Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet Tables (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 80.1	$ 132.8	$ 44.3	$ 30.1
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	266.3	249.3
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	137.5	137.5
Other current assets	113.4	117.2
Total current assets	597.3	636.8
Property and equipment, net	764.2	748.0
Goodwill	443.4	437.3
Intangible assets, net	82.7	73.2
Deferred income tax assets	359.8	393.5
Other long-term assets	144.9	135.4
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Total assets	2,392.3	2,424.2
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	61.2	45.3
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	255.8	255.6
Total current liabilities	317.0	300.9
Long-term debt, net of current portion	1,365.3	1,239.9
Other long-term liabilities	130.5	130.5
Intercompany payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,812.8	1,671.3
Commitments and contingencies
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Attributable to Parent	342.2	342.2
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	13.8	7.2
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
HealthSouth shareholders' equity (deficit)	108.3	291.0
Noncontrolling interests	115.2	112.5
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	223.5	403.5	235.3	201.0
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit)	2,392.3	2,424.2
HealthSouth Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	75.9	131.3	41.1	26.1
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0.2	0.2
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	106.5	106.5
Other current assets	55.3	30.6
Total current assets	237.9	268.6
Property and equipment, net	13.3	13.1
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	20.9	18.1
Deferred income tax assets	308.3	340.7
Other long-term assets	69.1	69.9
Intercompany receivable	1,284.2	1,244.3
Total assets	1,933.7	1,954.7
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	8.9	7.7
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	166.5	128.7
Total current liabilities	175.4	136.4
Long-term debt, net of current portion	1,269.2	1,147.3
Other long-term liabilities	38.6	37.8
Intercompany payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	1,483.2	1,321.5
Commitments and contingencies
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Attributable to Parent	342.2	342.2
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
HealthSouth shareholders' equity (deficit)	108.3	291.0
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	108.3	291.0
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit)	1,933.7	1,954.7
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2.0	0.3	1.2	1.2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	189.3	178.8
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	19.7	19.7
Other current assets	14.4	15.1
Total current assets	225.4	213.9
Property and equipment, net	562.1	549.9
Goodwill	266.1	266.1
Intangible assets, net	42.2	41.5
Deferred income tax assets	0.9	0.9
Other long-term assets	32.0	21.3
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Total assets	1,128.7	1,093.6
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	38.2	28.0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	68.8	73.7
Total current liabilities	107.0	101.7
Long-term debt, net of current portion	62.8	64.2
Other long-term liabilities	11.7	11.2
Intercompany payable	481.3	517.4
Total Liabilities	662.8	694.5
Commitments and contingencies
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Attributable to Parent	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
HealthSouth shareholders' equity (deficit)	465.9	399.1
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	465.9	399.1
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit)	1,128.7	1,093.6
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2.2	1.2	2.0	2.8
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	76.8	70.3
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	11.3	11.3
Other current assets	114.4	89.0
Total current assets	204.7	171.8
Property and equipment, net	188.8	185.0
Goodwill	177.3	171.2
Intangible assets, net	19.6	13.6
Deferred income tax assets	50.6	51.9
Other long-term assets	43.8	44.2
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Total assets	684.8	637.7
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	14.1	9.6
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	91.2	70.7
Total current liabilities	105.3	80.3
Long-term debt, net of current portion	33.3	28.4
Other long-term liabilities	80.2	81.5
Intercompany payable	1,025.3	1,021.4
Total Liabilities	1,244.1	1,211.6
Commitments and contingencies
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Attributable to Parent	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	13.8	7.2
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
HealthSouth shareholders' equity (deficit)	(688.3)	(693.6)
Noncontrolling interests	115.2	112.5
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	(573.1)	(581.1)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit)	684.8	637.7
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	0	0
Other current assets	(70.7)	(17.5)
Total current assets	(70.7)	(17.5)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Deferred income tax assets	0	0
Other long-term assets	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(1,284.2)	(1,244.3)
Total assets	(1,354.9)	(1,261.8)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(70.7)	(17.5)
Total current liabilities	(70.7)	(17.5)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Intercompany payable	(1,506.6)	(1,538.8)
Total Liabilities	(1,577.3)	(1,556.3)
Commitments and contingencies
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Attributable to Parent	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity (deficit):
HealthSouth shareholders' equity (deficit)	222.4	294.5
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	222.4	294.5
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit)	$ (1,354.9)	$ (1,261.8)