Civil penalty under SEC

No definition available.

Represents compensatory damages sought from the reporting entity in a lawsuit.

No definition available.

Name:	cvs_CompensatoryDamagesSoughtInLawsuits
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of store leases guaranteed by the reporting entity.

No definition available.

Represents the number of competitors against whom putative class action has been filed by independent pharmacies.

No definition available.

Name:	cvs_NumberOfCompetitorsAgainstWhomPutativeActionsAreFiled
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of independent pharmacies which have filed putative class action against the reporting entity.

No definition available.

Name:	cvs_NumberOfPharmaciesFilingPutativeAction
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the number of states participating in multi-state investigation under Federal Trade Commission Act.

No definition available.

Name:	cvs_NumberOfStatesParticipatingInMultistateInvestigations
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of defendants named in a legal action.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfDefendants
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	Oct. 31, 2003 pharmacy entity competitor	Sep. 30, 2013 store_lease	Sep. 30, 2013 Lauriello Lawsuit	Mar. 31, 2010 Multi-state investigation under FTC state	Sep. 30, 2013 SEC investigation
Loss contingencies
Number of store leases guaranteed		74
Lauriello lawsuit, amount sought in compensatory damages plus other non-specified damages			$ 3,200,000,000
Number of pharmacies filing putative action	2
Number of competitors against whom putative actions are filed	2
Number of Caremark entities named as defendants	2
Number of states participating in multi-state investigation				28
Civil penalty under SEC					$ 20,000,000