Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of EPS (in shares)	23.3	15.3	19.3	14.3
Numerator for earnings (loss) per share calculation:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 1,931	$ (2,562)	$ 3,358	$ (1,564)
Income from continuing operations allocated to participating securities	(1)	(1)	(3)	(3)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	5	0	(1)	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CVS Health	$ 1,935	$ (2,563)	$ 3,354	$ (1,567)
Denominator for earnings (loss) per share calculation:
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic (in shares)	1,301.0	1,018.0	1,299.0	1,017.0
Dilutive effect of outstanding stock-based compensation awards (in shares)	1.0	0.0	3.0	0.0
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted (in shares)	1,302.0	1,018.0	1,302.0	1,017.0
Earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CVS Health, basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.49	$ (2.52)	$ 2.58	$ (1.54)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CVS Health, diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.49	$ (2.52)	$ 2.58	$ (1.54)
Continuing Operations
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of EPS (in shares)		1.9		2.3