Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 373,403	$ 387,813	$ 129,865	$ 299,169
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,353,308	2,067,379
Supplies	377,005	368,172
Prepaid income taxes	107,077	49,888
Deferred income taxes	101,372	117,045
Prepaid expenses and taxes	128,476	126,561
Other current assets	307,322	302,284
Total current assets	3,747,963	3,419,142
Property and equipment, net	7,114,463	7,151,873
Goodwill	4,444,135	4,408,138	4,264,845
Other assets, net	1,810,734	1,627,182
Total assets	17,117,295	16,606,335
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	166,902	89,911
Accounts payable	958,593	825,914
Deferred income taxes	3,183
Accrued interest	111,891	110,702
Accrued liabilities	1,216,914	1,116,693
Total current liabilities	2,457,483	2,143,220
Long-term debt	9,286,495	9,451,394
Deferred income taxes	906,101	808,489
Other long-term liabilities	977,336	1,039,045
Total liabilities	13,627,415	13,442,148
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	358,410	367,666
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock
Common stock	960	929
Additional paid-in capital	1,255,855	1,138,274
Treasury stock, at cost	(6,678)	(6,678)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(67,505)	(145,310)	(184,479)
Retained earnings	1,885,195	1,743,992
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,067,827	2,731,207
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	63,643	65,314
Total equity	3,131,470	2,796,521	2,464,445	2,250,377
Total liabilities and equity	17,117,295	16,606,335
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid income taxes	107,077	49,888
Deferred income taxes	101,372	117,045
Total current assets	208,449	166,933
Intercompany receivable	579,793	406,534
Net investment in subsidiaries	3,193,971	2,974,965
Total assets	3,982,213	3,548,432
Current liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	3,183
Accrued liabilities	4,178	7,580
Total current liabilities	7,361	7,580
Deferred income taxes	906,101	808,489
Other long-term liabilities	924	1,156
Total liabilities	914,386	817,225
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	960	929
Additional paid-in capital	1,255,855	1,138,274
Treasury stock, at cost	(6,678)	(6,678)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(67,505)	(145,310)
Retained earnings	1,885,195	1,743,992
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,067,827	2,731,207
Total equity	3,067,827	2,731,207
Total liabilities and equity	3,982,213	3,548,432
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses and taxes	112	115
Total current assets	112	115
Intercompany receivable	9,540,603	9,837,904
Other assets, net	144,148	165,236
Net investment in subsidiaries	9,335,210	8,686,242
Total assets	19,020,073	18,689,497
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	152,050	75,679
Accounts payable	19	74
Accrued interest	111,330	110,091
Total current liabilities	263,399	185,844
Long-term debt	8,718,379	9,079,392
Intercompany payable	6,225,192	5,639,928
Other long-term liabilities	619,135	809,372
Total liabilities	15,826,105	15,714,536
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Additional paid-in capital	1,175,265	1,176,342
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(67,505)	(145,310)
Retained earnings	2,086,208	1,943,929
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,193,968	2,974,961
Total equity	3,193,968	2,974,961
Total liabilities and equity	19,020,073	18,689,497
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	238,336	271,559	8,920	208,835
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	885,091	676,649
Supplies	260,432	254,853
Prepaid expenses and taxes	98,854	86,628
Other current assets	239,462	222,424
Total current assets	1,722,175	1,512,113
Intercompany receivable	4,529,246	3,723,120
Property and equipment, net	4,711,947	4,660,557
Goodwill	2,549,724	2,544,195
Other assets, net	1,381,113	1,273,347
Net investment in subsidiaries	4,029,631	3,427,182
Total assets	18,923,836	17,140,514
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	12,467	11,103
Accounts payable	740,628	583,865
Accrued interest	124	295
Accrued liabilities	864,261	748,010
Total current liabilities	1,617,480	1,343,273
Long-term debt	50,862	53,201
Intercompany payable	13,059,088	11,693,119
Other long-term liabilities	671,193	675,341
Total liabilities	15,398,623	13,764,934
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	1,274,420	1,283,499
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(11,425)	(28,927)
Retained earnings	2,262,217	2,121,007
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,525,213	3,375,580
Total equity	3,525,213	3,375,580
Total liabilities and equity	18,923,836	17,140,514
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	135,067	116,254	120,945	90,334
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,468,217	1,390,730
Supplies	116,573	113,319
Prepaid expenses and taxes	29,510	39,818
Other current assets	67,860	79,860
Total current assets	1,817,227	1,739,981
Intercompany receivable	3,811,213	3,262,823
Property and equipment, net	2,402,516	2,491,316
Goodwill	1,894,411	1,863,943
Other assets, net	816,846	816,373
Total assets	10,742,213	10,174,436
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	2,385	3,129
Accounts payable	217,946	241,975
Accrued interest	437	316
Accrued liabilities	348,475	361,103
Total current liabilities	569,243	606,523
Long-term debt	517,254	318,801
Intercompany payable	8,264,666	7,822,313
Other long-term liabilities	217,457	180,950
Total liabilities	9,568,620	8,928,587
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	358,410	367,666
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	2	2
Additional paid-in capital	594,989	690,929
Retained earnings	156,549	121,938
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	751,540	812,869
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	63,643	65,314
Total equity	815,183	878,183
Total liabilities and equity	10,742,213	10,174,436
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Intercompany receivable	(18,460,855)	(17,230,381)
Other assets, net	(531,373)	(627,774)
Net investment in subsidiaries	(16,558,812)	(15,088,389)
Total assets	(35,551,040)	(32,946,544)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(27,548,946)	(25,155,360)
Other long-term liabilities	(531,373)	(627,774)
Total liabilities	(28,080,319)	(25,783,134)
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	(3)	(3)
Additional paid-in capital	(3,044,674)	(3,150,770)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	78,930	174,237
Retained earnings	(4,504,974)	(4,186,874)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	(7,470,721)	(7,163,410)
Total equity	(7,470,721)	(7,163,410)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (35,551,040)	$ (32,946,544)