Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) shares in Millions, people in Millions	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2023 state	Oct. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) people store clinic state patient shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) store shares	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) people store clinic state patient Segment shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) store shares	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) shares	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of pharmacy plan members | people			110		110
Number of patients served per year (more than) | patient			1,000,000		1,000,000
Number of people served | people			35		35
Number of reportable segments | Segment					4
Deferred acquisition costs			$ 1,200,000,000	$ 895,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000	$ 895,000,000
Depreciation					2,400,000,000	2,300,000,000	$ 2,100,000,000
Office real estate optimization charges			117,000,000		117,000,000	0	0
Store impairment charges					0	$ 1,358,000,000	0
Number of stores, planned closure | store						900
Goodwill impairment					0	$ 431,000,000	0
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived					$ 0	$ 0	0
Assumed interest rates on long-duration group life and long-term care contracts					4.90%	5.10%
HSA balances			0	2,900,000,000	$ 0	$ 2,900,000,000
Self insurance liabilities			$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000
Pharmacy rebate period					30 days
Health insurer fee					$ 0	0	1,000,000,000
Advertising costs					$ 745,000,000	$ 707,000,000	$ 613,000,000
Treasury shares held in trust (in shares) | shares			1	1	1	1	1
Expenses from transactions with related party					$ 60,000,000	$ 52,000,000	$ 56,000,000
Other revenues from transactions with related party					87,000,000	79,000,000	77,000,000
Charitable contribution to CVS Health Foundation					$ 25,000,000	50,000,000	50,000,000
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ACA Risk Corridor Receivables | Settled Litigation
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Gain contingency, unrecorded amount							313,000,000	$ 313,000,000
Amount awarded from other party		$ 313,000,000
Former gain contingency, recognized in current period, before tax							307,000,000
Former gain contingency, recognized in current period, net of tax							223,000,000
Heartland Healthcare Services
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of states in which entity operates | state			4		4
Other Insurance Liabilities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Liability for unpaid claims			$ 243,000,000	$ 324,000,000	$ 243,000,000	324,000,000
Liability for future policy benefits			385,000,000	416,000,000	385,000,000	416,000,000
Other Long-Term Insurance Liabilities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Liability for unpaid claims			1,100,000,000	1,300,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,300,000,000
Liability for future policy benefits			5,000,000,000	5,100,000,000	$ 5,000,000,000	$ 5,100,000,000
Property and equipment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Office real estate optimization charges			$ 44,000,000
Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Period after date of service a claim is paid					6 months
Assumed interest rates on limited payment pension contracts on large case pension business (in hundredths)					3.00%	3.00%
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts					3.50%	3.50%
Award vesting period					3 years
Minimum | Buildings, building improvements and leasehold improvements
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property plant and equipment					1 year
Minimum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property plant and equipment					3 years
Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease renewal term					5 years
Period after date of service a claim is paid					48 months
Assumed interest rates on limited payment pension contracts on large case pension business (in hundredths)					11.30%	11.30%
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts					4.80%	4.80%
Award vesting period					5 years
Maximum | Buildings, building improvements and leasehold improvements
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property plant and equipment					40 years
Maximum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property plant and equipment					10 years
Retail/ LTC
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of retail locations (more than) | store			9,000		9,000
Number of walk-in medical clinics (more than) | clinic			1,100		1,100
Store impairment charges				$ 1,400,000,000		$ 1,400,000,000
Number of stores, planned closure | store				900		900
Goodwill impairment						$ 431,000,000
Retail/ LTC | Property and equipment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Store impairment charges				$ 261,000,000		261,000,000
Health Care Benefits
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of states in which the Company has entered the individual public health insurance exchange | state					8
Goodwill impairment						0
Health Care Benefits | Forecast
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Additional number of states in which the Company entered the individual public health insurance exchange | state	4
Health Insurance Product Line
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Premium deficiency reserve			$ 0	$ 16,000,000	$ 0	$ 16,000,000	$ 11,000,000