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Contingencies (2003 and Subsequent NPM Adjustment Disputes - Continuing Disputes with Non-Signatory States other than New York) (Details) $ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($) state | Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) state | Nov. 30, 1998 state | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) state panel | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2014 state | Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) plantiff | Dec. 31, 2003 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($) | May 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  |  | $ (1,200) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earnings (loss) before income taxes |  |  |  |  | $ 2,091 | 1,883 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
All Non-Signatory States Excluding New York, Montana and New Mexico [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-signatory states, excluding New York, Montana and New Mexico | state |  |  |  |  | 19 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
RJR-Lorillard-ITG Transaction Case [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments for Legal Settlements, Incorrect Increase |  |  |  |  | $ 84 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 84 |  |  |  |
Florida State Settlement Agreement [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments for Legal Settlements, Incorrect Increase |  |  |  |  | 28 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  | (1,100) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states with settled litigation | state |  |  |  | 46 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  | (702) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states with settled litigation | plantiff |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24 |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Settlement agreement, liability reduction percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |
Loss contingency, number of states | state |  |  | 15 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states that did not diligently enforcing escrow statutes | state |  |  | 6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states diligently enforcing escrow statute | state |  |  | 9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (145) |  |  |
Estimate of possible interest income |  |  | $ 89 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain, not recorded |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 25 |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement interest expense (income) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (64) |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Indiana and Kentucky [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states with settled litigation | state |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement interest expense (income) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (17) |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico and Pennsylvania [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states that did not diligently enforcing escrow statutes | state |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible interest income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 66 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement interest expense (income) | $ (48) | $ (66) |  |  |  |  |  | $ (47) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | PENNSYLVANIA [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement interest expense (income) |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 13 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earnings (loss) before income taxes |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 42 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | MARYLAND [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of possible loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 12 |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | MISSOURI [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of possible interest loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7
Amount of possible loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12
Appeal bond posted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | NEW MEXICO [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of possible interest loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2 |  |
Amount of possible loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 3 |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (145) |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member] | Indiana and Kentucky [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (37) |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member] | Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico and Pennsylvania [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount | $ (79) | $ (108) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | PM USA [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member] | PENNSYLVANIA [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement, amount |  |  |  |  |  | $ 29 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2004-2015 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of possible interest loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7 |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2004 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | $ 388 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2005 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of arbitration panels | panel |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | $ 181 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2006 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 154 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2007 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 185 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2008 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 250 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2009 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 211 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2010 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 218 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2011 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 166 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2012 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 214 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2013 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 223 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2014 NPM Adjustment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 246 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2015 NPM Adjustments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | 292 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2016 NPM Adjustments [Member] [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible gain |  |  |  |  | $ 296 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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