Stockholders' Equity (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Stockholders' Equity & Comprehensive Income [Abstract]

Reconciliation of the carrying amount of total equity, equity attributable to the Company, and equity attributable to the noncontrolling interests

				Community Health Systems, Inc. Stockholders
													Accumulated
	Redeemable						Additional						Other								Total
	Noncontrolling			Common			Paid-in			Treasury			Comprehensive			Retained		Noncontrolling			Stockholders’
	Interests			Stock			Capital			Stock			Income (Loss)			Earnings		Interests			Equity
Balance, December 31, 2010	$	387,472		$	936		$	1,126,751		$	(6,678	)	$	(230,927	)	$	1,299,382	$	60,913		$	2,250,377
Comprehensive income:
Net income		25,211			—			—			—			—			96,713		9,948			106,661
Net change in fair value of interest rate swaps		—			—			—			—			27,477			—		—			27,477
Net change in fair value of available-for-sale securities		—			—			—			—			1,338			—		—			1,338
Amortization and recognition of unrecognized pension cost components		—			—			—			—			1,579			—		—			1,579
Total comprehensive income		25,211			—			—			—			30,394			96,713		9,948			137,055
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net of contributions		(19,387	)		—			—			—			—			—		(9,828	)		(9,828	)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests		(2,792	)		—			(498	)		—			—			—		—			(498	)
Other reclassifications of noncontrolling interests		(2,004	)		—			—			—			—			—		272			272
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests		(11,842	)		—			11,842			—			—			—		—			11,842
Repurchases of common stock		—			(18	)		(50,002	)		—			—			—		—			(50,020	)
Issuance of common stock in connection with the exercise of stock options		—			6			18,831			—			—			—		—			18,837
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares		—			(3	)		(13,110	)		—			—			—		—			(13,113	)
Excess tax benefit from exercise of stock options		—			—			4,659			—			—			—		—			4,659
Share-based compensation		—			11			20,732			—			—			—		—			20,743
Balance, June 30, 2011	$	376,658		$	932		$	1,119,205		$	(6,678	)	$	(200,533	)	$	1,396,095	$	61,305		$	2,370,326

Effects of changes in the ownership interest in less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries

	Six Months Ended
	June 30, 2011
Net income attributable to Community Health Systems, Inc.	$	96,713
Transfers to the noncontrolling interests:
Net decrease in Community Health Systems, Inc. paid-in capital for purchase of subsidiary partnership interests		(498	)
Net transfers to the noncontrolling interests		(498	)
Change to Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders’ equity from net income attributable to Community Health Systems, Inc. and transfers to noncontrolling interests	$	96,215