2.2.0.25falsefalse40903 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Reconciliation of the tax provision at the U.S. Federal Statutory Rate) (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000731766duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_20092http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000731766duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20082http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000731766duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0unh_IncomeTaxesAbstractunhfalsenadurationIncome Taxes [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringIncome Taxes [Abstract]falsefalse3false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRateus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse25840000002584falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse20330000002033falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse16180000001618falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of income tax expense (benefit) for the period computed by applying the domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 47
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Subparagraph 2
-Article 4
falsefalse4false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxesus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse129000000129falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse6600000066falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse106000000106falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe portion of the difference, between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to state and local income tax expense (benefit).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Subparagraph 1
-Article 4
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxSettlementsStateAndLocalus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse-3000000-3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-40000000-40falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-12000000-12falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe portion of the difference between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to state and local income tax settlements for the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxExemptIncomeus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse-65000000-65falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-70000000-70falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-69000000-69falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe portion of the difference between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to income that is exempt from income taxes under enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse6400000064falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe sum of the differences between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to nondeductible expenses under enacted tax laws, or differences in the methodologies used to determine expense amounts for financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustmentsus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse4000000040falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-3000000-3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse40000004falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe portion of the difference, between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement for the year/accounting period and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse27490000002749falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19860000001986falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse16470000001647falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe sum of the current income tax expense (benefit) and the deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Article 4
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph a, b
truefalse10false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate shall be the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 47
falsefalse11false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxesus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0170.017falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0110.011falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0220.022falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the state and local income tax expense (benefit), net of the federal tax benefit (expense) thereon, recorded during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse12false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxSettlementsStateAndLocalus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.007-0.007falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse-0.002-0.002falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to state and local income tax settlements during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse13false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxExemptIncomeus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse-0.009-0.009falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.012-0.012falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse-0.015-0.015falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to income that is exempt from income taxes under enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse14false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.0090.009falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe sum of the differences between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all nondeductible expenses under enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse15false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustmentsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0050.005falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0010.001falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse16false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalselabel1truetruefalse0.3720.372falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.3420.342falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.3560.356falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureA ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 47
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Subparagraph 2
-Article 4
falsefalse315Income Taxes (Reconciliation of the tax provision at the U.S. Federal Statutory Rate) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
