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It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the Entity may deposit additional funds at any time and also effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Compensating balance arrangements that do not legally restrict the withdrawal or usage of cash amounts may be reported as Cash and Cash Equivalents, while legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or company statements of intention with regard to particular deposits should not be reported as cash and cash equivalents.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 7, 26 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 8, 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 7 -Footnote 1 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 1 -Article 5 falsefalse3false0bmy_CashAndCashEquivalentsMaintainedInForeignCurrenciesbmyfalsedebitinstantCash And Cash Equivalents Maintained In Foreign Currenciesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1 truefalsefalse607000000607falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3< /Id>falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5< IsNumeric>falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse9 falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse11fal sefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCash And Cash Equivalents Maintained In Foreign CurrenciesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_ShippingHandlingAndTransportationCostsus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00< CurrencySymbol />falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse11truefalsefalse6800000068falsefalsefalsetruefalse12truefalsefalse103000000103falsefalsefalsetruefalse13truefalsefalse135000000135falsefalsefalsetruefalse14truefalsefalse208000000208falsefalsefalsetruefalse15truefalsefalse262000000262falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCost incurred during the reporting period in transporting goods and services to customers. Includes freight-out costs.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 22 -Paragraph 8 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 00-10 -Paragraph 6 falsefalse5false0us-gaap_MinorityInterestus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse7500000075falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5truefalsefalse5800000058falsetruefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse9falsefalsefalse 00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTotal of all Stockholders' Equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors owners, and affiliates of the entity which is directly or indirectly attributable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 27 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 20 -Article 7 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 26 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 38 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph A3 -Appendix A falsefalse154ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue