Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 368	$ 607	$ (590)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	540	558	608
Deferred income taxes	170	(187)	203
Government and other legal settlements and related costs			51
Stock-based compensation expense	25	13	10
Impairment and (gain) loss on sale of businesses, net	24	48	138
Loss (gain) from early extinguishment of debt	79	(317)	54
Gain on sale of equity interests in Macon Healthcare, LLC	(39)
Other non-cash expenses, net	78	131	182
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and divestitures:
Patient accounts receivable	(136)	309	93
Supplies, prepaid expenses and other current assets	1	(15)	38
Medicare accelerated payments		1,158
Repayment/derecognition of Medicare accelerated payments	(1,081)	(77)
Pandemic relief funds		104
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and income taxes	16	(67)	(157)
Other	(176)	(87)	(245)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(131)	2,178	385
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of facilities and other related businesses	(3)	(1)	(13)
Purchases of property and equipment	(469)	(440)	(438)
Proceeds from disposition of hospitals and other ancillary operations	17	648	604
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	10	4	3
Purchases of available-for-sale debt securities and equity securities	(171)	(178)	(80)
Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale debt securities and equity securities	102	194	92
Purchases of investments in unconsolidated affiliates	(7)	(1)	(14)
Proceeds from sale of equity interests in Macon Healthcare, LLC	110
Increase in other investments	(113)	(49)	(156)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(524)	177	(2)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchase of restricted stock shares for payroll tax withholding requirements	(5)	(1)	(1)
Deferred financing costs and other debt-related costs	(313)	(156)	(46)
Proceeds from noncontrolling investors in joint ventures		15	10
Redemption of noncontrolling investments in joint ventures	(19)	(1)	(11)
Distributions to noncontrolling investors in joint ventures	(121)	(116)	(99)
Proceeds from sale-lease back		2	60
Other borrowings	60	53	37
Issuance of long-term debt	4,310	4,262	3,042
Proceeds from ABL Facility		540	202
Repayments of long-term indebtedness	(4,426)	(5,493)	(3,557)
Net cash used in financing activities	(514)	(895)	(363)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(1,169)	1,460	20
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,676	216	196
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	507	1,676	216
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest payments	(778)	(1,039)	(1,011)
Income tax (payments) refunds, net	$ (4)	$ (2)	$ 3