Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	[2]	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	[2]	Common Stock	Treasury Stock		Common Stock Including Capital Surplus	[3]	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	[2]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interests
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019								1,727	(425)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		$ 64,170	$ (3)		$ 63,864	$ (3)			$ (28,235)	[1]	$ 45,972		$ 45,108	$ (3)		$ 1,019	$ 306
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		2,012			2,007								2,007				5
Other comprehensive loss		(332)			(332)											(332)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)								2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		208			208						208
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]								1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		53			53				$ 53	[1]
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)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2020		65,474			65,140				$ (28,182)	[1]	46,180		46,455			687	334
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020								1,733	(423)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		69,701			69,389				$ (28,178)	[1]	46,513		49,640			1,414	312
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		2,224			2,223								2,223				1
Other comprehensive loss		(392)			(392)											(392)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)								2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		214			214						214
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]								1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		76			76				$ 76	[1]
Common stock dividends		(660)			(660)								(660)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		1															1
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021								1,735	(422)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2021		$ 71,164			$ 70,850				$ (28,102)	[1]	$ 46,727		$ 51,203			$ 1,022	$ 314

[1] Treasury shares include 1 million shares held in trust and treasury stock includes $29 million related to shares held in trust as of March 31, 2021 and 2020 and December 31, 2020 and 2019.

[2] Reflects the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), which resulted in a decrease to retained earnings of $3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

[3] Common stock and capital surplus includes the par value of common stock of $17 million as of March 31, 2021 and 2020 and December 31, 2020 and 2019.