BENEFITS PAYABLE - Reconciliation to Consolidated (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Benefits payable, net of reinsurance	$ 8,207
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims	1	$ 68	$ 68	$ 95
Benefits payable	8,208	6,004	6,220	4,862
Retail
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Benefits payable, net of reinsurance	7,541
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims	1	68	68	95
Benefits payable	7,542	5,363	5,597	4,338
Group and Specialty
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Benefits payable, net of reinsurance	666
Benefits payable	$ 666	$ 641	$ 623	$ 517

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.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date, whether or not reported to the insurer at that date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (cc)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after valuation allowance, recoverable under reinsurance contracts for losses reported to the ceding insurer but not yet paid and amounts expected for incurred losses and settlement expenses, which have not yet been reported to the ceding insurer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99404803&loc=d3e21412-158489

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99397103&loc=d3e6824-158387

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (cc)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

+ Details

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

- Definition

Undiscounted amount, after reinsurance, of incurred claims and allocated claim adjustment expense used in claims development for short-duration insurance contracts. Excludes unallocated claim adjustment expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884468&loc=SL65671311-158438

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_RetailMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hum_GroupAndSpecialtyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: