2.2.0.7trueMedicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract (Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Amounts of Medicare Part D Program) (Details) (USD $)40401 - Disclosure - Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Contract (Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Amounts of Medicare Part D Program) (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalsefalse1USDfalsefalseUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit13Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0$false2USDfalsefalseUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit13Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0$22us-gaap_OtherReceivablesus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truetruefalsefalse17080000001708falsefalsefalse2truetruefalsefalse18380000001838falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amounts due as of the balance sheet date from parties or arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 8
-Article 5
false32us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFundsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabelfalse1falsetruefalsefalse40740000004074falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalsefalse31370000003137falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryLiability as of the balance sheet date to the policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts that were not separately reported.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 14
-Article 7
false40natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurecondensedconsolidatedbalancesheetsamountsofmedicarepartdprogramfalse1falsefalsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalse3USDtruefalsefalsefalseCMS Subsidiesus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiunh_CMSSubsidiesMemberus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170$false4USDtruefalsefalsefalseCMS Subsidiesus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiunh_CMSSubsidiesMemberus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170$naNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.false52us-gaap_OtherReceivablesus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsetruefalsefalse00[1]falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalsefalse271000000271[1]falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amounts due as of the balance sheet date from parties or arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 8
-Article 5
false62us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFundsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabelfalse1falsetruefalsefalse544000000544[1]falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalsefalse00[1]falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryLiability as of the balance sheet date to the policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts that were not separately reported.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 14
-Article 7
false70natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurecondensedconsolidatedbalancesheetsamountsofmedicarepartdprogramfalse1falsefalsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalse5USDtruefalsefalsefalseRisk-shareus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiunh_RiskShareMemberus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170$false6USDtruefalsefalsefalseRisk-shareus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiunh_RiskShareMemberus-gaap_SupplementaryInsuranceInformationSegmentNameAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170$naNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.false82us-gaap_OtherReceivablesus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsetruefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amounts due as of the balance sheet date from parties or arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 8
-Article 5
false92us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFundsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabelfalse1truetruefalsefalse353000000353falsefalsefalse2truetruefalsefalse268000000268falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryLiability as of the balance sheet date to the policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts that were not separately reported.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 14
-Article 7
false1Includes the Catastrophic Reinsurance Subsidy and the Low-Income Member Cost Sharing Subsidy. 28falseMillionsUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue