenue increased 35.2% to $132.5 million compared with $98.0 million for the same period in 2008. Net income attributable to the company for the third quarter of 2009 increased 22.4% to $9.8 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, compared with net income of $8.0 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2008. Operating income for the quarter was $18.387 million against $16.389 million for the same quarter last year. Income from continuing operations for the third quarter of 2009 was $12.8 million against $11.1 million for the same quarter last year. Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months of 2009 was $34.8 million against $59.4 million for the same period last year. For the nine months, the company's net service revenue increased 43.5% to $389.3 million compared with $271.2 million for the same period in 2008. Net income attributable to the company for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, increased 58.2% to $31.2 million, or $1.73 per diluted share, compared with net income of $19.7 million, or $1.10 per diluted share, for the same period in 2008. Operating income for the nine months of 2009 was $61.5 million against $39.74 million for the same period last year. Income from continuing operations for the nine months of 2009 was $42.23 million against $27.7 million for the same period last year. For the nine months period, the company spent on purchases of property, building, and equipment of $6.124 million against $7.351 million for the same period last year. The company is raising its previously stated guidance range issued on May 6, 2009, with respect to full-year net service revenue from the original range of $500 million to $510 million, to $515 million to $525 million. The company is reaffirming guidance of fully diluted earnings per share in the range of $2.15 to $2.25.