| **Quarterly Data (Unaudited)**                            | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                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| **Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                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| Quarterly Data (Unaudited)                                | Quarterly Data (Unaudited):  2013  First Second Third Fourth Total  (In Millions, Except Per Share Data)Net operating revenues $572.6 $564.5 $564.0 $572.1 $2,273.2Operating earnings(a) 108.7 101.1 119.0 106.9 435.7Provision for income tax expense (benefit) 33.5 (86.5) 35.2 30.5 12.7Income from continuing operations 66.3 178.9 73.2 64.1 382.5(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax (0.4) 0.1 (0.9) 0.1 (1.1)Net income 65.9 179.0 72.3 64.2 381.4Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (14.6) (13.8) (14.1) (15.3) (57.8)Net income attributable to HealthSouth $51.3 $165.2 $58.2 $48.9 $323.6Earnings (loss) per common share:          Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders: (b)(c)          Continuing operations $0.48 $1.82 $0.61 $(0.31) $2.59Discontinued operations — — (0.01) — (0.01)Net income $0.48 $1.82 $0.60 $(0.31) $2.58Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:(b)(d)          Continuing operations $0.48 $1.66 $0.59 $(0.31) $2.59Discontinued operations — — (0.01) — (0.01)Net income $0.48 $1.66 $0.58 $(0.31) $2.58(a) We define operating earnings as income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth before (1) loss on early extinguishment of debt; (2) interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees; (3) other income; and (4) income tax expense or benefit.(b)  Per share amounts may not sum due to the weighted average common shares outstanding during each quarter compared to the weighted average common shares outstanding during the entire year.(c) In conjunction with the initiation of quarterly cash dividends in the third quarter of 2013, we revised our calculation to present earnings per share using the two-class method for the first and second quarters of 2013.  2013  First Quarter Second QuarterBasic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders, as reported:    Continuing operations $0.49 $1.85Discontinued operations — —Net income $0.49 $1.85Basic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders as revised using the two-class method:    Continuing operations $0.48 $1.82Discontinued operations — —Net income $0.48 $1.82(d) During the first quarter of 2013, adding back the dividends for the Convertible perpetual preferred stock to our Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders causes a per share increase when calculating diluted earnings per common share resulting in an antidilutive per share amount. For the fourth quarter of 2013, adding back amounts related to the repurchase of our preferred stock to our Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders causes a per share increase when calculating diluted earnings per common share resulting in an antidilutive per share amount. Therefore, basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share are the same for these quarters.  2012  First Second Third Fourth Total  (In Millions, Except Per Share Data)Net operating revenues $538.6 $533.4 $537.0 $552.9 $2,161.9Operating earnings(a) 96.1 92.7 94.4 95.5 378.7Provision for income tax expense 29.1 26.9 28.1 24.5 108.6Income from continuing operations 57.2 56.4 60.4 57.4 231.4(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax (0.4) 3.5 (0.5) 1.9 4.5Net income 56.8 59.9 59.9 59.3 235.9Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (12.6) (13.2) (12.8) (12.3) (50.9)Net income attributable to HealthSouth $44.2 $46.7 $47.1 $47.0 $185.0Earnings per common share:          Basic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:(b)          Continuing operations $0.39 $0.38 $0.44 $0.41 $1.62Discontinued operations — 0.04 (0.01) 0.02 0.05Net income $0.39 $0.42 $0.43 $0.43 $1.67Diluted earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:(c)          Continuing operations $0.39 $0.38 $0.44 $0.41 $1.62Discontinued operations — 0.04 (0.01) 0.02 0.05Net income $0.39 $0.42 $0.43 $0.43 $1.67(a) We define operating earnings as income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth before (1) loss on early extinguishment of debt; (2) interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees; (3) other income; and (4) income tax expense.(b) In conjunction with the initiation of quarterly cash dividends in the third quarter of 2013, we revised our calculation to present earnings per share using the two-class method for 2012.  2012  First Quarter Second Quarter Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Full YearBasic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders, as reported:          Continuing operations $0.40 $0.39 $0.44 $0.42 $1.65Discontinued operations (0.01) 0.04 — 0.02 0.04Net income $0.39 $0.43 $0.44 $0.44 $1.69Basic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders as revised using the two-class method:          Continuing operations $0.39 $0.38 $0.44 $0.41 $1.62Discontinued operations — 0.04 (0.01) 0.02 0.05Net income $0.39 $0.42 $0.43 $0.43 $1.67(c) During each reporting period of 2012, adding back the dividends for the Convertible perpetual preferred stock to our Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders causes a per share increase when calculating diluted earnings per common share resulting in an antidilutive per share amount. Therefore, basic and diluted earnings per common share are the same. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for the quarterly financial data in the annual financial statements.  The disclosure may include a tabular presentation of financial information for each fiscal quarter for the current and previous year, including revenues, gross profit, income or loss before extraordinary items and earnings per share data. It also includes an indication if the information in the note is unaudited, comments on the aggregate effect of year-end adjustments, and an explanation of matters or transactions that affect comparability or are pertinent to an understanding of the information furnished.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e765-108305Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e725-108305Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)-(j) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25249566&loc=d3e1280-108306Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 6 -Section G -Subsection 1Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-K (SK) -Number 229 -Section 302 -Paragraph a
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