XML 50 R39.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.5.0.2

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) |  | 9 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 18, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of debt |  |  | $ 4,100,000,000 | $ 3,700,000,000 |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration, liability | $ 26,000,000 |  |  |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Fair value inputs, probability of occurrence | 5.00% |  |  |  |
Discount rate | 1.50% |  |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Fair value inputs, probability of occurrence | 95.00% |  |  |  |
Discount rate | 2.80% |  |  |  |
Summit Health, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration, liability |  |  |  |  | $ 0
Summit Health, Inc. [Member] | Other Operating (Income) Expense [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Fair value, gain |  | $ 13,000,000 |  |  |
Steward Health Care Systems, LLC [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Contingent consideration value high |  |  | $ 4,000,000 |  |

X
- Definition Fair value inputs, probability of occurrence + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | dgx_Fairvalueinputsprobabilityofoccurrence
Namespace Prefix: | dgx_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
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_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition For contingent consideration arrangements recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of liability recognized arising from contingent consideration in a business combination. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 35 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph b -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911338&loc=d3e6819-128478 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 25 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911189&loc=d3e6408-128476 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiability
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13476-108611 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (bbb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized on the income statement for financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=dgx_SummitHealthInc.Member
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: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=dgx_ContingentConsiderationMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=dgx_StewardHealthCareSystemsLLCMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |