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Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) shares in Millions, person in Millions, patient in Millions, memeber in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
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Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) clinic memeber store state person patient shares | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) clinic memeber store Segment state person patient shares | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) store shares | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) payment | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2017 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre TCJA Effective Tax Rate |  |  |  |  | 0.35 |  |  |  |  |
TCJA Effective Tax Rate |  |  |  | 21.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of stores (more than) | store | 9,900 |  | 9,900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of walk-in medical clinics | clinic | 1,100 |  | 1,100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of plan members | memeber | 92 |  | 92 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of patients served per year | patient | 1 |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of people served | person | 38 |  | 38 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reportable segments | Segment |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted cash (included in other assets) | $ 230,000,000 |  | $ 230,000,000 | $ 190,000,000 | $ 149,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Restricted cash (included in other current assets) | 6,000,000 |  | 6,000,000 | 14,000,000 | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Deferred acquisition costs | $ 22,000,000 |  | 22,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Depreciation |  |  | 1,700,000,000 | 1,700,000,000 | 1,700,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of intangible assets, finite-lived |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Assumed interest rates on long-duration group life and long-term care contracts | 5.10% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Add: Premium deficiency reserve | $ 16,000,000 |  | 16,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Policyholder funds | 2,100,000,000 |  | 2,100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Self insurance liabilities | 865,000,000 |  | 865,000,000 | $ 696,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of stores closed | store |  |  |  | 71 |  |  |  |  |  |
Restructuring charges |  |  |  | $ 215,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease obligation, long-term portion | 269,000,000 |  | $ 269,000,000 | 306,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage |  | 73.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchase of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  | 39,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Pharmacy rebate period |  |  | 30 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health insurer fee |  |  | $ 157,000,000 | 0 | 56,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Expected future health insurer fee |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Advertising costs |  |  | 364,000,000 | 230,000,000 | $ 216,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Remeasured DTA under TCJA | $ 100,000,000 |  | $ 100,000,000 | $ 1,500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Common stock, shares held in trust | shares | 1 |  | 1 | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE, ownership percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |
Number of quarterly payments from VIE | payment |  |  |  |  | 39 |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from VIE |  |  | $ 183,000,000 | $ 183,000,000 | $ 163,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Expenses from transactions with related party |  |  | 45,000,000 | 35,000,000 | 39,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Other revenues from transactions with related party |  |  | 135,000,000 | 139,000,000 | $ 140,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Adoption of new accounting standards (Note 1) | $ 13,000,000 |  | 13,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets | 196,456,000,000 |  | 196,456,000,000 | 95,131,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Total liabilities | $ 137,913,000,000 |  | $ 137,913,000,000 | $ 57,436,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Heartland Healthcare Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states in which entity operates | state | 4 |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Adoption of new accounting standards (Note 1) | $ 7,000,000 |  | $ 7,000,000 |  |  |  |  | $ 7,000,000 | $ 0 | $ 0
Pharmacy and clinic businesses of Target |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Consideration transferred in acquisition |  | $ 1,900,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration from acquisition |  | $ 60,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration period from acquisition |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other Insurance Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liability for unpaid claims | 816,000,000 |  | 816,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Future policy benefits | 536,000,000 |  | 536,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other Long-Term Insurance Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liability for unpaid claims | 1,900,000,000 |  | 1,900,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Future policy benefits | $ 6,200,000,000 |  | $ 6,200,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period after date of service a claim is paid |  |  | 6 months |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assumed interest rates on limited payment pension contracts on large case pension business (in hundredths) | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Share-based compensation arrangement, requisite service period |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Building, building improvements and leasehold improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period after date of service a claim is paid |  |  | 48 months |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assumed interest rates on limited payment pension contracts on large case pension business (in hundredths) | 11.30% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts | 13.40% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Share-based compensation arrangement, requisite service period |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Building, building improvements and leasehold improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  | 40 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Retail/LTC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of stores (more than) | store | 9,900 |  | 9,900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event | ASU 2016-02 | Forecast |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 20,000,000,000 |  |  |
Total liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 20,000,000,000 |  |  |

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