2.2.0.7 true Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) 40601 - Disclosure - Medical Costs and Medical Costs Payable (Narrative) (Details) true false In Millions false false 1 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 2 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 3 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 4 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ 1 0 na true na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false false false http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/taxonomy/role/disclosuremedicalcostsandmedicalcostspayableadditionalinformation false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false false 1 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 2 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 3 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 4 USD true false false false Prior Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_PriorFiscalYearMember unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ na No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 2 2 unh_NetFavorableMedicalCostDevelopment unh false debit duration Net favorable medical cost development false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 true true false false 80000000 80 false false false 2 true true false false 100000000 100 false false false 3 true true false false 660000000 660 false false false 4 true true false false 300000000 300 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Net favorable medical cost development No authoritative reference available. false 3 0 na true na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false false false http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/taxonomy/role/disclosuremedicalcostsandmedicalcostspayableadditionalinformation false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false false 5 USD true false false false First Half of Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_FirstHalfOf2010Member unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 6 USD true false false false First Half of Fiscal Year unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi unh_FirstHalfOf2010Member unh_DivisionOfStockIssuedAxis explicitMember Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ na No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 4 2 unh_NetFavorableMedicalCostDevelopment unh false debit duration Net favorable medical cost development false false false false false false false false false false false false 1 true true false false 150000000 150 false false false 2 true true false false 90000000 90 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Net favorable medical cost development No authoritative reference available. false 4 4 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true