| **Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock**            | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
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| **Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Preferred Stock [Text Block]                         | Convertible Perpetual Preferred StockThe following is a summary of the activity related to our Convertible perpetual preferred stock from December 31, 2011 to September 30, 2012 (in millions, except share data): Number of Shares Outstanding AmountBalance as of December 31, 2011400,000 $387.4Repurchase of preferred stock(46,645) (45.2)Balance as of September 30, 2012353,355 $342.2During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we repurchased 46,645 shares of our 6.50% Series A Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock for total cash consideration of $46.5 million, including fees. No common stock was issued as part of these transactions. The allocation of the purchase price is as follows (in millions):  Nine Months Ended  September 30, 2012Carrying value of shares repurchased $45.2Cumulative dividends paid as part of purchase price 0.5Excess paid in transaction 0.8  $46.5The difference between the fair value of the consideration paid to the holders of the preferred stock, or $46.5 million, and the carrying value of the preferred stock in our balance sheet, or $45.2 million, resulted in a charge of $1.3 million to Capital in excess of par value that was treated like a dividend and subtracted from Net income to arrive at Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders in our condensed consolidated statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2012. Of this amount, $0.5 million represents cumulative dividends through the date of the repurchase transactions.As of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, accrued dividends of $5.7 million and $6.5 million, respectively, were included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. These accrued dividends were paid in October 2012 and January 2012, respectively. See Note 11, Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, to the financial statements accompanying the 2011 Form 10-K. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for terms, amounts, nature of changes, rights and privileges, dividends, and other matters related to preferred stock.
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No definition available.
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