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
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH WAYNE 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)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/01/2019
(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 03/01/2019   A   78,750 (1) A $ 0 1,679,768 D  
Common Stock 03/01/2019   F   43,286 D $ 4.99 1,636,482 D  
Common Stock               481,721 I WAC LLC
Common Stock               206,842 I by 2009 WTS Irrevocable Trust Dated 2/27/09

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

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 03/01/2019   A   157,500     (2)   (2) Common Stock 157,500 $ 0 157,500 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 4.99 03/01/2019   A   78,750   03/01/2020(3) 02/28/2029 Common Stock 78,750 $ 0 78,750 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 30.32             02/24/2011 02/23/2020 Common Stock 50,000   50,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 34.38             02/23/2012 02/22/2021 Common Stock 50,000   50,000 D  
Stock Options (Right to Buy) $ 17.49             02/16/2013 02/15/2022 Common Stock 40,000   40,000 D  
Performance Based Restricted $ 0               (4)   (4) Common Stock 75,000   75,000 D  
Performance Based Restricted $ 0               (5)   (5) Common Stock 105,000   105,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH WAYNE T
4000 MERIDIAN BOULEVARD
FRANKLIN, TN 37067
  X     Chairman & CEO  

Signatures

 Christopher G. Cobb, Attorney in Fact for Wayne T Smith   03/04/2019
**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 time-vesting restrictions on this award of restricted stock will lapse in 1/3 increments on the first, second and third anniversary of the date of grant.
(2) The vesting of these performance-based restricted shares is allocated to the attainment of the following pre-determined performance objectives between 1/1/2019 and 12/31/2021 (the "2019-2021 Performance Period"), as follows: 40% to a Cumulative Same-Store Adjusted EBITDA Growth target; 40% to a Cumulative Same-Store Net Revenue Growth target; and 20% to a Total Shareholder Return ("TSR") Percentile Rank target. The target number (100%) of the total performance-based restricted shares is reported in the table set forth above. Between 0% and 200% of the portion of the target number of performance-based restricted shares allocated to each performance objective will ultimately vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the attainment of the applicable performance objective, with the vesting percentage to be determined based upon the level of achievement with respect to the applicable performance objective during the 2019-2021 Performance Period.
(3) Vesting occurs in 1/3 increments on the first, second and third anniversary of the date of grant.
(4) The vesting of these performance-based restricted shares is subject to the attainment of certain performance objectives between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/2019 (the "2017-2019 Performance Period"). The target number (100%) of the total performance-based restricted shares is reported in the table set forth above. Between 0% and 200% of the portion of the target number of performance-based restricted shares allocated to each applicable performance objective will ultimately vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the attainment of the applicable performance objective, with the vesting percentage to be determined based upon the level of achievement with respect to the applicable performance objective during the 2017-2019 Performance Period.
(5) The vesting of these performance-based restricted shares is subject to the attainment of certain performance objectives between 1/1/2018 and 12/31/2020 (the "2018-2020 Performance Period"). The target number (100%) of the total performance-based restricted shares is reported in the table set forth above. Between 0% and 200% of the portion of the target number of performance-based restricted shares allocated to each applicable performance objective will ultimately vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the attainment of the applicable performance objective, with the vesting percentage to be determined based upon the level of achievement with respect to the applicable performance objective during the 2018-2020 Performance Period.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.