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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Years
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
2015 $ 193us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent    
2016 148us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears    
2017 104us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears    
2018 66us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears    
2019 47us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears    
2020 and thereafter 163us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter    
Minimum lease payments 721us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue    
Noncancelable sub-lease income 0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivable    
Net minimum lease payments 721dgx_NetMinimumLeasePayments    
Operating leases, rent expense 242us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense 223us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense 211us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
Total noncancelable future purchase commitments 235us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmount    
Noncancelable future purchase commitments, to be incurred in 2015 80dgx_NoncancelableFuturePurchaseCommitmentsToBeIncurredInYearOne    
Noncancelable future purchase commitments, to be incurred in 2016 and 2017 111dgx_NoncancelableFuturePurchaseCommitmentsToBeIncurredInYearTwo    
Remaining terms of lease obligations, minimum 9dgx_RemainingTermsOfLeaseObligationsMinimum    
Remaining terms of lease obligations, maximum 33dgx_RemainingTermsOfLeaseObligationsMaximum    
Litigation reserves 11us-gaap_LitigationReserve 5us-gaap_LitigationReserve  
Self-insurance reserves 113us-gaap_MalpracticeLossContingencyAccrualUndiscounted 121us-gaap_MalpracticeLossContingencyAccrualUndiscounted  
Noncancellable future purchase commitments, to be incurred thereafter 81dgx_NoncancellableFuturePurchaseCommitmentsToBeIncurredThereafter    
Letter of Credit [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Letters of credit outstanding, amount 69us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
   
Line of Credit [Member]      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity $ 85us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
   
Debt instrument, maturity date Nov. 17, 2015