Significant Accounting Policies - Adjustments Resulting From Applying New Accounting Standard (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs	$ 21,499			$ 17,401			$ 63,729	$ 52,814
Operating expenses	9,876			9,612			29,329	28,123
Total operating costs	86,074			85,078			253,593	234,326
Operating loss	3,690			(3,919)			10,370	4,295
Loss before income tax benefit	3,019			(4,444)			8,468	2,686
Income tax provision (benefit)	754			(1,045)			2,147	691
Net income (loss)	2,265	$ 1,914	$ 2,142	(3,399)	$ 3,039	$ 2,355	6,321	1,995
Net loss attributable to CVS Health	$ 2,261			$ (3,406)			$ 6,298	$ 1,977
Net income (loss) per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.76			$ (2.59)			$ 4.90	$ 1.51
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75			$ (2.59)			$ 4.88	$ 1.49
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets	$ 3,074						$ 3,074		$ 2,636
Total current assets	70,143						70,143		65,633
Intangible assets, net	29,624						29,624		24,803
Total assets	251,306						251,306		228,275
Health care costs payable	12,550						12,550		10,142
Other insurance liabilities	4,748						4,748		1,089
Total current liabilities	81,553						81,553		69,421
Deferred income taxes	4,250						4,250		4,016
Other long-term insurance liabilities	5,333						5,333		5,835
Other long-term liabilities	6,237						6,237		6,730
Total liabilities	176,796						176,796		156,506
Retained earnings	60,343						60,343		56,398
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,004)						(1,004)		(1,264)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	74,337						74,337		71,469
Total shareholders’ equity	74,510	$ 73,002	$ 71,580	$ 71,487	$ 75,736	$ 74,034	74,510	$ 71,487	71,769	$ 75,381
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$ 251,306						251,306		228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization							3,232	3,181
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items							(360)	(2,213)
Other assets							(518)	(244)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities							4,679	4,476
Other liabilities							$ 2,047	7,371
As Reported
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs				17,419				52,976
Operating expenses				9,606				28,128
Total operating costs				85,090				234,493
Operating loss				(3,931)				4,128
Loss before income tax benefit				(4,456)				2,519
Income tax provision (benefit)				(1,047)				654
Net income (loss)				(3,409)				1,865
Net loss attributable to CVS Health				$ (3,416)				$ 1,847
Net income (loss) per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)				$ (2.60)				$ 1.41
Diluted (in dollars per share)				$ (2.60)				$ 1.40
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets									2,685
Total current assets									65,682
Intangible assets, net									24,754
Total assets									228,275
Health care costs payable									10,406
Other insurance liabilities									1,140
Total current liabilities									69,736
Deferred income taxes									3,880
Other long-term insurance liabilities									6,108
Other long-term liabilities									6,732
Total liabilities									156,960
Retained earnings									56,145
Accumulated other comprehensive loss									(1,465)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity									71,015
Total shareholders’ equity									71,315
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity									228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization								$ 3,198
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items								(2,250)
Other assets								(311)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities								4,687
Other liabilities								7,377
Adoption of new accounting standard, adjustment
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs				$ (18)				(162)
Operating expenses				6				(5)
Total operating costs				(12)				(167)
Operating loss				12				167
Loss before income tax benefit				12				167
Income tax provision (benefit)				2				37
Net income (loss)				10				130
Net loss attributable to CVS Health				$ 10				$ 130
Net income (loss) per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)				$ 0.01				$ 0.10
Diluted (in dollars per share)				$ 0.01				$ 0.09
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets									(49)
Total current assets									(49)
Intangible assets, net									49
Total assets									0
Health care costs payable									(264)
Other insurance liabilities									(51)
Total current liabilities									(315)
Deferred income taxes									136
Other long-term insurance liabilities									(273)
Other long-term liabilities									(2)
Total liabilities									(454)
Retained earnings									253
Accumulated other comprehensive loss									201
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity									454
Total shareholders’ equity									454	$ (540)	[1]
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity									$ 0
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization								$ (17)
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items								37
Other assets								67
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities								(211)
Other liabilities								$ (6)

[1] Reflects the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-12, Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (Topic 944) during the three months ended March 31, 2023. See Note 1 ‘‘Significant Accounting Policies’’ for additional information.