Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 240,650	$ 129,865	$ 266,312	$ 299,169
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	2,091,217	1,834,167
Supplies	364,972	346,611
Prepaid income taxes	20,233	101,389
Deferred income taxes	89,797	89,797
Prepaid expenses and taxes	132,807	112,613
Other current assets	267,735	231,647
Total current assets	3,207,411	2,846,089
Property and equipment, net	7,105,794	6,855,976
Goodwill	4,397,473	4,264,845
Other assets, net	1,530,477	1,241,930
Total assets	16,241,155	15,208,840
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	99,194	63,706
Accounts payable	809,255	748,997
Accrued interest	110,864	110,121
Accrued liabilities	961,910	988,315
Total current liabilities	1,981,223	1,911,139
Long-term debt	9,472,869	8,782,798
Deferred income taxes	704,725	704,725
Other long-term liabilities	999,080	949,990
Total liabilities	13,157,897	12,348,652
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	370,514	395,743
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock
Common stock	922	915
Additional paid-in capital	1,104,570	1,086,008
Treasury stock, at cost	(6,678)	(6,678)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(148,721)	(184,479)
Retained earnings	1,704,396	1,501,330
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,654,489	2,397,096
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	58,255	67,349
Total equity	2,712,744	2,464,445
Total liabilities and equity	16,241,155	15,208,840
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid income taxes	20,233	101,389
Deferred income taxes	89,797	89,797
Total current assets	110,030	191,186
Intercompany receivable	348,870	249,088
Net investment in subsidiaries	2,908,979	2,670,155
Total assets	3,367,879	3,110,429
Current liabilities:
Accrued liabilities	7,580	7,580
Total current liabilities	7,580	7,580
Deferred income taxes	704,725	704,725
Other long-term liabilities	1,085	1,028
Total liabilities	713,390	713,333
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	922	915
Additional paid-in capital	1,104,570	1,086,008
Treasury stock, at cost	(6,678)	(6,678)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(148,721)	(184,479)
Retained earnings	1,704,396	1,501,330
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,654,489	2,397,096
Total equity	2,654,489	2,397,096
Total liabilities and equity	3,367,879	3,110,429
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses and taxes	155	117
Other current assets		10,235
Total current assets	155	10,352
Intercompany receivable	9,885,042	9,294,301
Other assets, net	161,552	99,511
Net investment in subsidiaries	7,611,770	7,388,874
Total assets	17,658,519	16,793,038
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	81,250	49,954
Accounts payable	1,117	345
Accrued interest	110,419	109,984
Accrued liabilities		567
Total current liabilities	192,786	160,850
Long-term debt	9,099,405	8,707,805
Intercompany payable	5,248,142	5,000,003
Other long-term liabilities	209,210	254,228
Total liabilities	14,749,543	14,122,886
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Additional paid-in capital	1,152,752	1,030,522
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(148,721)	(184,479)
Retained earnings	1,904,945	1,824,109
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,908,976	2,670,152
Total equity	2,908,976	2,670,152
Total liabilities and equity	17,658,519	16,793,038
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	150,035	8,920	159,606	212,992
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	718,972	1,190,956
Supplies	254,223	237,178
Prepaid expenses and taxes	103,344	87,524
Other current assets	189,931	155,097
Total current assets	1,416,505	1,679,675
Intercompany receivable	1,999,263	1,046,486
Property and equipment, net	4,674,640	4,631,831
Goodwill	2,534,696	2,411,521
Other assets, net	713,116	515,882
Net investment in subsidiaries	3,705,438	2,317,131
Total assets	15,043,658	12,602,526
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	14,464	10,114
Accounts payable	582,281	535,204
Accrued interest	124	131
Accrued liabilities	636,001	688,328
Total current liabilities	1,232,870	1,233,777
Long-term debt	54,284	54,651
Intercompany payable	9,818,261	7,843,539
Other long-term liabilities	614,717	435,295
Total liabilities	11,720,132	9,567,262
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	1	1
Additional paid-in capital	1,258,509	1,103,559
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(14,695)	(21,687)
Retained earnings	2,079,711	1,953,391
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	3,323,526	3,035,264
Total equity	3,323,526	3,035,264
Total liabilities and equity	15,043,658	12,602,526
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	90,615	120,945	106,706	86,177
Patient accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,372,245	643,211
Supplies	110,749	109,433
Prepaid expenses and taxes	29,308	24,972
Other current assets	77,804	66,315
Total current assets	1,680,721	964,876
Intercompany receivable	2,983,890	1,774,718
Property and equipment, net	2,431,154	2,224,145
Goodwill	1,862,777	1,853,324
Other assets, net	655,809	626,537
Total assets	9,614,351	7,443,600
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	3,480	3,638
Accounts payable	225,857	213,448
Accrued interest	321	6
Accrued liabilities	318,329	291,840
Total current liabilities	547,987	508,932
Long-term debt	319,180	20,342
Intercompany payable	7,403,021	6,108,561
Other long-term liabilities	174,068	259,439
Total liabilities	8,444,256	6,897,274
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	370,514	395,743
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	2	2
Additional paid-in capital	639,290	30,047
Retained earnings	102,034	53,185
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	741,326	83,234
Noncontrolling interests in equity of consolidated subsidiaries	58,255	67,349
Total equity	799,581	150,583
Total liabilities and equity	9,614,351	7,443,600
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Intercompany receivable	(15,217,065)	(12,364,593)
Net investment in subsidiaries	(14,226,187)	(12,376,160)
Total assets	(29,443,252)	(24,740,753)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(22,469,424)	(18,952,103)
Total liabilities	(22,469,424)	(18,952,103)
Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity:
Common stock	(3)	(3)
Additional paid-in capital	(3,050,551)	(2,164,128)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	163,416	206,166
Retained earnings	(4,086,690)	(3,830,685)
Total Community Health Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity	(6,973,828)	(5,788,650)
Total equity	(6,973,828)	(5,788,650)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (29,443,252)	$ (24,740,753)