Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Premiums	$ 158,453	$ 144,118	$ 127,163
Products	26,366	26,658	17,312
Services	15,317	13,236	11,922
Investment and other income	1,023	828	710
Total revenues	201,159	184,840	157,107
Operating costs:
Medical costs	130,036	117,038	103,875
Operating costs	29,557	28,401	24,312
Cost of products sold	24,112	24,416	16,206
Depreciation and amortization	2,245	2,055	1,693
Total operating costs	185,950	171,910	146,086
Earnings from operations	15,209	12,930	11,021
Interest expense	(1,186)	(1,067)	(790)
Earnings before income taxes	14,023	11,863	10,231
Provision for income taxes	(3,200)	(4,790)	(4,363)
Net earnings	10,823	7,073	5,868
Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(265)	(56)	(55)
Net earnings attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders	$ 10,558	$ 7,017	$ 5,813
Earnings per share attributable to UnitedHealth Group common shareholders:
Basic	$ 10.95	$ 7.37	$ 6.10
Diluted	$ 10.72	$ 7.25	$ 6.01
Basic weighted-average number of common shares outstanding	964	952	953
Dilutive effect of common share equivalents	21	16	14
Diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding	985	968	967
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from the calculation of dilutive effect of common share equivalents	5	3	8
Cash dividends declared per common share	$ 2.875	$ 2.375	$ 1.875