XML 15 R46.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.0.814

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 18 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 15, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2014
To be Retired in Q1 and Q2 2015 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, face amount |  | $ 1,300 |  |  |  |  |
Forward Starting Interest Rate Swaps [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on derivatives |  |  |  | $ (17) |  |  |
Treasury Lock [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on derivatives | $ 3 |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount of interest rate derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 150
Accumulated net loss from designated or qualifying cash flow hedges |  |  | $ 12 |  |  | $ 15 |
Net amount of deferred gains and losses on cash flow hedges that is expected to be reclassified within the next 12 months |  |  | $ 3 |  |  |  |
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Treasury Lock [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount of interest rate derivatives |  |  |  |  | $ 350 |  |
Economic Hedges [Member] | Reverse Treasury Locks [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notional amount of interest rate derivatives |  |  |  |  | $ 280 |  |
Economic Hedges [Member] | Reverse Treasury Locks [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Operating (Income) Expense [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on derivative |  | $ 3 |  |  |  |  |

X
- Definition Total gain or loss, net of tax expense or benefit recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) resulting from gains and losses from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges. A cash flow hedge is a hedge of the exposure to variability in the cash flows of a recognized asset or liability or a forecasted transaction that is attributable to a particular risk. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | dgx_AccumulatedNetGainLossfromDesignatedorQualifyingCashFlowHedges
Namespace Prefix: | dgx_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 12 -Section 13 -Sentence Column B + Details
Name: | invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix: | invest_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The estimated net amount of existing gains or losses on cash flow hedges at the reporting date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12 months. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736893&loc=d3e80748-113994 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 55 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of realized and unrealized gain of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4C -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGain
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of unrealized gain (loss) related to the increase or decrease in fair value of interest rate derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments, which was recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income to the extent that the cash flow hedge was determined to be effective. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4C -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgesPretaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | dgx_TriggeringEventAxis=dgx_TobeRetiredinQ1andQ22015Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=dgx_ForwardStartingInterestRateSwapsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=us-gaap_TreasuryLockMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=dgx_EconomicHedgesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=dgx_ReverseTreasuryLocksMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |