XML 73 R49.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

REVENUE RECOGNITION (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance, January 1, 2020 | $ 15 |  |
Provision for credit losses | 19 |  |
Write-offs of accounts receivable, net of recoveries | (6) |  |
Balance, December 31, 2020 | $ 28 | $ 15 |
Healthcare insurers: | Minimum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 30 days |  |
Healthcare insurers: | Maximum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 60 days |  |
Government payers |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 30 days |  |
Client payers | Minimum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 60 days |  |
Client payers | Maximum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 90 days |  |
Patients | Minimum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 30 days |  |
Patients | Maximum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 60 days |  |
DS | Minimum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 30 days |  |
DS | Maximum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Collection of consideration | 60 days |  |
DIS business |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 97.00% | 96.00% | 96.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 97.00% | 95.00% |
DIS business | Minimum |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 95.00% | 95.00% | 95.00%
DIS business | Healthcare insurers: |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 37.00% | 36.00% | 35.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 34.00% | 22.00% |
DIS business | Healthcare insurers: | Fee-for-service |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 34.00% | 33.00% | 32.00%
DIS business | Healthcare insurers: | Capitated |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 3.00% | 3.00% | 3.00%
DIS business | Government payers |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 11.00% | 15.00% | 16.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 6.00% | 11.00% |
DIS business | Client payers |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 38.00% | 32.00% | 32.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 46.00% | 42.00% |
DIS business | Patients |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 11.00% | 13.00% | 13.00%
Period of billing fully reserve | 210 days |  |
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 11.00% | 20.00% |
All other operating segments | DS |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of net revenues | 3.00% | 4.00% | 4.00%
Percentage of net accounts receivable | 3.00% | 5.00% |

X
- Definition Percentage of Net Accounts Receivable + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | dgx_PercentageofNetAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | dgx_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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 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 Amount of allowance for credit loss on accounts receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121611835&loc=d3e5074-111524 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599878&loc=SL82895884-210446 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) in allowance for credit loss on accounts receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivablePeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableRollforward
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of direct write-downs of accounts receivable charged against the allowance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_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: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=dgx_FeeforserviceMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_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: |