Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 424	$ 563	$ 247	$ 238
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,453	2,384
Supplies	442	444
Prepaid income taxes	17	17
Prepaid expenses and taxes	208	198
Other current assets	449	462
Total current assets	3,993	4,068
Property and equipment, net	6,971	7,052
Goodwill	4,704	4,723
Deferred income taxes	64	62
Other assets, net	1,579	1,545
Total assets	17,311	17,450
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	37	33
Accounts payable	892	967
Accrued interest	231	229
Accrued liabilities	1,103	1,127
Total current liabilities	2,263	2,356
Long-term debt	13,855	13,880
Deferred income taxes	19	19
Other long-term liabilities	1,352	1,360
Total liabilities	17,489	17,615
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	523	527
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Preferred stock
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	2,014	2,014
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(16)	(21)
Accumulated deficit	(2,774)	(2,761)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	(775)	(767)
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	74	75
Total stockholders' deficit	(701)	(692)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	17,311	17,450
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid income taxes	17	17
Total current assets	17	17
Deferred income taxes	64	62
Other assets, net		15
Total assets	81	94
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	828	833
Deferred income taxes	19	19
Other long-term liabilities	9	9
Total liabilities	856	861
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	2,014	2,014
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(16)	(21)
Accumulated deficit	(2,774)	(2,761)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	(775)	(767)
Total stockholders' deficit	(775)	(767)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	81	94
Issuer [Member]
Current assets:
Other current assets	1
Total current assets	1
Intercompany receivable	13,578	13,381
Other assets, net	51	39
Net investment in subsidiaries	21,133	21,717
Total assets	34,763	35,137
Current liabilities:
Accrued interest	229	228
Total current liabilities	229	228
Long-term debt	13,002	12,998
Intercompany payable	21,120	21,582
Other long-term liabilities	1,121	1,018
Total liabilities	35,472	35,826
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Additional paid-in capital	296	(252)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(16)	(21)
Accumulated deficit	(989)	(416)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	(709)	(689)
Total stockholders' deficit	(709)	(689)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	34,763	35,137
Other Guarantor [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	334	497	145	174
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	439	355
Supplies	287	288
Prepaid expenses and taxes	153	146
Other current assets	130	152
Total current assets	1,343	1,438
Intercompany receivable	4,489	5,857
Property and equipment, net	4,397	4,448
Goodwill	2,869	2,882
Other assets, net	1,635	1,594
Net investment in subsidiaries	12,308	10,890
Total assets	27,041	27,109
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	29	25
Accounts payable	588	663
Accrued liabilities	614	644
Total current liabilities	1,231	1,332
Long-term debt	214	216
Intercompany payable	24,049	24,028
Other long-term liabilities	983	997
Total liabilities	26,477	26,573
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Additional paid-in capital	(245)	204
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(9)	(4)
Accumulated deficit	818	336
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	564	536
Total stockholders' deficit	564	536
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	27,041	27,109
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	90	66	$ 102	$ 64
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,014	2,029
Supplies	155	156
Prepaid expenses and taxes	55	52
Other current assets	318	310
Total current assets	2,632	2,613
Intercompany receivable	7,184	7,109
Property and equipment, net	2,574	2,604
Goodwill	1,835	1,841
Other assets, net	1,024	939
Total assets	15,249	15,106
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	8	8
Accounts payable	304	304
Accrued interest	2	1
Accrued liabilities	489	483
Total current liabilities	803	796
Long-term debt	639	666
Intercompany payable	13,435	13,310
Other long-term liabilities	370	378
Total liabilities	15,247	15,150
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	523	527
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Additional paid-in capital	1,460	234
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(9)	(4)
Accumulated deficit	(2,046)	(876)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	(595)	(646)
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	74	75
Total stockholders' deficit	(521)	(571)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	15,249	15,106
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Intercompany receivable	(25,251)	(26,347)
Other assets, net	(1,131)	(1,042)
Net investment in subsidiaries	(33,441)	(32,607)
Total assets	(59,823)	(59,996)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(59,432)	(59,753)
Other long-term liabilities	(1,131)	(1,042)
Total liabilities	(60,563)	(60,795)
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit:
Additional paid-in capital	(1,511)	(186)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	34	29
Accumulated deficit	2,217	956
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' deficit	740	799
Total stockholders' deficit	740	799
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	$ (59,823)	$ (59,996)