Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment		Common Shares	Treasury Shares		Common Stock and Capital Surplus	[3]	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	[4]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment		Noncontrolling Interests
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018					1,720	(425)	[1]
Beginning of year balance at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 58,543	$ 178	[2]		$ (28,228)	[1]	$ 45,440		$ 40,911			$ 102	$ 58,225	$ 178	[2]	$ 318
Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		6,631								6,634				6,634			(3)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		917											917	917
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)					7	2	[1]
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		532						532						532
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[1]					2
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(7)				$ (7)	[1]							(7)
Common stock dividends		(2,615)								(2,615)				(2,615)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interest		(9)															(9)
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019					1,727	(425)	[1]
End of year balance at Dec. 31, 2019		64,170	$ (3)	[4]		$ (28,235)	[1]	45,972		45,108	$ (3)		1,019	63,864	$ (3)	[4]	306
Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		7,192								7,179				7,179			13
Other comprehensive income (loss)		395											395	395
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)					6
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		541						541						541
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]					2
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		57				$ 57	[1]							57
Common stock dividends		(2,644)								(2,644)				(2,644)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interest		(7)															(7)
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020					1,733	(423)	[1]
End of year balance at Dec. 31, 2020		69,701				$ (28,178)	[1]	46,513		49,640			1,414	69,389			312
Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income		7,898								7,910				7,910			(12)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(449)											(449)	(449)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)					11
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		864						864						864
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]					1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		5				$ 5	[1]							5
Common stock dividends		(2,644)								(2,644)				(2,644)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interest		6															6
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021					1,744	(422)	[1]
End of year balance at Dec. 31, 2021		$ 75,381				$ (28,173)	[1]	$ 47,377		$ 54,906			$ 965	$ 75,075			$ 306

[1] Treasury shares include 1 million shares held in trust for each of the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Treasury stock includes $29 million related to shares held in trust for each of the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. See Note 1 ‘‘Significant Accounting Policies’’ for additional information.

[2] 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 year ended December 31, 2019.

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

[4] Reflects the adoption of ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), which resulted in a reduction to retained earnings of $3 million during the year ended December 31, 2020.