| **Earnings Per Common Share (Tables)**                    | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **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, 2012 2011 2010Basic:     Numerator:     Income from continuing operations$231.4 $205.8 $930.7Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations(50.9) (47.0) (40.9)Less: Convertible perpetual preferred stock dividends(23.9) (26.0) (26.0)Less: Repurchase of convertible perpetual preferred stock(0.8) — —Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders155.8 132.8 863.8Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders4.5 49.9 9.2Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$160.3 $182.7 $873.0Denominator:     Basic weighted average common shares outstanding94.6 93.3 92.8Basic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:     Continuing operations$1.65 $1.42 $9.31Discontinued operations0.04 0.54 0.10Net income$1.69 $1.96 $9.41Diluted:     Numerator:     Income from continuing operations$231.4 $205.8 $930.7Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations(50.9) (47.0) (40.9)Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders180.5 158.8 889.8Income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders4.5 49.9 9.2Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders$185.0 $208.7 $899.0Denominator:     Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding108.1 109.2 108.5Diluted earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:     Continuing operations$1.65 $1.42 $8.20Discontinued operations0.04 0.54 0.08Net income$1.69 $1.96 $8.28 |

| X                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_EarningsPerShareAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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 -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfCalculationOfNumeratorAndDenominatorInEarningsPerShareTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |