Earnings Per Share - Additional Information (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Increase in number of shares to diluted shares calculation if income would have been generated	30,472	44,867

Increase in number of shares to diluted shares calculation if income from continuing operations would have been generated

No definition available.

Name:	cyh_IncreaseInNumberOfSharesToDilutedSharesCalculationIfIncomeFromContinuingOperationsWouldHaveBeenGenerated
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration