Accounting Policies - Impact of New Revenue Recognition Standard on Financial Statement Line Items (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Jan. 02, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
Net revenue	$ 45,693
Cost of revenue	38,834	$ 37,943
Gross profit	6,859	6,571
Operating profit	1,946	1,793
Income before income tax provision	1,470	1,534
Income tax provision	472	572
Income from continuing operations	998	962
Net income	998	953
Net income attributable to CVS Health	998	952
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued expenses	7,724		$ 6,626	$ 6,609
Deferred income taxes	3,058		2,992	2,996
Total Liabilities	96,462		57,449	57,436
Retained earnings	44,040		43,543	43,556
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	38,673		37,678	37,691
Total shareholders’ equity	38,677		37,682	37,695
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	135,139			95,131
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	998	953
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items	62	14
Accrued expenses	1,231	$ 1,848
ASU 2014-09 | Adjustment
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
Net revenue	7
Cost of revenue	4
Gross profit	3
Operating profit	3
Income before income tax provision	3
Income tax provision	1
Income from continuing operations	2
Net income	2
Net income attributable to CVS Health	2
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued expenses	(20)		17
Deferred income taxes	5		(4)
Total Liabilities	(15)		13
Retained earnings	15		(13)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	15		(13)
Total shareholders’ equity	15		$ (13)
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	2
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items	1
Accrued expenses	(3)
ASU 2014-09 | As previously reported
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
Net revenue	45,700
Cost of revenue	38,838
Gross profit	6,862
Operating profit	1,949
Income before income tax provision	1,473
Income tax provision	473
Income from continuing operations	1,000
Net income	1,000
Net income attributable to CVS Health	1,000
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accrued expenses	7,704			6,609
Deferred income taxes	3,063			2,996
Total Liabilities	96,447			57,436
Retained earnings	44,055			43,556
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	38,688			37,691
Total shareholders’ equity	38,692			$ 37,695
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	135,139
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	1,000
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items	63
Accrued expenses	$ 1,228