DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - Major Classes of Line Items in Income From Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Sep. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2024	Mar. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Goodwill impairments									$ 425,000,000	$ 0	$ 2,812,000,000
Other operating expense (income), net									(12,000,000)	(28,000,000)	35,000,000
Operating income (loss)									14,000,000	707,000,000	(2,845,000,000)
Interest expense, net									341,000,000	439,000,000	394,000,000
Other (income) expense, net									(38,000,000)	26,000,000	9,000,000
Gain on disposition									0	0	(21,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ (22,000,000)	$ 83,000,000	$ (406,000,000)	$ 33,000,000	$ 27,000,000	$ 2,474,000,000	$ (112,000,000)	$ 93,000,000	(312,000,000)	2,482,000,000	692,000,000
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest included in discontinued operations									11,000,000	7,000,000	11,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Baxter stockholders included in discontinued operations									(323,000,000)	2,475,000,000	681,000,000
Kidney Care
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Goodwill impairments			$ 430,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales									4,513,000,000	4,922,000,000	5,056,000,000
Cost of sales									2,812,000,000	3,844,000,000	3,208,000,000
Gross margin									1,701,000,000	1,078,000,000	1,848,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									1,203,000,000	1,038,000,000	790,000,000
Research and development expenses									181,000,000	150,000,000	155,000,000
Goodwill impairments									430,000,000	0	0
Other operating expense (income), net									(1,000,000)	0	1,000,000
Operating income (loss)									(112,000,000)	(110,000,000)	902,000,000
Interest expense, net									13,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000
Other (income) expense, net									10,000,000	26,000,000	6,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations before gain on disposition and income taxes									(135,000,000)	(138,000,000)	895,000,000
Gain on disposition									0	2,882,000,000	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									177,000,000	262,000,000	203,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									(312,000,000)	2,482,000,000	692,000,000
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest included in discontinued operations									11,000,000	7,000,000	11,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Baxter stockholders included in discontinued operations									(323,000,000)	2,475,000,000	681,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Kidney Care
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales									4,513,000,000	4,453,000,000	4,449,000,000
Cost of sales									2,812,000,000	3,628,000,000	2,932,000,000
Gross margin									1,701,000,000	825,000,000	1,517,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									1,203,000,000	993,000,000	762,000,000
Research and development expenses									181,000,000	149,000,000	152,000,000
Goodwill impairments									430,000,000	0	0
Other operating expense (income), net									(1,000,000)	0	1,000,000
Operating income (loss)									(112,000,000)	(317,000,000)	602,000,000
Interest expense, net									13,000,000	3,000,000	1,000,000
Other (income) expense, net									10,000,000	25,000,000	3,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations before gain on disposition and income taxes									(135,000,000)	(345,000,000)	598,000,000
Gain on disposition									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									177,000,000	(95,000,000)	139,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									(312,000,000)	(250,000,000)	459,000,000
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest included in discontinued operations									11,000,000	7,000,000	11,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Baxter stockholders included in discontinued operations									(323,000,000)	(257,000,000)	448,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | BioPharma Solutions
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales									0	469,000,000	607,000,000
Cost of sales									0	216,000,000	276,000,000
Gross margin									0	253,000,000	331,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	45,000,000	28,000,000
Research and development expenses									0	1,000,000	3,000,000
Goodwill impairments									0	0	0
Other operating expense (income), net									0	0	0
Operating income (loss)									0	207,000,000	300,000,000
Interest expense, net									0	(1,000,000)	0
Other (income) expense, net									0	1,000,000	3,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations before gain on disposition and income taxes									0	207,000,000	297,000,000
Gain on disposition									0	2,882,000,000	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	357,000,000	64,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	2,732,000,000	233,000,000
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest included in discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Baxter stockholders included in discontinued operations									$ 0	$ 2,732,000,000	$ 233,000,000