Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the debt instrument was offered for sale, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21475-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentOfferingDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of debt redemption features under terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageOfPrincipalAmountRedeemed
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross amount of debt extinguished.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_SeniorSecuredNotesAt8PercentDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_CreditFacilityTermLoanHMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_SeniorNotesAt7125Due2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=cyh_SeniorSecuredNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-Term Debt (8% Senior Secured Notes, Due 2026 Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)			12 Months Ended
	Nov. 19, 2019	Mar. 06, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Senior Secured Notes at 8%, Due 2026 [Member]
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount	$ 500,000,000
Credit Facility, Term Loan H [Member]
Extinguishment of debt amount		$ 1,557,000,000
Senior Notes at 7.125%, Due 2020 [Member]
Extinguishment of debt amount	121,000,000
Senior Secured Notes [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes at 8%, Due 2026 [Member]
Debt instrument, offering date			Mar. 06, 2019
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount	2,101,000,000	$ 1,601,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate		8.00%
Debt instrument redemption description			plus a "make-whole" premium, as described in the indenture governing the 8% Senior Secured Notes due 2026.
Maximum principal redeemable using proceeds from a public equity offering, as a percentage of principal amount		40.00%
Debt instrument redemption price percentage		108.00%
Senior Secured Notes [Member] \| Senior Notes at 7.125%, Due 2020 [Member]
Extinguishment of debt amount	$ 121,000,000
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes at 8%, Due 2026 [Member]
Debt instrument redemption price percentage			104.00%
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes at 8%, Due 2026 [Member]
Debt instrument redemption price percentage			102.00%
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes [Member] \| Senior Secured Notes at 8%, Due 2026 [Member]
Debt instrument redemption price percentage			100.00%