| **Business Combinations - Table 5 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                              | 3 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**                                                                               |           |           |           |   |   |
| Acquired entity only: Actual from acquisition date to September 30, 2016, Net Operating Revenues                   |           |           | $ 8.7          |   |   |
| Acquired entities only: Actual from acquisition date to September 30, 2016, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth |           |           | $ (2.3)        |   |   |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Operating Revenues                                                    | $ 929.2        | $ 786.7        |           | $ 2,773.9 | $ 2,308.2 |
| Combined entity: Supplemental pro forma, Net Income Attributable to HealthSouth                                    | $ 62.0         | $ 51.4         |           | $ 184.0 | $ 136.8 |

| 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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| - References
No definition available.
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