Amount of increase (decrease) in revenue recognized for cumulative catch-up adjustment from change in estimate of transaction price which (increases) decreases obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due. Includes, but is not limited to, change in assessment of whether estimate of variable consideration is constrained.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130532-203044

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

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

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnusualOrInfrequentItemAxis=exas_COVID19Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerBasisOfPricingAxis=exas_VariablePriceContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

REVENUE - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
REVENUE - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Deferred revenue	$ 30,700		$ 30,700		$ 600
Deferred revenue, revenue recognized during period	19	$ 200	200	$ 300
COVID-19
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Deferred revenue	30,200		30,200
Variable consideration
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue recognized from changes in transaction prices	$ 3,200	$ 1,800	$ 8,600	$ 3,400