DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES - Classification and Fair Value Amounts of Derivative Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2025	Dec. 31, 2024
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative asset, fair value	$ 3	$ 7
Total derivative instruments, liabilities	1,413	1,347
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative asset, fair value	3	7
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value	4	2
Derivative instruments designated as hedges \| Long-term debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, not subject to master netting arrangement, fair value	761	727
Derivative instruments designated as hedges \| Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, not subject to master netting arrangement, fair value		618
Derivative instruments designated as hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative asset, fair value	3	6
Derivative instruments designated as hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value	0	0
Undesignated derivative instruments \| Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, not subject to master netting arrangement, fair value	648
Undesignated derivative instruments \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative asset, fair value	0	1
Undesignated derivative instruments \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative liability, fair value	$ 4	$ 2

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480434/815-10-50-4B

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480434/815-10-50-4B

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 22
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483444/210-20-55-22

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483466/210-20-50-3

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483444/210-20-55-7

Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-SubTopic 20
-Topic 860
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481326/860-20-50-4D

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and elected not to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5C
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-13C(Column F))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477271/946-320-S99-5C

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5B
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-13B(Column E))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477271/946-320-S99-5B

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 22
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483444/210-20-55-22

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483466/210-20-50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossLiabilityIncludingNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (d)
-SubTopic 20
-Topic 210
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483466/210-20-50-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 22
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483444/210-20-55-22

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=bax_LongTermDebtAndLeaseObligationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=bax_LongTermDebtAndLeaseObligationCurrentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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