Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
PORTACCI MICHAEL T
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC [CYH]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Division President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/28/2012
(Street)

FRANKLIN, TN 37067
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/28/2012   A(1)   334 A (1) 124,918 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance Based Restricted $ 0 12/28/2012   A(2)   167   02/16/2013(3) 02/15/2022(3) Common Stock 167 (2) 20,167 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 32.37             02/28/2006 02/28/2013 Common Stock 30,000   30,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 38.3             03/01/2007 03/01/2014 Common Stock 20,000   20,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 37.21             02/28/2008 02/28/2015 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 40.41             07/25/2008 07/24/2017 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 32.28             02/27/2009 02/26/2018 Common Stock 20,000   20,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 33.9             02/24/2011 02/23/2020 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 37.96             02/23/2012 02/22/2021 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 21.07             02/16/2013 02/15/2022 Common Stock 8,000   8,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
PORTACCI MICHAEL T
4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD
FRANKLIN, TN 37067
      Division President  

Signatures

 Christopher G. Cobb, Attorney in Fact for Michael T. Portacci   01/02/2013
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The reporting person received these shares of additional Restricted Stock as a payment-in-kind dividend on shares of Restricted Stock owned on the dividend record date in accordance with the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement (the "Agreement") resulting from the payment on December 28, 2012 of a cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock based on the closing price of the issuer's common stock on such dividend payment date, which was $29.94. Such additional Restricted Stock issued on account of the dividend will vest in installments identical to the vesting of the underlying Restricted Stock owned by the reporting person to which the dividend was paid subject to the Agreement.
(2) The reporting person received these shares of additional Performance Based Restricted Stock as a payment-in-kind dividend on shares of Performance Based Restricted Stock owned on the dividend record date in accordance with the terms of the Performance Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement (the "PB Agreement") resulting from the payment on December 28, 2012 of a cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock based on the closing price of the issuer's common stock on such dividend payment date, which was $29.94. Such additional Performance Based Restricted Stock issued on account of the dividend will vest, if at all, in installments identical to the vesting of the underlying Performance Based Restricted Stock owned by the reporting person to which the dividend was paid subject to the PB Agreement, as further described in Footnote 3.
(3) Each performance based restricted share represents a contingent right to receive one share of CYH common stock. There are two elements to the lapsing of the restriction; first, the Company must achieve specified targeted amount of earnings per share from continuing operations, or net revenue from continuing operations, and if the performance objective is met, the vesting restrictions will lapse in 1/3 increments on the first, second and third anniversary of the date of grant. If the objectives are not met, the shares will be forfeited.

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