Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement Tables (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$ 778.6			$ 596.9	$ 2,283.6	$ 1,792.5
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(10.7)			(8.2)	(33.2)	(25.0)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	767.9			588.7	2,250.4	1,767.5
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	417.1			290.0	1,204.0	861.4
Other operating expenses	106.7			89.4	314.1	260.2
Occupancy costs	12.5			10.3	37.1	31.1
Supplies	31.0			26.6	94.1	82.0
General and administrative expenses	30.6			27.5	97.3	88.4
Depreciation and amortization	33.7			27.4	98.3	80.2
Government, class action, and related settlements	0.0			0.0	8.0	(0.8)
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0.4			4.0	2.7	7.6
Total operating expenses	632.0			475.2	1,855.6	1,410.1
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0.0	$ 18.8	$ 1.2	0.0	20.0	0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	35.6			27.8	98.3	83.5
Other income	(0.7)			(0.2)	(4.2)	(30.1)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(2.4)			(1.9)	(6.3)	(8.8)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Management fees	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	103.4			87.8	287.0	312.8
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	35.9			22.1	98.4	91.4
Income from continuing operations	67.5			65.7	188.6	221.4
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.3			(0.9)	(1.6)	2.8
Net income	67.8			64.8	187.0	224.2
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(17.1)			(14.7)	(50.9)	(44.3)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	50.7			50.1	136.1	179.9
Comprehensive income	67.0			64.7	186.4	224.2
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	49.9			50.0	135.5	179.9
HealthSouth Corporation [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	4.3			4.0	14.7	11.5
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	4.3			4.0	14.7	11.5
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	14.7			4.1	35.0	15.9
Other operating expenses	6.5			5.0	22.7	15.0
Occupancy costs	1.1			1.1	3.2	3.1
Supplies	0.0			0.1	0.0	0.0
General and administrative expenses	27.8			27.5	93.6	88.4
Depreciation and amortization	2.6			2.3	7.3	7.4
Government, class action, and related settlements					8.0	(0.8)
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0.4			4.0	2.7	7.6
Total operating expenses	53.1			44.1	172.5	136.6
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					20.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	33.4			25.7	91.0	76.3
Other income	(2.5)			0.1	(9.6)	(0.3)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(80.4)			(62.6)	(241.0)	(233.9)
Management fees	(29.2)			(26.8)	(87.0)	(80.7)
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	29.9			23.5	68.8	113.5
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	(20.5)			(27.5)	(68.9)	(63.5)
Income from continuing operations	50.4			51.0	137.7	177.0
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.3			(0.9)	(1.6)	2.9
Net income	50.7			50.1	136.1	179.9
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	50.7			50.1	136.1	179.9
Comprehensive income	49.9			50.0	135.5	179.9
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	49.9			50.0	135.5	179.9
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	468.6			424.5	1,394.8	1,286.4
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(7.7)			(5.7)	(25.0)	(17.6)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	460.9			418.8	1,369.8	1,268.8
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	218.9			197.9	647.0	590.2
Other operating expenses	68.2			62.0	199.6	182.1
Occupancy costs	16.9			14.5	48.6	43.4
Supplies	20.2			18.6	62.2	57.9
General and administrative expenses	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Depreciation and amortization	20.0			18.2	58.7	54.1
Government, class action, and related settlements					0.0	0.0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Total operating expenses	344.2			311.2	1,016.1	927.7
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	2.1			1.7	6.6	5.9
Other income	(0.1)			0.0	(0.2)	(28.4)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(2.4)			(1.9)	(6.3)	(8.8)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(9.2)			(7.2)	(25.4)	(21.3)
Management fees	22.2			20.4	66.2	61.6
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	104.1			94.6	312.8	332.1
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	39.5			39.2	118.9	122.0
Income from continuing operations	64.6			55.4	193.9	210.1
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income	64.6			55.4	193.9	210.1
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	64.6			55.4	193.9	210.1
Comprehensive income	64.6			55.4	193.9	210.1
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	64.6			55.4	193.9	210.1
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	331.7			191.2	950.5	561.7
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	(3.0)			(2.5)	(8.2)	(7.4)
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	328.7			188.7	942.3	554.3
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	187.7			91.8	534.5	266.6
Other operating expenses	42.0			31.8	122.4	90.0
Occupancy costs	6.3			4.3	18.6	13.5
Supplies	10.8			7.9	31.9	24.1
General and administrative expenses	2.8			0.0	3.7	0.0
Depreciation and amortization	11.1			6.9	32.3	18.7
Government, class action, and related settlements					0.0	0.0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Total operating expenses	260.7			142.7	743.4	412.9
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	2.7			0.7	8.2	2.1
Other income	(0.7)			(0.6)	(1.9)	(2.2)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Management fees	7.0			6.4	20.8	19.1
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	59.0			39.5	171.8	122.4
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	16.9			10.4	48.4	32.9
Income from continuing operations	42.1			29.1	123.4	89.5
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0			0.0	0.0	(0.1)
Net income	42.1			29.1	123.4	89.4
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(17.1)			(14.7)	(50.9)	(44.3)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	25.0			14.4	72.5	45.1
Comprehensive income	42.1			29.1	123.4	89.4
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	25.0			14.4	72.5	45.1
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	(26.0)			(22.8)	(76.4)	(67.1)
Less: Provision for doubtful accounts	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts	(26.0)			(22.8)	(76.4)	(67.1)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(4.2)			(3.8)	(12.5)	(11.3)
Other operating expenses	(10.0)			(9.4)	(30.6)	(26.9)
Occupancy costs	(11.8)			(9.6)	(33.3)	(28.9)
Supplies	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
General and administrative expenses	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Depreciation and amortization	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Government, class action, and related settlements					0.0	0.0
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Total operating expenses	(26.0)			(22.8)	(76.4)	(67.1)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt					0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	(2.6)			(0.3)	(7.5)	(0.8)
Other income	2.6			0.3	7.5	0.8
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	89.6			69.8	266.4	255.2
Management fees	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	(89.6)			(69.8)	(266.4)	(255.2)
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations	(89.6)			(69.8)	(266.4)	(255.2)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income	(89.6)			(69.8)	(266.4)	(255.2)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	(89.6)			(69.8)	(266.4)	(255.2)
Comprehensive income	(89.6)			(69.8)	(266.4)	(255.2)
Comprehensive income attributable to HealthSouth	$ (89.6)			$ (69.8)	$ (266.4)	$ (255.2)