| **Business Combinations (Tables)**                                          | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
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| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Schedule of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at the Acquisition Date | The fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition dates for the transactions completed in 2010 were as follows (in millions):Property and equipment, net$17.6Identifiable intangible assets: Noncompete agreements (useful lives range from 16 months to 6 years)11.4Tradenames (useful lives are 10 years)1.2Licenses (useful lives are 20 years)0.4Goodwill12.6Total assets acquired43.2Total current liabilities assumed(0.7)Net assets acquired$42.5                                                                                                                      |
| Summary of Actual and Pro Forma Results of Operations for Acquisitions      | The following table summarizes the aggregate results of operations of the above mentioned transactions from their respective dates of acquisition included in our consolidated results of operations and the unaudited pro forma results of operations of the combined entity had the date of the acquisitions been January 1, 2010 (in millions): Net OperatingRevenues Net IncomeAttributable toHealthSouthAcquired entities only: Actual from acquisition date to December 31, 2010(a)$10.1 $0.4Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma from 1/01/2010-12/31/2010 (unaudited)1,896.1 902.7 |
| Schedule of Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisitions                            | Information regarding the net cash paid for all acquisitions during each period presented is as follows (in millions): For the Year Ended December 31, 2012 2011 2010Fair value of assets acquired$2.1 $0.7 $19.2Goodwill— 1.4 12.6Fair value of other liabilities assumed— — (0.7)Noncompete agreements1.0 2.8 11.4Note payable— — (8.4)Net cash paid for acquisitions$3.1 $4.9 $34.1                                                                                                              |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure for a reporting period of the aggregate results of operations for the Company's business combinations from their respective dates of acquisition  that are included in the Company's consolidated results of operations along with the unaudited pro forma results of operations of the combined entity had the acquisitions been January 1st of the previous year.
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No definition available.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of acquisition of assets or a business through noncash (or part noncash) transactions. Noncash is defined as information about all investing and financing activities of an enterprise during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. Disclosure may include the equity interest acquired, value of assets acquired, value of liabilities acquired, net monetary assets acquired, number of shares, warrants or options issued as consideration for a business or asset acquired and other information necessary to a fair presentation.
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 32 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the amounts recognized as of the acquisition date for each major class of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. May include but not limited to the following: (a) acquired receivables; (b) contingencies recognized at the acquisition date; and (c) the fair value of noncontrolling interests in the acquiree.
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472
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