Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Product Warranty Liability [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Beginning balance	$	25		$	28		$	26
Provision	15			9			12
Settlements/ reversals	(17		)	(12		)	(10		)
Ending balance	$	23		$	25		$	28

Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	As of December 31, 2015						As of December 31, 2014
(in millions)	Projected Benefit Obligation (PBO)		Fair value of Plan Assets		Underfunded PBO Recognized		Projected Benefit Obligation (PBO)		Fair value of Plan Assets		Underfunded PBO Recognized
Executive Retirement Plan	$	14	$	—	$	14	$	13	$	—	$	13
Guidant Retirement Plan (frozen)	—		—		—		148		140		8
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan (frozen)	33		—		33		34		—		34
International Retirement Plans	84		52		32		90		51		39
	$	131	$	52	$	79	$	285	$	191	$	94

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

		Expected Return on Plan Assets	Rate of
	Discount Rate		Compensation Increase
Executive Retirement Plan	3.75%		3.00%
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan (frozen)	4.25%
International Retirement Plans	1.00% - 2.20%	3.00% - 4.10%	3.00% - 6.78%

Schedule of Changes in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
(in millions)	2015			2014
Beginning fair value	$	191		$	166
Actual return on plan assets	1			26
Employer contributions	6			16
Benefits paid	(145		)	(11		)
Net transfers in (out)	—			—
Foreign currency exchange	(1		)	(6		)
Ending fair value	$	52		$	191