| **Earnings Per Common Share (Tables)**                    | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
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| **Earnings Per Share [Abstract]**                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnins per Common Share | The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per common share (in millions, except per share amounts): For the Year Ended December 31, 2011 2010 2009Basic:     Numerator:     Income from continuing operations$205.8 $930.7 $110.4Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations(47.0) (40.9) (33.3)Less: Convertible perpetual preferred stock dividends(26.0) (26.0) (26.0)Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders132.8 863.8 51.1Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders49.9 9.2 17.7Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$182.7 $873.0 $68.8Denominator:     Basic weighted average common shares outstanding93.3 92.8 88.8Basic earnings per common share:     Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$1.42 $9.31 $0.58Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders0.54 0.10 0.19Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$1.96 $9.41 $0.77Diluted:     Numerator:     Income from continuing operations$205.8 $930.7 $110.4Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations(47.0) (40.9) (33.3)Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders158.8 889.8 77.1Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders49.9 9.2 17.7Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$208.7 $899.0 $94.8Denominator:     Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding109.2 108.5 103.3Diluted earnings per common share:     Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$1.42 $8.20 $0.58Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders0.54 0.08 0.19Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$1.96 $8.28 $0.77 |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the numerators and the denominators of the basic and diluted per-share (or per-unit) computations for income from continuing operations, including the effect that has been given to preferred dividends.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number  -Article  -Subparagraph (a) -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 1 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257
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