Business Acquisitions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business Acquisitions	Business Acquisitions Pending Acquisition of Cigna Corporation On July 24, 2015, we and Cigna Corporation, or Cigna, announced that we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, or Merger Agreement, dated as of July 23, 2015, by and among Anthem, Cigna and Anthem Merger Sub Corp., a Delaware corporation and our direct wholly-owned subsidiary, pursuant to which we will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna, or the Acquisition. The Acquisition will further our goal of creating a premier health benefits company with critical diversification and scale to lead the transformation of health care delivery for consumers. Cigna is a global health services organization that delivers affordable and personalized products and services to customers through employer-based, government-sponsored and individual coverage arrangements. All of Cigna's products and services are provided exclusively by or through its operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Cigna’s shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 shares of our common stock for each Cigna common share outstanding. The value of the transaction is estimated to be approximately $53,000.0 based on the closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on July 23, 2015. The final purchase price will be determined based on our closing stock price on the date of closing of the Acquisition. The combined company will reflect a pro forma equity ownership comprised of approximately 67% Anthem shareholders and approximately 33% Cigna shareholders. We expect to finance the cash portion of the Acquisition through available cash on hand and the issuance of new debt. We are party to a bridge facility commitment letter and a joinder agreement with a group of lenders which will provide up to $19,500.0 under a 364-day senior unsecured bridge term loan credit facility to finance the Acquisition in the event that we have not received proceeds from any combination of (i) senior unsecured term loans, (ii) common or preferred equity or equity-linked securities and/or (iii) senior unsecured notes in a public offering or private placement in an aggregate principal amount of at least $19,500.0 prior to the consummation of the Acquisition. In addition, in August 2015, we entered into a term loan facility which will provide up to $4,000.0 to finance a portion of the Acquisition. The commitment of the lenders to provide the bridge facility and the term loan facility is subject to several conditions, including the completion of the Acquisition. In July 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice, or DOJ, along with certain state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, or District Court, seeking to block the Acquisition. Trial commenced in November 2016 and concluded in January 2017. On January 18, 2017, we provided notice to Cigna that we had elected to extend the termination date under the Merger Agreement from January 31, 2017 until April 30, 2017. On February 8, 2017, the District Court ruled in favor of the DOJ, and following our motion to expedite the appeal, which was granted on February 17, 2017, we promptly appealed the District Court's ruling to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, or the Appellate Court. Oral argument of our appeal was held on March 24, 2017 and the Appellate Court's decision is still pending. On February 14, 2017, Cigna purported to terminate the Merger Agreement and commenced litigation against us in the Delaware Court of Chancery, or Delaware Court, seeking damages and a declaratory judgment that its purported termination of the Merger Agreement was lawful, among other claims, which is captioned Cigna Corp. v. Anthem Inc. We believe Cigna’s allegations are without merit. Also on February 14, 2017, we initiated our own litigation against Cigna in the Delaware Court seeking a temporary restraining order to enjoin Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement, specific performance compelling Cigna to comply with the Merger Agreement and damages, which is captioned Anthem Inc. v. Cigna Corp. On February 15, 2017, the Delaware Court granted our motion for a temporary restraining order and issued an order enjoining Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement. The temporary restraining order became effective immediately and will remain in place pending any further order from the Delaware Court. A hearing on our motion to preliminarily enjoin Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement will be held on May 8, 2017 in the Delaware Court. We intend to vigorously defend the Acquisition in both the Appellate Court and the Delaware Court and remain committed to completing the Acquisition as soon as practicable. If the Merger Agreement is terminated because the required regulatory approvals cannot be obtained, under certain conditions, we could be obligated to pay a $1,850.0 termination fee to Cigna.

Business Acquisitions

Pending Acquisition of Cigna Corporation

On July 24, 2015, we and Cigna Corporation, or Cigna, announced that we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, or Merger Agreement, dated as of July 23, 2015, by and among Anthem, Cigna and Anthem Merger Sub Corp., a Delaware corporation and our direct wholly-owned subsidiary, pursuant to which we will acquire all outstanding shares of Cigna, or the Acquisition. The Acquisition will further our goal of creating a premier health benefits company with critical diversification and scale to lead the transformation of health care delivery for consumers. Cigna is a global health services organization that delivers affordable and personalized products and services to customers through employer-based, government-sponsored and individual coverage arrangements. All of Cigna's products and services are provided exclusively by or through its operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions.

Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Cigna’s shareholders will receive $103.40 in cash and 0.5152 shares of our common stock for each Cigna common share outstanding. The value of the transaction is estimated to be approximately $53,000.0 based on the closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on July 23, 2015. The final purchase price will be determined based on our closing stock price on the date of closing of the Acquisition. The combined company will reflect a pro forma equity ownership comprised of approximately 67% Anthem shareholders and approximately 33% Cigna shareholders. We expect to finance the cash portion of the Acquisition through available cash on hand and the issuance of new debt. We are party to a bridge facility commitment letter and a joinder agreement with a group of lenders which will provide up to $19,500.0 under a 364-day senior unsecured bridge term loan credit facility to finance the Acquisition in the event that we have not received proceeds from any combination of (i) senior unsecured term loans, (ii) common or preferred equity or equity-linked securities and/or (iii) senior unsecured notes in a public offering or private placement in an aggregate principal amount of at least $19,500.0 prior to the consummation of the Acquisition. In addition, in August 2015, we entered into a term loan facility which will provide up to $4,000.0 to finance a portion of the Acquisition. The commitment of the lenders to provide the bridge facility and the term loan facility is subject to several conditions, including the completion of the Acquisition.

In July 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice, or DOJ, along with certain state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, or District Court, seeking to block the Acquisition. Trial commenced in November 2016 and concluded in January 2017. On January 18, 2017, we provided notice to Cigna that we had elected to extend the termination date under the Merger Agreement from January 31, 2017 until April 30, 2017. On February 8, 2017, the District Court ruled in favor of the DOJ, and following our motion to expedite the appeal, which was granted on February 17, 2017, we promptly appealed the District Court's ruling to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, or the Appellate Court. Oral argument of our appeal was held on March 24, 2017 and the Appellate Court's decision is still pending. On February 14, 2017, Cigna purported to terminate the Merger Agreement and commenced litigation against us in the Delaware Court of Chancery, or Delaware Court, seeking damages and a declaratory judgment that its purported termination of the Merger Agreement was lawful, among other claims, which is captioned Cigna Corp. v. Anthem Inc. We believe Cigna’s allegations are without merit. Also on February 14, 2017, we initiated our own litigation against Cigna in the Delaware Court seeking a temporary restraining order to enjoin Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement, specific performance compelling Cigna to comply with the Merger Agreement and damages, which is captioned Anthem Inc. v. Cigna Corp. On February 15, 2017, the Delaware Court granted our motion for a temporary restraining order and issued an order enjoining Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement. The temporary restraining order became effective immediately and will remain in place pending any further order from the Delaware Court. A hearing on our motion to preliminarily enjoin Cigna from terminating the Merger Agreement will be held on May 8, 2017 in the Delaware Court. We intend to vigorously defend the Acquisition in both the Appellate Court and the Delaware Court and remain committed to completing the Acquisition as soon as practicable. If the Merger Agreement is terminated because the required regulatory approvals cannot be obtained, under certain conditions, we could be obligated to pay a $1,850.0 termination fee to Cigna.