Debt Instrument Available Borrowing Base

No definition available.

Name:	cyh_DebtInstrumentAvailableBorrowingBase
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payments on the derivative liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
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+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of derivative instruments of a particular derivative liability or group of derivative liabilities held by the entity.

+ References

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash paid for interest, excluding capitalized interest, classified as operating activity. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ 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
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Long-Term Debt - Other Debt - Additional Information (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) Agreement	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) Agreement	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest paid on borrowings	$ 222,000,000	$ 117,000,000	$ 486,000,000	$ 318,000,000
Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of interest rate swaps \| Agreement	1		1
Aggregate notional amount	$ 300,000,000		$ 300,000,000
Interest Rate Swap, Currently Effective
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate notional amount	300,000,000		300,000,000
ABL Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	1,000,000,000.0		1,000,000,000.0
Debt instrument available borrowing base	614,000,000		614,000,000
Outstanding borrowings	0		0
ABL Facility \| ABL Facility Customary Covenants
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument available borrowing base	95,000,000		$ 95,000,000
Debt instrument variable interest rate			10.00%
ABL Facility \| ABL Facility Customary Covenants \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument available borrowing base	95,000,000		$ 95,000,000
ABL Facility \| Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 180,000,000		$ 180,000,000