Centers of Excellence for Infusion and Enteral Services

No definition available.

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

- Definition

A fixed fee that subscribers to a medical plan must pay for use of entity medical services covered by the plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_CoPaymentRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	cvs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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 Infusion and Enteral Branches

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of LTC hub pharmacies

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of LTC spoke pharmacies

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Pharmacies Acquired

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of retail drugstores operated by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of clinics

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of clinics in retail drugstores

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of retail drugstores operating a pharmacy

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Costs incurred to effect a business combination which have been expensed during the period. Such costs could include business integration costs, systems integration and conversion costs, and severance and other employee-related costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationIntegrationRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1,2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GrossProfit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=cvs_PharmacyServicesSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=cvs_RetailLTCSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=cvs_GrossProfitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_IntersegmentEliminationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis=cvs_MinuteClinicWithinCVSPharmacyStoresMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cvs_CarePlusandCVSPharmacyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=cvs_MinuteClinicMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=cvs_TargetPharmacyAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cvs_SegmentInformationByServicesAxis=cvs_SpecialtyStoresMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cvs_SegmentInformationByServicesAxis=cvs_SpecialtyMailOrderMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cvs_SegmentInformationByServicesAxis=cvs_MailServiceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cvs_SegmentInformationByServicesAxis=cvs_InfusionandEnteralBranchesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cvs_SegmentInformationByServicesAxis=cvs_AmbulatoryinfusionsuitesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015 pharmacy	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) Mail_Service_Pharmacy state Center drugstore pharmacy	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) Mail_Service_Pharmacy state Center segment drugstore pharmacy	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Segment reporting information
Number of segments \| segment				3
Net revenues		$ 44,615	$ 38,644	$ 131,555	$ 112,144
Gross profit		7,492	6,661	21,251	19,227
Operating profit (loss)		$ 2,817	2,331	$ 7,343	6,725
Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of centers of excellence for infusion and enteral services \| Center		5		5
Number of states pharmacies operated \| state		41		41
Net revenues, retail co-payments		$ 2,500	2,100	$ 8,100	6,800
Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of states pharmacies operated \| state		49		49
Number of retail drugstores \| drugstore		9,694		9,694
Number of retail drugstores operating a pharmacy \| drugstore		9,638		9,638
Number of LTC spoke pharmacies \| drugstore		151		151
Number of LTC hub pharmacies \| drugstore		32		32
Retail/LTC Segment \| Gross Profit
Segment reporting information
Acquisition related costs		$ 5		$ 15
Retail/LTC Segment \| Operating Income (Loss)
Segment reporting information
Integration related costs			12		12
Acquisition related costs		52		194
Corporate Segment \| Operating Income (Loss)
Segment reporting information
Integration related costs		13		13
Acquisition related costs			115		135
Operating Segments \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Net revenues		30,429	25,528	88,704	73,849
Gross profit		1,797	1,468	4,266	3,735
Operating profit (loss)		1,458	1,162	3,278	2,837
Operating Segments \| Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Net revenues		20,143	17,912	60,253	52,105
Gross profit		5,893	5,373	17,560	15,990
Operating profit (loss)		1,773	1,643	5,255	5,050
Operating Segments \| Corporate Segment
Segment reporting information
Net revenues		0	0	0	0
Gross profit		0	0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)		(229)	(309)	(661)	(712)
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information
Net revenues		(5,957)	(4,796)	(17,402)	(13,810)
Gross profit		(198)	(180)	(575)	(498)
Operating profit (loss)		$ (185)	$ (165)	$ (529)	$ (450)
MinuteClinic within CVS Pharmacy Stores \| Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of clinics in retail drugstores \| drugstore		1,129		1,129
CarePlus and CVS Pharmacy \| Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies \| pharmacy		34		34
MinuteClinic \| Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of clinics \| drugstore		1,136		1,136
Target Pharmacy Acquisition \| Retail/LTC Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies acquired \| pharmacy	1,670
Specialty stores \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies \| pharmacy		23		23
Specialty mail order \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies \| pharmacy		13		13
Mail service \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of pharmacies \| Mail_Service_Pharmacy		4		4
Infusion and Enteral Branches \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of infusion and enteral branches \| Mail_Service_Pharmacy		85		85
Ambulatory infusion suites \| Pharmacy Services Segment
Segment reporting information
Number of infusion and enteral branches \| Mail_Service_Pharmacy		74		74