Acquisitions and Divestitures (Acqusitions Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Jan. 27, 2014 state item	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 27, 2014 Senior Secured Notes at 5.125, Due 2021 [Member] Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Jan. 27, 2014 Senior Notes at 6.875, Due 2022 [Member] Senior Notes [Member]	Jan. 27, 2014 Health Management Associates, Inc. [Member] state item	Mar. 31, 2014 Health Management Associates, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Health Management Associates, Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Physician Practices Clinics and Other Ancillary Businesses [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	$ 57,000,000	$ 1,000,000							$ 56,000,000
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition									Jan. 27, 2014
Business Combination Consideration Transferred And Existing Indebtedness Assumed							7,300,000,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price									3,530,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Long-term Debt							3,800,000,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross, Per Share							$ 10.50
Business Combination Consideration Transferred Equity Interests Issued, Per Share							0.06942
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Contingent Value Right, Number Per Share							1
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Contingent Value Right, Amount Per Share	$ 1.00						$ 1.00
Business Acquisition, Number of Hospitals Acquired							71
Number of States in which Entity Operates			29				15
Number of Hospitals Owned and Leased by the Company			206
Debt Instrument, Face Amount					1,000,000,000	3,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage					5.125%	6.875%
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual								1,100,000,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual								84,000,000
Loss from early extinguishment of debt	73,000,000	1,000,000
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt, Net of Tax	45,000,000	1,000,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Gain (Loss), Per Share, Net of Tax	$ 0.42
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid									2,778,000,000	1,000,000
Business Combination, Assumed Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value	20,000,000							355,000,000	355,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Property, Plant and Equipment								3,672,000,000	3,672,000,000	1,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill	$ 8,373,000,000			$ 4,430,000,000				$ 3,942,000,000	$ 3,942,000,000	$ 1,000,000