Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement Tables (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$ 740.6	$ 591.2
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(11.6)	(7.5)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	729.0	583.7
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	385.1	286.1
Other operating expenses	103.2	84.5
Occupancy costs	12.1	10.5
Supplies	31.4	27.6
General and administrative expenses	34.6	30.7
Depreciation and amortization	31.9	26.4
Government, class action, and related settlements	8.0	0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	2.2	1.6
Total operating expenses	608.5	467.4
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1.2	0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	31.8	27.9
Other income	(0.5)	(1.7)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(1.6)	(4.3)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	0	0
Management fees	0	0
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	89.6	94.4
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	30.3	32.8
Income from continuing operations	59.3	61.6
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.1)
Net income	59.0	61.5
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16.5)	(14.8)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	42.5	46.7
Comprehensive income	59.1	61.6
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	42.6	46.8
HealthSouth Corporation [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	5.3	3.8
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	5.3	3.8
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	8.1	5.6
Other operating expenses	9.5	4.9
Occupancy costs	1.1	1.0
Supplies	0	0
General and administrative expenses	34.3	30.7
Depreciation and amortization	2.3	2.9
Government, class action, and related settlements	8.0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	2.2	1.6
Total operating expenses	65.5	46.7
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1.2
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	29.2	25.3
Other income	(2.3)	(0.2)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(78.6)	(67.9)
Management fees	(28.5)	(26.6)
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	18.8	26.5
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	(24.0)	(20.3)
Income from continuing operations	42.8	46.8
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.1)
Net income	42.5	46.7
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	42.5	46.7
Comprehensive income	42.6	46.8
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	42.6	46.8
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	456.8	427.0
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(9.0)	(5.5)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	447.8	421.5
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	211.1	196.9
Other operating expenses	63.1	59.8
Occupancy costs	15.3	14.3
Supplies	20.8	19.6
General and administrative expenses	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	19.1	17.9
Government, class action, and related settlements	0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0	0
Total operating expenses	329.4	308.5
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	2.3	2.2
Other income	0	(1.2)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(1.6)	(4.3)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(8.1)	(6.8)
Management fees	21.7	20.4
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	104.1	102.7
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	39.6	42.5
Income from continuing operations	64.5	60.2
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	64.5	60.2
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	64.5	60.2
Comprehensive income	64.5	60.2
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	64.5	60.2
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	303.2	182.2
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(2.6)	(2.0)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	300.6	180.2
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	170.0	87.3
Other operating expenses	41.0	28.5
Occupancy costs	5.9	4.5
Supplies	10.6	8.0
General and administrative expenses	0.3	0
Depreciation and amortization	10.5	5.6
Government, class action, and related settlements	0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0	0
Total operating expenses	238.3	133.9
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	2.7	0.7
Other income	(0.6)	(0.6)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	0	0
Management fees	6.8	6.2
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	53.4	40.0
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	14.7	10.6
Income from continuing operations	38.7	29.4
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	38.7	29.4
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16.5)	(14.8)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	22.2	14.6
Comprehensive income	38.7	29.4
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	22.2	14.6
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	(24.7)	(21.8)
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	(24.7)	(21.8)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(4.1)	(3.7)
Other operating expenses	(10.4)	(8.7)
Occupancy costs	(10.2)	(9.3)
Supplies	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Government, class action, and related settlements	0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0	0
Total operating expenses	(24.7)	(21.7)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	(2.4)	(0.3)
Other income	2.4	0.3
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	86.7	74.7
Management fees	0	0
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	(86.7)	(74.8)
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Income from continuing operations	(86.7)	(74.8)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	(86.7)	(74.8)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	(86.7)	(74.8)
Comprehensive income	(86.7)	(74.8)
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	$ (86.7)	$ (74.8)