Condensed Consolidated Statements of (Loss) Income - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Condensed Consolidated Statements of (Loss) Income [Abstract]
Operating revenues (net of contractual allowances and discounts)	$ 5,290	$ 5,614	$ 11,044	$ 11,260
Provision for bad debts	700	732	1,455	1,467
Net operating revenues	4,590	4,882	9,589	9,793
Operating costs and expenses:
Salaries and benefits	2,154	2,217	4,470	4,474
Supplies	759	750	1,559	1,512
Other operating expenses	1,056	1,125	2,229	2,225
Government settlement and related costs		(6)	1	1
Electronic health records incentive reimbursement	(31)	(55)	(49)	(81)
Rent	112	113	231	229
Depreciation and amortization	276	291	574	587
Impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets	1,639	6	1,656	6
Total operating costs and expenses	5,965	4,441	10,671	8,953
(Loss) income from operations	(1,375)	441	(1,082)	840
Interest expense, net	246	239	496	481
Loss from early extinguishment of debt	30	9	30	16
Gain on sale of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(94)		(94)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(14)	(21)	(34)	(39)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(1,543)	214	(1,480)	382
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(138)	74	(112)	130
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(1,405)	140	(1,368)	252
Discontinued operations, net of taxes:
Loss from operations of entities sold or held for sale	(1)	(6)	(2)	(17)
Impairment of hospitals sold or held for sale			(1)	(2)
Loss on sale, net				(1)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes	(1)	(6)	(3)	(20)
Net (loss) income	(1,406)	134	(1,371)	232
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	26	23	50	43
Net (loss) income attributable to Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	$ (1,432)	$ 111	$ (1,421)	$ 189
Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to Community Health Systems, Inc. common stockholders:
Continuing operations	$ (12.90)	$ 1.02	$ (12.82)	$ 1.82
Discontinued operations	(0.01)	(0.06)	(0.03)	(0.17)
Net (loss) income	(12.91)	0.96	(12.85)	1.65
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Community Health Systems, Inc. common stockholders (1):
Continuing operations	(12.90)	1.01	(12.82)	1.80
Discontinued operations	(0.01)	(0.06)	(0.03)	(0.17)
Net (loss) income	$ (12.91)	$ 0.95	$ (12.85)	$ 1.64	[1]
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding:
Basic	110,879,285	115,194,899	110,563,576	114,809,386
Diluted	110,879,285	116,100,417	110,563,576	115,580,887

[1] Total per share amounts may not add due to rounding.