Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

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		Optum Health		Optum Insight		Optum Rx		Consolidated
Balance at January 1, 2020	$	27,228	$	15,342	$	8,292	$	14,797	$	65,659
Acquisitions	1,180		4,500		—		699		6,379
Foreign currency effects and other adjustments, net	(623)		2		(119)		39		(701)
Balance at December 31, 2020	27,785		19,844		8,173		15,535		71,337
Acquisitions	60		4,648		96		—		4,804
Foreign currency effects and other adjustments, net	(456)		(268)		350		28		(346)
Balance at December 31, 2021	$	27,389	$	24,224	$	8,619	$	15,563	$	75,795

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, 2021						December 31, 2020
(in millions)	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Value		Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Value
Customer-related	$	13,011	$	(4,697)	$	8,314	$	13,428	$	(4,575)	$	8,853
Trademarks and technology	1,630		(739)		891		1,597		(624)		973
Trademarks and other indefinite-lived	617		—		617		680		—		680
Other	422		(200)		222		606		(256)		350
Total	$	15,680	$	(5,636)	$	10,044	$	16,311	$	(5,455)	$	10,856

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:

	2021			2020
(in millions, except years)	Fair Value		Weighted-Average Useful Life	Fair Value		Weighted-Average Useful Life
Customer-related	$	484	9 years	$	1,113	11 years
Trademarks and technology	147		5 years	514		10 years
Other	29		11 years	95		10 years
Total acquired finite-lived intangible assets	$	660	8 years	$	1,722	11 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)
2022	$	1,098
2023	1,033
2024	972
2025	892
2026	757