XML 24 R57.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Stock Ownership Plans (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
years
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 24, 2014
Feb. 28, 2013
Feb. 27, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
May 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Share Price       $ 13.08us-gaap_SharePrice $ 7.39us-gaap_SharePrice $ 6.28us-gaap_SharePrice    
Total Fair Value of Market Based Awards - 2012     $ 8bsx_TotalFairValueOfMarketBasedAwards2012          
Total fair value of market based awards - 2013 Awards   8bsx_Totalfairvalueofmarketbasedawards2013Awards            
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Stock Options 20bsx_UnrecognizedCompensationCostStockOptions              
Fair value of the Free Cash Flow (FCF) performance awards 5bsx_FairValueOfFreeCashFlowFcfPerformanceAwards 9bsx_FairValueOfFreeCashFlowFcfPerformanceAwards 7bsx_FairValueOfFreeCashFlowFcfPerformanceAwards          
Closing stock price at year end $ 13.25bsx_ClosingStockPriceAtYearEnd $ 12.02bsx_ClosingStockPriceAtYearEnd $ 5.73bsx_ClosingStockPriceAtYearEnd          
Target payout of Free Cash Flows (FCF) performance awards 100.00%bsx_TargetPayoutOfFreeCashFlowsFcfPerformanceAwards              
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans 2,618,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans 3,833,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans 3,979,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number 30,535,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber 37,339,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber 36,593,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber       33,576,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 9us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue       $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period 7,072,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod 13,913,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod 17,073,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod          
Measurement period - market based awards - 2012 Awards 3 years              
Measurement period - market based awards - 2013 Awards   3 years            
Measurement period - market based awards - 2011 Awards     3 years          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate - 2012 Awards 0.66%bsx_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate2014Awards              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate - 2013 Awards   0.34%bsx_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate2013Awards            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 13us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period (11,205,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod (10,307,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod (10,158,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 9us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period (2,671,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod (2,860,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod (3,898,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 7us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number 39,508,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber 44,892,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber 54,881,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber       60,921,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross 4,943,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross 1,992,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross 4,726,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period (4,418,000)us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised (7,221,000)us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised 0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period (5,909,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod (4,760,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod (10,766,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 17us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 21us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice          
Stock-based compensation expense 103us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation 105us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation 108us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation          
Common Stock, Shares Authorized 2,000,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized 2,000,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized            
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance 179,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance              
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense (28)us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense (29)us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense (32)us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense          
Share-based compensation, net of tax benefit 75bsx_ShareBasedCompensationNetOfTaxBenefit 76bsx_ShareBasedCompensationNetOfTaxBenefit 76bsx_ShareBasedCompensationNetOfTaxBenefit          
compensation expense, per share - basic $ 0.06bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareBasic $ 0.06bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareBasic $ 0.05bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareBasic          
compensation expense, per share - diluted $ 0.06bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareDiluted $ 0.06bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareDiluted $ 0.05bsx_CompensationExpensePerShareDiluted          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 13.02us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 7.44us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 6.23us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 5.07us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 2.84us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 2.60us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate 37.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate 36.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate 43.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term 6 years 5 years 10 months 24 days 5 years 10 months 24 days          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Minimum 1.69%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum 0.89%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum 0.95%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Maximum 2.09%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum 1.72%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum 1.15%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Total Intrinsic Value 24us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue 24us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue 1us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue          
Total fair value of market based awards - 2014 Awards 6bsx_Totalfairvalueofmarketbasedawards2014Awards              
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Compensation Expense 8us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 7us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 4us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 11us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 12us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 12us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice       $ 13us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term 5 years              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Intrinsic Value 145us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number 29,380,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 12us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term 4 years              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value 109us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1              
Options expected to vest 9,477,000bsx_OptionsExpectedToVest              
Options expected to vest, weighted average exercise price $ 10bsx_OptionsExpectedToVestWeightedAverageExercisePrice              
Options expected to vest, weighted average remaining contractual life 7 years 10 months 24 days              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 35bsx_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpectedtoVestOutstandingAggregateIntrinsicValue              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 38,857,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingNumber              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 11us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term 4 years 10 months 24 days              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 144us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingAggregateIntrinsicValue              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Total Fair Value 146us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue 80us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue 60us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate - 2011 Awards     0.38%bsx_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate2012Awards          
Amount of employees total compensation eligible for GESOP purchase 10.00%bsx_AmountOfEmployeesTotalCompensationEligibleForGesopPurchase              
Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Exercise Amount equivalent to 85% of Fair Market Value of Common Stock at beginning or end of each offering period (whichever is less) 85.00%bsx_GlobalEmployeeStockPurchasePlanExerciseAmountequivalentto85ofFairMarketValueofCommonStockatbeginningorendofeachofferingperiodwhicheverisless              
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Non-vested stock awards 133bsx_UnrecognizedCompensationCostNonVestedStockAwards              
Unrecognized Compensation Cost 153bsx_UnrecognizedCompensationCost              
weighted average remaining vesting period 1 year 3 months              
annualweightedaverageforfeiturerate 9.00%bsx_Annualweightedaverageforfeiturerate              
Nonqualified Options Vesting Period 4 years              
Nonqualified Options Contractual Life 10 years              
voting power of all classes of stock 10.00%bsx_Votingpowerofallclassesofstock              
Exercise price of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant 110.00%bsx_Exercisepriceofthefairmarketvalueofourcommonstockonthedateofgrant              
Qualified options expire over a period not to exceed 5 years              
Qualified options exercise price $ 0bsx_Qualifiedoptionsexerciseprice              
Qualified options vesting period 5bsx_Qualifiedoptionsvestingperiod              
High end of range [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded 150.00%bsx_RangeofthetargetnumberofperformancebasedDSUsawarded
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
             
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase price, range $ 11.04bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
$ 7.96bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
$ 5.16bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
         
Minimum [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded 0.00%bsx_RangeofthetargetnumberofperformancebasedDSUsawarded
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
             
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase price, range $ 10.12bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
$ 5.01bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
$ 4.82bsx_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanPurchasePriceRange
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
         
2011 LTIP Plan [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Common Stock, Shares Authorized               146,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= bsx_A2011LtipPlanMember
Employee Stock [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized 50,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
             
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant 20,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
             
Cost of products sold [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Stock-based compensation expense 6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= bsx_CostOfProductsSoldMember
8us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= bsx_CostOfProductsSoldMember
15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= bsx_CostOfProductsSoldMember
         
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Stock-based compensation expense 79us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
79us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
69us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
         
Research and Development Expense [Member]                
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]                
Stock-based compensation expense $ 18us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
$ 18us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
$ 24us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember