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DEBT (Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt $ 4,731us-gaap_LongTermDebt $ 3,762us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Less: current portion of long-term debt 1,043us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent 518us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Total long-term debt, net of current portion 3,688us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent 3,244us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
5.45% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 500us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2015Member
500us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2015Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 5.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2015Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Nov. 01, 2015  
3.20% Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 304us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointTwoZeroPercentSeniorNotesDue2016Member
304us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointTwoZeroPercentSeniorNotesDue2016Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 3.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointTwoZeroPercentSeniorNotesDue2016Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Apr. 01, 2016  
6.40% Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 375us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointFourPercentSeniorNotesDue2017Member
375us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointFourPercentSeniorNotesDue2017Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 6.40%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointFourPercentSeniorNotesDue2017Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Jul. 01, 2017  
2.70% Senior Notes due April 2019 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 300us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointSevenPercentSeniorNotesDue2019Member
300us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointSevenPercentSeniorNotesDue2019Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 2.70%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointSevenPercentSeniorNotesDue2019Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Apr. 01, 2019  
4.75% Senior Notes due January 2020 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 526us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2020Member
524us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2020Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2020Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Jan. 30, 2020  
2.50% Senior Notes due March 2020 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 299us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2020Member
0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2020Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 2.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_TwoPointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2020Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Mar. 30, 2020  
4.70% Senior Notes Due 2021 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 557us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdue2021Member
549us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdue2021Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.70%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdue2021Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Apr. 01, 2021  
4.25% Senior Notes due April 2024 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 318us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourpointtwofivepercentSeniorNotesDue2024Member
311us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourpointtwofivepercentSeniorNotesDue2024Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourpointtwofivepercentSeniorNotesDue2024Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Apr. 01, 2024  
3.50% Senior Notes due March 2025 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 602us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2025Member
0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2025Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 3.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_ThreePointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2025Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Mar. 30, 2025  
6.95% Senior Notes Due 2037 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 246us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointNineFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2037Member
421us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointNineFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2037Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 6.95%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_SixPointNineFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2037Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Jul. 01, 2037  
5.75% Senior Notes Due 2040 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 368us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2040Member
439us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2040Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 5.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2040Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Jan. 30, 2040  
4.70% Senior Notes due March 2045 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt 300us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2045Member
0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2045Member
Debt instrument, interest rate 4.70%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2045Member
 
Debt instrument, maturity date Mar. 30, 2045  
Other Long-term Debt [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Other $ 36us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_OtherLongTermDebtMember
$ 39us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= dgx_OtherLongTermDebtMember