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Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) shares in Millions, people in Millions, member in Millions |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |
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Oct. 22, 2020 USD ($) | Jul. 01, 2019 USD ($) store | Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) store people Segment member clinic patient state shares | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) shares | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jan. 01, 2020 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Oct. 31, 2014 payment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of plan members | member |  |  |  |  | 105 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of patients served per year | patient |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of people served | people |  |  |  |  | 34 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reportable segments | Segment |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred acquisition costs |  |  |  |  | $ 546,000,000 | $ 271,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Depreciation |  |  |  |  | 2,100,000,000 | 1,900,000,000 | $ 1,700,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Store rationalization charges |  |  |  |  | 0 | 231,000,000 | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of long-lived assets |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 43,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill impairments |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 6,149,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Assumed interest rates on long-duration group life and long-term care contracts |  |  |  |  | 5.10% | 5.10% |  |  |  |  |  |
HSA balances |  |  |  |  | $ 2,700,000,000 | $ 2,200,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Self insurance liabilities |  |  |  |  | 927,000,000 | 856,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Retained earnings |  |  |  |  | $ (49,640,000,000) | (45,108,000,000) |  |  |  |  |  |
Pharmacy rebate period |  |  |  |  | 30 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health insurer fee |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000.0 | 0 | 157,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Advertising costs |  |  |  |  | $ 461,000,000 | $ 396,000,000 | 364,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
TCJA tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,500,000,000 |  |  |  |
Benefit of revaluation of net DTL due to TCJA |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Common stock, shares held in trust (in shares) | shares |  |  |  |  | 1 | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE, ownership percentage |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |
Initial contractual term |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of quarterly payments from VIE | payment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39
Proceeds from VIE |  |  |  |  | $ 183,000,000 | $ 183,000,000 | 183,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Expenses from transactions with related party |  |  |  |  | 56,000,000 | 32,000,000 | 45,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Other revenues from transactions with related party |  |  |  |  | 77,000,000 | 96,000,000 | 135,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Charitable contribution to CVS Health Foundation |  |  |  |  | 50,000,000 | 30,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax income recognized |  |  |  |  | 9,770,000,000 | 8,997,000,000 | 1,406,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ACA Risk Corridor Receivables [Member] | Settled Litigation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain contingency, unrecorded amount |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 313,000,000 |
Amount awarded from other party | $ 313,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Former gain contingency, recognized in current period, before tax |  |  |  |  | 307,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Former gain contingency, recognized in current period, net of tax |  |  |  |  | $ 223,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Heartland Healthcare Services |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states in which entity operates | state |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign currency translation adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cumulative translation adjustment from AOCI eliminated upon divestiture |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | (154,000,000) | 0 |  |  |  |  |
Other Insurance Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liability for unpaid claims |  |  |  |  | 532,000,000 | 704,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Future policy benefits |  |  |  |  | 462,000,000 | 508,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Other Long-Term Insurance Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liability for unpaid claims |  |  |  |  | 1,500,000,000 | 1,800,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Future policy benefits |  |  |  |  | $ 5,500,000,000 | $ 5,600,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [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) |  |  |  |  | 3.30% | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts |  |  |  |  | 4.10% | 3.50% |  |  |  |  |  |
Award vesting period |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Building, building improvements and leasehold improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  |  |  | 1 year |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Lease renewal term |  |  |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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% | 11.30% |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate for pension and annuity investment contracts |  |  |  |  | 5.10% | 5.20% |  |  |  |  |  |
Award vesting period |  |  |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Building, building improvements and leasehold improvements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  |  |  | 40 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum | Fixtures, equipment and internally developed software |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Useful life of property plant and equipment |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ASU 2016-13 | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Retained earnings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (3,000,000) |  |
Brazil Subsidiary | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Foreign currency translation adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cumulative translation adjustment from AOCI eliminated upon divestiture |  | $ 154,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Retail/ LTC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of stores | store |  |  |  |  | 9,900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of walk-in medical clinics | clinic |  |  |  |  | 1,100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Store rationalization charges |  |  | $ 96,000,000 | $ 135,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill impairments |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,149,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Retail/ LTC | Brazil Subsidiary | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of stores | store |  | 50 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Health Insurance Product Line |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Premium deficiency reserve |  |  |  |  | $ 11,000,000 | $ 4,000,000 | $ 16,000,000 |  |  |  |  |

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