<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-05-26</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2010-05-28</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001054833</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COVENTRY HEALTH CARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CVH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001320086</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Davis Patrisha L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6705 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>#900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BETHESDA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20817</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior VP &amp; Chief HR Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.46</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-05-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-05-26</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-05-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>258865</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant of non-qualified stock options vesting in equal annual increments over a three-year period.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares vest in three equal annual increments over three years.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes the following:  Table I-Non-Derivative Securities consisting of 1,000 shares of common stock held directly, 2,005 shares of common stock held indirectly by managed account (401(k) Plan), and 30,968 shares of restricted common stock with restrictions lapsed or lapsing in equal annual increments over four-year periods; and Table II-Derivative Securities consisting of non-qualified stock options for 222,875 shares of common stock vested or vesting in equal annual increments over three- and four-year periods, held directly, and 2,017 shares of phantom common stock allocated to the reporting person's account in Coventry's 401(k) Restoration and Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">See Footnote 3 for shares held directly and indirectly.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This amendment is filed to correct the Title in Column 7 of Table II to read &quot;Common Stock&quot; instead of &quot;Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)&quot;.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Shirley R. Smith on behalf of Patrisha L. Davis by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-05-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
