<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-20</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001141103</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CROSS COUNTRY HEALTHCARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CCRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001179741</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BOSHART JOSEPH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-20</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>22000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>7.75</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>252219</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>7.75</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-20</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>22000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>7.75</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2001-06-16</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2009-12-16</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>22000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>493694</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Joseph Boshart directly owns 145,036 shares, his wife owns 87,350 shares, his two daughters each own 6,611 shares and his son owns 6,611 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option is subject to the vesting schedule set forth in the Amended and Restated Cross Country, Inc. 1999 Equity Participation Plan.  The option is immediately exercisable as to 370,521 shares.  The option will be exercisable as to 434,607 shares as of June 16, 2003 and 498,964 shares as of December 16, 2003.  After this transaction, the option will be immediately exercisable as to 348,521 shares and will be exercisable as to 412,607 shares as of June 16, 2003 and 476,964 shares as of December 16, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Cross Country, Inc. 1999 Equity Participation Plan, the first tranche of 77,745 shares will be exercisable at $7.75 per share, the second tranche of 172,697 shares will be exercisable at $11.62 per share, the third tranche of 172,697 shares will be exercisable at $15.50 per share, the fourth tranche of 37,777 shares will be exercisable at $19.37 per share and the remaining tranche of 37,778 shares will be exercisable at $23.25 per share.  After this transaction the first tranche will be reduced by 22,000 shares to 55,745 shares, which shares will be exercisable at $7.75 per share and the remainder of the tranches will be exercisable in the amounts and at the prices described above.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">On April 11, 2003 an option was granted for 17,000 shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Amended and Restated Cross Country 1999 Stock Option Plan.  The exercise price for such options is $10.38 and expires on April 11, 2013.  The option vests in four equal installments beginning on April 11, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Joseph A. Boshart</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

