Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information and Other Collateral-Related Information - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 1,996	$ 2,006	$ 2,842
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities	(4,272)	(3,663)	(2,953)
Provision for doubtful accounts	3,858	3,770	2,824
Depreciation and amortization	1,753	1,679	1,465
Income taxes	143	96	912
Gains on sales of facilities	10	(15)	(142)
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment			(1,522)
Legal claim costs		175
Loss on retirement of debt	17		481
Amortization of deferred loan costs	55	62	70
Share-based compensation	113	56	26
Pay-in-kind interest			(78)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	(29)	(36)	(258)
Other	7	9	8
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	3,680	4,175	3,933
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,943)	(1,862)	(1,679)
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities	(481)	(258)	(1,682)
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities	33	30	281
Change in investments	36	16	80
Other	9	11	5
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,346)	(2,063)	(2,995)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt		4,850	5,500
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities	970	(685)	(449)
Repayment of long-term debt	(1,662)	(2,441)	(6,640)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(435)	(401)	(378)
Payment of debt issuance costs	(5)	(62)	(92)
Issuance of common stock			2,506
Repurchase of common stock	(500)		(1,503)
Distributions to stockholders	(16)	(3,148)	(31)
Income tax benefits	113	174	63
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net
Other	(90)	(67)	48
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,625)	(1,780)	(976)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(291)	332	(38)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	705	373	411
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	414	705	373
HCA Holdings, Inc. Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	1,756	1,588	2,453
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities	(11)	57	6
Provision for doubtful accounts
Depreciation and amortization
Income taxes	143	96	912
Gains on sales of facilities
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment
Legal claim costs
Loss on retirement of debt
Amortization of deferred loan costs	3	2
Share-based compensation	113	56	26
Pay-in-kind interest
Equity in earnings of affiliates	(1,875)	(1,668)	(2,531)
Other
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	129	131	866
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities
Change in investments
Other
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt		1,000
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities
Repayment of long-term debt
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Payment of debt issuance costs		(12)
Issuance of common stock			2,506
Repurchase of common stock	(500)		(1,503)
Distributions to stockholders	(16)	(3,148)	(31)
Income tax benefits	113	174	63
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net	342	1,938	(1,918)
Other	(90)	(61)	11
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(151)	(109)	(872)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(22)	22	(6)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	22		6
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		22
HCA Inc. Issuer [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(1,408)	(1,508)	(1,988)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities	17	(28)	71
Provision for doubtful accounts
Depreciation and amortization
Income taxes
Gains on sales of facilities
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment
Legal claim costs		175
Loss on retirement of debt	17		481
Amortization of deferred loan costs	52	60	70
Share-based compensation
Pay-in-kind interest			(78)
Equity in earnings of affiliates
Other	9	14	9
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,313)	(1,287)	(1,435)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities
Change in investments
Other
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt		3,850	5,500
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities	970	(685)	(449)
Repayment of long-term debt	(1,254)	(2,309)	(6,577)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Payment of debt issuance costs	(5)	(50)	(92)
Issuance of common stock
Repurchase of common stock
Distributions to stockholders
Income tax benefits
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net	1,602	481	3,053
Other
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,313	1,287	1,435
Change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	2,299	2,428	2,430
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities	(2,320)	(1,927)	(1,755)
Provision for doubtful accounts	2,262	2,144	1,644
Depreciation and amortization	855	821	777
Income taxes
Gains on sales of facilities	20	3	(127)
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment
Legal claim costs
Loss on retirement of debt
Amortization of deferred loan costs
Share-based compensation
Pay-in-kind interest
Equity in earnings of affiliates	(2)	(5)	(86)
Other	2	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	3,118	3,468	2,969
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(921)	(1,039)	(910)
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities		(110)	(142)
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities	17	2	200
Change in investments	(16)	(11)	34
Other		(2)
Net cash used in investing activities	(920)	(1,160)	(818)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities
Repayment of long-term debt	(34)	(20)	(17)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(71)	(60)	(77)
Payment of debt issuance costs
Issuance of common stock
Repurchase of common stock
Distributions to stockholders
Income tax benefits
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net	(2,364)	(1,960)	(2,098)
Other
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(2,469)	(2,040)	(2,192)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(271)	268	(41)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	383	115	156
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	112	383	115
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	1,224	1,166	2,478
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities	(1,958)	(1,765)	(1,275)
Provision for doubtful accounts	1,596	1,626	1,180
Depreciation and amortization	898	858	688
Income taxes
Gains on sales of facilities	(10)	(18)	(15)
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment			(1,522)
Legal claim costs
Loss on retirement of debt
Amortization of deferred loan costs
Share-based compensation
Pay-in-kind interest
Equity in earnings of affiliates	(27)	(31)	(172)
Other	(4)	(4)	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,746	1,863	1,533
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(1,022)	(823)	(769)
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities	(481)	(148)	(1,540)
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities	16	28	81
Change in investments	52	27	46
Other	9	13	5
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,426)	(903)	(2,177)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities
Repayment of long-term debt	(374)	(112)	(46)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(364)	(341)	(301)
Payment of debt issuance costs
Issuance of common stock
Repurchase of common stock
Distributions to stockholders
Income tax benefits
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net	420	(459)	963
Other		(6)	37
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(318)	(918)	653
Change in cash and cash equivalents	2	42	9
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	300	258	249
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	302	300	258
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(1,875)	(1,668)	(2,531)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Change in operating assets and liabilities
Provision for doubtful accounts
Depreciation and amortization
Income taxes
Gains on sales of facilities
Gain on acquisition of controlling interest in equity investment
Legal claim costs
Loss on retirement of debt
Amortization of deferred loan costs
Share-based compensation
Pay-in-kind interest
Equity in earnings of affiliates	1,875	1,668	2,531
Other
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment
Acquisition of hospitals and health care entities
Disposal of hospitals and health care entities
Change in investments
Other
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuances of long-term debt
Net change in revolving bank credit facilities
Repayment of long-term debt
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Payment of debt issuance costs
Issuance of common stock
Repurchase of common stock
Distributions to stockholders
Income tax benefits
Changes in intercompany balances with affiliates, net
Other
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period