Earnings Per Share - Additional Information (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Increase in number of shares to diluted shares calculation if income would have been generated	69,042	52,925

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