Extinguishment of debt amount through tender offer.

No definition available.

Name:	cyh_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmountThroughTenderOffer
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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_MaximumPeriodNoticeForRedemptionsOfDebt
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_MinimumPeriodNoticeForRedemptionsOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	cyh_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Tender offer commencement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Tender offer expiration date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

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+ Details

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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:	dtr-types: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 the debt instrument was offered for sale, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross amount of debt extinguished.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_SeniorNotesAt6875Due2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cyh_JuniorPrioritySecuredNotesAt8.125PercentDue2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Long-Term Debt - 6.875% Senior Notes, Due 2022 - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)				12 Months Ended
	Nov. 19, 2019	Jun. 22, 2018	Jan. 27, 2014	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 07, 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt outstanding					$ 12,140,000,000
Senior Notes at 6.875%, Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of debt amount	$ 2,400,000,000			$ 34,000,000
Junior-Priority Secured Notes at 8.125% Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount		$ 276,000,000
Senior Secured Notes at 8% Due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount	$ 700,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate	8.00%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes at 6.875%, Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, offering date				Jan. 27, 2014
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount			$ 3,000,000,000.0
Debt instrument stated interest rate			6.875%	6.875%	6.875%
Extinguishment of debt amount		$ 368,000,000
Long-term debt outstanding	$ 231,000,000
Extinguishment of debt amount via tender offer				$ 72,000,000
Tender offer commencement date				Oct. 30, 2020
Tender offer expiration date				Nov. 30, 2020
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes at 6.875%, Due 2022 \| Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum period notice for redemption of debt			30 days
Maximum period notice for redemption of debt			60 days
Debt instrument redemption price percentage			100.00%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes at 6.875%, Due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument aggregate principal amount	$ 1,700,000,000					$ 700,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate	6.875%
Minimum period notice for redemption of debt	15 days
Maximum period notice for redemption of debt	60 days
Extinguishment of debt amount				$ 226,000,000
Extinguishment of debt amount via tender offer				$ 7,000,000
Tender offer commencement date				Oct. 30, 2020
Tender offer expiration date				Nov. 30, 2020
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes at 6.875%, Due 2028 \| Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument redemption price percentage	106.875%