Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE
                   COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. 401(K) PLAN

         WHEREAS, CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. (the "Company") has
previously established and currently maintains the Community Health Systems,
Inc. 401(k) Plan (the "Plan"); and

         WHEREAS, the Company has retained the right to amend the Plan in
Section 8.1 of the Plan; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the Plan as a result of certain
technical corrections to the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act
of 2001 under the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, and as a
result of other Internal Revenue guidance, effective as of January 1, 2002; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the definition of Compensation to
clarify the exclusion of amounts received by a Plan Participant as severance
pay, effective as of January 1, 2003; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the definition of Eligible
Employees to clarify the exclusion of "non-benefited" and Leased Employees,
effective as of January 1, 2003; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the definition of Normal
Retirement Age, effective as of January 1, 2003; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the Plan to increase the maximum
elective deferral percentage available under the Plan and allow catch-up
contributions, effective as of January 1, 2004; and

         WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has approved of such changes to the
Plan and this First Amendment.

         NOW, THEREFORE, the Plan is hereby amended in the following respects,
effective as of the dates set forth herein:

         1. The first sentence of Section 1.10 of the Plan, "Compensation," is
hereby deleted and replaced as follows, effective as of January 1, 2003:

                  "Compensation" with respect to any Participant means wages,
         salaries, and fees for professional services and other amounts received
         (without regard to whether or not an amount is paid in cash) for
         personal services actually rendered in the course of employment with
         the Employer to the extent the amounts are includible in gross income
         (including, but not limited to, commissions paid salespersons,
         compensation for services on the basis of a percentage of profits,
         commissions on insurance premiums, tips, bonuses, fringe benefits, and

                                      -1-
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

         reimbursements, or other expense allowances under a nonaccountable plan
         (as described in Regulation 1.62-2(c)) and excluding the following: (a)
         Employer contributions to a plan of deferred compensation that are not
         includible in the Participant's gross income for the taxable year in
         which contributed, Employer contributions under a simplified employee
         pension plan, or any distributions from a plan of deferred
         compensation; (b) amounts realized from the exercise of a nonqualified
         stock option, or when restricted stock (or property) held by the
         Participant either becomes freely transferable or is no longer subject
         to a substantial risk of forfeiture; (c) amounts realized from the
         sale, exchange or other disposition of stock acquired under an
         incentive stock option; (d) other amounts that received special tax
         benefits, or contributions made by the Employer (whether or not under a
         salary reduction agreement) towards the purchase of an annuity
         described in Code Section 403(b) (whether or not the amounts are
         actually excludable from the gross income of the Participant); and (e)
         amounts received as severance pay.

         2. The following paragraph shall be added as the second to the last
paragraph of Section 1.17 of the Plan, "Eligible Employee," effective as of
January 1, 2003:

                  Employees who are classified by the Employer as
         "non-benefited" employees and Leased Employees shall not be eligible to
         participate in this Plan.

         3. The first sentence of Section 1.41 of the Plan, "Normal Retirement
Age," is hereby deleted and replaced as follows, effective as of January 1,
2003:

                  "Normal Retirement Age" means the Participant's 65th birthday,
         provided that, for Eligible Employees of Plateau Medical Center, such
         age shall be 59 1/2.

         4. Subsection (b) of Section 4.1 of the Plan, "Formula for Determining
Employer Contribution," is hereby deleted and replaced as follows, effective as
of January 1, 2004:

                  On behalf of each Participant who is eligible to share in
         matching contributions for the Plan Year, a discretionary matching
         contribution that is a percentage of such Participant's Elective
         Contribution for such Plan Year that does not exceed 6% of the
         Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year. The Employer may allocate
         in its sole discretion and in a nondiscriminatory manner a different
         matching contribution for the Plan Year to Participants at each of its
         different facilities, as set forth in Exhibit B, as may be amended from
         time to time by the Administrator. Catch-up contributions made by a
         Participant pursuant to Section 4.2(k) of the Plan shall not be treated
         as part of such Participant's Elective Contribution for purposes of
         applying the Employer's discretionary matching contribution under this
         Section 4.1 (b).

