Significant Accounting Policies - Adjustments Resulting From Applying New Accounting Standard (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Benefit costs	$ 20,448	$ 17,923
Operating expenses	9,580	9,324
Total operating costs	81,832	73,281
Operating income	3,446	3,545
Income before income tax provision	2,879	3,001
Income tax provision	737	646
Net income	2,142	2,355
Net income attributable to CVS Health	$ 2,136	$ 2,354
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.66	$ 1.79
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.65	$ 1.77
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets	$ 3,767		$ 2,636
Total current assets	68,706		65,633
Intangible assets, net	26,368		24,803
Total assets	239,330		228,275
Health care costs payable	10,895		10,142
Other insurance liabilities	4,974		1,089
Total current liabilities	75,054		69,421
Deferred income taxes	4,095		4,016
Other long-term insurance liabilities	5,678		5,835
Other long-term liabilities	6,671		6,730
Total liabilities	167,750		156,506
Retained earnings	57,753		56,398
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(875)		(1,264)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	71,382		71,469
Total shareholders’ equity	71,580	$ 74,034	71,769	$ 75,381
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	239,330		228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization	1,001	1,049
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items	155	(175)
Other assets	(1,255)	(348)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities	4,382	1,430
Other liabilities	$ 2,036	(444)
As Reported
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Benefit costs		17,951
Operating expenses		9,351
Total operating costs		73,336
Operating income		3,490
Income before income tax provision		2,946
Income tax provision		633
Net income		2,313
Net income attributable to CVS Health		$ 2,312
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 1.76
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 1.74
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets			2,685
Total current assets			65,682
Intangible assets, net			24,754
Total assets			228,275
Health care costs payable			10,406
Other insurance liabilities			1,140
Total current liabilities			69,736
Deferred income taxes			3,880
Other long-term insurance liabilities			6,108
Other long-term liabilities			6,732
Total liabilities			156,960
Retained earnings			56,145
Accumulated other comprehensive loss			(1,465)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity			71,015
Total shareholders’ equity			71,315
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity			228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization		$ 1,055
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items		(187)
Other assets		(352)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities		1,478
Other liabilities		(440)
Adjustments
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Benefit costs		(28)
Operating expenses		(27)
Total operating costs		(55)
Operating income		55
Income before income tax provision		55
Income tax provision		13
Net income		42
Net income attributable to CVS Health		$ 42
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.03
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.03
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets			(49)
Total current assets			(49)
Intangible assets, net			49
Total assets			0
Health care costs payable			(264)
Other insurance liabilities			(51)
Total current liabilities			(315)
Deferred income taxes			136
Other long-term insurance liabilities			(273)
Other long-term liabilities			(2)
Total liabilities			(454)
Retained earnings			253
Accumulated other comprehensive loss			201
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity			454
Total shareholders’ equity			454
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity			$ 0
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization		$ (6)
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items		12
Other assets		4
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities		(48)
Other liabilities		$ (4)