Represents the number of defined benefit plans covering all eligible employees of the entity.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The difference between fair value of plan assets at the end of the period and the fair value at the beginning of the period, adjusted for contributions and payments of benefits during the period, and after adjusting for taxes and other expenses, as applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Actual Return on Plan Assets (Component of Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504192

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Actual Return on Plan Assets (Component of Net Periodic Pension Cost)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504226

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- Definition

The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money.

+ References

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- Definition

An assumption as to the rate of return on plan assets reflecting the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the benefit obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 30

-Glossary Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512013

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (k)(3)

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- Definition

1) For defined benefit pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value as of a date of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered prior to that date. 2) For other postretirement defined benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered to a particular date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Projected Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6522206

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Accumulated Postretirement Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503904

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- Definition

The increase in the fair value of plan assets from contributions made by the employer.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of decrease that is related to an event that significantly reduces the expected years of future service of present employees or eliminates for a significant number of employees the accrual of defined benefits for some or all of their future services.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)(10)

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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Plan Curtailment

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6520938

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

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- Definition

Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

+ References

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- Definition

The total amount of net periodic benefit cost for defined benefit plans for the period. Periodic benefit costs include the following components: service cost, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, gain (loss), prior service cost or credit, transition asset or obligation, and gain (loss) due to settlements or curtailments.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of net gain (loss) recognized in net periodic benefit cost as a result of an irrevocable action that relieves the employer (or the plan) of primary responsibility for a benefit obligation and eliminates significant risks related to the obligation and the assets used to effect the settlement. Examples of transactions that constitute a settlement include, but are not limited to, lump-sum cash payments to plan participants in exchange for their rights to receive specified benefits and purchasing nonparticipating annuity contracts to cover vested benefits.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

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-SubTopic 20

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (h)(7)

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- Definition

Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

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- Definition

Target allocation of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(i)

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- Definition

Percentage of fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of plan assets held.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

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- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 70

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- Definition

Amount of contributions made to multiemployer plans by the employer. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

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-Subparagraph (e)(1)

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Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 Plan
Defined benefit plan
Employer's contributions under defined contribution plans	$ 238	$ 235	$ 199
Number of defined benefit plans	9cvs_NumberOfDefinedBenefitPlans	9cvs_NumberOfDefinedBenefitPlans	9cvs_NumberOfDefinedBenefitPlans
Other Postretirement Benefits
Defined benefit plan
Benefit obligation	31	27
Net periodic benefit cost	1	11	1
Settlements losses included in net periodic costs		(8)
Total Company contributions to multiemployer pension plans	58	55	50
Pension Plans
Defined benefit plan
Benefit obligation	796	694
Net periodic benefit cost	21	19	31
Fair value of plan assets	635	568
Actual return on plan assets	75	49
Curtailment losses included in net periodic costs			2
Discount rate (as a percent)	4.00%	4.75%
Equity securities target allocation (as a percent)			50.00%
Employer's contributions under defined benefit plans	42	33	36
Estimated future employer contributions in next fiscal year	36
Pension Plans \| Level 1
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	14.00%	17.00%
Pension Plans \| Level 2
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	86.00%	83.00%
Pension Plans \| Minimum
Defined benefit plan
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets (as a percent)	5.75%
Pension Plans \| Maximum
Defined benefit plan
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets (as a percent)	7.25%
Pension Plans \| Fixed Income Securities
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	81.00%	76.00%
Pension Plans \| Fixed Income Securities \| Minimum
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	70.00%
Pension Plans \| Fixed Income Securities \| Maximum
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	85.00%
Pension Plans \| Equity Securities
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	18.00%	23.00%
Pension Plans \| Equity Securities \| Minimum
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	15.00%
Pension Plans \| Equity Securities \| Maximum
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	30.00%
Pension Plans \| Money Market Funds
Defined benefit plan
Equity securities (as a percent)	1.00%	1.00%
Multiemployer Plans, Pension
Defined benefit plan
Total Company contributions to multiemployer pension plans	$ 14	$ 13	$ 12
Tax-qualified funded pension plans \| Pension Plans
Defined benefit plan
Number of defined benefit plans	4
Unfunded nonqualified supplemental retirement plans \| Pension Plans
Defined benefit plan
Number of defined benefit plans	5