Contingencies and Other Matters - Guarantees (Details)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Financial Guarantee [Member] \| Retiree and Life Insurance Benefits [Member]
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]
Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 455,000,000
Guarantee obligations carrying value	0
Financial Guarantee [Member] \| Retiree and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]
Assets maintained by employers	455,000,000
Indemnification Guarantee [Member]
Guarantee Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantee obligations carrying value	$ 0

The current carrying amount of the liability for the freestanding or embedded guarantor's obligations under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118943654&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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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

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

- Definition

Indicates, if estimable, the approximate extent to which the proceeds from liquidation of any assets held either as collateral or by third parties would be expected to cover the maximum potential amount of future payments under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118943654&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118943654&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ci_RetirementAndLifeInsuranceContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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