| **Business Combinations - Table 5 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                         | 3 Months Ended | 5 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Summary of Actual and Pro Forma Results of Operations for Acquisitions**                                    |           |           |           |   |   |
| Acquired entity only: Actual from acquisition date to June 30, 2016, Net Operating Revenues                   |           |           | $ 3.0          |   |   |
| Acquired entities only: Actual from acquisition date to June 30, 2016, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth |           |           | $ (0.8)        |   |   |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Operating Revenues                                               | $ 921.2        | $ 766.9        |           | $ 1,833.0 | $ 1,510.1 |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth                               | $ 62.6         | $ 43.0         |           | $ 120.7 | $ 85.8 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Business acquisition actual and pro forma information.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the amount of earnings or loss of the acquiree since the acquisition date included in the consolidated income statement for the reporting period.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the amount of revenue of the acquiree since the acquisition date included in the consolidated income statement for the reporting period.
+ References
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