Financial Information for Subsidiary Guarantors and Non-guarantor Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	$ 12.1	$ 16.5	$ 27.0	$ (7.5)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	1.1	1.4	3.3	(1.8)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	1.1	1.4	3.3	(1.8)
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	(0.4)	(0.5)	(1.4)	0.9
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0.7	0.9	1.9	(0.9)
Comprehensive income (loss)	12.8	17.4	28.9	(8.4)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0.1	(0.8)	(0.9)	1.5
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	12.9	16.6	28.0	(6.9)
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	12.2	15.7	26.1	(6.0)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	12.2	15.7	26.1	(6.0)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	12.2	15.7	26.1	(6.0)
Issuers of Senior Notes and Term Debt [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	(51.4)	(43.5)	(102.8)	(86.3)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(51.4)	(43.5)	(102.8)	(86.3)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	(51.4)	(43.5)	(102.8)	(86.3)
Issuers of Senior Discount Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	(0.3)	(0.4)	(0.6)	(42.7)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(0.3)	(0.4)	(0.6)	(42.7)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	(0.3)	(0.4)	(0.6)	(42.7)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	78.0	65.1	158.6	100.3
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	78.0	65.1	158.6	100.3
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	78.0	65.1	158.6	100.3
Combined Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	(7.8)	14.8	(17.6)	31.7
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	1.1	1.4	3.3	(1.8)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	1.1	1.4	3.3	(1.8)
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	(0.4)	(0.5)	(1.4)	0.9
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0.7	0.9	1.9	(0.9)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(7.1)	15.7	(15.7)	30.8
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0.1	(0.8)	(0.9)	1.5
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	(7.0)	14.9	(16.6)	32.3
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	(18.6)	(35.2)	(36.7)	(4.5)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments in securities, net	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes	0	0	0	0
Change in income tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(18.6)	(35.2)	(36.7)	(4.5)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. stockholders	$ (18.6)	$ (35.2)	$ (36.7)	$ (4.5)