         5. Subsection (a) of Section 4.2 of the Plan, Participant's Salary
Reduction Election," is hereby deleted and replaced in its entirety as follows,
effective as of January 1, 2004:

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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                  Each Participant may elect to defer Compensation that would
         have been received in the Plan Year, but for the deferral election, by
         1% up to 25%. A deferral election (or modification of an earlier
         election) may not be made with respect to Compensation that is
         currently available on or before the date the Participant executed such
         election. For purposes of this Section, Compensation shall be
         determined prior to any reductions made pursuant to Code Sections 125,
         132(f)(4), 402(e)(3), 402(h)(l)(B), 403(b) or 457(b), and Employee
         contributions described in Code Section 414(h)(2) that are treated as
         Employer contributions. The amount by which Compensation is reduced
         shall be that Participant's Deferred Compensation and be treated as an
         Employer Elective Contribution and allocated to that Participant's
         Elective Account.

         6. Subsection (k) of Section 4.2 of the Plan, "Participant's Salary
Reduction Election," is hereby added as follows, effective as of January 1,
2004:

                  Employees who are eligible to make Elective Deferrals under
         the Plan and who have attained age 50 before the close of the calendar
         year shall be eligible to make catch-up contributions in accordance
         with, and subject to the limitations of, Code Section 414(v). Such
         catch-up contributions shall not be taken into account for purposes of
         the provisions of the Plan implementing the required limitations of
         Code Sections 402(g) and 415. The Plan shall not be treated as failing
         to satisfy the provisions of the Plan implementing the requirements of
         Code Sections 401(k)(3), 410(b) or 416 by reason of the making of such
         catch-up contributions.

         7. The Plan is further amended as set forth in the attached
         Exhibit A.

         8. Except as otherwise provided in this First Amendment, the
         Plan shall remain in full force and effect.

         SIGNED this 1st day of December, 2003, effective as of the dates set
forth herein.

                                              CHS/COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.

                                              By: /s/ LINDA K PARSONS
                                                  -------------------
                                              Title: VICE PRESIDENT
                                                     ----------------

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                             FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE

                   COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. 401(k) PLAN

                                    EXHIBIT A

         I. Adoption and effective date of amendment. This amendment of the
Community Health Systems, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the "Plan") is adopted to reflect
certain provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of
2001 ("EGTRRA"), the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, and other
Internal Revenue Service guidance. This amendment is intended in part as good
faith compliance with the requirements of EGTRRA and is to be construed in
accordance with EGTRRA and guidance issued thereunder. This amendment shall be
effective as of January 1, 2002, except as otherwise provided herein.

         II. Supersession of inconsistent provisions. This amendment shall
supersede the provisions of the Plan to the extent those provisions are
inconsistent with the provisions of this amendment.

         III. Hardship distributions. In the event a Participant has received a
hardship distribution pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.401(k)-l(d)(2)(iv)(B)
from any other plan maintained by the Employer, then such Participant shall not
be permitted to elect to have Deferred Compensation contributed to the Plan for
a period of twelve (12) months following the receipt of the distribution.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the dollar limitation
under Code Section 402(g) shall not be reduced, with respect to the
Participant's taxable year following the taxable year in which the hardship
distribution was made, by the amount of such Participant's Deferred
Compensation, if any, contributed pursuant to this Plan (and any other plan
maintained by the Employer) for the taxable year of the hardship distribution.

         IV. Required Minimum Distributions.

         Section 1. General Rules

         1.1. Effective Date. The provisions of this Article IV shall apply for
purposes of determining required minimum distributions for calendar years
beginning with the 2003 calendar year.

         1.2. Precedence. The requirements of this Article IV shall take
precedence over any inconsistent provisions of the Plan.

         1.3. Requirements of Treasury Regulations Incorporated. All
distributions required under this Article IV will be determined and made in
accordance with the Treasury Regulations under section 401(a)(9) of the Internal
Revenue Code.

                                      -1-
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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

         Section 2. Time and Manner of Distribution.

         2.1. Required Beginning Date. The Participant's entire interest will be
distributed, or begin to be distributed, to the Participant no later than the
Participant's Required Beginning Date.

         2.2. Death of Participant Before Distributions Begin. If the
Participant dies before distributions begin, the Participant's entire interest
will be distributed, or begin to be distributed, no later than as follows:

                  (a) If the Participant's surviving spouse is the Participant's
         sole Designated Beneficiary, then distributions to the surviving spouse
         will begin by December 31 of the calendar year immediately following
         the calendar year in which the Participant died, or by December 31 of
         the calendar year in which the Participant would have attained age 70
         1/2, if later.

                  (b) If the Participant's surviving spouse is not the
         Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, then distributions to the
         Designated Beneficiary will begin by December 31 of the calendar year
         immediately following the calendar year in which the Participant died.

                  (c) If there is no Designated Beneficiary as of September 30
         of the year following the year of the Participant's death, the
         Participant's entire interest will be distributed by December 31 of the
         calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the Participant's
         death.

