Significant Accounting Policies - Adjustments Resulting From Applying New Accounting Standard (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs	$ 86,247	$ 71,073	$ 64,188
Operating expenses	39,832	38,212	37,021
Costs and Expenses	344,033	314,513	278,801
Operating income	13,743	7,954	13,310
Income before income tax provision	11,173	5,836	10,537
Income tax provision	2,805	1,509	2,548
Net income	8,368	4,327	7,989
Net income attributable to CVS Health	$ 8,344	$ 4,311	$ 8,001
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 6.49	$ 3.29	$ 6.07
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 6.47	$ 3.26	$ 6.02
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets	$ 3,151	$ 2,636
Total current assets	67,858	65,633
Intangible assets, net	29,234	24,803
Total assets	249,728	228,275
Health care costs payable		10,142
Other insurance liabilities	1,141	1,089
Total current liabilities	79,189	69,421
Deferred income taxes	4,311	4,016
Other long-term insurance liabilities	5,459	5,835
Other long-term liabilities	6,211	6,730
Total liabilities	173,092	156,506
Retained earnings	61,604	56,398
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(297)	(1,264)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	76,461	71,469
Total shareholders’ equity	76,636	71,769	$ 74,841	$ 69,701
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	249,728	228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization	4,366	4,224	4,486
Deferred income taxes	(676)	(2,029)	(402)
Other assets	(510)	(491)	(30)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities	394	992	101
Other liabilities	$ 1,540	6,463	2,856
As Reported
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs		71,281	64,260
Operating expenses			37,066
Costs and Expenses		314,721	278,918
Operating income		7,746	13,193
Income before income tax provision		5,628	10,420
Income tax provision		1,463	2,522
Net income		4,165	7,898
Net income attributable to CVS Health		$ 4,149	$ 7,910
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 3.16	$ 6.00
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 3.14	$ 5.95
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		4,247	$ 4,512
Deferred income taxes		(2,075)	(428)
Other assets		(566)	(3)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities		1,247	169
Other liabilities		6,468	2,852
Adoption of new accounting standard, adjustment
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs		(208)	(72)
Operating expenses			(45)
Costs and Expenses		(208)	(117)
Operating income		208	117
Income before income tax provision		208	117
Income tax provision		46	26
Net income		162	91
Net income attributable to CVS Health		$ 162	$ 91
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.13	$ 0.07
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.12	$ 0.07
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		$ (766)	[1]
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		0
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization		(23)	$ (26)
Deferred income taxes		46	26
Other assets		75	(27)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities		(255)	(68)
Other liabilities		$ (5)	$ 4

[1] Reflects the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-12, Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (Topic 944) during the year ended December 31, 2021. See Note 1 ‘‘Significant Accounting Policies’’ for additional information.