Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements— In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and has subsequently issued supplemental and/or clarifying ASUs (collectively “ASC 606”). ASC 606 outlines a five-step framework that intends to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and eliminate industry-specific guidance. In addition, ASC 606 revises current disclosure requirements in an effort to help financial statement users better understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. ASC 606 will be effective for our annual reporting period beginning on January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that year. ASC 606 may be applied retrospectively to each period presented or on a modified retrospective basis with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. We are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements by analyzing our current portfolio of third-party payor contracts, including a review of historical accounting policies and practices to identify potential differences in applying the new guidance. We are also evaluating the nature and amount of data available to us in assessing implementation of ASC 606. Under ASC 606, substantially all amounts that were previously presented as Provision for doubtful accounts will be considered an implicit price concession in determining Net operating revenues. Amounts considered to be doubtful accounts under ASC 606 will be presented as a component of Total operating expenses within the consolidated statements of operations. Except for the adjustments discussed above, we do not expect the adoption of ASC 606 to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. We expect to adopt ASC 606 retrospectively effective January 1, 2018. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, “Financial Instruments - Overall (Topic 825): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” This standard revises the classification and measurement of investments in certain equity investments and the presentation of certain fair value changes for certain financial liabilities measured at fair value. This revised standard requires the change in fair value of many equity investments to be recognized in Net income. This revised standard requires a modified retrospective application with a cumulative effect adjustment recognized in retained earnings as of the date of adoption and is effective for our interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2018. While we are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements, we expect to recognize mark-to-market gains and losses associated with our available-for-sale equity securities through Net income instead of Accumulated other comprehensive income. We continue to review the requirements of this revised standard, but do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” in order to increase transparency and comparability by recognizing lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Under the new standard, lessees will recognize a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability for all leases other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease. The liability will be equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained a dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense while finance leases will result in an expense pattern similar to current capital leases. Classification will be based on criteria that are similar to those applied in current lease accounting. This standard will be effective for our annual reporting period beginning on January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. In transition, we will be required to recognize and measure leases beginning in the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach; therefore, we anticipate restating our consolidated financial statements for the two fiscal years prior to the year of adoption. While we are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements, we expect that virtually all of our existing operating leases will be reflected as right-of-use assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets under the new standard. We do not expect to early adopt this standard. See Note 6, Property and Equipment, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2016 Form 10-K for disclosure related to our operating leases. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718),” to simplify various aspects of share-based payment accounting and presentation. The new standard requires entities to record all of the tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement. This change is required to be applied prospectively to all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies resulting from settlements after the date of adoption of the ASU. The standard eliminates the requirement to delay recognition of a windfall tax benefit until it reduces current taxes payable. This change is required to be applied on a modified retrospective basis. In addition, all income tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based windfall tax benefits are required to be reported as operating activities on the statement of cash flows as opposed to the current presentation as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. Either prospective or retrospective transition of this provision is permitted. The standard also clarifies that all cash payments made to taxing authorities on the employees’ behalf for withheld shares should be presented as financing activities on the statement of cash flows on a retrospective basis. Finally, the standard allows entities to make an accounting policy election to either estimate forfeitures for each period or account for forfeitures as they occur. For HealthSouth, this guidance was effective for its annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. As a result of our adoption of this guidance effective January 1, 2017, we recorded $0.4 million and $9.0 million of tax benefits in excess of compensation cost (“windfalls”) to Provision for income tax expense in our condensed consolidating statement of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. In addition, we elected to retrospectively apply the guidance governing presentation of windfalls on the statement of cash flows, which resulted in a reclassification of windfalls of $17.3 million from Cash flows from financing activities to Cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2016 within our 2016 Form 10-K. We also retrospectively applied the change to the presentation of cash payments made to taxing authorities on the employees’ behalf for withheld shares on our condensed consolidating statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, which resulted in a reclassification of $9.9 million from Cash flows from operating activities to Cash flows from financing activities. We did not elect an accounting policy change to record forfeitures as they occur and thus will continue to estimate forfeitures at each period. Except for the adjustments discussed above, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which provides guidance for accounting for credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments and modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. The new guidance is effective for HealthSouth for the annual period beginning January 1, 2020, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted for HealthSouth beginning January 1, 2019. We continue to review the requirements of this standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments,” to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. In addition, the standard clarifies when cash receipts and cash payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows and cannot be separated, classification will depend on the predominant source or use. The new guidance requires retrospective application and is effective for HealthSouth for the annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted. While we continue to review the requirements of this standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements, the clarification that debt prepayment premiums should be classified as financing activities will result in an immaterial increase in certain prior period operating cash inflows and a corresponding increase in financing cash outflows. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Restricted Cash,” to clarify how entities should present restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The new guidance requires amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be included with Cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the total beginning and ending amounts for the periods shown on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance requires retrospective application and is effective for our annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted. We continue to review the requirements of this revised standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements. We do not believe any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements—

