Debt instrument, maturity year.

No definition available.

Name:	cyh_DebtInstrumentMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument optional redemption date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cyh_DebtInstrumentOptionalRedemptionDate
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum number of days notice needed to redeem the senior notes at the redemption price plus accrued and unpaid interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cyh_MaximumPeriodNoticeForRedemptionOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum number of days notice needed to redeem the senior notes at the redemption price plus accrued and unpaid interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cyh_MinimumPeriodNoticeForRedemptionOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

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=119993939&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

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

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

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- 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=120391452&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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_SixPointEightSevenFivePercentageJuniorPrioritySecuredNotesDue2029Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_JuniorPrioritySecuredNotesDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-Term Debt - 6.875% Junior-Priority Secured Notes, Due 2029 - Additional Information (Details) - Junior-Priority Secured Notes - USD ($) $ in Millions		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Junior-Priority Secured Notes at 6.875% Due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, offering date		Feb. 02, 2021
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount	$ 1,775
Debt instrument stated interest rate	6.875%	6.875%
Debt instrument, maturity date	Apr. 15, 2029
Debt instrument, maturity year	2029	2029
Minimum period notice for redemption of debt	15 days
Maximum period notice for redemption of debt	60 days
Debt instrument redemption price percentage	100.00%
Debt instrument optional redemption date	Apr. 15, 2024
Debt instrument redemption description		plus a “make-whole” premium, as described in the indenture governing the 6⅞% Junior-Priority Secured Notes due 2029.
Junior-Priority Secured Notes at 6.875% Due 2029 \| Redeem Up to 40% Principal Amount Prior to April 15, 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument redemption price percentage	106.875%
Debt instrument optional redemption date	Apr. 15, 2024
Maximum principal redeemable using proceeds from a public equity offering, as a percentage of principal amount	40.00%
Junior-Priority Secured Notes at 9.875% Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument stated interest rate	9.875%		9.875%
Debt instrument, maturity year	2023		2023