                  (d) If the Participant's surviving spouse is the Participant's
         sole Designated Beneficiary and the surviving spouse dies after the
         Participant but before distributions to the surviving spouse begin,
         this section 2.2, other than section 2.2(a), will apply as if the
         surviving spouse were the Participant.

         For purposes of this section 2.2 and section 4, unless section 2.2(d)
applies, distributions are considered to begin on the Participant's Required
Beginning Date. If section 2.2(d) applies, distributions are considered to begin
on the date distributions are required to begin to the surviving spouse under
section 2.2(a). If distributions under an annuity purchased from an insurance
company irrevocably commence to the Participant before the Participant's
Required Beginning Date (or to the Participant's surviving spouse before the
date distributions are required to begin to the surviving spouse under section
2.2(a)), the date distributions are considered to begin is the date
distributions actually commence.

         2.3. Forms of Distribution. Unless the Participant's interest is
distributed in the form of an annuity purchased from an insurance company or in
a single sum on or before the Required Beginning Date, as of the first
Distribution Calendar Year distributions will be made in accordance with
sections 3 and 4 of this Article IV. If the Participant's interest is
distributed in the form of an annuity purchased from an insurance company,
distributions thereunder will be made in accordance with the requirements of
section 401(a)(9) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

         Section 3. Required Minimum Distributions During Participant's
Lifetime.

         3.1. Amount of Required Minimum Distribution For Each Distribution
Calendar Year. During the Participant's lifetime, the minimum amount that will
be distributed for each Distribution Calendar Year is the lesser of:

                  (a) the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's
         Account Balance by the distribution period in the Uniform Lifetime
         Table set forth in section 1.401(a)(9)-9 of the Treasury Regulations,
         using the Participant's age as of the Participant's birthday in the
         Distribution Calendar Year; or

                  (b) if the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary for the
         Distribution Calendar Year is the Participant's spouse, the quotient
         obtained by dividing the Participant's Account Balance by the number in
         the Joint and Last Survivor Table set forth in section 1.401(a)(9)-9 of
         the Treasury Regulations, using the Participant's and spouse's attained
         ages as of the Participant's and spouse's birthdays in the Distribution
         Calendar Year.

         3.2. Lifetime Required Minimum Distributions Continue Through Year of
Participant's Death. Required minimum distributions will be determined under
this section 3 beginning with the first Distribution Calendar Year and up to and
including the Distribution Calendar Year that includes the Participant's date of
death.

         Section 4. Required Minimum Distributions After Participant's Death.

         4.1. Death On or After Date Distributions Begin.

                  (a) Participant Survived by Designated Beneficiary. If the
         Participant dies on or after the date distributions begin and there is
         a Designated Beneficiary, the minimum amount that will be distributed
         for each Distribution Calendar Year after the year of the Participant's
         death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's Account
         Balance by the longer of the remaining Life Expectancy of the
         Participant or the remaining Life Expectancy of the Participant's
         Designated Beneficiary, determined as follows:

                  (1)      The Participant's remaining Life Expectancy is
                           calculated using the age of the Participant in the
                           year of death, reduced by one for each subsequent
                           year.

                  (2)      If the Participant's surviving spouse is the
                           Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, the
                           remaining Life Expectancy of the surviving spouse is
                           calculated for each Distribution Calendar Year after
                           the year of the Participant's death using the
                           surviving spouse's age as of the spouse's birthday in
                           that year. For Distribution Calendar Years after the
                           year of the surviving spouse's death, the remaining
                           Life Expectancy of the surviving spouse is calculated
                           using the age of the surviving spouse as of the
                           spouse's birthday in the calendar year of the
                           spouse's death, reduced by one for each subsequent
                           calendar year.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

                  (3)      If the Participant's surviving spouse is not the
                           Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, the
                           Designated Beneficiary's remaining Life Expectancy is
                           calculated using the age of the beneficiary in the
                           year following the year of the Participant's death,
                           reduced by one for each subsequent year.

                  (b) No Designated Beneficiary. If the Participant dies on or
         after the date distributions begin and there is no Designated
         Beneficiary as of September 30 of the year after the year of the
         Participant's death, the minimum amount that will be distributed for
         each Distribution Calendar Year after the year of the Participant's
         death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's Account
         Balance by the Participant's remaining Life Expectancy calculated using
         the age of the Participant in the year of death, reduced by one for
         each subsequent year.

