| **Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Tables)**   | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          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| **Condensed Consolidating Financial Information [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             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| Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations              |  Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Net operating revenues$3.8 $427.0 $182.2 $(21.8) $591.2Less: Provision for doubtful accounts— (5.5) (2.0) — (7.5)Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts3.8 421.5 180.2 (21.8) 583.7Operating expenses:         Salaries and benefits5.6 196.9 87.3 (3.7) 286.1Other operating expenses4.9 59.8 28.5 (8.7) 84.5Occupancy costs1.0 14.3 4.5 (9.3) 10.5Supplies— 19.6 8.0 — 27.6General and administrative expenses30.7 — — — 30.7Depreciation and amortization2.9 17.9 5.6 — 26.4Professional fees—accounting, tax, and legal1.6 — — — 1.6Total operating expenses46.7 308.5 133.9 (21.7) 467.4Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees25.3 2.2 0.7 (0.3) 27.9Other income(0.2) (1.2) (0.6) 0.3 (1.7)Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates— (4.3) — — (4.3)Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates(67.9) (6.8) — 74.7 —Management fees(26.6) 20.4 6.2 — —Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense26.5 102.7 40.0 (74.8) 94.4Provision for income tax (benefit) expense(20.3) 42.5 10.6 — 32.8Income from continuing operations46.8 60.2 29.4 (74.8) 61.6Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax(0.1) — — — (0.1)Net Income46.7 60.2 29.4 (74.8) 61.5Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests— — (14.8) — (14.8)Net income attributable to HealthSouth$46.7 $60.2 $14.6 $(74.8) $46.7Comprehensive income$46.8 $60.2 $29.4 $(74.8) $61.6Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth$46.8 $60.2 $14.6 $(74.8) $46.8 Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Net operating revenues$3.1 $413.8 $172.6 $(16.9) $572.6Less: Provision for doubtful accounts— (5.3) (2.1) — (7.4)Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts3.1 408.5 170.5 (16.9) 565.2Operating expenses:         Salaries and benefits7.5 189.0 81.7 (3.6) 274.6Other operating expenses2.9 57.7 25.7 (8.2) 78.1Occupancy costs1.0 12.0 4.2 (5.0) 12.2Supplies— 18.6 7.6 — 26.2General and administrative expenses30.2 — — — 30.2Depreciation and amortization2.1 15.2 4.8 — 22.1Professional fees—accounting, tax, and legal1.4 — — — 1.4Total operating expenses45.1 292.5 124.0 (16.8) 444.8Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees22.1 1.7 0.7 (0.3) 24.2Other income(0.3) — (0.7) 0.3 (0.7)Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates(0.9) (2.0) — — (2.9)Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates(69.8) (5.5) — 75.3 —Management fees(25.9) 20.0 5.9 — —Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense32.8 101.8 40.6 (75.4) 99.8Provision for income tax (benefit) expense(18.6) 41.3 10.8 — 33.5Income from continuing operations51.4 60.5 29.8 (75.4) 66.3(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax(0.1) 0.1 (0.4) — (0.4)Net Income51.3 60.6 29.4 (75.4) 65.9Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests— — (14.6) — (14.6)Net income attributable to HealthSouth$51.3 $60.6 $14.8 $(75.4) $51.3Comprehensive income$51.4 $60.6 $29.4 $(75.4) $66.0Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth$51.4 $60.6 $14.8 $(75.4) $51.4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet                        |  As of March 31, 2014 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Assets         Current assets:         Cash and cash equivalents$51.4 $0.3 $1.4 $— $53.1Accounts receivable, net— 196.7 76.0 — 272.7Deferred income tax assets85.5 34.5 18.9 — 138.9Other current assets63.9 15.2 111.3 (69.9) 120.5Total current assets200.8 246.7 207.6 (69.9) 585.2Property and equipment, net13.9 724.1 192.7 — 930.7Goodwill— 279.6 177.3 — 456.9Intangible assets, net17.9 48.6 23.1 — 89.6Deferred income tax assets259.9 24.5 40.9 — 325.3Other long-term assets61.7 34.4 55.3 — 151.4Intercompany receivable1,485.4 — — (1,485.4) —Total assets$2,039.6 $1,357.9 $696.9 $(1,555.3) $2,539.1Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity        Current liabilities:        Accounts payable$7.6 $29.2 $11.7 $— $48.5Accrued expenses and other current liabilities157.0 69.3 97.0 (69.8) 253.5Total current liabilities164.6 98.5 108.7 (69.8) 302.0Long-term debt, net of current portion1,381.8 87.1 34.2 — 1,503.1Other long-term liabilities44.4 17.4 83.8 — 145.6Intercompany