Significant Accounting Policies - Adjustments Resulting From Applying New Accounting Standard (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs	$ 21,782		$ 17,490		$ 42,230	$ 35,413
Operating expenses	9,873		9,187		19,453	18,511
Total operating costs	85,687		75,967		167,519	149,248
Operating income	3,234		4,669		6,680	8,214
Income before income tax provision	2,570		4,129		5,449	7,130
Income tax provision	656		1,090		1,393	1,736
Net income	1,914	$ 2,142	3,039	$ 2,355	4,056	5,394
Net income attributable to CVS Health	$ 1,901		$ 3,029		$ 4,037	$ 5,383
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.48		$ 2.31		$ 3.15	$ 4.10
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.48		$ 2.29		$ 3.13	$ 4.06
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet:
Other current assets	$ 3,412				$ 3,412		$ 2,636
Total current assets	67,756				67,756		65,633
Intangible assets, net	30,118				30,118		24,803
Total assets	250,071				250,071		228,275
Health care costs payable	11,998				11,998		10,142
Other insurance liabilities	4,866				4,866		1,089
Total current liabilities	79,206				79,206		69,421
Deferred income taxes	4,588				4,588		4,016
Other long-term insurance liabilities	5,659				5,659		5,835
Other long-term liabilities	6,321				6,321		6,730
Total liabilities	177,069				177,069		156,506
Retained earnings	58,868				58,868		56,398
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(858)				(858)		(1,264)
Total CVS Health shareholders’ equity	72,726				72,726		71,469
Total shareholders’ equity	73,002	$ 71,580	$ 75,736	$ 74,034	73,002	$ 75,736	71,769	$ 75,381
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$ 250,071				250,071		228,275
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows:
Depreciation and amortization					2,105	2,131
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items					87	(246)
Other assets					(913)	(286)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities					4,334	1,286
Other liabilities					$ 2,492	901
As Reported
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs			17,606			35,557
Operating expenses			9,171			18,522
Total operating costs			76,067			149,403
Operating income			4,569			8,059
Income before income tax provision			4,029			6,975
Income tax provision			1,068			1,701
Net income			2,961			5,274
Net income attributable to CVS Health			$ 2,951			$ 5,263
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)			$ 2.25			$ 4.01
Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 2.23			$ 3.97
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						$ 2,142
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items						(281)
Other assets						(325)
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities						1,467
Other liabilities						903
Adjustments
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations:
Health care costs			$ (116)			(144)
Operating expenses			16			(11)
Total operating costs			(100)			(155)
Operating income			100			155
Income before income tax provision			100			155
Income tax provision			22			35
Net income			78			120
Net income attributable to CVS Health			$ 78			$ 120
Net income per share attributable to CVS Health:
Basic (in dollars per share)			$ 0.06			$ 0.09
Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 0.06			$ 0.09
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						$ (11)
Deferred income taxes and other noncash items						35
Other assets						39
Health care costs payable and other insurance liabilities						(181)
Other liabilities						$ (2)