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 * WATSON H MITCHELL JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC [CYH] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/16/2017 (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 05/16/2017   M   1,429 A $ 0 (1) 13,605 D   Common Stock 05/16/2017   M   8,989 A $ 0 (1) 22,594 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

Restricted Stock Units

$ 0

05/16/2017

M

1,429

03/01/2016

02/28/2025

Common Stock

1,429

$ 0

0

D

Restricted Stock Units

$ 0

05/16/2017

M

8,989

03/01/2017

02/28/2026

Common Stock

8,989

$ 0

0

D

Stock Units (SU)

$ 0

(2)

(2)

Common Stock

15,072.1695

15,072.1695

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
WATSON H MITCHELL JR 4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD FRANKLIN, TN 37067	X

Signatures

Christopher G. Cobb, Attorney in Fact for H. Mitchell Watson		05/17/2017
**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)	Pursuant to the terms of the Company's 2009 Stock Option and Award Plan, the Reporting Person's unvested Restricted Stock Units converted to common stock on a one-to-one basis upon the Reporting Person's cessation as a director, effective May 16, 2017.
(2)	The Stock Units were accrued under the Company's Directors' Fees Deferral Plan in lieu of a portion of the Reporting Person's Director Fees and are settled 100% in the Company's common stock on the last business day of the calendar quarter following cessation as a director or upon a date specified by the Reporting Person.

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