Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement Tables (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$ 1,067.6	$ 981.6	$ 3,181.3	$ 2,905.1
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	592.3	542.1	1,740.7	1,600.0
Other operating expenses	142.9	136.2	433.5	393.3
Occupancy costs	19.6	18.6	57.7	54.8
Supplies	38.6	36.5	117.8	110.6
General and administrative expenses	49.9	39.7	165.9	128.6
Depreciation and amortization	51.2	46.2	146.8	137.2
Total operating expenses	894.5	819.3	2,662.4	2,424.5
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0.0	0.3	0.0	10.7
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	37.3	36.8	110.6	118.5
Other income	(1.7)	(1.0)	(2.9)	(2.9)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(2.1)	(2.1)	(6.4)	(6.2)
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	139.6	128.3	417.6	360.5
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	30.2	43.1	89.5	111.4
Income from continuing operations	109.4	85.2	328.1	249.1
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Net income	109.3	85.1	327.7	248.9
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(20.7)	(19.2)	(63.5)	(53.2)
Net income attributable to Encompass Health	88.6	65.9	264.2	195.7
Comprehensive income	109.3	85.1	327.7	249.2
Comprehensive income attributable to Encompass Health	88.6	65.9	264.2	196.0
Encompass Health Corporation [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	4.8	5.3	15.9	15.9
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	11.3	9.1	33.9	29.1
Other operating expenses	9.9	8.0	27.6	23.8
Occupancy costs	0.5	0.4	1.5	1.4
Supplies	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
General and administrative expenses	38.8	35.6	119.4	104.7
Depreciation and amortization	4.4	2.0	9.9	6.7
Total operating expenses	64.9	55.1	192.3	165.7
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0.3		10.7
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	31.6	30.8	93.3	100.5
Other income	(6.9)	(5.7)	(17.8)	(16.5)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(117.7)	(85.0)	(347.1)	(256.4)
Management fees	(37.9)	(35.8)	(114.8)	(107.8)
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	70.8	45.6	210.0	119.7
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	(17.9)	(20.4)	(54.6)	(76.2)
Income from continuing operations	88.7	66.0	264.6	195.9
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.4)	(0.2)
Net income	88.6	65.9	264.2	195.7
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to Encompass Health	88.6	65.9	264.2	195.7
Comprehensive income	88.6	65.9	264.2	196.0
Comprehensive income attributable to Encompass Health	88.6	65.9	264.2	196.0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	574.5	547.5	1,743.0	1,666.6
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	278.2	266.4	835.1	803.7
Other operating expenses	80.3	83.6	253.8	239.5
Occupancy costs	23.9	23.4	71.5	70.0
Supplies	22.7	22.4	70.6	69.4
General and administrative expenses	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Depreciation and amortization	26.6	25.8	79.4	77.3
Total operating expenses	431.7	421.6	1,310.4	1,259.9
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0.0		0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	5.1	5.3	15.5	15.9
Other income	(0.3)	(0.1)	(0.8)	(0.2)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(1.9)	(1.9)	(5.5)	(5.6)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(15.0)	(11.8)	(50.4)	(29.3)
Management fees	28.0	26.4	84.5	80.7
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	126.9	108.0	389.3	345.2
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	34.2	43.1	104.9	137.7
Income from continuing operations	92.7	64.9	284.4	207.5
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income	92.7	64.9	284.4	207.5
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to Encompass Health	92.7	64.9	284.4	207.5
Comprehensive income	92.7	64.9	284.4	207.5
Comprehensive income attributable to Encompass Health	92.7	64.9	284.4	207.5
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	520.6	460.2	1,520.5	1,316.9
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	308.2	271.9	887.9	783.0
Other operating expenses	64.7	56.8	189.5	166.3
Occupancy costs	10.1	8.7	29.2	25.6
Supplies	15.9	14.1	47.2	41.2
General and administrative expenses	11.1	4.1	46.5	23.9
Depreciation and amortization	20.2	18.4	57.5	53.2
Total operating expenses	430.2	374.0	1,257.8	1,093.2
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0.0		0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	7.4	6.3	20.3	18.1
Other income	(1.3)	(0.8)	(2.8)	(2.2)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(0.2)	(0.2)	(0.9)	(0.6)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Management fees	9.9	9.4	30.3	27.1
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	74.6	71.5	215.8	181.3
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	13.9	20.4	39.2	49.9
Income from continuing operations	60.7	51.1	176.6	131.4
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income	60.7	51.1	176.6	131.4
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(20.7)	(19.2)	(63.5)	(53.2)
Net income attributable to Encompass Health	40.0	31.9	113.1	78.2
Comprehensive income	60.7	51.1	176.6	131.4
Comprehensive income attributable to Encompass Health	40.0	31.9	113.1	78.2
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	(32.3)	(31.4)	(98.1)	(94.3)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(5.4)	(5.3)	(16.2)	(15.8)
Other operating expenses	(12.0)	(12.2)	(37.4)	(36.3)
Occupancy costs	(14.9)	(13.9)	(44.5)	(42.2)
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
Total operating expenses	(32.3)	(31.4)	(98.1)	(94.3)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0.0		0.0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	(6.8)	(5.6)	(18.5)	(16.0)
Other income	6.8	5.6	18.5	16.0
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	132.7	96.8	397.5	285.7
Management fees	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	(132.7)	(96.8)	(397.5)	(285.7)
Provision for income tax (benefit) expense	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations	(132.7)	(96.8)	(397.5)	(285.7)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income	(132.7)	(96.8)	(397.5)	(285.7)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Net income attributable to Encompass Health	(132.7)	(96.8)	(397.5)	(285.7)
Comprehensive income	(132.7)	(96.8)	(397.5)	(285.7)
Comprehensive income attributable to Encompass Health	$ (132.7)	$ (96.8)	$ (397.5)	$ (285.7)