Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ (2,396)	$ (1,626)	$ 259
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	861	1,100	1,174
Deferred income taxes	(454)	(116)	103
Government and other legal settlements and related costs	9	16	4
Stock-based compensation expense	24	46	59
Loss on sale, net			4
Impairment of hospitals sold or held for sale	6	8	5
Impairment and (gain) loss on sale of businesses, net	2,123	1,919	68
Loss from early extinguishment of debt	40	30	16
Gain on sale of investments in unconsolidated affiliates		(94)
Other non-cash expenses, net	35	31	47
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and divestitures:
Patient accounts receivable	732	(96)	(219)
Supplies, prepaid expenses and other current assets	(33)	25	(68)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and income taxes	(69)	(137)	(478)
Other	(105)	31	(53)
Net cash provided by operating activities	773	1,137	921
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of facilities and other related businesses	(6)	(123)	(57)
Purchases of property and equipment	(564)	(744)	(953)
Proceeds from disposition of hospitals and other ancillary operations	1,692	143	155
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	7	15	15
Purchases of available-for-sale securities	(125)	(505)	(162)
Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities	208	464	156
Proceeds from sale of investments in unconsolidated affiliates		403
Distribution from Quorum Health Corporation		1,219
Increase in other investments	(143)	(242)	(205)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	1,069	630	(1,051)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from exercise of stock options			25
Repurchase of restricted stock shares for payroll tax withholding requirements	(5)	(6)	(20)
Stock buy-back			(159)
Deferred financing costs and other debt-related costs	(66)	(26)	(30)
Proceeds from noncontrolling investors in joint ventures	5		47
Redemption of noncontrolling investments in joint ventures	(6)	(19)	(36)
Distributions to noncontrolling investors in joint ventures	(100)	(92)	(100)
Proceeds from sale-lease back		159
Borrowings under credit agreements	841	4,879	4,922
Issuance of long-term debt	3,100
Proceeds from receivables facility	105	107	206
Repayments of long-term indebtedness	(5,391)	(6,715)	(5,050)
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,517)	(1,713)	(195)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	325	54	(325)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	238	184	509
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	563	238	184
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest payments	(852)	(930)	(925)
Income tax (payments) refunds, net	$ (4)	$ 16	$ (12)