Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 563	$ 238	$ 184	$ 509
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,384	3,176
Supplies	444	480
Prepaid income taxes	17	17
Prepaid expenses and taxes	198	187
Other current assets	462	568
Total current assets	4,068	4,666
Property and equipment, net	7,052	8,149
Goodwill	4,723	6,521	8,965
Deferred income taxes	62	15
Other assets, net	1,545	2,593
Total assets	17,450	21,944
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	33	455
Accounts payable	967	995
Accrued interest	229	207
Accrued liabilities	1,127	1,230
Total current liabilities	2,356	2,887
Long-term debt	13,880	14,789
Deferred income taxes	19	411
Other long-term liabilities	1,360	1,575
Total liabilities	17,615	19,662
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	527	554
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Preferred stock
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	2,014	1,975
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(21)	(62)	(73)
Accumulated deficit	(2,761)	(299)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	(767)	1,615
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	75	113
Total (deficit) equity	(692)	1,728	4,105	4,083
Total liabilities and equity	17,450	21,944
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid income taxes	17	17
Total current assets	17	17
Intercompany receivable		295
Deferred income taxes	62	15
Other assets, net	15
Net investment in subsidiaries		1,728
Total assets	94	2,055
Current liabilities:
Accrued liabilities		17
Total current liabilities		17
Intercompany payable	833
Deferred income taxes	19	411
Other long-term liabilities	9	12
Total liabilities	861	440
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	2,014	1,975
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(21)	(62)
Accumulated deficit	(2,761)	(299)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	(767)	1,615
Total (deficit) equity	(767)	1,615
Total liabilities and equity	94	2,055
Issuer [Member]
Current assets:
Intercompany receivable	13,381	14,996
Other assets, net	39
Net investment in subsidiaries	21,717	21,224
Total assets	35,137	36,220
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		149
Accrued interest	228	205
Total current liabilities	228	354
Long-term debt	12,998	14,018
Intercompany payable	21,582	18,861
Other long-term liabilities	1,018	1,259
Total liabilities	35,826	34,492
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Additional paid-in capital	(252)	675
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(21)	(62)
Accumulated deficit	(416)	1,115
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	(689)	1,728
Total (deficit) equity	(689)	1,728
Total liabilities and equity	35,137	36,220
Other Guarantor [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	497	174	23	372
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	355	799
Supplies	288	297
Prepaid expenses and taxes	146	124
Other current assets	152	158
Total current assets	1,438	1,552
Intercompany receivable	5,857	3,150
Property and equipment, net	4,448	4,965
Goodwill	2,882	3,947
Other assets, net	1,594	1,869
Net investment in subsidiaries	10,890	10,122
Total assets	27,109	25,605
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	25	53
Accounts payable	663	628
Accrued interest		1
Accrued liabilities	644	626
Total current liabilities	1,332	1,308
Long-term debt	216	232
Intercompany payable	24,028	20,517
Other long-term liabilities	997	1,082
Total liabilities	26,573	23,139
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Additional paid-in capital	204	939
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(4)	(22)
Accumulated deficit	336	1,549
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	536	2,466
Total (deficit) equity	536	2,466
Total liabilities and equity	27,109	25,605
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	66	64	$ 161	$ 137
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,029	2,377
Supplies	156	183
Prepaid expenses and taxes	52	63
Other current assets	310	410
Total current assets	2,613	3,097
Intercompany receivable	7,109	7,597
Property and equipment, net	2,604	3,184
Goodwill	1,841	2,574
Other assets, net	939	1,946
Total assets	15,106	18,398
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	8	253
Accounts payable	304	367
Accrued interest	1	1
Accrued liabilities	483	587
Total current liabilities	796	1,208
Long-term debt	666	539
Intercompany payable	13,310	15,071
Other long-term liabilities	378	444
Total liabilities	15,150	17,262
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	527	554
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Additional paid-in capital	234	768
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(4)	(9)
Accumulated deficit	(876)	(290)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	(646)	469
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	75	113
Total (deficit) equity	(571)	582
Total liabilities and equity	15,106	18,398
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Intercompany receivable	(26,347)	(26,038)
Other assets, net	(1,042)	(1,222)
Net investment in subsidiaries	(32,607)	(33,074)
Total assets	(59,996)	(60,334)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(59,753)	(54,449)
Other long-term liabilities	(1,042)	(1,222)
Total liabilities	(60,795)	(55,671)
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity:
Additional paid-in capital	(186)	(2,382)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	29	93
Accumulated deficit	956	(2,374)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' (deficit) equity	799	(4,663)
Total (deficit) equity	799	(4,663)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (59,996)	$ (60,334)