Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$ 497.7	$ 460.8	$ 1,508.8	$ 1,386.7
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	245.0	231.7	730.6	684.2
Other operating expenses	70.3	65.4	216.6	197.4
General and administrative expenses	26.4	24.9	80.7	77.9
Supplies	24.7	24.1	76.7	73.3
Depreciation and amortization	19.5	18.4	58.6	53.7
Occupancy costs	12.5	11.4	36.2	33.0
Provision for doubtful accounts	5.1	3.7	14.9	14.8
Loss on disposal of assets	2.8	0.1	3.9	0.5
Government, class action, and related settlements		0.8	(10.6)	0.8
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	4.0	5.2	16.2	13.8
Total operating expenses	410.3	385.7	1,223.8	1,149.4
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	12.7		38.8	0.4
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	26.3	30.8	96.3	91.4
Other expense (income)	(0.2)	(0.7)	(1.5)	(2.8)
Loss on interest rate swaps		9.0		13.0
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(3.1)	(2.3)	(8.8)	(7.5)
Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense	51.7	38.3	160.2	142.8
Provision for income tax (Benefit) expense	18.1	(0.4)	21.9	0.7
Income from continuing operations	33.6	38.7	138.3	142.1
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	34.7	3.2	53.8	7.8
Net income	68.3	41.9	192.1	149.9
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11.3)	(10.1)	(33.4)	(30.1)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	57.0	31.8	158.7	119.8
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	352.3	326.3	1,079.6	991.9
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	169.3	160.9	510.7	478.1
Other operating expenses	49.5	45.0	149.0	135.9
Supplies	17.4	17.0	54.7	52.2
Depreciation and amortization	13.0	12.1	38.8	35.5
Occupancy costs	9.2	8.5	27.0	24.4
Provision for doubtful accounts	3.5	3.0	10.5	11.1
Loss on disposal of assets	2.8		2.9	0.5
Total operating expenses	264.7	246.5	793.6	737.7
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	2.1	2.1	6.4	6.5
Other expense (income)		(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.1)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(2.3)	(1.8)	(6.3)	(5.8)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(3.4)	(10.0)	(9.3)	(9.5)
Management fees	17.4	17.2	55.0	52.1
Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense	73.8	72.4	240.3	211.0
Provision for income tax (Benefit) expense	36.0	33.0	110.8	96.6
Income from continuing operations	37.8	39.4	129.5	114.4
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	33.7	1.7	36.2	3.8
Net income	71.5	41.1	165.7	118.2
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	71.5	41.1	165.7	118.2
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	151.1	139.0	446.7	408.4
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	71.7	67.8	212.1	198.3
Other operating expenses	22.8	20.3	66.1	65.7
Supplies	7.1	6.9	21.5	20.7
Depreciation and amortization	4.2	3.8	12.5	11.1
Occupancy costs	4.4	4.2	13.1	12.5
Provision for doubtful accounts	1.5	0.6	4.1	3.3
Loss on disposal of assets		0.1	1.0
Total operating expenses	111.7	103.7	330.4	311.6
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	0.7	0.7	2.0	2.3
Other expense (income)	(0.7)	(0.8)	(2.2)	(3.6)
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.2)	(0.1)
Management fees	5.4	5.1	15.9	15.0
Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense	34.1	30.4	100.8	83.2
Provision for income tax (Benefit) expense	8.7	7.9	25.7	21.3
Income from continuing operations	25.4	22.5	75.1	61.9
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2.1)	(0.3)	(3.0)	(0.6)
Net income	23.3	22.2	72.1	61.3
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(11.3)	(10.1)	(33.4)	(30.1)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	12.0	12.1	38.7	31.2
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	(11.3)	(9.7)	(33.5)	(28.9)
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	(3.4)	(3.1)	(10.1)	(9.3)
Other operating expenses	(5.4)	(4.5)	(16.0)	(13.3)
Occupancy costs	(2.5)	(2.1)	(7.4)	(6.2)
Total operating expenses	(11.3)	(9.7)	(33.5)	(28.8)
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	(0.3)	(0.5)	(0.9)	(1.7)
Other expense (income)	0.3	0.5	0.9	1.7
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	83.5	53.2	204.4	149.4
Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense	(83.5)	(53.2)	(204.4)	(149.5)
Income from continuing operations	(83.5)	(53.2)	(204.4)	(149.5)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax				0.1
Net income	(83.5)	(53.2)	(204.4)	(149.4)
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	(83.5)	(53.2)	(204.4)	(149.4)
HealthSouth Corporation [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	5.6	5.2	16.0	15.3
Operating expenses:
Salaries and benefits	7.4	6.1	17.9	17.1
Other operating expenses	3.4	4.6	17.5	9.1
General and administrative expenses	26.4	24.9	80.7	77.9
Supplies	0.2	0.2	0.5	0.4
Depreciation and amortization	2.3	2.5	7.3	7.1
Occupancy costs	1.4	0.8	3.5	2.3
Provision for doubtful accounts	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.4
Government, class action, and related settlements		0.8	(10.6)	0.8
Professional fees - accounting, tax, and legal	4.0	5.2	16.2	13.8
Total operating expenses	45.2	45.2	133.3	128.9
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	12.7		38.8	0.4
Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees	23.8	28.5	88.8	84.3
Other expense (income)	0.2	(0.3)	(0.1)	(0.8)
Loss on interest rate swaps		9.0		13.0
Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates	(0.7)	(0.4)	(2.3)	(1.6)
Equity in net income of consolidated affiliates	(80.1)	(43.2)	(195.1)	(139.9)
Management fees	(22.8)	(22.3)	(70.9)	(67.1)
Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense	27.3	(11.3)	23.5	(1.9)
Provision for income tax (Benefit) expense	(26.6)	(41.3)	(114.6)	(117.2)
Income from continuing operations	53.9	30.0	138.1	115.3
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	3.1	1.8	20.6	4.5
Net income	57.0	31.8	158.7	119.8
Net income attributable to HealthSouth	$ 57.0	$ 31.8	$ 158.7	$ 119.8