<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001127602-17-029990.txt : 20171018
<SEC-HEADER>0001127602-17-029990.hdr.sgml : 20171018
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20171018115639
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001127602-17-029990
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20171016
FILED AS OF DATE:		20171018
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20171018

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHIDSEY JOHN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001128484

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-10315
		FILM NUMBER:		171142194

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CENDANT
		STREET 2:		9 WEST 57TH ST
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HEALTHSOUTH CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000785161
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-HOSPITALS [8060]
		IRS NUMBER:				630860407
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3660 GRANDVIEW PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			BIRMINGHAM
		STATE:			AL
		ZIP:			35243
		BUSINESS PHONE:		205-967-7116

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3660 GRANDVIEW PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 200
		CITY:			BIRMINGHAM
		STATE:			AL
		ZIP:			35243

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HEALTHSOUTH REHABILITATION CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>form4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-10-16</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000785161</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HEALTHSOUTH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001128484</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHIDSEY JOHN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6915 GRANADA BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CORAL GABLES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33146</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Healthsouth Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-10-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>327</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>102921</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Healthsouth Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-10-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>794</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>45.15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>103715</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to outstanding restricted stock unit award agreements, additional restricted stock units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) are credited to each non-employee director's account on common stock dividend payment dates. The number of RSUs credited is equal to (a) the product of (i) the number of the RSUs in each director's account on the associated dividend record date and (ii) the per share dividend, divided by (b) the closing price on the dividend payment date. On October 16, 2017, HealthSouth paid a dividend on its common stock of $0.25 per share. The transaction reported on this Form 4 is an award of RSUs associated with that dividend payment.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This number represents the purchase of (a) 552 shares of common stock of HealthSouth Corporation (the &quot;Company&quot;) pursuant to an election by the reporting person to participate in the Directors Deferred Stock Investment Plan of the Company (the &quot;Plan&quot;) and (b) 242 shares associated with cash dividends on shares of the Company's common stock held under the Plan. The Plan is a non-qualified deferral plan adopted and approved by the Board of Directors, effective November 1, 2007, allowing non-employee directors to make elections during 2016 to defer fixed percentages of their directors fees for 2017. The amount each participant defers under the Plan is deducted, on a quarterly basis, from the directors fees the participant would otherwise have received in cash. The deferred fees fund the purchase of the Company's common stock by the Plan administrator in the market for the account of each participating director, and under the terms of the Plan, such stock is entitled to cash dividends that are reinvested by the Plan administrator in the Company's common stock. On October 16, 2017, the Company paid a dividend on common stock of $0.25 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Patrick Darby, attorney-in-fact for John W. Chidsey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-10-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