         4.2. Death Before Date Distributions Begin.

                  (a) Participant Survived by Designated Beneficiary. If the
         Participant dies before the date distributions begin and there is a
         Designated Beneficiary, the minimum amount that will be distributed for
         each Distribution Calendar Year after the year of the Participant's
         death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's Account
         Balance by the remaining Life Expectancy of the Participant's
         Designated Beneficiary, determined as provided in section 4.1.

                  (b) No Designated Beneficiary. If the Participant dies before
         the date distributions begin and there is no Designated Beneficiary as
         of September 30 of the year following the year of the Participant's
         death, distribution of the Participant's entire interest will be
         completed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth
         anniversary of the Participant's death.

                  (c) Death of Surviving Spouse Before Distributions to
         Surviving Spouse Are Required to Begin. If the Participant dies before
         the date distributions begin, the Participant's surviving spouse is the
         Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, and the surviving spouse
         dies before distributions are required to begin to the surviving spouse
         under section 2.2(a), this section 4.2 will apply as if the surviving
         spouse were the Participant.

         Section 5. Definitions.

         5.1. Designated Beneficiary. The individual who is designated as the
beneficiary under the Plan and is the designated beneficiary under section
401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and section 1.401(a)(9)-l, Q&A-4, of the
Treasury Regulations.

         5.2. Distribution Calendar Year. A calendar year for which a minimum
distribution is required. For distributions beginning before the Participant's
death, the first Distribution Calendar Year is the calendar year immediately
preceding the calendar year which contains the Participant's Required Beginning
Date. For distributions beginning after the Participant's death, the first
Distribution Calendar Year is the calendar year in which distributions are
required to begin under section 2.2. The required minimum distribution for the
Participant's first Distribution

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.1

Calendar Year will be made on or before the Participant's Required Beginning
Date. The required minimum distribution for other Distribution Calendar Years,
including the required minimum distribution for the Distribution Calendar Year
in which the Participant's Required Beginning Date occurs, will be made on or
before December 31 of that Distribution Calendar Year.

         5.3. Life Expectancy. Life expectancy as computed by use of the Single
Life Table in section 1.401(a)(9)-9 of the Treasury Regulations.

         5.4. Participant's Account Balance. The account balance as of the last
valuation date in the calendar year immediately preceding the Distribution
Calendar Year (Valuation Calendar Year) increased by the amount of any
contributions made and allocated or Forfeitures allocated to the account balance
as of dates in the Valuation Calendar Year after the valuation date and
decreased by distributions made in the Valuation Calendar Year after the
valuation date. The account balance for the Valuation Calendar Year includes any
amounts rolled over or transferred to the Plan either in the Valuation Calendar
Year or in the Distribution Calendar Year if distributed or transferred in the
Valuation Calendar Year.

         5.5 Required Beginning Date. The date specified in Section 6.5 of the
Plan.

                                      -5-<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2

                             SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE

                   COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. 401(K) PLAN

                                JANUARY 1, 2004

         WHEREAS, CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. (the "Company") has
previously established and currently maintains the Community Health Systems,
Inc. 401(k) Plan (the "Plan"); and

         WHEREAS, the Company has retained the right to amend the Plan in
Section 8.1 of the Plan; and

         WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the Plan to allow for installment
and other forms of distribution of benefits, effective as of January 1, 2004;
and

         WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has approved of such amendment to the
Plan.

         NOW, THEREFORE, the Plan is hereby amended in the following respects,
effective as of January 1, 2004:

         1.       Section 6.5(a) is hereby deleted and replaced as follows:

                  (a) The Administrator, pursuant to the election of the
         Participant, shall direct the Trustee to distribute to a Participant or
         such Participant's Beneficiary any amount to which the Participant is
         entitled under the Plan in one or more of the following methods:

                  (1)      One lump-sum cash payment;

                  (2)      Partial cash payments;

                  (3)      Partial cash payments over a period certain.

                  (4)      Cash payments over a period certain in monthly,
                  quarterly, semi annual, or annual installments. The period
                  over which such payment is to be made shall not extend beyond
                  the Participant's life expectancy (or the life expectancy of
                  the Participant and the Participant's designated beneficiary).

         2.       Except as otherwise provided in this Second Amendment, the
Plan shall remain in full force and effect.

                                      -1-

<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 10.2

         SIGNED this _________ day of _________________, 2004, effective as
January 1, 2004.

                                    CHS/COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC.

                                    By:    /s/ LINDA PARSONS
                                           ----------------------------------

                                    Title: Vice President
                                           ----------------------------------

                                      -2-

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