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		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	[3]	$ 45,108	$ (3)		$ 1,019	$ 306
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		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						208	[3]
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	[3]	46,455			687	334
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	[3]	45,108	$ (3)		1,019	306
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		6,217
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		236
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020								1,732	(423)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		69,112			68,807				$ (28,164)	[1]	46,388	[3]	49,328			1,255	305
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020								1,729	(424)	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020		65,474			65,140				$ (28,182)	[1]	46,180	[3]	46,455			687	334
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		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						96	[3]
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[1]								(1)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(53)			(53)				$ (53)	[1]
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)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020		68,355			68,022				$ (28,235)	[1]	46,276	[3]	48,768			1,213	333
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		1,219			1,224								1,224				(5)
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		42			42											42
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		112			112						112	[3]
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]								2
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		71			71				$ 71	[1]
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)	[1]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		69,112			68,807				$ (28,164)	[1]	46,388	[3]	49,328			1,255	305
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020								1,733	(423)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		69,701			69,389				$ (28,178)	[4]	46,513	[5]	49,640			1,414	312
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		2,224			2,223								2,223				1
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		(392)			(392)											(392)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)								2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		214			214						214	[5]
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[4]								1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		76			76				$ 76	[4]
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)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2021		71,164			70,850				$ (28,102)	[4]	46,727	[5]	51,203			1,022	314
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020								1,733	(423)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		69,701			69,389				$ (28,178)	[4]	46,513	[5]	49,640			1,414	312
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		6,602
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		(337)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021								1,743	(422)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021		74,618			74,308				$ (28,166)	[4]	47,133	[5]	54,264			1,077	310
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021								1,735	(422)	[4]
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2021		71,164			70,850				$ (28,102)	[4]	46,727	[5]	51,203			1,022	314
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		2,791			2,783								2,783				8
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		148			148											148
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)								7
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		268			268						268	[5]
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[4]								(2)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(150)			(150)				$ (150)	[4]
Common stock dividends		(655)			(655)								(655)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		(1)															(1)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021								1,742	(424)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2021		73,565			73,244				$ (28,252)	[4]	46,995	[5]	53,331			1,170	321
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		1,587			1,598								1,598				(11)
Other comprehensive Income (loss)		(93)			(93)											(93)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)								1
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		138			138						138	[5]
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[4]								2
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		86			86				$ 86	[4]
Common stock dividends		(665)			(665)								(665)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021								1,743	(422)	[4]
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021		$ 74,618			$ 74,308				$ (28,166)	[4]	$ 47,133	[5]	$ 54,264			$ 1,077	$ 310

[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, 2020, June 30, 2020, March 31, 2020 and December 31, 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 September 30, 2020, June 30, 2020, March 31, 2020 and December 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, 2021, June 30, 2021, March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

[5] Common stock and capital surplus includes the par value of common stock of $17 million as of September 30, 2021, June 30, 2021, March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.