CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Shares	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Bausch Health Companies Inc. Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		342,900,000.0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 6,029	$ 9,897	$ 305	$ (2,750)	$ (1,542)	$ 5,910	$ 119
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans (in shares)		4,900,000.0
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans	33	$ 141	(108)			33
Share-based compensation	165		165			165
Employee withholding taxes related to share-based awards	(11)		(11)			(11)
Noncontrolling interest distributions	(9)						(9)
Net (loss) income	(2,408)			(2,409)		(2,409)	1
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(571)				(566)	(566)	(5)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		347,800,000.0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	3,258	$ 10,038	351	(5,129)	(2,108)	3,152	106
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans (in shares)		900,000.0
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans		$ 52	(52)
Share-based compensation	87		87			87
Employee withholding taxes related to share-based awards	(4)		(4)			(4)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(9)		(2)		(1)	(3)	(6)
Noncontrolling interest distributions	(9)						(9)
Net (loss) income	2,404			2,404		2,404
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ 217				213	213	4
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	348,708,567	348,700,000.0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 5,944	$ 10,090	380	(2,725)	(1,896)	5,849	95
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans (in shares)		1,200,000.0
Common shares issued under share-based compensation plans	2	$ 31	(29)			2
Share-based compensation	87		87			87
Employee withholding taxes related to share-based awards	(10)		(10)			(10)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(18)		(15)		0	(15)	(3)
Noncontrolling interest distributions	(11)						(11)
Net (loss) income	(4,144)			(4,148)		(4,148)	4
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (244)				(241)	(241)	(3)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	349,871,102	349,900,000.0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 2,815	$ 10,121	$ 413	$ (5,664)	$ (2,137)	$ 2,733	$ 82