| **Earnings Per Common Share - Table 2 (Details) (USD $)In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified** | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|
||
| **Numerator:**                                                                                                          |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Income from continuing operations                                                                                       | $ 64.1         | $ 73.2          | $ 178.9 | $ 66.3 | $ 57.4 | $ 60.4 | $ 56.4 | $ 57.2 | $ 382.5 | $ 231.4 | $ 205.8 |
| Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (57.8) | (50.9) | (47.0) |
| Less: Income allocated to participating securities                                                                      |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (3.4) | (2.2) | (3.2) |
| Less: Convertible perpetual preferred stock dividends                                                                   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (21.0) | (23.9) | (26.0) |
| Less: Repurchase of convertible perpetual preferred stock                                                               |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (71.6) | (0.8) | 0 |
| Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders                                       |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 228.7 | 153.6 | 129.6 |
| (Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders                 |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (1.1) | 4.5 | 49.9 |
| Less: Income from discontinued operations allocated to participating securities                                         |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 0 | (0.1) | (1.2) |
| Net income attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders                                                              |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 227.6 | $ 158.0 | $ 178.3 |
| **Denominator:**                                                                                                        |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Basic weighted average common shares outstanding                                                                        |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 88.1 | 94.6 | 93.3 |
| Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding                                                                      |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 102.1 | 108.1 | 109.2 |
| **Basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders**                                |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Continuing Operations                                                                                                   |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 2.59 | $ 1.62 | $ 1.39 |
| Discontinued Operations                                                                                                 |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ (0.01) | $ 0.05 | $ 0.52 |
| Net income                                                                                                              |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 2.58 | $ 1.67 | $ 1.91 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Income Loss from Continuing Operations Attributable to Common Shareholders, Basic and Diluted
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net income after adjustments for dividends on preferred stock (declared in the period), cumulative preferred stock (accumulated for the period), and/or income allocated to participating securities.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Earnings from discontinued operations allocated (not distributed) to participating securities under the two-class method to the extent that participating securities may share in earnings as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed.
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No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                          |
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share in instances when basic and diluted earnings per share are the same amount and reported as a single line item on the face of the financial statements.  Basic earnings per share is the amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.  Diluted earnings per share includes the amount of net income or loss for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of net income (loss) from continuing operations per each basic and diluted share of common stock or unit when the per share amount is the same for both basic and diluted shares.
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No definition available.
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of income (loss) from a disposal group, net of income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items after deduction or consideration of the amount allocable to noncontrolling interests. Includes, net of tax, income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Per basic and diluted share amount, after tax, of income (loss) from the day-to-day business activities of the discontinued operation and gain (loss) from the disposal of the discontinued operation, when the per share amount is the same.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of preferred stock dividends that is an adjustment to net income apportioned to common stockholders.
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No definition available.
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|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The excess of (1) fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock over (2) the carrying amount of the preferred stock in the registrant's balance sheet, during the accounting period.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
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| - Definition
Earnings allocated (not distributed) to participating securities under the two-class method to the extent that participating securities may share in earnings as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed.
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No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.
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