Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Billions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2003 competitor pharmacy	Sep. 30, 2011 M manager platform case segment state Y store
Commitments and Contingencies
Guaranteed store leases		84
Number of adjudication platforms under investigation		2
Loss contingencies
Number of pharmacies filing putative action	2
Number of competitors against whom putative actions are filed	2
Number of cases filed by independent pharmacies that were transferred to Illinois federal court		1
Number of states participating in multi-state investigation		24
Minimum number of current and former assistant store managers to whom offer is made		13,000
Minimum number of current and former assistant store managers electing the offer		2,000
Lauriello Lawsuit
Loss contingencies
Lauriello lawsuit, amount sought in compensatory damages plus other non-specified damages		$ 3.2

Represents compensatory damages sought from the reporting entity in a lawsuit.

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- Definition

Represents the number of store leases guaranteed by the reporting entity.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the minimum number of current and former assistant store managers who have elected to participate in offer to "opt-in" to certain of the FLSA collective actions.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the minimum number of current and former assistant store managers to whom notice has been issued offering them the opportunity to "opt-in" to certain of the FLSA collective actions.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the number of adjudication platforms which are under investigation for allegations.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberOfAdjudicationPlatformsUnderInvestigation
Namespace Prefix:	cvs
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of cases filed by independent pharmacies that were transferred to federal court.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cvs
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of competitors against whom putative class action has been filed by independent pharmacies.

+ Details

Name:	cvs_NumberOfCompetitorsAgainstWhomPutativeActionsAreFiled
Namespace Prefix:	cvs
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of independent pharmacies which have filed putative class action against the reporting entity.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cvs
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of states participating in multi-state investigation under Federal Trade Commission Act.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cvs
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

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