Earnings per Common Share - Table 1 (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Basic Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	$ 109.4	$ 85.2	$ 328.1	$ 249.1
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations	(20.7)	(19.2)	(63.5)	(53.2)
Less: Income allocated to participating securities	(0.3)	(0.2)	(0.9)	(0.6)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders	88.4	65.8	263.7	195.3
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Net income attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders	$ 88.3	$ 65.7	$ 263.3	$ 195.1
Basic Denominator:
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (shares)	98.0	97.8	97.9	92.3
Basic earnings per share attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.90	$ 0.67	$ 2.69	$ 2.11
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net Income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.90	$ 0.67	$ 2.69	$ 2.11
Diluted Numerator
Income from continuing operations	$ 109.4	$ 85.2	$ 328.1	$ 249.1
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests included in continuing operations	(20.7)	(19.2)	(63.5)	(53.2)
Add: Interest on convertible debt, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.6
Add: Loss on extinguishment of convertible debt, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	6.2
Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders	88.7	66.0	264.6	206.7
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Net income attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders	$ 88.6	$ 65.9	$ 264.2	$ 206.5
Diluted Denominator
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (shares)	100.0	99.0	99.7	99.1
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.89	$ 0.67	$ 2.65	$ 2.08
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.89	$ 0.67	$ 2.65	$ 2.08