1.0.0.3 false Statement Of Income (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDperShareItemType Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDperShareItemType Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 5 Revenue 3 us-gaap_Revenues us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 24780700000 24780.7 false false 2 true true 23437100000 23437.1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Cost of products sold 3 us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 23871900000 23871.9 false false 2 false true 22535900000 22535.9 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Gross margin 3 us-gaap_GrossProfit us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 908800000 908.8 false false 2 false true 901200000 901.2 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 8 Operating expenses 3 us-gaap_OperatingExpensesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 9 Distribution, selling, general and administrative expenses 4 us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 586100000 586.1 false false 2 false true 590300000 590.3 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Restructuring and employee severance 4 us-gaap_RestructuringCharges us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 59700000 59.7 false false 2 false true 20700000 20.7 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Impairments and loss on sale of assets 4 cah_GainLossOnDisposalAndImpairmentOfAssets cah false credit duration monetary The charge against earnings resulting from the disposal of assets as well as the aggregate write down of all assets from... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 23600000 23.6 false false 2 false true 3600000 3.6 false false The charge against earnings resulting from the disposal of assets as well as the aggregate write down of all assets from their carrying value to their fair value. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Litigation (credits)/charges, net 4 us-gaap_GainLossRelatedToLitigationSettlement us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -500000 -0.5 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Operating earnings 3 us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 239900000 239.9 false false 2 false true 286600000 286.6 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 14 Other (income)/expense, net 3 us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -8900000 -8.9 false false 2 false true 2500000 2.5 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Interest expense, net 3 us-gaap_InterestExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 33900000 33.9 false false 2 false true 29300000 29.3 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Loss on extinguishment of debt 3 us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 39900000 39.9 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Earnings before income taxes and discontinued operations 3 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 175000000 175.0 false false 2 false true 254800000 254.8 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 18 Provision for income taxes 3 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 236800000 236.8 false false 2 false true 82600000 82.6 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Earnings/(loss) from continuing operations 3 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -61800000 -61.8 false false 2 false true 172200000 172.2 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Earnings from discontinued operations (net of tax expense of $26.0 and $32.0 for the three months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively) 3 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTax us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 23600000 23.6 false false 2 false true 76900000 76.9 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Net earnings/(loss) 3 us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true -38200000 -38.2 false false 2 true true 249100000 249.1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Basic earnings/(loss) per Common Share: 3 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 23 Continuing operations 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.17 -0.17 false false 2 true true 0.48 0.48 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Discontinued operations 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerBasicShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 0.06 0.06 false false 2 true true 0.22 0.22 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Net basic earnings/(loss) per Common Share 4 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.11 -0.11 false false 2 true true 0.70 0.70 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 26 Diluted earnings/(loss) per Common Share: 3 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDilutedAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 27 Continuing operations 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.17 -0.17 false false 2 true true 0.48 0.48 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Discontinued operations 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxPerDilutedShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 0.06 0.06 false false 2 true true 0.21 0.21 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Net diluted earnings/(loss) per Common Share 4 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.11 -0.11 false false 2 true true 0.69 0.69 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 30 Weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding: 3 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 31 Basic 4 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic us-gaap true na duration shares No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 359100000 359.1 false false 2 false true 356700000 356.7 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Diluted 4 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding us-gaap true na duration shares No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 359100000 359.1 false false 2 false true 361100000 361.1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Cash dividends declared per Common Share 3 us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 0.175 0.175 false false 2 true true 0.140 0.140 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 2 29 false HundredThousands HundredThousands NoRounding false true