Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' (Deficit) Equity - USD ($)	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Equity, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2014		$ 1,000,000	$ 2,095,000,000	$ (7,000,000)	$ (63,000,000)	$ 1,977,000,000	$ 80,000,000	$ 4,083,000,000
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 531,000,000
Shares, outstanding, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2014		117,701,087		(975,549)
Comprehensive income (loss) including portion attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests					(10,000,000)	158,000,000	27,000,000	175,000,000
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest	74,000,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	47,000,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net of contributions							(30,000,000)	(30,000,000)
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests, net of contributions	(70,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	(25,000,000)		(16,000,000)				5,000,000	(11,000,000)
Disposition of less-than-wholly owned entity							(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Disposition of less-than-wholly owned entity	(8,000,000)
Other reclassifications of noncontrolling interests							1,000,000	1,000,000
Other reclassifications of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(1,000,000)
Noncontrolling interests in acquired entity							5,000,000	5,000,000
Noncontrolling interests in acquired entity	2,000,000
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests			(21,000,000)					(21,000,000)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	21,000,000
Repurchases of common stock			(159,000,000)					(159,000,000)
Repurchases of common stock, shares		(5,532,188)
Issuance of common stock in connection with the exercise of stock options			25,000,000					25,000,000
Issuance of common stock in connection with the exercise of stock options, shares		712,235
Issuance of shares in exchange for HMA common stock, shares		56
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares			(20,000,000)					(20,000,000)
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares, shares		(417,019)
Stock-based compensation			59,000,000					59,000,000
Stock-based compensation, shares		1,268,874
Equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 1,000,000	1,963,000,000	$ (7,000,000)	(73,000,000)	2,135,000,000	86,000,000	4,105,000,000
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015	571,000,000
Shares, outstanding, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015		113,732,933		(975,549)
Comprehensive income (loss) including portion attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests					9,000,000	(1,721,000,000)	24,000,000	(1,688,000,000)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest	71,000,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net of contributions							(23,000,000)	(23,000,000)
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests, net of contributions	(69,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	(14,000,000)		(9,000,000)				4,000,000	(5,000,000)
Disposition of less-than-wholly owned entity	(3,000,000)
Noncontrolling interests in acquired entity							33,000,000	33,000,000
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests			(6,000,000)					(6,000,000)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	6,000,000
Distribution of Quorum Health Corporation	(8,000,000)				2,000,000	(713,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(722,000,000)
Cancellation of treasury stock			(7,000,000)	$ 7,000,000
Cancellation of treasury stock, shares		975,549		975,549
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares			(6,000,000)					(6,000,000)
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares, shares		(368,945)
Income tax payable increase from vesting of restricted shares			(6,000,000)					(6,000,000)
Stock-based compensation			46,000,000					46,000,000
Stock-based compensation, shares		1,488,141
Equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 1,000,000	1,975,000,000		(62,000,000)	(299,000,000)	113,000,000	1,728,000,000
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016	554,000,000							554,000,000
Shares, outstanding, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016		113,876,580
Comprehensive income (loss) including portion attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests					41,000,000	(2,459,000,000)	25,000,000	(2,393,000,000)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest	38,000,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests							5,000,000	5,000,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests, net of contributions							(29,000,000)	(29,000,000)
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests, net of contributions	(71,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	(4,000,000)		(2,000,000)					(2,000,000)
Disposition of less-than-wholly owned entity							(10,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Disposition of less-than-wholly owned entity	2,000,000
Other reclassifications of noncontrolling interests							(29,000,000)	(29,000,000)
Other reclassifications of redeemable noncontrolling interests	29,000,000
Noncontrolling interests in acquired entity	1,000,000
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests			22,000,000					22,000,000
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(22,000,000)
Distribution of Quorum Health Corporation						(3,000,000)		(3,000,000)
Cancellation of restricted stock for tax withholdings on vested shares		$ (560,098)	(5,000,000)					(5,000,000)
Stock-based compensation			24,000,000					24,000,000
Stock-based compensation, shares		1,334,522
Equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 527,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 2,014,000,000		$ (21,000,000)	$ (2,761,000,000)	$ 75,000,000	(692,000,000)
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017								$ 527,000,000
Shares, outstanding, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017		114,651,004