payable— 283.2 213.9 (497.1) — 1,590.8 486.2 440.6 (566.9) 1,950.7Commitments and contingencies    Convertible perpetual preferred stock93.2 — — — 93.2Redeemable noncontrolling interests— — 13.0 — 13.0Shareholders’ equity:        HealthSouth shareholders’ equity355.6 871.7 116.7 (988.4) 355.6Noncontrolling interests— — 126.6 — 126.6Total shareholders’ equity355.6 871.7 243.3 (988.4) 482.2Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity$2,039.6 $1,357.9 $696.9 $(1,555.3) $2,539.1 As of December 31, 2013 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Assets         Current assets:         Cash and cash equivalents$60.5 $2.3 $1.7 $— $64.5Accounts receivable, net— 184.7 77.1 — 261.8Deferred income tax assets85.5 34.5 19.0 — 139.0Other current assets37.0 15.8 80.8 (18.5) 115.1Total current assets183.0 237.3 178.6 (18.5) 580.4Property and equipment, net16.3 698.5 195.7 — 910.5Goodwill— 279.6 177.3 — 456.9Intangible assets, net18.1 49.6 20.5 — 88.2Deferred income tax assets288.8 24.5 41.0 — 354.3Other long-term assets64.6 27.1 52.4 — 144.1Intercompany receivable1,438.8 — — (1,438.8) —Total assets$2,009.6 $1,316.6 $665.5 $(1,457.3) $2,534.4Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity        Current liabilities:        Accounts payable$15.1 $32.6 $14.2 $— $61.9Accrued expenses and other current liabilities130.5 71.0 66.7 (18.5) 249.7Total current liabilities145.6 103.680.9(18.5) 311.6Long-term debt, net of current portion1,381.7 88.1 35.4 — 1,505.2Other long-term liabilities44.5 17.4 80.3 — 142.2Intercompany payable— 299.2 228.9 (528.1) — 1,571.8 508.3425.5(546.6) 1,959.0Commitments and contingencies    Convertible perpetual preferred stock93.2 — — — 93.2Redeemable noncontrolling interests— — 13.5 — 13.5Shareholders’ equity:        HealthSouth shareholders’ equity344.6 808.3 102.4 (910.7) 344.6Noncontrolling interests— — 124.1 — 124.1Total shareholders’ equity344.6 808.3226.5(910.7) 468.7Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity$2,009.6 $1,316.6$665.5$(1,457.3) $2,534.4 |
| Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows              |  Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Net cash provided by operating activities$18.4 $59.2 $29.5 $— $107.1Cash flows from investing activities:         Purchases of property and equipment(7.6) (38.9) (10.1) — (56.6)Capitalized software costs(2.1) (1.5) (3.4) — (7.0)Other0.9 2.2 (7.3) — (4.2)Net cash used in investing activities(8.8) (38.2)(20.8)— (67.8)Cash flows from financing activities:        Borrowings on revolving credit facility40.0 — — — 40.0Payments on revolving credit facility(42.0) — — — (42.0)Repurchase of common stock, including fees and expenses(26.3) — — — (26.3)Dividends paid on common stock(15.8) — — — (15.8)Dividends paid on convertible perpetual preferred stock(1.6) — — — (1.6)Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates— — (12.0) — (12.0)Proceeds from exercising stock warrants6.3 — — — 6.3Other3.5 (1.0) (1.8) — 0.7Change in intercompany advances17.2 (22.0) 4.8 — —Net cash used in financing activities(18.7) (23.0)(9.0)— (50.7)Decrease in cash and cash equivalents(9.1) (2.0)(0.3)— (11.4)Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period60.5 2.3 1.7 — 64.5Cash and cash equivalents at end of period$51.4 $0.3$1.4$— $53.1 Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 HealthSouth Corporation Guarantor Subsidiaries Nonguarantor Subsidiaries Eliminating Entries HealthSouth Consolidated (In Millions)Net cash provided by operating activities$31.1 $65.9 $24.4 $— $121.4Cash flows from investing activities:         Purchases of property and equipment(0.5) (24.1) (5.5) — (30.1)Capitalized software costs(4.5) (2.7) (0.9) — (8.1)Escrow deposit—acquisition of business— (11.0) — — (11.0)Other(0.2) (0.3) 1.8 — 1.3Net cash used in investing activities(5.2) (38.1) (4.6) — (47.9)Cash flows from financing activities:        Borrowings on revolving credit facility122.0 — — — 122.0Repurchase of common stock, including fees and expenses(232.6) — — — (232.6)Dividends paid on convertible perpetual preferred stock(5.7) — — — (5.7)Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates— — (13.2) — (13.2)Other1.2 (2.7) 4.8 — 3.3Change in intercompany advances33.8 (23.4) (10.4) — —Net cash used in financing activities(81.3) (26.1) (18.8) — (126.2)(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents(55.4) 1.7 1.0 — (52.7)Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period131.3 0.3 1.2 — 132.8Cash and cash equivalents at end of period$75.9 $2.0 $2.2 $— $80.1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

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