| **Business Combinations - Table 3 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                          | 2 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Summary of Actual and Pro Forma Results of Operations for Acquisitions**                                     |           |           |   |
| Acquired entity only: Actual from acquisition date to March 31, 2016, Net Operating Revenues                   | $ 0.3          |           |   |
| Acquired entities only: Actual from acquisition date to March 31, 2016, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth | $ (0.7)        |           |   |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Operating Revenues                                                |           | $ 910.1        | $ 741.6 |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth                                |           | $ 58.0         | $ 42.6 |

| 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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