| **Business Combinations (Tables)**                                          | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| Schedule of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at the Acquisition Date | The fair value of the assets acquired at the acquisition date were as follows (in millions):Identifiable intangible assets: Noncompete agreement (useful life of 2 to 5 years)$0.3Trade name (useful life of 1 year)0.1License (useful life of 10 years)0.9Goodwill6.0Total assets acquired$7.3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| Summary of Actual and Pro Forma Results of Operations for Acquisitions      | The following table summarizes the results of operations of the above mentioned entity from the date of acquisition included in our consolidated results of operations and the results of operations of the combined entity had the date of the acquisition been January 1, 2014 (in millions): Net Operating Revenues Net Income Attributable to HealthSouthAcquired entity only: Actual from acquisition date to March 31, 2015$0.5 $—Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma from 01/01/2015-03/31/15741.8 42.6Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma from 01/01/2014-03/31/14592.8 46.9 |
| 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): Three Months Ended March 31, 2015Fair value of assets acquired$1.3Goodwill6.0Net cash paid for acquisitions$7.3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**hls_BusinessAcquisitionActualAndProFormaInformationTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**hls_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessCombinationsAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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.
+ References
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=d3e4304-108586
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfNoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionsTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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.
+ References
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=39739317&loc=d3e4845-128472
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleOfRecognizedIdentifiedAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |