Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 129,298	$ 129,865
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,996,090 and $1,891,334 at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively	2,019,537	1,834,167
Supplies	354,074	346,611
Prepaid income taxes	49,769	101,389
Deferred income taxes	89,797	89,797
Prepaid expenses and taxes	129,154	112,613
Other current assets	328,847	231,647
Total current assets	3,100,476	2,846,089
Property and equipment	9,640,636	9,369,528
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,638,773)	(2,513,552)
Property and equipment, net	7,001,863	6,855,976
Goodwill	4,367,841	4,264,845
Other assets, net	1,376,236	1,241,930
Total assets	15,846,416	15,208,840
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	75,388	63,706
Accounts payable	822,247	748,997
Accrued interest	101,156	110,121
Accrued liabilities	997,618	988,315
Total current liabilities	1,996,409	1,911,139
Long-term debt	9,243,616	8,782,798
Deferred income taxes	704,725	704,725
Other long-term liabilities	986,022	949,990
Total liabilities	12,930,772	12,348,652
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	363,540	395,743
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity
Preferred stock, $.01 par value per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; none issued
Common stock, $.01 par value per share, 300,000,000 shares authorized; 91,858,778 shares issued and 90,883,229 shares outstanding at March 31, 2012, and 91,547,079 shares issued and 90,571,530 shares outstanding at December 31, 2011	919	915
Additional paid-in capital	1,089,447	1,086,008
Treasury stock, at cost, 975,549 shares at March 31,2012 and December 31, 2011	(6,678)	(6,678)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(170,136)	(184,479)
Retained earnings	1,576,804	1,501,330
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,490,356	2,397,096
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	61,748	67,349
Total equity	2,552,104	2,464,445
Total liabilities and equity	$ 15,846,416	$ 15,208,840