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Exhibit Number 10.5

AMENDMENT NO. 2
TO THE
DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS HOLDINGS CORP.
AND
                                                 

        NOW, THEREFORE, the following change to the Director Stock Option
Agreement (the "Agreement"), is made pursuant to the provisions of Section 11 of
the Agreement, effective on the date that this amendment is executed by the
Company:

        1.     Section 6.2(b) of the Agreement is hereby amended to delete all
references to a "30-day period" in which the Option shall be exercisable, and
substitute therefore references to a "60-day period" in which the Option shall
be exercisable.

        Except as expressly amended hereby, the provisions of the Agreement are
and shall remain in full force and effect.

COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.,
f/k/a COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS HOLDING CORP.                           April 23,
2004

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Wayne T. Smith
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer  

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Date            

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Rachel A. Seifert, Secretary    

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Exhibit Number 10.5

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN COMMUNITY
HEALTH SYSTEMS HOLDINGS CORP. AND