Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet Tables (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 208.3	$ 66.7	$ 53.1	$ 64.5
Accounts receivable, net	337.9	323.2
Deferred income tax assets	188.4	188.4
Other current assets	131.4	108.3
Total current assets	866.0	686.6
Property and equipment, net	1,012.3	1,019.7
Goodwill	1,090.0	1,084.0
Intangible assets, net	307.6	306.1
Deferred income tax assets	102.3	129.4
Other long-term assets	199.7	183.0
Intercompany receivable and investments in consolidated affiliates	0	0
Total assets	3,577.9	3,408.8
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	149.8	20.8
Accounts payable	55.1	53.4
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	292.7	290.1
Total current liabilities	497.6	364.3
Long-term debt, net of current portion	2,122.5	2,110.8
Other long-term liabilities	139.5	136.3
Intercompany payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,759.6	2,611.4
Commitments and contingencies
Convertible perpetual preferred stock	93.2	93.2
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	84.7	84.7
Shareholders' equity:
HealthSouth shareholders’ equity	492.3	473.2
Noncontrolling interests	148.1	146.3
Total shareholders' equity	640.4	619.5	482.2	468.7
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,577.9	3,408.8
HealthSouth Corporation [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	189.6	41.9	51.4	60.5
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Deferred income tax assets	125.3	125.0
Other current assets	67.6	30.9
Total current assets	382.5	197.8
Property and equipment, net	13.7	16.1
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	11.4	11.3
Deferred income tax assets	136.2	163.3
Other long-term assets	463.0	461.3
Intercompany receivable and investments in consolidated affiliates	1,937.1	1,898.7
Total assets	2,943.9	2,748.5
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	156.6	27.9
Accounts payable	8.9	9.3
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	141.4	107.1
Total current liabilities	306.9	144.3
Long-term debt, net of current portion	2,007.5	1,993.7
Other long-term liabilities	44.0	44.1
Intercompany payable	0	0
Total Liabilities	2,358.4	2,182.1
Commitments and contingencies
Convertible perpetual preferred stock	93.2	93.2
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity:
HealthSouth shareholders’ equity	492.3	473.2
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	492.3	473.2
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,943.9	2,748.5
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1.0	1.5	0.3	2.3
Accounts receivable, net	214.1	202.6
Deferred income tax assets	39.8	39.8
Other current assets	16.7	15.1
Total current assets	271.6	259.0
Property and equipment, net	744.6	752.0
Goodwill	279.6	279.6
Intangible assets, net	53.0	50.6
Deferred income tax assets	17.5	17.5
Other long-term assets	48.1	42.5
Intercompany receivable and investments in consolidated affiliates	0	0
Total assets	1,414.4	1,401.2
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	4.2	4.2
Accounts payable	30.3	29.5
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	68.6	72.6
Total current liabilities	103.1	106.3
Long-term debt, net of current portion	82.7	83.9
Other long-term liabilities	12.5	12.7
Intercompany payable	322.3	368.7
Total Liabilities	520.6	571.6
Commitments and contingencies
Convertible perpetual preferred stock	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity:
HealthSouth shareholders’ equity	893.8	829.6
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	893.8	829.6
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,414.4	1,401.2
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	17.7	23.3	1.4	1.7
Accounts receivable, net	123.8	120.6
Deferred income tax assets	23.3	23.6
Other current assets	119.1	81.1
Total current assets	283.9	248.6
Property and equipment, net	254.0	251.6
Goodwill	810.4	804.4
Intangible assets, net	243.2	244.2
Deferred income tax assets	0	0
Other long-term assets	73.8	64.3
Intercompany receivable and investments in consolidated affiliates	0	0
Total assets	1,665.3	1,613.1
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	6.5	6.2
Accounts payable	15.9	14.6
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	137.2	111.7
Total current liabilities	159.6	132.5
Long-term debt, net of current portion	417.5	418.3
Other long-term liabilities	134.4	130.9
Intercompany payable	210.6	195.5
Total Liabilities	922.1	877.2
Commitments and contingencies
Convertible perpetual preferred stock	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	84.7	84.7
Shareholders' equity:
HealthSouth shareholders’ equity	510.4	504.9
Noncontrolling interests	148.1	146.3
Total shareholders' equity	658.5	651.2
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,665.3	1,613.1
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Deferred income tax assets	0	0
Other current assets	(72.0)	(18.8)
Total current assets	(72.0)	(18.8)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Deferred income tax assets	(51.4)	(51.4)
Other long-term assets	(385.2)	(385.1)
Intercompany receivable and investments in consolidated affiliates	(1,937.1)	(1,898.7)
Total assets	(2,445.7)	(2,354.0)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	(17.5)	(17.5)
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(54.5)	(1.3)
Total current liabilities	(72.0)	(18.8)
Long-term debt, net of current portion	(385.2)	(385.1)
Other long-term liabilities	(51.4)	(51.4)
Intercompany payable	(532.9)	(564.2)
Total Liabilities	(1,041.5)	(1,019.5)
Commitments and contingencies
Convertible perpetual preferred stock	0	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0
Shareholders' equity:
HealthSouth shareholders’ equity	(1,404.2)	(1,334.5)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(1,404.2)	(1,334.5)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (2,445.7)	$ (2,354.0)