Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock		Common Stock Including Capital Surplus		Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment		Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Retained Earnings		Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			1,720	(425)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 58,543		$ (28,228)	[1]	$ 45,440	[2]	$ 40,911	$ 102	$ 58,225	$ 318	$ 178	[3]	$ 178	[3]	$ 178	[3]
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		1,427						1,421		1,421	6
Other comprehensive income (loss)		331							331	331
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)			2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		175				175	[2]			175
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]			1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		7		$ 7	[1]					7
Common stock dividends		(651)						(651)		(651)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		(4)									(4)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			1,722	(424)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2019		60,006		$ (28,221)	[1]	45,615	[2]	41,859	433	59,686	320
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			1,720	(425)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		58,543		$ (28,228)	[1]	45,440	[2]	40,911	102	58,225	318	178	[3]	178	[3]	178	[3]
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income (loss)		848
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			1,725	(424)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		62,933		$ (28,207)	[1]	45,854	[2]	44,017	950	62,614	319
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			1,722	(424)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2019		60,006		$ (28,221)	[1]	45,615	[2]	41,859	433	59,686	320
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		1,931						1,936		1,936	(5)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		251							251	251
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)			2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		104				104	[2]			104
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[1]			(1)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(36)		$ (36)	[1]					(36)
Common stock dividends		(659)						(659)		(659)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		2									2
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			1,724	(425)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2019		61,599		$ (28,257)	[1]	45,719	[2]	43,136	684	61,282	317
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		1,529						1,530		1,530	(1)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		266							266	266
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)			1
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		135				135	[2]			135
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]			1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		50		$ 50	[1]					50
Common stock dividends		(649)						(649)		(649)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		3									3
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			1,725	(424)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		62,933		$ (28,207)	[1]	45,854	[2]	44,017	950	62,614	319
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			1,727	(425)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		64,170		$ (28,235)	[4]	45,972	[5]	45,108	1,019	63,864	306	(3)		(3)		(3)
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		2,012						2,007		2,007	5
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(332)							(332)	(332)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)			2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		208				208	[5]			208
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[4]			1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		53		$ 53	[4]					53
Common stock dividends		(657)						(657)		(657)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		23									23
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			1,729	(424)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2020		65,474		$ (28,182)	[4]	46,180	[5]	46,455	687	65,140	334
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			1,727	(425)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		64,170		$ (28,235)	[4]	45,972	[5]	45,108	1,019	63,864	306	$ (3)		$ (3)		$ (3)
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income (loss)		236
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			1,732	(423)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		69,112		$ (28,164)	[4]	46,388	[5]	49,328	1,255	68,807	305
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			1,729	(424)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020		65,474		$ (28,182)	[4]	46,180	[5]	46,455	687	65,140	334
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		2,986						2,975		2,975	11
Other comprehensive income (loss)		526							526	526
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)			3
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		96				96	[5]			96
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[4]			(1)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(53)		$ (53)	[4]					(53)
Common stock dividends		(662)						(662)		(662)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		(12)									(12)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			1,732	(425)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020		68,355		$ (28,235)	[4]	46,276	[5]	48,768	1,213	68,022	333
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		1,219						1,224		1,224	(5)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		42							42	42
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		112				112	[5]			112
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[4]			2
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		71		$ 71	[4]					71
Common stock dividends		(664)						(664)		(664)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		(23)									(23)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			1,732	(423)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		$ 69,112		$ (28,164)	[4]	$ 46,388	[5]	$ 49,328	$ 1,255	$ 68,807	$ 305

[1] Treasury shares include 1 million shares held in trust and treasury stock includes $29 million related to shares held in trust as of September 30, 2019, June 30, 2019, March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

[2] Common stock and capital surplus includes the par value of common stock of $17 million as of September 30, 2019, June 30, 2019, March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

[3] Reflects the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which resulted in an increase to retained earnings of $178 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

[4] Treasury shares include 1 million shares held in trust and treasury stock includes $29 million related to shares held in trust as of September 30, 2020, June 30, 2020, March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

[5] Common stock and capital surplus includes the par value of common stock of $17 million as of September 30, 2020, June 30, 2020, March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.