Number of beds operated by the company.

No definition available.

Name:	cyh_NumberOfBedsOperatedByCompany
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of hospitals owned and leased by the company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cyh_NumberOfHospitalsOwnedAndLeasedByCompany
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of licensed beds

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cyh_NumberOfLicensedBeds
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the entity disposed of a business or a group of assets, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesNetOfCashDivested
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=cyh_PayonRegionalMedicalCenterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cyh_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=cyh_DisposalGroupDisposedOfByMeansOtherThanSaleNotDiscontinuedOperationsSpinoffMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=cyh_QuorumHealthCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions			6 Months Ended
Subsequent Events (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions	Aug. 03, 2015 item	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) item	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested \| $			$ 62	$ 12
Payon Regional Medical Center [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Disposal Date			Jul. 31, 2015
Subsequent Event [Member] \| Payon Regional Medical Center [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of licensed beds		44
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested \| $		$ 20
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Means Other than Sale, Not Discontinued Operations, Spinoff [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member] \| Quorum Health Corporation [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of Hospitals Owned and Leased by the Company	38
Number of beds operated by the company	3,635
Number of States in which Entity Operates	16