Number of law suits filed.

No definition available.

Name:	bax_NumberOfLawSuitsFiled
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Site contingency, number of sites.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bax_SiteContingencyNumberOfSites
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6395460&loc=d3e13647-108346

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in settlement of litigation and insurance claims. Excludes claims within an insurance entity's normal claims settlement process.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossRelatedToLitigationSettlement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount recovered from insurance. These recoveries reduce costs and losses that are reported as a separate line item under operating expenses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount due in settlement of a claim for reimbursement from an insurance company when the Company has suffered a loss covered under an insurance policy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InsuranceSettlementsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate carrying amount of the estimated litigation liability for known or estimated probable loss from litigation, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cash received for the settlement of litigation during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromLegalSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=bax_HurricaneMariaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationSiteAxis=bax_SuperfundSitesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationContingencyAxis=bax_EnviromentalCleanUpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail)	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) Site Lawsuit	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation reserve			$ 55,000,000	$ 46,000,000
Litigation related receivables			0	0
Proceeds from insurance dispute settlements			39,000,000
Gain on insurance claims			$ 37,000,000
Hurricane Maria
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Insurance recoveries		$ 40,000,000		42,000,000
Hurricane Maria \| Subsequent Event
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Insurance recoveries	$ 60,000,000
Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of law suits filed \| Lawsuit			1,000
Superfund Sites \| Environmental Clean-up
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of sites \| Site			6
Environmental reserves			$ 19,000,000	$ 19,000,000