XML 58 R47.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.5.0.2

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Summary of Notional Amounts) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 9 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
4.75% Senior Notes due January 2020 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.75% |
Debt instrument, maturity date | Jan. 30, 2020 |
4.70% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.70% |
Debt instrument, maturity date | Apr. 01, 2021 |
4.25% Senior Notes due April 2024 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 4.25% |
Debt instrument, maturity date | Apr. 01, 2024 |
4.25% Senior Notes due April 2024 [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate | 3.02% |
3.50% Senior Notes due March 2025 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 3.50% |
Debt instrument, maturity date | Mar. 30, 2025 |
3.50% Senior Notes due March 2025 [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate | 2.24% |
3.50% Senior Notes due March 2025 [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate | 2.28% |
3.45% Senior Notes due June 2026 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Debt instrument, interest rate | 3.45% |
Debt instrument, maturity date | Jun. 30, 2026 |
3.45% Senior Notes due June 2026 [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate | 2.15% |
Fair Value Hedging [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | $ 1,200 | $ 1,200
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate |  | 1.40%
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | One-Month LIBOR [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Floating Rate |  | 3.60%
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | 4.75% Senior Notes due January 2020 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | 0 | $ 350
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | 4.70% Senior Notes due April 2021 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | 0 | 400
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | 4.25% Senior Notes due April 2024 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | 250 | 250
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | 3.50% Senior Notes due March 2025 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | 600 | 200
Fair Value Hedging [Member] | 3.45% Senior Notes due June 2026 [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional Amount | $ 350 | $ 0

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 Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Stated rate on an interest rate forward or futures contract. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeForwardInterestRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dgx_FourPointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2020Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dgx_FourPointSevenZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueApril2021Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dgx_FourpointtwofivepercentSeniorNotesDue2024Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=dgx_OneMonthLondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dgx_ThreePointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesdueMarch2025Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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_DebtInstrumentAxis=dgx_ThreePointFourFivePercentSeniorNotesdueJune2026Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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