Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013 type_of_transaction segment		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment reporting information
Number of segments					3
Net revenues	$ 31,248,000,000		$ 30,714,000,000		$ 62,011,000,000		$ 61,512,000,000
Gross profit	5,836,000,000		5,449,000,000		11,418,000,000		10,562,000,000
Operating profit (loss)	1,968,000,000		1,708,000,000		3,667,000,000		3,111,000,000
Total assets	66,284,000,000				66,284,000,000			65,912,000,000
Goodwill	26,554,000,000				26,554,000,000			26,395,000,000
Number of type of transactions related to intersegment eliminations					2
Intersegment eliminations, intersegment revenues	1,100,000,000		840,000,000		2,000,000,000		1,600,000,000
Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of states pharmacies operated	22				22
Net revenues	18,800,000,000	[1]	18,423,000,000	[1]	37,111,000,000		36,722,000,000
Gross profit	963,000,000	[1]	777,000,000	[1]	1,731,000,000		1,393,000,000
Operating profit (loss)	675,000,000	[1]	511,000,000	[1]	1,174,000,000		860,000,000
Total assets	36,271,000,000	[1]			36,271,000,000	[1]		36,057,000,000	[1]
Goodwill	19,658,000,000	[1]			19,658,000,000	[1]		19,646,000,000	[1]
Net revenues, retail co-payments	2,000,000,000		2,100,000,000		4,200,000,000		4,400,000,000
Pharmacy Services Segment | Specialty stores
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	30				30
Pharmacy Services Segment | Specialty mail order
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	12				12
Pharmacy Services Segment | Mail service
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	4				4
Retail Pharmacy Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of states pharmacies operated	42				42
Number of retail drugstores	7,553				7,553
Net revenues	16,139,000,000		15,846,000,000		32,191,000,000		31,869,000,000
Gross profit	5,000,000,000		4,769,000,000		9,952,000,000		9,341,000,000
Operating profit (loss)	1,596,000,000		1,469,000,000		3,133,000,000		2,766,000,000
Total assets	29,639,000,000				29,639,000,000			29,183,000,000
Goodwill	6,896,000,000				6,896,000,000			6,749,000,000
Intersegment eliminations, intersegment gross profit	127,000,000		97,000,000		265,000,000		172,000,000
Number of retail drugstores operating a pharmacy	7,495				7,495
Retail Pharmacy Segment | MinuteClinic within CVS Pharmacy Stores
Segment reporting information
Number of clinics in retail drugstores	676				676
Retail Pharmacy Segment | MinuteClinic
Segment reporting information
Number of clinics	684				684
Retail Pharmacy Segment | Specialty stores
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	18				18
Corporate Segment
Segment reporting information
Net revenues	0		0		0		0
Gross profit	0		0		0		0
Operating profit (loss)	(176,000,000)		(175,000,000)		(375,000,000)		(343,000,000)
Total assets	1,364,000,000				1,364,000,000			1,408,000,000
Goodwill	0				0			0
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information
Net revenues	(3,691,000,000)	[2]	(3,555,000,000)	[2]	(7,291,000,000)		(7,079,000,000)
Gross profit	(127,000,000)	[2]	(97,000,000)	[2]	(265,000,000)		(172,000,000)
Operating profit (loss)	(127,000,000)	[2]	(97,000,000)	[2]	(265,000,000)		(172,000,000)
Total assets	(990,000,000)	[2]			(990,000,000)	[2]		(736,000,000)	[2]
Goodwill	$ 0	[2]			$ 0	[2]		$ 0	[2]

[1] Net revenues of the Pharmacy Services Segment include approximately $2.0 billion and $2.1 billion of retail co-payments for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively

[2] Intersegment eliminations relate to two types of transactions: (i) Intersegment revenues that occur when Pharmacy Services Segment customers use Retail Pharmacy Segment stores to purchase covered products. When this occurs, both the Pharmacy Services and Retail Pharmacy segments record the revenue on a standalone basis, and (ii) Intersegment revenues, gross profit and operating profit that occur when Pharmacy Services Segment customers, through the Company’s intersegment activities (such as the Maintenance Choice® program), elect to pick-up their maintenance prescriptions at Retail Pharmacy Segment stores instead of receiving them through the mail. When this occurs, both the Pharmacy Services and Retail Pharmacy segments record the revenue, gross profit and operating profit on a standalone basis. The following amounts are eliminated in consolidation in connection with the item (ii) intersegment activity: net revenues of $1.1 billion and $840 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $2.0 billion and $1.6 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 respectively; gross profit and operating profit of $127 million and $97 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $265 million and $172 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.