Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of EPS (in shares)	18	12	19	14
Numerator for earnings (loss) per share calculation:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 1,529	$ 1,390	$ 4,887	$ (174)
Income from continuing operations allocated to participating securities	0	(1)	(3)	(3)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CVS Health	$ 1,530	$ 1,389	$ 4,884	$ (177)
Denominator for earnings (loss) per share calculation:
Weighted average shares, basic (in shares)	1,302	1,020	1,300	1,018
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	3	2	3	0
Weighted average shares, diluted (in shares)	1,305	1,022	1,303	1,018
Earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.17	$ 1.36	$ 3.76	$ (0.17)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.17	$ 1.36	$ 3.75	$ (0.17)
Continuing Operations
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of EPS (in shares)				2