Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Goodwill [Line Items]

Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill, by reportable segment, were as follows:

(in millions)	UnitedHealthcare			OptumHealth			OptumInsight			OptumRx		Consolidated
Balance at January 1, 2013	$	24,459		$	2,818		$	3,169		$	840	$	31,286
Acquisitions	408			48			483			—		939
Foreign currency effects and adjustments, net	(616		)	(6		)	1			—		(621		)
Balance at December 31, 2013	24,251			2,860			3,653			840		31,604
Acquisitions	266			978			591			—		1,835
Foreign currency effects and adjustments, net	(487		)	(4		)	(8		)	—		(499		)
Balance at December 31, 2014	$	24,030		$	3,834		$	4,236		$	840	$	32,940

Schedule of Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Table Text Block]

The gross carrying value, accumulated amortization and net carrying value of other intangible assets were as follows:

	December 31, 2014							December 31, 2013
(in millions)	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value		Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Value
Customer-related	$	5,021	$	(2,399	)	$	2,622	$	4,821	$	(2,028	)	$	2,793
Trademarks and technology	527		(202		)	325		433		(191		)	242
Trademarks - indefinite-lived	539		—			539		589		—			589
Other	267		(84		)	183		284		(64		)	220
Total	$	6,354	$	(2,685	)	$	3,669	$	6,127	$	(2,283	)	$	3,844

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets Acquired as Part of Business Combination [Table Text Block]

The acquisition date fair values and weighted-average useful lives assigned to finite-lived intangible assets acquired in business combinations consisted of the following by year of acquisition:

	2014			2013
(in millions, except years)	Fair Value		Weighted-Average Useful Life	Fair Value		Weighted-Average Useful Life
Customer-related	$	314	14 years	$	55	12 years
Trademarks and technology	148		6 years	27		12 years
Other	2		14 years	—
Total acquired finite-lived intangible assets	$	464	11 years	$	82	12 years

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]

Estimated full year amortization expense relating to intangible assets for each of the next five years ending December 31 is as follows:

(in millions)
2015	$	518
2016	487
2017	442
2018	392
2019	288