Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy	The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Community Health Systems, Inc. (the “Parent” or “Parent Company”) and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). In the opinion of management, such information contains all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for such periods. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Where applicable, the impact, if any, resulting from the emergence of a novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) during the three months ended March 31, 2020, has been considered. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the notes to the consolidated financial statements have been condensed or omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company believes the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019, contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 20, 2020 (“2019 Form 10-K”). Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation within the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company early adopted the SEC’s Financial Disclosures About Guarantors and Issuers of Guaranteed Securities and Affiliates Whose Securities Collateralize a Registrant’s Securities rules, which simplify the disclosure requirements related to the Company’s registered debt securities under Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X (see Note 15).
Consolidation, Policy	Noncontrolling interests in less-than-wholly-owned consolidated subsidiaries of the Parent are presented as a component of total equity on the condensed consolidated balance sheets to distinguish between the interests of the Parent Company and the interests of the noncontrolling owners. Noncontrolling interests that are redeemable or may become redeemable at a fixed or determinable price at the option of the holder or upon the occurrence of an event outside of the control of the Company are presented in mezzanine equity on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Substantially all of the Company’s operating costs and expenses are “cost of revenue” items. Operating costs that could be classified as general and administrative by the Company include the Company’s corporate office costs at its Franklin, Tennessee office, which were $37 million and $43 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Included in these corporate office costs is stock-based compensation of $2 million and $3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Throughout these notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements, Community Health Systems, Inc., and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to on a collective basis as the “Company.” This drafting style is not meant to indicate that the publicly traded Parent or any particular subsidiary of the Parent owns or operates any asset, business, or property. The hospitals, operations and businesses described in this filing are owned and operated by distinct and indirect subsidiaries of Community Health Systems, Inc.
Revenue Recognition, Policy	Revenue Recognition. Net Operating Revenues Net operating revenues are recorded at the transaction price estimated by the Company to reflect the total consideration due from patients and third-party payors in exchange for providing goods and services in patient care. These services are considered to be a single performance obligation and have a duration of less than one year. Revenues are recorded as these goods and services are provided. The transaction price, which involves significant estimates, is determined based on the Company’s standard charges for the goods and services provided, with a reduction recorded for price concessions related to third party contractual arrangements as well as patient discounts and other patient price concessions. During both of the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, the impact of changes to the inputs used to determine the transaction price was considered immaterial. Currently, several states utilize supplemental reimbursement programs for the purpose of providing reimbursement to providers that is not specifically tied to an individual’s care, some of which offsets a portion of the cost of providing care to Medicaid and indigent patients. These programs are designed with input from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) and are funded with a combination of state and federal resources, including, in certain instances, fees or taxes levied on the providers. Under these supplemental programs, the Company recognizes revenue and related expenses in the period in which amounts are estimable and collection is reasonably assured. Reimbursement under these programs is reflected in net operating revenues and fees, taxes or other program-related costs are reflected in other operating expenses. The Company’s net operating revenues during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 have been presented in the following table based on an allocation of the estimated transaction price with the patient between the primary patient classification of insurance coverage (in millions):
Patient Accounts Receivable. Policy	Patient Accounts Receivable Patient accounts receivable are recorded at net realizable value based on certain assumptions determined by each payor. For third-party payors including Medicare, Medicaid, and Managed Care, the net realizable value is based on the estimated contractual reimbursement percentage, which is based on current contract prices or historical paid claims data by payor. For self-pay accounts receivable, which includes patients who are uninsured and the patient responsibility portion for patients with insurance, the net realizable value is determined using estimates of historical collection experience without regard to aging category. These estimates are adjusted for estimated conversions of patient responsibility portions, expected recoveries and any anticipated changes in trends. Patient accounts receivable can be impacted by the effectiveness of the Company’s collection efforts. Additionally, significant changes in payor mix, business office operations, economic conditions or trends in federal and state governmental healthcare coverage could affect the net realizable value of accounts receivable. The Company also continually reviews the net realizable value of accounts receivable by monitoring historical cash collections as a percentage of trailing net operating revenues, as well as by analyzing current period net revenue and admissions by payor classification, aged accounts receivable by payor, days revenue outstanding, the composition of self-pay receivables between pure self-pay patients and the patient responsibility portion of third-party insured receivables and the impact of recent acquisitions and dispositions. Final settlements for some payors and programs are subject to adjustment based on administrative review and audit by third parties. As a result of these final settlements, the Company has recorded amounts due to third-party payors of $87 million and $83 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and these amounts are included in accrued liabilities-other in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Amounts due from third-party payors were $131 million and $137 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and are included in other current assets in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Substantially all Medicare and Medicaid cost reports are final settled through 2016.
Charity Care, Policy	Charity Care In the ordinary course of business, the Company renders services to patients who are financially unable to pay for hospital care. The Company’s policy is to not pursue collections for such amounts; therefore, the related charges for those patients who are financially unable to pay and that otherwise do not qualify for reimbursement from a governmental program are not reported in net operating revenues, and are thus classified as charity care. The Company determines amounts that qualify for charity care primarily based on the patient’s household income relative to the federal poverty level guidelines, as established by the federal government. These charity care services are estimated to be $166 million and $141 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, representing the value (at the Company’s standard charges) of these charity care services that are excluded from net operating revenues. The estimated cost incurred by the Company to provide these charity care services to patients who are unable to pay was approximately $19 million and $15 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The estimated cost of these charity care services was determined using a ratio of cost to gross charges and applying that ratio to the gross charges associated with providing care to charity patients for the period.
Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Policy	Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a total combined net impairment charge and gain on disposal of approximately $45 million. An impairment charge of approximately $64 million was recorded primarily to adjust the carrying value of long-lived assets at several hospitals where the Company is in discussions with potential buyers for divestiture at a sales price that indicates a fair value below carrying value. Included in the carrying value of the hospital disposal groups at March 31, 2020 is a net allocation of approximately $6 million of goodwill allocated from the hospital operations reporting unit based on a calculation of the disposal groups’ relative fair value compared to the total reporting unit. The impairment charge was partially offset by a gain of approximately $19 million related to three hospitals sold on January 1, 2020. The Company will continue to evaluate the potential for further impairment of the long-lived assets of underperforming hospitals as well as evaluate offers for potential sales. Based on such analysis, additional impairment charges may be recorded in the future. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recorded a total combined impairment charge and loss on disposal of approximately $38 million to reduce the carrying value of closed hospitals and certain hospitals that have been deemed held for sale based on the difference between the carrying value of the hospital disposal groups compared to the estimated fair value less costs to sell.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	New Accounting Pronouncements. In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” This ASU provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria that reference LIBOR or another rate that is expected to be discontinued. The amendments in the ASU are effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position or results of operations. The Company has evaluated all other recently issued, but not yet effective, ASUs and does not expect the eventual adoption of these ASUs to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial position or results of operations.