Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		Total	Total CVS Health Shareholders’ Equity	Common Shares	Treasury Stock		Common Stock and Capital Surplus		Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Noncontrolling Interests
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020				1,733
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	[1]				(423)
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		$ 69,701	$ 69,389		$ (28,178)	[1]	$ 46,513	[2]	$ 49,640	$ 1,414	$ 312
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		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	[2]
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
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021	[1]				(422)
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2021		71,164	70,850		$ (28,102)	[1]	46,727	[2]	51,203	1,022	314
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020				1,733
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	[1]				(423)
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		69,701	69,389		$ (28,178)	[1]	46,513	[2]	49,640	1,414	312
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		6,602
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(337)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021				1,743
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021					(422)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021		74,618	74,308		$ (28,166)		47,133		54,264	1,077	310
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021				1,735
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021	[1]				(422)
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2021		71,164	70,850		$ (28,102)	[1]	46,727	[2]	51,203	1,022	314
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		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	[2]
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[1]				(2)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(150)	(150)		$ (150)	[1]
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
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021	[1]				(424)
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2021		73,565	73,244		$ (28,252)	[1]	46,995	[2]	53,331	1,170	321
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		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	[2]
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[1]				2
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		86	86		$ 86	[1]
Common stock dividends		(665)	(665)						(665)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021				1,743
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021					(422)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021		74,618	74,308		$ (28,166)		47,133		54,264	1,077	310
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				1,744
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	[3]				(422)
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2021		75,381	75,075		$ (28,173)	[3]	47,377	[4]	54,906	965	306
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		2,313	2,312						2,312		1
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(1,155)	(1,155)							(1,155)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)				3
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		300	300				300	[4]
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[3]				(19)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(1,972)	(1,972)		$ (1,972)	[3]
Common stock dividends		(730)	(730)						(730)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		3									3
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022				1,747
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022	[3]				(441)
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2022		74,140	73,830		$ (30,145)	[3]	47,677	[4]	56,488	(190)	310
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				1,744
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	[3]				(422)
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2021		75,381	75,075		$ (28,173)	[3]	47,377	[4]	54,906	965	306
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		1,865
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(2,574)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022				1,757
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022	[3]				(442)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2022		71,011	70,683		$ (30,326)	[3]	48,047	[4]	54,571	(1,609)	328
Shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022				1,747
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022	[3]				(441)
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2022		74,140	73,830		$ (30,145)	[3]	47,677	[4]	56,488	(190)	310
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		2,961	2,951						2,951		10
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(798)	(798)							(798)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)				8
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		197	197				197	[4]
Purchases of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances (in shares)	[3]				(2)
Purchase of treasury shares, net of ESPP issuances		(267)	(267)		$ (267)	[3]
Common stock dividends		(729)	(729)						(729)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		2									2
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022				1,755
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022	[3]				(443)
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2022		75,506	75,184		$ (30,412)	[3]	47,874	[4]	58,710	(988)	322
Shareholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(3,409)	(3,416)						(3,416)		7
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(621)	(621)
Stock option activity, stock awards and other (in shares)				2
Stock option activity, stock awards and other		173	173				173	[4]
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	[3]				1
ESPP issuances, net of purchase of treasury shares		86	86		$ 86	[3]
Common stock dividends		(723)	(723)						(723)
Other increases (decreases) in noncontrolling interests		(1)									(1)
Shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022				1,757
Treasury shares outstanding, balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022	[3]				(442)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2022		$ 71,011	$ 70,683		$ (30,326)	[3]	$ 48,047	[4]	$ 54,571	$ (1,609)	$ 328

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

[2] 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.

[3] 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, 2022, June 30, 2022, March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.

[4] Common stock and capital surplus includes the par value of common stock of $18 million as of September 30, 2022 and June 30, 2022 and $17 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.