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and has subsequently issued supplemental and/or clarifying ASUs (collectively “ASC 606”). ASC 606 outlines a five-step framework that intends to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and eliminate industry-specific guidance. In addition, ASC 606 revises current disclosure requirements in an effort to help financial statement users better understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. ASC 606 will be effective for our annual reporting period beginning on January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that year. ASC 606 may be applied retrospectively to each period presented or on a modified retrospective basis with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. We are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements by analyzing our current portfolio of third-party payor contracts, including a review of historical accounting policies and practices to identify potential differences in applying the new guidance. We are also evaluating the nature and amount of data available to us in assessing implementation of ASC 606. Under ASC 606, substantially all amounts that were previously presented as Provision for doubtful accounts will be considered an implicit price concession in determining Net operating revenues. Amounts considered to be doubtful accounts under ASC 606 will be presented as a component of Total operating expenses within the consolidated statements of operations. Except for the adjustments discussed above, we do not expect the adoption of ASC 606 to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. We expect to adopt ASC 606 retrospectively effective January 1, 2018.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, “Financial Instruments - Overall (Topic 825): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” This standard revises the classification and measurement of investments in certain equity investments and the presentation of certain fair value changes for certain financial liabilities measured at fair value. This revised standard requires the change in fair value of many equity investments to be recognized in Net income. This revised standard requires a modified retrospective application with a cumulative effect adjustment recognized in retained earnings as of the date of adoption and is effective for our interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2018. While we are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements, we expect to recognize mark-to-market gains and losses associated with our available-for-sale equity securities through Net income instead of Accumulated other comprehensive income. We continue to review the requirements of this revised standard, but do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” in order to increase transparency and comparability by recognizing lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Under the new standard, lessees will recognize a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability for all leases other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease. The liability will be equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained a dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense while finance leases will result in an expense pattern similar to current capital leases. Classification will be based on criteria that are similar to those applied in current lease accounting. This standard will be effective for our annual reporting period beginning on January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. In transition, we will be required to recognize and measure leases beginning in the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach; therefore, we anticipate restating our consolidated financial statements for the two fiscal years prior to the year of adoption. While we are currently assessing the impact this guidance may have on our consolidated financial statements, we expect that virtually all of our existing operating leases will be reflected as right-of-use assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets under the new standard. We do not expect to early adopt this standard. See Note 6, Property and Equipment, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2016 Form 10-K for disclosure related to our operating leases.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718),” to simplify various aspects of share-based payment accounting and presentation. The new standard requires entities to record all of the tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement. This change is required to be applied prospectively to all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies resulting from settlements after the date of adoption of the ASU. The standard eliminates the requirement to delay recognition of a windfall tax benefit until it reduces current taxes payable. This change is required to be applied on a modified retrospective basis. In addition, all income tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based windfall tax benefits are required to be reported as operating activities on the statement of cash flows as opposed to the current presentation as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. Either prospective or retrospective transition of this provision is permitted. The standard also clarifies that all cash payments made to taxing authorities on the employees’ behalf for withheld shares should be presented as financing activities on the statement of cash flows on a retrospective basis. Finally, the standard allows entities to make an accounting policy election to either estimate forfeitures for each period or account for forfeitures as they occur. For HealthSouth, this guidance was effective for its annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. As a result of our adoption of this guidance effective January 1, 2017, we recorded $0.4 million and $9.0 million of tax benefits in excess of compensation cost (“windfalls”) to Provision for income tax expense in our condensed consolidating statement of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. In addition, we elected to retrospectively apply the guidance governing presentation of windfalls on the statement of cash flows, which resulted in a reclassification of windfalls of $17.3 million from Cash flows from financing activities to Cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2016 within our 2016 Form 10-K. We also retrospectively applied the change to the presentation of cash payments made to taxing authorities on the employees’ behalf for withheld shares on our condensed consolidating statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, which resulted in a reclassification of $9.9 million from Cash flows from operating activities to Cash flows from financing activities. We did not elect an accounting policy change to record forfeitures as they occur and thus will continue to estimate forfeitures at each period. Except for the adjustments discussed above, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which provides guidance for accounting for credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments and modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. The new guidance is effective for HealthSouth for the annual period beginning January 1, 2020, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted for HealthSouth beginning January 1, 2019. We continue to review the requirements of this standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments,” to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. In addition, the standard clarifies when cash receipts and cash payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows and cannot be separated, classification will depend on the predominant source or use. The new guidance requires retrospective application and is effective for HealthSouth for the annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted. While we continue to review the requirements of this standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements, the clarification that debt prepayment premiums should be classified as financing activities will result in an immaterial increase in certain prior period operating cash inflows and a corresponding increase in financing cash outflows.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Restricted Cash,” to clarify how entities should present restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The new guidance requires amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be included with Cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the total beginning and ending amounts for the periods shown on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance requires retrospective application and is effective for our annual reporting period beginning January 1, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted. We continue to review the requirements of this revised standard and any potential impact it may have on our consolidated financial statements.

We do not believe any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards will have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.