Significant Accounting Policies (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013 segment
Segment reporting information
Number of reportable segments	3
Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	68,000
Number of Chain Pharmacies	41,000
Number of Independent Pharmacies	27,000
Number of conditions for integrated disease management	17
Number of states pharmacies operated	22
Pharmacy Services Segment \| Specialty stores
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	25
Pharmacy Services Segment \| Specialty mail order
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	11
Pharmacy Services Segment \| Mail service
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies	4
Retail Pharmacy Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of states pharmacies operated	43
Number of drugstores	7,660
Retail Pharmacy Segment \| MinuteClinic within CVS Pharmacy Stores
Segment reporting information
Number of drugstores	792
Retail Pharmacy Segment \| MinuteClinic
Segment reporting information
Number of drugstores	800
Retail Pharmacy Segment \| CVS/pharmacy
Segment reporting information
Number of drugstores	7,603

The number of chain pharmacies through which the reporting entity supplies pharmaceuticals.

No definition available.

Name:	cvs_NumberofChainPharmacies
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of conditions for which integrated disease management is available under the entity's rare disease management programs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberOfConditionsForIntegratedDiseaseManagement
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of drugstores operated by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberOfDrugstores
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of independent pharmacies through which the reporting entity supplies pharmaceuticals.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberofIndependentPharmacies
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of pharmacies through which the reporting entity supplies pharmaceuticals.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberOfPharmacies
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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