BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	9 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	The accompanying interim consolidated condensed financial statements and related disclosures have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in Edwards Lifesciences Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP") have been condensed or omitted. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates. In particular, the novel Coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic has adversely impacted and is likely to further adversely impact nearly all aspects of our business and markets, including our workforce and the operations of our customers, suppliers, and business partners. The full extent to which the pandemic will directly or indirectly impact the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition, including sales, expenses, manufacturing, clinical trials, research and development costs, reserves and allowances, fair value measurements, asset impairment charges, contingent consideration obligations, and the effectiveness of the Company's hedging instruments, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and difficult to predict. These developments include, but are not limited to, the duration and spread of the outbreak, its severity, the actions to contain the virus or address its impact, U.S. and foreign government actions to respond to the reduction in global economic activity, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. In the opinion of management, the interim consolidated condensed financial statements reflect all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the interim periods. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full year.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards	Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an amendment to the accounting guidance on cloud computing service arrangements. The guidance aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The guidance also requires an entity to expense the capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract over the term of the hosting arrangement. The guidance was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance on fair value measurements. The guidance modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements, including the removal of disclosures of the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the policy for timing of transfers between levels, and the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. The guidance also adds certain disclosure requirements related to Level 3 fair value measurements. The guidance was effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued an amendment to the guidance on the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The amendment updates the guidance for measuring and recording credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost by replacing the “incurred loss” model with an “expected loss” model. Accordingly, these financial assets will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The amendment also requires that credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities be recorded as an allowance through net income rather than reducing the carrying amount under the current, other-than-temporary-impairment model. The guidance was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.