XML 71 R51.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1

REVENUE RECOGNITION (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Change in estimate, revenue and receivables	$ 35
Percentage of net revenues		100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Healthcare Insurers [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		30 days
Healthcare Insurers [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		60 days
Government Payers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		30 days
Client Payers [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		60 days
Client Payers [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		90 days
Patient [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		30 days
Patient [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		60 days
DS Businesses [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		30 days
DS Businesses [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Collection of consideration		60 days
DIS business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues from the DIS business		95.00%	95.00%	95.00%
Percentage of net revenues		96.00%	96.00%	95.00%
DIS business [Member] | Healthcare Insurers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		35.00%	37.00%	38.00%
DIS business [Member] | Healthcare Insurers [Member] | Fee-for-service [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		32.00%	34.00%	34.00%
DIS business [Member] | Healthcare Insurers [Member] | Capitated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		3.00%	3.00%	4.00%
DIS business [Member] | Government Payers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		16.00%	17.00%	17.00%
DIS business [Member] | Client Payers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		32.00%	30.00%	29.00%
DIS business [Member] | Patient [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Period of billing fully reserve		210 days
Percentage of net revenues		13.00%	12.00%	11.00%
All other operating segments [Member] | DS Businesses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net revenues		4.00%	4.00%	5.00%

X

- Definition

Change in estimate, Revenue and Receivables

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dgx_ChangeinestimateRevenueandReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	dgx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage of Net Revenues

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dgx_PercentageofNetRevenues
Namespace Prefix:	dgx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage of Net Revenues from Diagnostic Information Services Business

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dgx_PercentageofNetRevenuesfromDiagnosticInformationServicesBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	dgx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Period of Billing Fully Reserve

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dgx_PeriodofBillingFullyReserve
Namespace Prefix:	dgx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Revenue, Collection of Consideration Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dgx_RevenueCollectionofConsiderationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	dgx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=dgx_HealthcareInsurersMember
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_SubsegmentsAxis=dgx_GovernmentPayersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=dgx_ClientPayersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=dgx_PatientMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsegmentsAxis=dgx_DSBusinessesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=dgx_DiagnosticInformationServicesBusinessMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=dgx_FeeforserviceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=dgx_CapitatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: