Boston Scientific (BSX) 10-K 24 Feb 16 2015 FY Annual report Financial data

Document and Entity Information

Document and Entity Information Document - USD ($) $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Jan. 29, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Entity Central Index Key	885,725
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-K
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2015
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2,015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		1,348,346,253
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 23.5

Consolidated Statements of Oper

Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Net sales	$ 7,477	$ 7,380	$ 7,143
Cost of products sold	2,173	2,210	2,174
Gross profit	5,304	5,170	4,969
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2,873	2,902	2,674
Research and development expenses	876	817	861
Royalty expense	70	111	140
Amortization expense	495	438	410
Goodwill impairment charges	0	0	423
Intangible asset impairment charges	19	195	53
Contingent consideration expense (benefit)	123	(85)	4
Restructuring charges	26	69	101
Litigation-related charges	1,105	1,036	221
Pension termination charges	44	0	0
Gain on divestiture	0	(12)	(38)
Operating expenses	5,631	5,471	4,849
Operating income (loss)	(327)	(301)	120
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(284)	(216)	(324)
Other, net	(39)	8	(19)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(650)	(509)	(223)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(411)	(390)	(102)
Net income (loss)	$ (239)	$ (119)	$ (121)
Net income (loss) per common share — basic	$ (0.18)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.09)
Net income (loss) per common share — assuming dilution	$ (0.18)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.09)
Weighted-average shares outstanding
Basic	1,341.2	1,324.3	1,341.2
Assuming dilution	1,341.2	1,324.3	1,341.2

Consolidated Statements of Comp

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Net income (loss)	$ (239)	$ (119)	$ (121)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(16)	(22)	10
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, net of tax	(67)	78	107
Net change in unrealized costs associated with certain retirement plans	27	(18)	22
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(56)	38	139
Total comprehensive income (loss)	$ (295)	$ (81)	$ 18

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 319	$ 587
Trade accounts receivable, net	1,275	1,183
Inventories	1,016	946
Deferred and prepaid income taxes	496	447
Other current assets	365	443
Total current assets	3,471	3,606
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,490	1,507
Goodwill	6,473	5,898
Other intangible assets, net	6,194	5,606
Other long-term assets	505	407
TOTAL ASSETS	18,133	17,024
Current liabilities:
Current debt obligations	3	403
Accounts payable	209	262
Accrued expenses	1,970	1,950
Other current liabilities	248	231
Total current liabilities	2,430	2,846
Long-term debt	5,674	3,841
Deferred income taxes	735	1,214
Other long-term liabilities	$ 2,974	$ 2,666
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value - authorized 50,000,000 shares, none issued and outstanding
Common stock, $0.01 par value - authorized 2,000,000,000 shares; issued 1,594,213,786 shares as of December 31, 2015 and 1,575,018,236 shares as of December 31, 2014	$ 16	$ 16
Treasury stock, at cost - 247,566,270 shares as of December 31, 2015 and 247,566,270 shares as of December 31, 2014	(1,717)	(1,717)
Additional paid-in capital	16,860	16,703
Accumulated deficit	(8,927)	(8,689)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(54)	(38)
Unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments	152	219
Unrealized costs associated with certain retirement plans	(10)	(37)
Total stockholders’ equity	6,320	6,457
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 18,133	$ 17,024

Consolidated Balance Sheet Para

Consolidated Balance Sheet Paranthetical - $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	1,594,213,786	1,575,018,236
Common stock, shares outstanding	1,346,647,516	1,327,451,966
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Treasury shares	247,566,270	247,566,270

Consolidated Statements of Stoc

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012		$ 15	$ (1,092)	$ 16,429	$ (8,449)	$ (33)
Balance (Shares) at Dec. 31, 2012		1,542,347,188
Net income (loss)	$ (121)				(121)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Foreign currency translation adjustment	10					10
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, net of tax	107					107
Net change in unrealized costs associated with certain retirement plans	22					22
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax (Shares)		17,955,446
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 1
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax				150
Acquisition of treasury stock			(500)
Balance (Shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		1,560,302,634
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013		$ 16	(1,592)	16,579	(8,570)	106
Net income (loss)	(119)				(119)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(22)					(22)
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, net of tax	78					78
Net change in unrealized costs associated with certain retirement plans	$ (18)					(18)
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax (Shares)		14,715,602
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 0
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax				124
Acquisition of treasury stock			(125)
Balance (Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	1,575,018,236	1,575,018,236
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 6,457	$ 16	(1,717)	16,703	(8,689)	144
Net income (loss)	(239)				(239)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(16)					(16)
Net change in unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, net of tax	(67)					(67)
Net change in unrealized costs associated with certain retirement plans	$ 27					27
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax (Shares)		19,195,550
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 0
Impact of stock-based compensation plans, net of tax				157
ProfitLossDueToRounding					1
Acquisition of treasury stock			0
Balance (Shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	1,594,213,786	1,594,213,786
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 6,320	$ 16	$ (1,717)	$ 16,860	$ (8,927)	$ 88

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Net income (loss)	$ (239)	$ (119)	$ (121)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to cash provided by operating activities
Gain on sale of businesses	0	(12)	(38)
Depreciation and amortization	769	725	689
Deferred and prepaid income taxes	(532)	(397)	(223)
Stock-based compensation expense	107	103	105
Goodwill impairment charges	0	0	423
Intangible asset impairment charges	19	195	53
Net losses (gains) on investments and notes receivable	9	(27)	9
Contingent consideration expense (benefit)	123	(85)	4
Payment of contingent consideration in excess of amounts established in purchase accounting	(57)	(103)	(5)
Pension termination charges	44	0	0
Inventory step-up amortization	36	9	0
Other, net	41	18	31
Increase (decrease) in cash flows from operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	(17)	53	(101)
Inventories	3	(81)	(7)
Other assets	(23)	(33)	91
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(20)	620	(9)
Other liabilities	337	403	209
Cash provided by operating activities	600	1,269	1,110
Investing Activities
Purchases of property, plant and equipment	(247)	(259)	(245)
Proceeds on disposals of property, plant and equipment	0	0	53
Payments for acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired	(1,734)	(486)	(274)
Proceeds from business divestitures, net of costs	0	12	30
Payments for investments and acquisitions of certain technologies	(266)	(26)	(44)
Proceeds from investments and collections of notes receivable	61	14	5
Cash used for investing activities	(2,186)	(745)	(475)
Financing Activities
Payments of contingent consideration amounts previously established in purchase accounting	(156)	(34)	(160)
Proceeds from long-term borrowings, net of debt issuance costs	2,580	0	1,440
Payments on long-term borrowings	(1,150)	0	(1,450)
Proceeds from borrowings on credit facilities	565	810	340
Payments on borrowings from credit facilities	(565)	(810)	(340)
Payments for acquisitions of treasury stock	0	(125)	(500)
Cash used to net share settle employee equity awards	(66)	(51)	(28)
Proceeds from issuances of shares of common stock	114	60	74
Cash provided by (used for) financing activities	1,322	(150)	(624)
Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash	(4)	(4)	(1)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(268)	370	10
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	587	217	207
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	319	587	217
Supplemental Information
Cash paid for income taxes, net	80	74	67
Cash paid for interest	$ 283	221	329
Fair value of contingent consideration recorded in purchase accounting		$ 3	$ 0

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Principles of Consolidation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Boston Scientific Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries, after the elimination of intercompany transactions. We assess the terms of our investment interests to determine if any of our investees meet the definition of a variable interest entity (VIE) . For any VIEs, we perform an analysis to determine whether our variable interests give us a controlling financial interest in a VIE. The analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the enterprise that has both 1) the power to direct activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and 2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity. Based on our assessments under the applicable guidance, we did not have controlling financial or operating interests in any VIEs and therefore did not consolidate any VIEs during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . On January 3, 2011, we closed the sale of our Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation (Stryker). Due to our continuing involvement in the operations of the Neurovascular business following the divestiture, the divestiture did not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation and, therefore, the results of the Neurovascular business are included in our results of operations for all periods presented. Refer to Note C – Divestitures for a description of this business divestiture. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Boston Scientific Corporation have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-K and Regulation S-X. Additionally, certain prior year balances related to debt issuance costs have been restated to reflect our adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs . Amounts reclassified from other long-term assets to long-term debt were not material. Refer to Note Q - New Accounting Pronouncements for additional information on our adoption of the accounting pronouncement. Subsequent Events We evaluate events occurring after the date of our accompanying consolidated balance sheets for potential recognition or disclosure in our financial statements. On January 29, 2016, following a ruling by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals related to litigation with Mirowski Family Ventures LLC, we increased our accrual related to this matter. This is considered a material recognized subsequent event and has been reflected appropriately in our accompanying consolidated financial statements. See Note K – Commitments and Contingencies for further details. In addition, those items requiring disclosure (unrecognized subsequent events) in the financial statements have been disclosed accordingly. See Note K– Commitments and Contingencies for further details. Accounting Estimates To prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, management makes estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of our financial statements and the reported amounts of our revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Our actual results may differ from these estimates. Refer to Critical Accounting Estimates included in Item 7 of this Annual Report for further discussion. Cash and Cash Equivalents We record cash and cash equivalents in our consolidated balance sheets at cost, which approximates fair value. Our policy is to invest excess cash in short-term marketable securities earning a market rate of interest without assuming undue risk to principal, and we limit our direct exposure to securities in any one industry or issuer. We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with a remaining maturity of three months or less at the time of acquisition to be cash equivalents. We record available-for-sale investments at fair value and exclude unrealized gains and temporary losses on available-for-sale securities from earnings, reporting such gains and losses, net of tax, as a separate component of stockholders’ equity, until realized. We compute realized gains and losses on sales of available-for-sale securities based on the average cost method, adjusted for any other-than-temporary declines in fair value. We held no available-for-sale securities during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . Concentrations of Credit Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial instrument contracts and accounts and notes receivable. Our investment policy limits exposure to concentrations of credit risk and changes in market conditions. Counterparties to financial instruments expose us to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance. We transact our financial instruments with a diversified group of major financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings and actively monitor their credit ratings and our outstanding positions to limit our credit exposure. We provide credit, in the normal course of business, to hospitals, healthcare agencies, clinics, doctors' offices and other private and governmental institutions and generally do not require collateral. We record our accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets at net realizable value. We perform on-going credit evaluations of our customers and maintain allowances for potential credit losses, based on historical information and management's best estimates. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against this reserve. We recorded write-offs of uncollectible accounts receivable of $16 million in 2015 , $15 million in 2014 , and $12 million in 2013 . We are not dependent on any single institution and no single customer accounted for more than ten percent of our net sales in 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 or accounts receivable at December 31, 2015 or 2014 ; however, large group purchasing organizations, hospital networks and other buying groups have become increasingly important to our business and represent a substantial portion of our U.S. net sales. We closely monitor outstanding receivables for potential collection risks, including those that may arise from economic conditions, in both the U.S. and international economies. Our European sales to government-owned or supported customers in Southern Europe, specifically Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are subject to an increased number of days outstanding relative to other countries prior to payment. Historically, receivable balances with certain publicly-owned hospitals in these countries accumulate over a period of time and are then subsequently settled as large lump sum payments. While we believe our allowance for doubtful accounts in these countries is adequate as of December 31, 2015 , if significant changes were to occur in the payment practices of these European governments or if government funding becomes unavailable, we may not be able to collect on receivables due to us from these customers and our write-offs of uncollectible amounts may increase. Revenue Recognition We generate revenue primarily from the sale of single-use medical devices, and present revenue net of sales taxes in our consolidated statements of operations. We sell our products primarily through a direct sales force. In certain international markets, we sell our products through independent distributors. We consider revenue to be realized or realizable and earned when all of the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists; delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; the price is fixed or determinable; and collectibility is reasonably assured. Revenue is recognized upon passage of title and risk of loss to customers, unless we are required to provide additional services, and provided we can form an estimate for sales returns. We recognize revenue from consignment arrangements based on product usage, or implant, which indicates that the sale is complete. For revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables, where the sale of a device is combined with a future service obligation, we defer revenue on the undelivered element and recognize this revenue over the related service period. Many of our Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) product offerings combine the sale of a device with our LATITUDE ® Patient Management System, which represents a future service obligation. Generally, we do not have vendor specific objective evidence of selling price available related to our future service obligations; therefore, we determine our estimates of selling price using third party evidence when available; otherwise, we use our best estimate of selling price. We allocate arrangement consideration using the relative selling price method. We generally allow our customers to return defective, damaged and, in certain cases, expired products for credit. We base our estimate for sales returns upon historical trends and record the amount as a reduction to revenue when we sell the initial product. In addition, we may allow customers to return previously purchased products for next-generation product offerings. For these transactions, we defer recognition of revenue on the sale of the earlier generation product based upon an estimate of the amount of product to be returned when the next-generation products are shipped to the customer. We also offer sales rebates and discounts to certain customers. We treat sales rebates and discounts as a reduction of revenue and classify the corresponding liability as current. We estimate rebates for products where there is sufficient historical information available to predict the volume of expected future rebates. If we are unable to estimate the expected rebates reasonably, we record a liability for the maximum rebate percentage offered. We have entered certain agreements with group purchasing organizations to sell our products to participating hospitals at negotiated prices. We recognize revenue from these agreements following the same revenue recognition criteria discussed above. Warranty Obligations We offer warranties on certain of our product offerings. The majority of our warranty liability relates to implantable devices offered by our CRM business, which include defibrillator and pacemaker systems. Our CRM products come with a standard limited warranty covering the replacement of these devices. We offer a full warranty for a portion of the period post-implant, and a partial warranty for a period of time thereafter. We estimate the costs that we may incur under our warranty programs based on the number of units sold, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims and cost per claim, and record a liability equal to these estimated costs as cost of products sold at the time the product sale occurs. We assess the adequacy of our recorded warranty liabilities on a quarterly basis and adjust these amounts as necessary. Changes in our product warranty accrual during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 consisted of the following (in millions): Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Beginning balance $ 25 $ 28 $ 26 Provision 15 9 12 Settlements/ reversals (17 ) (12 ) (10 ) Ending balance $ 23 $ 25 $ 28 Inventories We state inventories at the lower of first-in, first-out cost or market. We base our provisions for excess, expired and obsolete inventory primarily on our estimates of forecasted net sales. A significant change in the timing or level of demand for our products as compared to forecasted amounts may result in recording additional provisions for excess, expired and obsolete inventory in the future. Further, the industry in which we participate is characterized by rapid product development and frequent new product introductions. Uncertain timing of next-generation product approvals, variability in product launch strategies, product recalls and variation in product utilization all affect our estimates related to excess, expired and obsolete inventory. Approximately 40 percent of our finished goods inventory as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was at customer locations pursuant to consignment arrangements or held by sales representatives. Property, Plant and Equipment We state property, plant, equipment, and leasehold improvements at historical cost. We charge expenditures for maintenance and repairs to expense and capitalize additions and improvements that extend the life of the underlying asset. We provide for depreciation using the straight-line method at rates that approximate the estimated useful lives of the assets. We depreciate buildings and improvements over a 20 to 40 year life; equipment, furniture and fixtures over a three to ten year life; and leasehold improvements over the shorter of the useful life of the improvement or the term of the related lease. Depreciation expense was $274 million in 2015 , $287 million in 2014 , and $279 million in 2013 . Valuation of Business Combinations We allocate the amounts we pay for each acquisition to the assets we acquire and liabilities we assume based on their fair values at the dates of acquisition, including identifiable intangible assets and in-process research and development which either arise from a contractual or legal right or are separable from goodwill. We base the fair value of identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination, including in-process research and development, on detailed valuations that use information and assumptions provided by management, which consider management’s best estimates of inputs and assumptions that a market participant would use. We allocate any excess purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired to goodwill. Transaction costs associated with these acquisitions are expensed as incurred through selling, general and administrative costs. In those circumstances where an acquisition involves a contingent consideration arrangement, we recognize a liability equal to the fair value of the contingent payments we expect to make as of the acquisition date. We re-measure this liability each reporting period and record changes in the fair value through a separate line item within our consolidated statements of operations. Increases or decreases in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability can result from changes in discount periods and rates, as well as changes in the timing and amount of revenue estimates or in the timing or likelihood of achieving regulatory, revenue or commercialization-based milestones. Indefinite-lived Intangibles, including In-Process Research and Development Our indefinite-lived intangible assets that are not subject to amortization include acquired balloon and other technology, which is foundational to our continuing operations within the Cardiovascular market and other markets within interventional medicine, and in-process research and development intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Our in-process research and development represents intangible assets acquired in a business combination that are used in research and development activities but have not yet reached technological feasibility, regardless of whether they have alternative future use. The primary basis for determining the technological feasibility or completion of these projects is obtaining regulatory approval to market the underlying products in an applicable geographic region. We classify in-process research and development acquired in a business combination as an indefinite-lived intangible asset until the completion or abandonment of the associated research and development efforts. Upon completion of the associated research and development efforts, we will determine the useful life of the technology and begin amortizing the assets to reflect their use over their remaining lives. Upon permanent abandonment, we would write-off the remaining carrying amount of the associated in-process research and development intangible asset. We test our indefinite-lived intangible assets at least annually during the third quarter for impairment and reassess their classification as indefinite-lived assets; in addition, we review our indefinite-lived assets for classification and impairment more frequently if changes in circumstances or indicators exist. We assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that our indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If we conclude that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, we then determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset, we write the carrying value down to the fair value. We use the income approach to determine the fair values of our in-process research and development. This approach calculates fair value by estimating the after-tax cash flows attributable to an in-process project over its useful life and then discounting these after-tax cash flows back to a present value. We base our revenue assumptions on estimates of relevant market sizes, expected market growth rates, expected trends in technology and expected levels of market share. In arriving at the value of the in-process projects, we consider, among other factors: the in-process projects’ stage of completion; the complexity of the work completed as of the acquisition date; the costs already incurred; the projected costs to complete; the contribution of other acquired assets; the expected regulatory path and introduction dates by region; and the estimated useful life of the technology. We apply a market-participant risk-adjusted discount rate to arrive at a present value as of the date of acquisition. See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for more information related to indefinite-lived intangibles, including in-process research and development during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . For asset purchases outside of business combinations, we expense any purchased research and development assets as of the acquisition date. Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets We record intangible assets at historical cost and amortize them over their estimated useful lives. We use a straight-line method of amortization, unless a method that better reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are consumed or otherwise used up can be reliably determined. The approximate useful lives for amortization of our intangible assets are as follows: patents and licenses, two to 20 years; definite-lived technology-related, five to 25 years; customer relationships, five to 25 years; other intangible assets, various. We review intangible assets subject to amortization quarterly to determine if any adverse conditions exist or a change in circumstances has occurred that would indicate impairment or a change in the remaining useful life. Conditions that may indicate impairment include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in legal factors or business climate that could affect the value of an asset, a product recall, or an adverse action or assessment by a regulator. If an impairment indicator exists, we test the intangible asset for recoverability. For purposes of the recoverability test, we group our amortizable intangible assets with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows if the intangible asset does not generate cash flows independent of other assets and liabilities. If the carrying value of the intangible asset (asset group) exceeds the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the intangible asset (asset group), we will write the carrying value down to the fair value in the period identified. We calculate fair value of our intangible assets as the present value of estimated future cash flows we expect to generate from the asset using a risk-adjusted discount rate. In determining our estimated future cash flows associated with our intangible assets, we use estimates and assumptions about future revenue contributions, cost structures and remaining useful lives of the asset (asset group). See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for more information related to impairments of intangible assets during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . For patents developed internally, we capitalize costs incurred to obtain patents, including attorney fees, registration fees, consulting fees, and other expenditures directly related to securing the patent. Goodwill Valuation Effective as of January 1, 2013, we reorganized our business from geographic regions to fully operationalized global business units. Our reorganization changed our reporting structure and changed the composition of our reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. Following the reorganization, based on information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker, we have three new global reportable segments consisting of: Cardiovascular, Rhythm Management, and MedSurg. We determined our new global reporting units by identifying our operating segments and assessing whether any components of these segments constituted a business for which discrete financial information is available and whether segment management regularly reviews the operating results of any components. Through this process, we identified the following global reporting units as of January 1, 2013: Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Interventions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Endoscopy, Urology and Pelvic Health, and Neuromodulation. We allocate any excess purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination to goodwill. We test our goodwill balances during the second quarter of each year for impairment, or more frequently if indicators are present or changes in circumstances suggest that impairment may exist. In performing the assessment, we utilize the two-step approach prescribed under ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) . The first step requires a comparison of the carrying value of the reporting units, as defined, to the fair value of these units. We assess goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment, referred to as a component. We determine our reporting units by first identifying our operating segments, and then assess whether any components of these segments constitute a business for which discrete financial information is available and where segment management regularly reviews the operating results of that component. We aggregate components within an operating segment that have similar economic characteristics. For our 2015, 2014 and 2013 annual impairment assessment we identified seven reporting units, including Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Interventions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Endoscopy, Urology and Pelvic Health, and Neuromodulation. When allocating goodwill from business combinations to our reporting units, we assign goodwill to the reporting units that we expect to benefit from the respective business combination at the time of acquisition. In addition, for purposes of performing our goodwill impairment tests, assets and liabilities, including corporate assets, which relate to a reporting unit’s operations, and would be considered in determining its fair value, are allocated to the individual reporting units. We allocate assets and liabilities not directly related to a specific reporting unit, but from which the reporting unit benefits, based primarily on the respective revenue contribution of each reporting unit. During 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 , we used only the income approach, specifically the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method, to derive the fair value of each of our reporting units in preparing our goodwill impairment assessments. This approach calculates fair value by estimating the after-tax cash flows attributable to a reporting unit and then discounting these after-tax cash flows to a present value using a risk-adjusted discount rate. We selected this method as being the most meaningful in preparing our goodwill assessments because we believe the income approach most appropriately measures our income producing assets. We have considered using the market approach and cost approach but concluded they are not appropriate in valuing our reporting units given the lack of relevant market comparisons available for application of the market approach and the inability to replicate the value of the specific technology-based assets within our reporting units for application of the cost approach. Therefore, we believe that the income approach represents the most appropriate valuation technique for which sufficient data are available to determine the fair value of our reporting units. In applying the income approach to our accounting for goodwill, we make assumptions about the amount and timing of future expected cash flows, terminal value growth rates and appropriate discount rates. The amount and timing of future cash flows within our DCF analysis is based on our most recent operational budgets, long range strategic plans and other estimates. The terminal value growth rate is used to calculate the value of cash flows beyond the last projected period in our DCF analysis and reflects our best estimates for stable, perpetual growth of our reporting units. We use estimates of market-participant risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital (WACC) as a basis for determining the discount rates to apply to our reporting units’ future expected cash flows. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, we then perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. If the carrying value of a reporting unit is zero or negative, we evaluate whether it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. If we determine adverse qualitative factors exist that would indicate it is more likely than not an impairment exists, we then perform the second step of the goodwill test. The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill to its carrying value. If we were unable to complete the second step of the test prior to the issuance of our financial statements and an impairment loss was probable and could be reasonably estimated, we would recognize our best estimate of the loss in our current period financial statements and disclose that the amount is an estimate. We would then recognize any adjustment to that estimate in subsequent reporting periods, once we have finalized the second step of the impairment test. See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for discussion of our goodwill impairment charges. Investments in Publicly Traded and Privately Held Entities We account for our publicly traded investments as available-for-sale securities based on the quoted market price at the end of the reporting period. We compute realized gains and losses on sales of available-for-sale securities based on the average cost method, adjusted for any other-than-temporary declines in fair value. We held no available-for-sale securities during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . We account for investments in entities over which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50 percent or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a VIE in which we are the primary beneficiary in accordance with ASC Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures . We record these investments initially at cost, and adjust the carrying amount to reflect our share of the earnings or losses of the investee, including all adjustments similar to those made in preparing consolidated financial statements. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20 percent ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee in accordance with ASC Topic 325, Investments - Other . In addition, we have notes receivable from certain companies that we account for in accordance with ASC Topic 320, Investments - Debt and Equity Securities . Refer to Note B - Acquisitions and Strategic Investments for additional details on the balances of our equity and cost method investments. Each reporting period, we evaluate our investments to determine if there are any events or circumstances that are likely to have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment. Examples of such impairment indicators include, but are not limited to: a significant deterioration in earnings performance; recent financing rounds at reduced valuations; a significant adverse change in the regulatory, economic or technological environment of an investee; or a significant doubt about an investee’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we identify an impairment indicator, we will estimate the fair value of the investment and compare it to its carrying value. Our estimation of fair value considers all available financial information related to the investee, including valuations based on recent third-party equity investments in the investee. If the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value, the investment is impaired and we make a determination as to whether the impairment is other-than-temporary. We deem an impairment to be other-than-temporary unless we have the ability and intent to hold an investment for a period sufficient for a market recovery up to the carrying value of the investment. Further, evidence must indicate that the carrying value of the investment is recoverable within a reasonable period. For other-than-temporary impairments, we recognize an impairment loss equal to the difference between an investment’s carrying value and its fair value. Impairment losses on our investments are included in other, net in our consolidated statements of operations. Income Taxes We utilize the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, we determine deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of our assets and liabilities. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when we expect the differences to reverse. We reduce our deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that we will not realize some portion or all of the deferred tax assets. We consider relevant evidence, both positive and negative, to determine the need for a valuation allowance. Information evaluated includes our financial position and results of operations for the current and preceding years, the availability of deferred tax liabilities and tax carrybacks, as well as an evaluation of currently available information about future years. We have not provided U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes on the undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 because we intend to permanently reinvest such earnings outside the U.S. As of December 31, 2015 , the cumulative amount of excess financial reporting basis over the tax basis of investments in foreign subsidiaries that is indefinitely reinvested is approximately $8.9 billion . Generally, such amounts become subject to U.S. taxation upon the remittance of dividends and under certain other circumstances. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability related to investments in these foreign subsidiaries. We provide for potential amounts due in various tax jurisdictions. In the ordinary course of conducting business in multiple countries and tax jurisdictions, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain. Therefore, judgment is required based on individual facts, circumstances and information available in determining whether or not based on technical merits, the po

Acquisitions and Strategic Inve

Acquisitions and Strategic Investments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
ACQUISITIONS	ACQUISITIONS AND STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS Our consolidated financial statements include the operating results for each acquired entity from its respective date of acquisition. We do not present pro forma financial information for these acquisitions given their results are not material to our consolidated financial statements. Transaction costs associated with these acquisitions were expensed as incurred and are not material for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . 2015 Acquisitions Interventional Radiology Business of CeloNova Biosciences On December 31, 2015, we completed the acquisition of the interventional radiology business of CeloNova Biosciences (CeloNova), for an upfront payment of $70 million and additional payments contingent on regulatory and sales milestones. The acquisition includes drug-eluting microspheres designed to be loaded with chemotherapy drugs for delivery to cancerous tumors, and spherical embolic products used to treat uterine fibroids and other conditions. We are in the process of integrating CeloNova into our Peripheral Interventions business. AMS Portfolio Acquisition On August 3, 2015, we completed the acquisition of the American Medical Systems male urology portfolio (AMS Portfolio Acquisition), which includes the men's health and prostate health businesses, from Endo International plc. Total consideration was comprised of $1.616 billion in up-front cash plus related fees and expenses, and a potential additional $50 million in consideration based on 2016 sales. The AMS male urology portfolio is being integrated with our formerly named Urology and Women's Health business, and the joint businesses have become Urology and Pelvic Health. In addition, as part of the acquisition agreement, we made a $60 million Series B non-voting preferred stock investment in the women's health business of Endo Health Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endo International, plc., representing the remaining Women's Health business of the American Medical Systems' Portfolio. This investment was subsequently repaid in the fourth quarter of 2015. Xlumena, Inc. On April 2, 2015, we acquired Xlumena, Inc. (Xlumena), a medical device company that developed minimally invasive devices for Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) guided transluminal drainage of targeted areas within the gastrointestinal tract. The purchase agreement called for an upfront payment of $63 million , an additional payment of $13 million upon FDA clearance of the HOT AXIOS™ product, and further sales-based milestones based on sales achieved through 2018. We are in the process of integrating Xlumena into our Endoscopy business, and expect the integration to be substantially complete by the end of 2016. In addition, we completed other acquisitions during 2015 for total consideration of $6 million in cash at closing plus contingent consideration of up to $1 million . Purchase Price Allocation We accounted for these acquisitions as business combinations and, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification ® (ASC) Topic 805, Business Combinations , we have recorded the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their respective fair values as of the acquisition dates. The components of the aggregate preliminary purchase prices are as follows (in millions): Cash, net of cash acquired $ 1,734 Fair value of contingent consideration 63 $ 1,797 The following summarizes the aggregate preliminary purchase price allocation for the 2015 acquisitions as of December 31, 2015 (in millions): Goodwill $ 573 Amortizable intangible assets 1,073 Indefinite-lived intangible assets 7 Inventory 103 Property, Plant and Equipment 43 Other net assets 43 Deferred income taxes (45 ) $ 1,797 We allocated a portion of the preliminary purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 431 11-13 13.5% - 23% Customer relationships 624 12-13 13.5% - 15% Other intangible assets 18 13 13.5% Indefinite-lived intangible assets: In-process research & development $ 7 N/A 17% $ 1,080 2014 Acquisitions Interventional Business of Bayer AG On August 29, 2014, we completed the acquisition of the Interventional Division of Bayer AG (Bayer), for a total cash consideration of $414 million . We believe that this acquisition enhances our ability to offer physicians and healthcare systems a more complete portfolio of solutions to treat challenging vascular conditions. The transaction includes the AngioJet® Thrombectomy System and the Fetch® 2 Aspiration Catheter, which are used in endovascular procedures to remove blood clots from blocked arteries and veins, and the JetStream® Atherectomy System, used to remove plaque and thrombi from diseased arteries. We are integrating the operations of the Bayer business with our Peripheral Interventions and Interventional Cardiology divisions and expect integration to be substantially completed by the middle of 2016. IoGyn, Inc. On May 7, 2014, we completed the acquisition of the remaining fully diluted equity of IoGyn, Inc. (IoGyn). Prior to the acquisition, we held a 28 percent minority interest in IoGyn in addition to notes receivable of approximately $8 million . Total consideration was comprised of a net cash payment of $65 million at closing to acquire the remaining 72 percent of IoGyn equity and repay outstanding debt. IoGyn has developed the Symphion™ System, a next generation system for hysteroscopic intrauterine tissue removal including fibroids (myomas) and polyps. In March 2014, IoGyn received U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the system and in October 2014, we began a limited market release of the system in the United States. We have integrated the operations of the IoGyn business into our Urology and Pelvic Health business. In addition, we completed other acquisitions during 2014 for total consideration of $7 million cash at closing plus contingent consideration of up to $4 million . Purchase Price Allocation We accounted for these acquisitions as business combinations and, in accordance with ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations , we have recorded the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their respective fair values as of the acquisition date. The components of the aggregate purchase price for the Bayer and IoGyn acquisitions are as follows (in millions): Cash, net of cash acquired $ 479 Fair value of prior interests 31 $ 510 In addition, prior to the acquisition of IoGyn, we had an equity interest in IoGyn and held $8 million of notes receivables. We re-measured our previously-held investments to their estimated acquisition-date fair value of $31 million and recorded a gain of $19 million in other, net, in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations during the second quarter of 2014. We measured the fair values of the previously-held investments based on the liquidation preferences and priority of the equity interest and debt, including accrued interest. The following summarizes the aggregate purchase price allocation for Bayer and IoGyn as of December 31, 2014: Goodwill $ 210 Amortizable intangible assets 263 Inventory 23 Property, Plant and Equipment 17 Prepaid Transaction Service Agreement 5 Other net assets (1 ) Deferred income taxes (7 ) $ 510 We allocated a portion of the purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 233 10 - 14 14 - 18 % Customer Relationships 29 10 18% Other intangible assets 1 2 14% $ 263 2013 Acquisition On November 1, 2013, we completed the acquisition of the electrophysiology business of C.R. Bard Inc. (Bard EP), for $274 million in cash. This acquisition added a strong commercial team and complementary portfolio of ablation catheters, diagnostic tools, and electrophysiology recording systems, which we believe will allow us to better serve the global Electrophysiology market through a more comprehensive portfolio offering and sales infrastructure. Purchase Price Allocation We accounted for this acquisition as a business combination and, in accordance with ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations , we have recorded the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their respective fair values as of the acquisition date. The following summarizes the aggregate purchase price allocation for the Bard EP acquisition (in millions): Goodwill $ 140 Amortizable intangible assets 112 Other net assets 19 Deferred income taxes 3 $ 274 We allocated a portion of the purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as of the acquisition date as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 82 10 11.5% Customer relationships 30 7 11.5% $ 112 For our 2015, 2014 and 2013 acquisitions, our technology-related intangible assets consist of technical processes, intellectual property, and institutional understanding with respect to products and processes that we will leverage in future products or processes and will carry forward from one product generation to the next. We used the income approach and relief from royalty approach to derive the fair value of the technology-related intangible assets, and are amortizing them on a straight-line basis over their assigned estimated useful lives. In-process research and development represents the estimated fair value of acquired in-process research and development projects that have not yet reached technological feasibility. These indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently if impairment indicators are present, in accordance with U.S. GAAP and our accounting policies. Upon completion of the associated research and development efforts, we will determine the useful life of the technology and begin amortizing the assets to reflect their use over their remaining lives. The primary basis for determining the technological feasibility or completion of these projects is obtaining regulatory approval to market the underlying products. Customer relationships represent the estimated fair value of non-contractual customer and distributor relationships. Customer relationships are direct relationships with physicians and hospitals performing procedures with the acquired products, and distributor relationships are relationships with third parties used to sell products, both as of the acquisition date. These relationships were valued separately from goodwill because there is a history and pattern of conducting business with customers and distributors. We used the income approach or the replacement cost and lost profits methodology to derive the fair value of the customer relationships. The customer relationships intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their assigned estimated useful lives. Other intangible assets primarily include acquired tradenames. These tradenames include brand names that we expect to continue using in our product portfolio and related marketing materials. The tradenames are valued using a relief from royalty methodology and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their assigned estimated useful lives. We believe that the estimated intangible asset values represent the fair value at the date of acquisition and do not exceed the amount a third party would pay for the assets. These fair value measurements are based on significant unobservable inputs, including management estimates and assumptions and, accordingly, are classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy prescribed by FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures . We recorded the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the estimated fair values of the identifiable assets acquired as goodwill. Goodwill was established due primarily to synergies expected to be gained from leveraging our existing operations as well as revenue and cash flow projections associated with future technologies, and has been allocated to our reportable segments based on the relative expected benefit. Of the goodwill recorded, approximately $453 million related to our 2015 acquisitions is deductible for tax purposes. Of the goodwill recorded related to our 2014 and 2013 acquisitions, $160 million and $131 million , respectively, is deductible for tax purposes. See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for more information related to goodwill allocated to our reportable segments. Contingent Consideration Certain of our acquisitions involve contingent consideration arrangements. Payment of additional consideration is generally contingent on the acquired company reaching certain performance milestones, including attaining specified revenue levels, achieving product development targets or obtaining regulatory approvals. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we recognize a liability equal to the fair value of the contingent payments we expect to make as of the acquisition date. We re-measure this liability each reporting period and record changes in the fair value through a separate line item within our consolidated statements of operations. We recorded a net expense related to the change in fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities of $123 million during 2015 , a net benefit related to the change in fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities of $85 million during 2014 , and a net expense related to the change in fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities of $4 million during 2013 . We made contingent consideration payments of $213 million , $137 million and $165 million in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively. Changes in our contingent consideration liability were as follows (in millions): Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 501 Amounts recorded related to new acquisitions 3 Other amounts recorded related to prior acquisitions (8 ) Fair value adjustment (85 ) Contingent payments related to prior period acquisition (137 ) Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 274 Amounts recorded related to new acquisitions 63 Other amounts recorded related to prior acquisitions (1 ) Fair value adjustment 123 Contingent payments related to prior period acquisition (213 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 246 As of December 31, 2015 , the maximum amount of future contingent consideration (undiscounted) that we could be required to make associated with our acquisitions is approximately $1.918 billion . Increases or decreases in the fair value of our contingent consideration liability can result from changes in discount periods and rates, as well as changes in the timing and amount of revenue estimates or in the timing or likelihood of achieving regulatory-, revenue- or commercialization-based milestones. The recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our contingent consideration liability include the following significant unobservable inputs: Contingent Consideration Liability Fair Value as of December 31, 2015 Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range R&D and Commercialization-based Milestone $19 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 2% - 3.5% Probability of Payment 32% - 95% Projected Year of Payment 2017 - 2021 Revenue-based Payments $125 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 11% - 15% Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2022 $102 million Monte Carlo Revenue Volatility 15% Risk Free Rate LIBOR Term Structure Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2018 Contingent consideration liabilities are remeasured to fair value each reporting period using projected revenues, discount rates, probabilities of payment and projected payment dates. Projected contingent payment amounts related to R&D, regulatory- and commercialization-based milestones and certain revenue-based milestones are discounted back to the current period using a discounted cash flow model. Other revenue-based payments are valued using a monte carlo valuation model, which simulates future revenues during the earn out-period using management's best estimates. Projected revenues are based on our most recent internal operational budgets and long-range strategic plans. Increases in projected revenues and probabilities of payment may result in higher fair value measurements. Increases in discount rates and the time to payment may result in lower fair value measurements. Increases or decreases in any of those inputs together, or in isolation, may result in a significantly lower or higher fair value measurement. Strategic Investments On April 30, 2015, we acquired a 27 percent ownership interest in Preventice, Inc. (Preventice), which includes 18.5 percent of Preventice's common stock. Preventice is a privately-held company headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, and a leading developer of mobile health solutions and services. Preventice offers a full portfolio of wearable cardiac monitors, including Holter monitors, cardiac event monitors and mobile cardiac telemetry. In addition to the equity agreement, we entered into a commercial agreement with Preventice, under which we have become Preventice’s exclusive, worldwide sales and marketing representative. We believe this partnership strengthens our portfolio of cardiac monitoring and broader disease management capabilities. On April 13, 2015, we acquired 25 percent of the common stock of Frankenman Medical Equipment Company (Frankenman). Frankenman is a private company headquartered in Suzhou, China, and is a local market leader in surgical staplers. Additionally, we entered into co-promotional and co-selling agreements with Frankenman to jointly commercialize selected products in China. We believe this alliance will enable us to reach more clinicians and treat more patients in China by providing access to training on less invasive endoscopic technologies with clinical and economic benefits. We are accounting for our investments in Preventice and Frankenman, as well as certain of our other strategic investments, as equity method investments, in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures. The book value of investments that we accounted for under the equity method of accounting was $173 million as of December 31, 2015 and $10 million as of December 31, 2014 . The aggregate carrying amount of our cost method investments was $45 million as of December 31, 2015 and $27 million as of December 31, 2014 . In addition, we had notes receivable from certain companies that we account for under the cost method of $30 million as of December 31, 2015 and $17 million as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 , the book value of our equity method investments exceeded our share of the book value of the investees’ underlying net assets by approximately $80 million , which represents amortizable intangible assets and in-process research and development, corresponding deferred tax liabilities, and goodwill. During the year ended December 31, 2015 , the net losses from our equity method adjustments, presented within the Other, net caption of our condensed consolidated statement of operations were immaterial. We did not close any material strategic investments in the twelve months ended December 31, 2014 .

Divestitures

Divestitures	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Divestitures and Assets Held for Sale [Abstract]
DIVESTITURES	DIVESTITURES In January 2011, we closed the sale of our Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation for a purchase price of $1.500 billion in cash. We received $1.450 billion during 2011, an additional $10 million during 2012, $30 million during 2013 and we received the final amount due to us in 2014. At the time of divestiture, due to our continuing involvement in the operations of the Neurovascular business following the transaction, the divestiture did not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation. Our sales related to our divested Neurovascular business have declined as the various transition services and supply agreements have terminated. We recorded a gain of $12 million during 2014 and a gain of $38 million during 2013 associated with the transaction. We recorded revenue related to the Neurovascular business following its divestiture of $4 million in 2014 and $58 million in 2013 .

Goodwill and Other Intangible A

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS	GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS The gross carrying amount of goodwill and other intangible assets and the related accumulated amortization for intangible assets subject to amortization and accumulated write-offs of goodwill as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 is as follows: As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Gross Carrying Accumulated Amortization/ Gross Carrying Accumulated Amortization/ (in millions) Amount Write-offs Amount Write-offs Amortizable intangible assets Technology-related $ 8,948 $ (4,054 ) $ 8,406 $ (3,697 ) Patents 520 (358 ) 519 (342 ) Other intangible assets 1,529 (610 ) 875 (533 ) $ 10,997 $ (5,022 ) $ 9,800 $ (4,572 ) Unamortizable intangible assets Goodwill $ 16,373 $ (9,900 ) $ 15,798 $ (9,900 ) In-process research and development (IPR&D) 99 181 Technology-related 120 — 197 — $ 16,592 $ (9,900 ) $ 16,176 $ (9,900 ) During 2015, we reclassified approximately $77 million of core technology not previously subject to amortization to amortizable intangible assets due to projected changes in the market for this technology. We tested the intangible asset for impairment prior to this reclassification and determined that the asset was not impaired. In addition, during 2015, we reclassified a total of $77 million of IPR&D assets not previously subject to amortization to amortizable intangible assets. The reclassification of IPR&D to amortizable intangible assets was primarily related to the receipt of FDA approval of the WATCHMAN ® device. Our technology-related intangible assets that are not subject to amortization represent technical processes, intellectual property and/or institutional understanding acquired through business combinations that are fundamental to the on-going operations of our business and have no limit to their useful life. Our technology-related intangible assets that are not subject to amortization are comprised primarily of certain acquired balloon and other technology, which is foundational to our continuing operations within the Cardiovascular market and other markets within interventional medicine. We assess our indefinite-lived intangible assets at least annually for impairment and reassess their classification as indefinite-lived assets. We assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that our indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If we conclude that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, we then determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other. The following represents our goodwill balance by global reportable segment: (in millions) Cardiovascular Rhythm Management MedSurg Total Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 3,252 $ 294 $ 2,147 $ 5,693 Purchase price adjustments (2 ) (4 ) (2 ) (8 ) Goodwill acquired 169 — 44 213 Other changes in carrying amount* 7 $ — (7 ) — Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 3,426 $ 290 $ 2,182 $ 5,898 Purchase price adjustments 2 2 (2 ) 2 Goodwill acquired 23 — 550 573 Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 3,451 $ 292 $ 2,730 $ 6,473 *In 2014, we reallocated $7 million of goodwill between Cardiovascular and MedSurg as a result of the realignment of certain product lines from Endoscopy to Peripheral Interventions as of January 1, 2014. The 2015 and 2014 purchase price adjustments relate primarily to adjustments in taxes payable and deferred income taxes, including changes in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits. 2015 Goodwill Impairment Testing We test our goodwill balances during the second quarter of each year for impairment, or more frequently if indicators are present or changes in circumstances suggest that impairment may exist. In the second quarter of 2015, we performed our annual goodwill impairment test for all of our reporting units, in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other . In conjunction with our annual test, the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded its carrying value. Therefore, it was deemed not necessary to proceed to the second step of the impairment test. As a result of the 2015 annual goodwill impairment test, we identified our global Electrophysiology reporting unit as being at higher risk of potential failure of the first step of the goodwill impairment test in future reporting periods. As of the date of our annual goodwill impairment test, our global Electrophysiology reporting unit had excess fair value over carrying value of approximately 28 percent and held $292 million of allocated goodwill. Also, as of the date of our annual goodwill impairment test, our global Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) reporting unit had excess fair value over carrying value of approximately 26 percent ; however, due to goodwill impairment charges in prior years, no goodwill remains within our CRM reporting unit. On a quarterly basis, we monitor the key drivers of fair value to detect events or other changes that would warrant an interim impairment test of our goodwill. The key variables that drive the cash flows of our reporting units are estimated revenue growth rates and levels of profitability. Terminal value growth rate assumptions, as well as the WACC, are additional key variables for reporting unit cash flows. These assumptions are subject to uncertainty, including our ability to grow revenue and improve profitability levels. Relatively small declines in the future performance and cash flows of a reporting unit or asset group or small changes in other key assumptions may result in the recognition of significant goodwill impairment charges. For example, as of the date of our annual goodwill impairment test, keeping all other variables constant, a combined increase of 50 basis points in the WACC along with a simultaneous decrease of 150 basis points in the long term growth rate applied would require that we perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test for our global Electrophysiology reporting unit. The estimates used for our future cash flows and discount rates represent management's best estimates, which we believe to be reasonable, but future declines in business performance may result in impairment of our goodwill. Future events that could have a negative impact on the levels of excess fair value over carrying value of our reporting units include, but are not limited to: • decreases in estimated market sizes or market growth rates due to greater-than-expected declines in procedural volumes, pricing pressures, reductions in reimbursement levels, product actions, and/or competitive technology developments; • declines in our market share and penetration assumptions due to increased competition, an inability to develop or launch new and next-generation products and technology features in line with our commercialization strategies, product actions, and market and/or regulatory conditions that may cause significant launch delays or product recalls; • decreases in our forecasted profitability due to an inability to successfully implement and achieve timely and sustainable cost improvement measures consistent with our expectations; • negative developments in intellectual property litigation that may impact our ability to market certain products or increase our costs to sell certain products; • the level of success of on-going and future research and development efforts, including those related to recent acquisitions, and increases in the research and development costs necessary to obtain regulatory approvals and launch new products; • the level of success in managing the growth of acquired companies, achieving sustained profitability consistent with our expectations, establishing government and third-party payer reimbursement, supplying the market, and increases in the costs and time necessary to integrate acquired businesses into our operations successfully; • changes in our reporting units or in the structure of our business as a result of future reorganizations, acquisitions or divestitures of assets or businesses; and • increases in our market-participant risk-adjusted WACC, increases in our market-participant tax rate, changes in tax laws, changes in foreign currency exchange rates and/or other macroeconomic conditions. Negative changes in one or more of these factors, among others, could result in impairment charges. 2013 Charges Following our reorganization from regions to global business units and our reallocation of goodwill on a relative fair value basis as of January 1, 2013, we conducted the first step of the goodwill impairment test for all global reporting units. As of January 1, 2013, the fair value of each global reporting unit exceeded its carrying value, with the exception of the global CRM reporting unit. We tested the global CRM intangible assets in conjunction with the second step of the goodwill test on the global CRM reporting unit, and recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $423 million to write down the goodwill to its implied fair value as of January 1, 2013 as a result of this analysis. The primary driver of this impairment charge was our reorganization from geographic regions to global business units as of January 1, 2013, which changed the composition of our reporting units. As a result of the reorganization, any goodwill allocated to the global CRM reporting unit was no longer supported by the cash flows of other businesses. Under our former reporting unit structure, the goodwill allocated to our regional reporting units was supported by the cash flows from all businesses in each international region. The hypothetical tax structure of the global CRM business and the global CRM business discount rate applied were also contributing factors to the goodwill impairment charge. The following is a rollforward of accumulated goodwill write-offs by global reportable segment: (in millions) Cardiovascular Rhythm Management MedSurg Total Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2013 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) $ (1,461 ) $ (9,900 ) Goodwill written off — — — — Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2014 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) (1,461 ) $ (9,900 ) Goodwill written off — — — — Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2015 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) $ (1,461 ) $ (9,900 ) Intangible Asset Impairment Charges 2015 Charges During the third quarter of 2015, we performed our annual impairment test of all IPR&D projects and our indefinite-lived core technology assets. In addition, as a result of revised estimates in conjunction with our annual operating plan, we performed an interim impairment test of certain definite-lived core technology associated with certain of our acquisitions. Based on the results of our testing, we recorded impairment charges of $10 million in the third quarter of 2015. During the second quarter of 2015, in conjunction with our annual strategic planning process and annual goodwill impairment test, we performed an interim impairment test on certain of our IPR&D projects and core technology assets. Based on our impairment assessment, we recorded an impairment charge of $9 million in the second quarter of 2015. 2014 Charges During the fourth quarter of 2014, as a result of revised estimates in conjunction with our annual operating plan, we performed an interim impairment test of in-process research and development projects associated with certain of our acquisitions. Based on our impairment assessment, and lower expected future cash flows associated with our intangible assets, we recorded an impairment charge of $18 million to write-down the balances of these in-process projects to their fair value, which was determined to be zero . During the third quarter of 2014, we performed our annual impairment test of all in-process research and development projects, and our indefinite lived core technology assets. Based on the results of our annual test, we recorded total impairment charges of $4 million to write-down the balances of certain in-process projects to their fair value. In addition, as a result of revised estimates in conjunction with our annual operating plan, we performed an interim impairment test of core technology associated with certain of our acquisitions, and recorded an impairment charge of $8 million , for a total of $12 million of impairment charges in the third quarter of 2014. During the second quarter of 2014, as a result of revised estimates developed in conjunction with our annual strategic planning process and annual goodwill impairment test, we performed an interim impairment test of our in-process research and development projects and core technology assets associated with certain of our acquisitions. Based on our impairment assessment, and lower expected future cash flows associated with our intangible assets, we recorded impairment charges of $110 million . The impairment charges were due to changes in our clinical strategy and lower estimates of the European and global hypertension markets, and the resulting amount of future revenue and cash flows associated with our hypertension technology; as a result, we recorded impairment charges of $67 million related to these technology intangible assets. In addition, in the second quarter of 2014, due to revised expectations and timing as a result of the announcement of a third FDA Circulatory System Devices Panel, we recorded impairment charges of $35 million related to the in-process research and development intangible assets acquired from Atritech, Inc. (Atritech). We also recorded an $8 million intangible asset impairment charge associated with changes in the amount of the expected cash flows related to certain other acquired in-process research and development projects. During the first quarter of 2014, as a result of lower estimates of the resistant hypertension market following the announcement of data from a competitor's clinical trial, we performed an interim impairment test of our hypertension-related in-process research and development projects and core technology assets. The impairment assessments were based upon probability-weighted cash flows of potential future scenarios. Based on our impairment assessment, and lower expected future cash flows associated with our hypertension-related intangible assets, we recorded impairment charges of $55 million in the first quarter of 2014 to write-down the balance of these intangible assets to their fair value. 2013 Charges During the second quarter of 2013 as a result of revised estimates developed in conjunction with our annual strategic planning process and annual goodwill impairment test, we performed an interim impairment test of our in-process research and development projects associated with certain of our acquisitions. Based on the results of our impairment analyses, we revised our expectations of the market size related to Sadra Medical, Inc. (Sadra), and the resulting timing and amount of future revenue and cash flows associated with the technology acquired from Sadra. As a result of these changes, we recorded impairment charges of $51 million to write-down the balance of these intangible assets to their fair value. We also recorded a $2 million intangible asset impairment charge associated with changes in the amount of the expected cash flows related to certain other acquired in-process research and development projects. We recorded these amounts in the intangible asset impairment charges caption in our accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our intangible asset impairment analysis included the following significant unobservable inputs: Intangible Asset Valuation Date Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Rate Technology-related (amortizable) September 30, 2015 $8 million Income Approach -Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 10% In-Process R&D June 30, 2015 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D September 30, 2014 $16 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D June 30, 2014 $83 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% Technology-related (amortizable) June 30, 2014 $8 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D March 31, 2014 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 20% Technology-related (amortizable) March 31, 2014 $64 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D June 30, 2013 $178 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5% The intangible asset category and associated write downs recorded in 2015, 2014 and 2013 were as follows: Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Technology-related (amortizable) $ 9 $ 107 $ — In-process research and development 10 88 53 $ 19 195 $ 53 Estimated amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years based upon our intangible asset portfolio as of December 31, 2015 is as follows: Estimated Amortization Expense Fiscal Year (in millions) 2016 $ 536 2017 520 2018 517 2019 513 2020 510

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS	FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities We address market risk from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates through a risk management program that includes the use of derivative financial instruments, and we operate the program pursuant to documented corporate risk management policies. Our derivative instruments do not subject our earnings or cash flows to material risk, as gains and losses on these derivatives generally offset losses and gains on the item being hedged. We do not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes and we do not have any non-derivative instruments that are designated as hedging instruments pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815). Currency Hedging We are exposed to currency risk consisting primarily of foreign currency denominated monetary assets and liabilities, forecasted foreign currency denominated intercompany and third-party transactions and net investments in certain subsidiaries. We manage our exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates on a consolidated basis to take advantage of offsetting transactions. We use derivative instruments, and non-derivative transactions to reduce the risk that our earnings and cash flows associated with these foreign currency denominated balances and transactions will be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate changes. Currently or Previously Designated Foreign Currency Hedges All of our designated currency hedge contracts outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were cash flow hedges under Topic 815 intended to protect the U.S. dollar value of our forecasted foreign currency denominated transactions. We record the effective portion of any change in the fair value of foreign currency cash flow hedges in other comprehensive income until the related third-party transaction occurs. Once the related third-party transaction occurs, we reclassify the effective portion of any related gain or loss on the foreign currency cash flow hedge to earnings. In the event the hedged forecasted transaction does not occur, or it becomes no longer probable that it will occur, we reclassify the amount of any gain or loss on the related cash flow hedge to earnings at that time. We had currency derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges outstanding in the contract amount of $1.458 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $2.178 billion as of December 31, 2014 . We recognized net gains of $213 million during 2015 on our cash flow hedges, as compared to $105 million of net gains during 2014 , and $36 million of net gains during 2013 . All currency cash flow hedges outstanding as of December 31, 2015 mature within 36 months. As of December 31, 2015 , $145 million of net gains, net of tax, were recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) to recognize the effective portion of the fair value of any currency derivative instruments that are, or previously were, designated as foreign currency cash flow hedges, as compared to net gains of $217 million as of December 31, 2014 . As of December 31, 2015 , $103 million of net gains, net of tax, may be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months. The success of our hedging program depends, in part, on forecasts of transaction activity in various currencies (primarily Japanese yen, Euro, British pound sterling, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar). We may experience unanticipated currency exchange gains or losses to the extent that there are differences between forecasted and actual activity during periods of currency volatility. In addition, changes in foreign currency exchange rates related to any unhedged transactions may impact our earnings and cash flows. Non-designated Foreign Currency Contracts We use currency forward contracts as a part of our strategy to manage exposure related to foreign currency denominated monetary assets and liabilities. These currency forward contracts are not designated as cash flow, fair value or net investment hedges under Topic 815; are marked-to-market with changes in fair value recorded to earnings; and are entered into for periods consistent with currency transaction exposures, generally less than one year. We had currency derivative instruments not designated as hedges under Topic 815 outstanding in the contract amount of $2.090 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $2.470 billion as of December 31, 2014 . Interest Rate Hedging Our interest rate risk relates primarily to U.S. dollar borrowings, partially offset by U.S. dollar cash investments. We have historically used interest rate derivative instruments to manage our earnings and cash flow exposure to changes in interest rates by converting fixed-rate debt into floating-rate debt or floating-rate debt into fixed-rate debt. We designate these derivative instruments either as fair value or cash flow hedges under Topic 815. We record changes in the value of fair value hedges in interest expense, which is generally offset by changes in the fair value of the hedged debt obligation. Interest payments made or received related to our interest rate derivative instruments are included in interest expense. We record the effective portion of any change in the fair value of derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges as unrealized gains or losses in OCI, net of tax, until the hedged cash flow occurs, at which point the effective portion of any gain or loss is reclassified to earnings. We record the ineffective portion of our cash flow hedges in interest expense. In the event the hedged cash flow does not occur, or it becomes no longer probable that it will occur, we reclassify the amount of any gain or loss on the related cash flow hedge to interest expense at that time. In the fourth quarter of 2013, we entered into interest rate derivative contracts having a notional amount of $450 million to convert fixed-rate debt into floating-rate debt, which we designated as fair value hedges. During the first quarter of 2015, we terminated these hedges, and we received total proceeds of approximately $35 million , which included approximately $7 million of net accrued interest receivable. We assessed at inception, and re-assessed on an ongoing basis, whether the interest rate derivative contracts were highly effective in offsetting changes in the fair value of the hedged fixed rate debt. In 2015 , we recognized in interest expense, an $8 million loss on our hedged debt, compared to a $29 million loss on our hedged debt in 2014 . We also recognized, in interest expense, an $8 million gain on the related interest rate derivative contracts during 2015 , compared to a $29 million gain on these contracts during 2014 . This resulted in net gains of less than $1 million recorded in earning due to ineffectiveness in 2015 and 2014 . During the second quarter of 2015, we entered into forward starting interest rate derivative contracts having a notional amount of $450 million to hedge interest rate risk associated with a planned issuance of fixed-rate senior notes, which we designated as cash flow hedges. These hedges were terminated during the second quarter at the time we issued the fixed-rate senior notes and we received total proceeds of approximately $11 million . We had no amounts outstanding under these hedges as of December 31, 2015 . We assessed, at inception, and re-assessed, on an ongoing basis, whether the cash flow derivative contracts were highly effective in offsetting changes in interest rates. The gain on this derivative contract was recorded within accumulated other comprehensive income, and is being amortized into earnings as a reduction to interest expense over the life of the related senior notes. We are amortizing the gains and losses on previously terminated interest rate derivative instruments, including fixed-to-floating interest rate contracts designated as fair value hedges, and forward starting interest rate derivative contracts and treasury locks designated as cash flow hedges into earnings as a component of interest expense over the remaining term of the hedged debt, in accordance with Topic 815. The carrying amount of certain of our senior notes included unamortized gains of $63 million as of December 31, 2015 and $45 million as of December 31, 2014 , and unamortized losses of $1 million as of December 31, 2015 and $2 million as of December 31, 2014 , related to the fixed-to-floating interest rate contracts. In addition, we had pre-tax net gains within AOCI related to terminated forward starting interest rate derivative contracts and treasury locks of $10 million as of December 31, 2015 and $2 million as of December 31, 2014 . The net gains that we recognized in earnings related to previously terminated interest rate derivatives were $13 million in 2015 , $9 million in 2014 , and $10 million in 2013 . As of December 31, 2015 , $13 million of net gains may be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months from amortization of our previously terminated interest rate derivative contracts. Counterparty Credit Risk We do not have significant concentrations of credit risk arising from our derivative financial instruments, whether from an individual counterparty or a related group of counterparties. We manage our concentration of counterparty credit risk on our derivative instruments by limiting acceptable counterparties to a diversified group of major financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings, limiting the amount of credit exposure to each counterparty, and by actively monitoring their credit ratings and outstanding fair values on an on-going basis. Furthermore, none of our derivative transactions are subject to collateral or other security arrangements and none contain provisions that are dependent on our credit ratings from any credit rating agency. We also employ master netting arrangements that reduce our counterparty payment settlement risk on any given maturity date to the net amount of any receipts or payments due between us and the counterparty financial institution. Thus, the maximum loss due to credit risk by counterparty is limited to the unrealized gains in such contracts net of any unrealized losses should any of these counterparties fail to perform as contracted. Although these protections do not eliminate concentrations of credit risk, as a result of the above considerations, we do not consider the risk of counterparty default to be significant. Fair Value of Derivative Instruments The following presents the effect of our derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges under Topic 815 on our accompanying consolidated statements of operations during 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions): Amount of Pre-tax Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI (Effective Portion) Amount of Pre-tax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Earnings (Effective Portion) Location in Statement of Operations Year Ended December 31, 2015 Interest rate contracts $ 11 $ 2 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 98 213 Cost of products sold $ 109 $ 215 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Interest rate contracts $ — $ 1 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 227 105 Cost of products sold $ 227 $ 106 Year Ended December 31, 2013 Interest rate contracts $ — $ 1 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 207 36 Cost of products sold $ 207 $ 37 The amount of gain (loss) recognized in earnings related to the ineffective portion of hedging relationships was de minimus in all periods presented. Net gains and losses on currency hedge contracts not designated as hedging instruments were offset by net losses and gains from foreign currency transaction exposures, as shown in the following table: in millions Location in Statement of Operations Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Gain (loss) on currency hedge contracts $ 48 $ 52 $ 45 Other, net Gain (loss) on foreign currency transaction exposures (69 ) (70 ) (56 ) Other, net Net foreign currency gain (loss) $ (21 ) $ (18 ) $ (11 ) Topic 815 requires all derivative instruments to be recognized at their fair values as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet. We determine the fair value of our derivative instruments using the framework prescribed by ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures , by considering the estimated amount we would receive or pay to transfer these instruments at the reporting date and by taking into account current interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, the creditworthiness of the counterparty for assets, and our creditworthiness for liabilities. In certain instances, we may utilize financial models to measure fair value. In doing so, we use inputs that include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; other observable inputs for the asset or liability; and inputs derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data by correlation or other means. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, we have classified all of our derivative assets and liabilities within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy prescribed by Topic 820, as discussed below, because these observable inputs are available for substantially the full term of our derivative instruments. The following are the balances of our derivative assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : As of December 31, December 31, (in millions) Location in Balance Sheet (1) 2015 2014 Derivative Assets: Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current assets $ 138 $ 178 Currency hedge contracts Other long-term assets 66 141 Interest rate contracts Other current assets — 3 Interest rate contracts Other long-term assets — 22 204 344 Non-Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current assets 33 100 Total Derivative Assets $ 237 $ 444 Derivative Liabilities: Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current liabilities $ 1 $ 1 Non-Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current liabilities 22 35 Total Derivative Liabilities $ 23 $ 36 (1) We classify derivative assets and liabilities as current when the remaining term of the derivative contract is one year or less. Other Fair Value Measurements Recurring Fair Value Measurements On a recurring basis, we measure certain financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value based upon quoted market prices, where available. Where quoted market prices or other observable inputs are not available, we apply valuation techniques to estimate fair value. Topic 820 establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The categorization of financial assets and financial liabilities within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the measurement of fair value. The three levels of the hierarchy are defined as follows: • Level 1 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities. • Level 2 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are other observable inputs, including quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities and market-corroborated inputs. • Level 3 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable inputs based on management’s best estimate of inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date, including assumptions about risk. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis consist of the following as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 (in millions) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Money market and government funds $ 118 $ — $ — $ 118 $ 151 $ — $ — $ 151 Currency hedge contracts — 237 — 237 — 419 — 419 Interest rate contracts — — — — — 25 — 25 $ 118 $ 237 $ — $ 355 $ 151 $ 444 $ — $ 595 Liabilities Currency hedge contracts $ — $ 23 $ — $ 23 $ — $ 36 $ — $ 36 Accrued contingent consideration — — 246 246 — — 274 274 $ — $ 23 $ 246 $ 269 $ — $ 36 $ 274 $ 310 Our investments in money market and government funds are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices. These investments are classified as cash and cash equivalents within our accompanying consolidated balance sheets, in accordance with U.S. GAAP and our accounting policies. In addition to $118 million invested in money market and government funds as of December 31, 2015 , we had $31 million in short-term time deposits and $170 million in interest bearing and non-interest bearing bank accounts. In addition to $151 million invested in money market and government funds as of December 31, 2014 , we had $255 million in short-term time deposits and $181 million in interest bearing and non-interest bearing bank accounts. Our recurring fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) relate solely to our contingent consideration liability. Refer to Note B - Acquisitions and Strategic Investments for a discussion of the changes in the fair value of our contingent consideration liability. Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements We hold certain assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis in periods subsequent to initial recognition. The fair value of a cost method investment is not estimated if there are no identified events or changes in circumstances that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment. The aggregate carrying amount of our cost method investments was $45 million as of December 31, 2015 and $27 million as of December 31, 2014 . During 2015 , 2014 and 2013, we recorded charges of $19 million , $195 million and $476 million , respectively, to adjust our goodwill and certain other intangible asset balances to their fair value. Refer to Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for further information related to these charges and significant unobservable inputs. The fair value of our outstanding debt obligations was $5.887 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $4.613 billion as of December 31, 2014 , which was determined by using quoted market prices for our publicly-registered senior notes, classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. Refer to Note F – Borrowings and Credit Arrangements for a discussion of our debt obligations.

Borrowings and Credit Arrangeme

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements [Abstract]
BORROWINGS AND CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS	BORROWINGS AND CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS We had total debt of $5.677 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $4.244 billion as of December 31, 2014 . The debt maturity schedule for the significant components of our debt obligations as of December 31, 2015 is as follows: (in millions) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Thereafter Total Senior notes $ — $ 250 $ 600 $ — $ 1,450 $ 2,350 $ 4,650 Term loans — 85 390 150 375 — 1,000 $ — $ 335 $ 990 $ 150 $ 1,825 $ 2,350 $ 5,650 Note: The table above does not include unamortized discounts associated with our senior notes, or amounts related to interest rate contracts used to hedge the fair value of certain of our senior notes or debt issuance costs. Revolving Credit Facility On April 10, 2015, we entered into a new $2.000 billion revolving credit facility (the 2015 Facility) with a global syndicate of commercial banks and terminated our previous $2.000 billion revolving credit facility. The 2015 Facility matures on April 10, 2020. Eurodollar and multicurrency loans under the 2015 Facility bear interest at LIBOR plus an interest margin of between 0.900 percent and 1.500 percent , based on our corporate credit ratings and consolidated leverage ratio ( 1.300 percent , as of December 31, 2015 ). In addition, we are required to pay a facility fee based on our credit ratings, consolidated leverage ratio, and the total amount of revolving credit commitments, regardless of usage, under the agreement ( 0.200 percent , as of December 31, 2015 ). The 2015 Facility contains covenants which, among other things, require that we maintain a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.0 times consolidated EBITDA and a maximum leverage ratio of 4.5 times consolidated EBITDA for the first four fiscal quarter-ends following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition on August 3, 2015, and decreasing to 4.25 times , 4.00 times , and 3.75 times consolidated EBITDA for the next three fiscal quarter-ends after such four fiscal quarter-ends, respectively, and then to 3.50 times for each fiscal quarter-end thereafter. There were no amounts borrowed under our current and prior revolving credit facilities as of December 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014 . Our revolving credit facility agreement in place as of December 31, 2015 requires that we maintain certain financial covenants, as follows: Covenant Requirement Actual as of December 31, 2015 Maximum leverage ratio (1) 4.5 times 3.0 times Minimum interest coverage ratio (2) 3.0 times 6.6 times (1) Ratio of total debt to consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the credit agreement, for the preceding four consecutive fiscal quarters. (2) Ratio of consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the credit agreement, to interest expense for the preceding four consecutive fiscal quarters. The credit agreement for the 2015 Facility provides for an exclusion from the calculation of consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the agreement, through the credit agreement maturity, of any non-cash charges and up to $620 million in restructuring charges and restructuring-related expenses related to our current or future restructuring plans. As of December 31, 2015 , we had $558 million of the restructuring charge exclusion remaining. In addition, any cash litigation payments (net of any cash litigation receipts), as defined by the agreement, are excluded from the calculation of consolidated EBITDA and any new debt issued to fund any tax deficiency payments is excluded from consolidated total debt, as defined in the agreement, provided that the sum of any excluded net cash litigation payments and any new debt issued to fund any tax deficiency payments not exceed $2.000 billion in the aggregate. As of December 31, 2015 , we had approximately $1.803 billion of the combined legal and debt exclusion remaining. On October 23, 2015, the definition of consolidated EBITA was amended to exclude $300 million of litigation payments paid after the closing date of the 2015 Facility, pursuant to the February 13, 2015 settlement agreement with Johnson & Johnson and the other parties thereto. As of and through December 31, 2015 , we were in compliance with the required covenants. Any inability to maintain compliance with these covenants could require us to seek to renegotiate the terms of our credit facility or seek waivers from compliance with these covenants, both of which could result in additional borrowing costs. Further, there can be no assurance that our lenders would agree to such new terms or grant such waivers. Term Loans As of December 31, 2015 , we had an aggregate $1.000 billion outstanding under our unsecured term loan facilities and $400 million outstanding under these facilites as of December 31, 2014 . These facilities include an unsecured term loan facility entered into in August 2013 (2013 Term Loan) which had $250 million outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and $400 million outstanding as of December 31, 2014 , along with an unsecured term loan credit facility entered into in April 2015 (2015 Term Loan) which had $750 million outstanding as of December 31, 2015 . Borrowings under the 2013 Term Loan bear interest at LIBOR plus an interest margin of between 1.0 percent and 1.75 percent (currently 1.5 percent ), based on our corporate credit ratings and consolidated leverage ratio. We repaid $150 million of our 2013 Term Loan facility during 2015. As a result and in accordance with the credit agreement, the remaining amount outstanding is payable with $10 million due in the fourth quarter of 2017, $20 million due in both the first and second quarters of 2018 and the remaining principal amount due at the final maturity date in August 2018. The 2013 Term Loan borrowings are repayable at any time without premium or penalty. Our term loan facility requires that we comply with certain covenants, including financial covenants with respect to maximum leverage and minimum interest coverage, consistent with the 2015 Facility. The maximum leverage ratio requirement is 4.5 times , our actual leverage ratio as of December 31, 2015 is 3.0 times , and the minimum interest coverage ratio requirement is 3.0 times , our actual interest coverage ratio as of December 31, 2015 is 6.6 times . On April 10, 2015, we entered into a new $750 million unsecured term loan credit facility (2015 Term Loan) which matures on August 3, 2020. The 2015 Term Loan was funded on August 3, 2015 and was used to partially fund the AMS Portfolio Acquisition, including the payment of fees and expenses. Term loan borrowings under this facility bear interest at LIBOR plus an interest margin of between 1.00 percent and 1.75 percent (currently 1.50 percent ), based on our corporate credit ratings and consolidated leverage ratio. The 2015 Term Loan requires quarterly principal payments of $38 million commencing in the third quarter of 2017, and the remaining principal amount is due at the final maturity date of August 3, 2020. The 2015 Term Loan agreement requires that we comply with certain covenants, including financial covenants with respect to maximum leverage and minimum interest coverage, consistent with the 2015 Facility. The maximum leverage ratio requirement is 4.5 times , our actual leverage ratio as of December 31, 2015 is 3.0 times , and the minimum interest coverage ratio requirement is 3.0 times , our actual interest coverage ratio as of December 31, 2015 is 6.6 times . Senior Notes We had senior notes outstanding of $4.650 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $3.800 billion outstanding as of December 31, 2014 . In May 2015, we completed the offering of $1.850 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior notes consisting of $600 million in aggregate principal amount of 2.850% notes due 2020, $500 million in aggregate principal amount of 3.375% notes due 2022 and $750 million in aggregate principal amount of 3.850% notes due 2025. The net proceeds from the offering of the notes, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses, were approximately $1.830 billion . We used a portion of the net proceeds from the senior notes offering to redeem $400 million aggregate principal amount of our 5.500% notes due November 2015 and $600 million aggregate principal amount of our 6.400% notes due June 2016. The remaining senior notes offering proceeds, together with the 2015 Term Loan, were used to fund the AMS Portfolio Acquisition. We recorded a charge of $45 million in interest expense for premiums, accelerated amortization of debt issuance costs, and investor discount costs net of interest rate hedge gains related to the early debt extinguishment. Our senior notes were issued in public offerings, are redeemable prior to maturity and are not subject to any sinking fund requirements. Our senior notes are unsecured, unsubordinated obligations and rank on parity with each other. These notes are effectively junior to borrowings under our credit and security facility, to the extent if directly borrowed by our subsidiaries, and to liabilities of our subsidiaries (see Other Arrangements below). Our senior notes consist of the following as of December 31, 2015 : Amount (in millions) Issuance Date Maturity Date Semi-annual Coupon Rate January 2017 Notes $ 250 November 2004 January 2017 5.125% October 2018 Notes 600 August 2013 October 2018 2.650% January 2020 Notes 850 December 2009 January 2020 6.000% May 2020 Notes 600 May 2015 May 2020 2.850% May 2022 Notes 500 May 2015 May 2022 3.375% May 2025 Notes 750 May 2015 May 2025 3.850% October 2023 Notes 450 August 2013 October 2023 4.125% November 2035 Notes 350 November 2005 November 2035 6.250% January 2040 Notes 300 December 2009 January 2040 7.375% $ 4,650 Our $4.050 billion of senior notes issued in 2009, 2013 and 2015 contain a change-in-control provision, which provides that each holder of the senior notes may require us to repurchase all or a portion of the notes at a price equal to 101 percent of the aggregate repurchased principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if a rating event, as defined in the indenture, occurs as a result of a change-in-control, as defined in the indenture. Any other credit rating changes may impact our borrowing cost, but do not require us to repay any borrowings. The interest rate payable on our November 2035 Notes is currently 7.00 percent . Corporate credit rating improvements may result in a decrease in the adjusted interest rate on our November 2035 Notes to the extent that our lowest credit rating is above BBB- or Baa3. The interest rates on our November 2035 Notes will be permanently reinstated to the issuance rate if the lowest credit ratings assigned to these senior notes is either A- or A3 or higher. Other Arrangements We also maintain a $300 million credit and security facility secured by our U.S. trade receivables maturing on June 9, 2017. The credit and security facility requires that we maintain a maximum leverage covenant consistent with the 2015 Facility. The maximum leverage ratio requirement is 4.5 times and our actual leverage ratio as of December 31, 2015 is 3.0 times . We had no borrowings outstanding under this facility as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 . We have accounts receivable factoring programs in certain European countries that we account for as sales under ASC Topic 860, Transfers and Servicing. These agreements provide for the sale of accounts receivable to third parties, without recourse, of up to approximately $392 million as of December 31, 2015 . We have no retained interests in the transferred receivables, other than collection and administrative responsibilities and, once sold, the accounts receivable are no longer available to satisfy creditors in the event of bankruptcy. We de-recognized $151 million of receivables as of December 31, 2015 at an average interest rate of 2.4 percent , and $167 million as of December 31, 2014 at an average interest rate of 3.2 percent . In addition, we have uncommitted credit facilities with a commercial Japanese bank that provide for borrowings, promissory notes discounting and receivables factoring of up to 21.0 billion Japanese yen (approximately $175 million as of December 31, 2015 ). We de-recognized $132 million of notes receivable as of December 31, 2015 at an average interest rate of 1.6 percent and $134 million of notes receivable as of December 31, 2014 at an average interest rate of 1.8 percent . De-recognized accounts and notes receivable are excluded from trade accounts receivable, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2015 , we had outstanding letters of credit of $44 million , as compared to $59 million as of December 31, 2014 , which consisted primarily of bank guarantees and collateral for workers' compensation insurance arrangements. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , none of the beneficiaries had drawn upon the letters of credit or guarantees; accordingly, we have not recognized a related liability for our outstanding letters of credit in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2015 or 2014 . We believe we will generate sufficient cash from operations to fund these payments and intend to fund these payments without drawing on the letters of credit.

Leases

Leases	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Leases [Abstract]
Leases of Lessee Disclosure [Text Block]	LEASES Rent expense amounted to $76 million in 2015 , $76 million in 2014 and $77 million in 2013 . Future minimum rental commitments as of December 31, 2015 under all noncancelable lease agreements, including capital leases, were as follows (in millions): 2016 $ 58 2017 44 2018 36 2019 27 2020 21 Thereafter 43 $ 229

Restructuring Related Activitie

Restructuring Related Activities	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Restructuring Charges [Abstract]
Restructuring and Related Activities Disclosure [Text Block]	RESTRUCTURING-RELATED ACTIVITIES On an on-going basis, we monitor the dynamics of the economy, the healthcare industry, and the markets in which we compete; and we continue to assess opportunities for improved operational effectiveness and efficiency, and better alignment of expenses with revenues, while preserving our ability to make the investments in research and development projects, capital, our people and other programs that we believe are important to drive our growth. As a result of these assessments, we have undertaken various restructuring initiatives in order to enhance our growth potential and position us for long-term success. These initiatives are described below. 2014 Restructuring Plan On October 22, 2013, our Board of Directors approved, and we committed to, a restructuring initiative (the 2014 Restructuring plan). The 2014 Restructuring plan is intended to build on the progress we have made to address financial pressures in a changing global marketplace, further strengthen our operational effectiveness and efficiency and support new growth investments. Key activities under the plan include continued implementation of our ongoing Plant Network Optimization (PNO) strategy, continued focus on driving operational efficiencies and ongoing business and commercial model changes. The PNO strategy is intended to simplify our manufacturing plant structure by transferring certain production lines among facilities. Other activities involve rationalizing organizational reporting structures to streamline various functions, eliminate bureaucracy, increase productivity and better align resources to business strategies and marketplace dynamics. These activities were initiated in the fourth quarter of 2013 and were substantially completed by the end of 2015; except for certain activities associated with our plant network optimization strategy, which we expect to substantially complete by the end of 2016. We estimate that the implementation of the 2014 Restructuring plan will result in total pre-tax charges of approximately $255 million to $270 million and approximately $240 million to $255 million of these charges are expected to result in cash outlays, of which we have made payments of $189 million to date. We have recorded related costs of $229 million since the inception of the plan, and are recording a portion of these expenses as restructuring charges and the remaining portion through other lines within our consolidated statements of operations. The following table provides a summary of our estimates of costs associated with the 2014 Restructuring plan by major type of cost: Type of cost Total estimated amount expected to be incurred Restructuring charges: Termination benefits $95 million to $100 million Other (1) $30 million to $35 million Restructuring-related expenses: Other (2) $130 million to $135 million $255 million to $270 million (1) Consists primarily of consulting fees and costs associated with contractual cancellations. (2) Comprised of other costs directly related to the 2014 Restructuring plan, including program management, accelerated depreciation, and costs to transfer product lines among facilities. 2011 Restructuring Plan On July 26, 2011, our Board of Directors approved, and we committed to, a restructuring initiative (the 2011 Restructuring plan) designed to strengthen operational effectiveness and efficiencies, increase competitiveness and support new investments. Key activities under the 2011 Restructuring plan included standardizing and automating certain processes and activities; relocating select administrative and functional activities; rationalizing organizational reporting structures; leveraging preferred vendors; and other efforts to eliminate inefficiency. Among these efforts, we expanded our ability to deliver best-in-class global shared services for certain functions and divisions at several locations in emerging markets. On January 25, 2013, our Board of Directors approved, and we committed to, an expansion of the 2011 Restructuring plan (the Expansion). The Expansion was intended to further strengthen our operational effectiveness and efficiencies and support new investments. Activities under the 2011 Restructuring plan were initiated in the third quarter of 2011 and all activities, including those related to the Expansion, were substantially completed by the end of 2013. The 2011 Restructuring plan, including the Expansion, resulted in total pre-tax charges of approximately $286 million and $287 million of cash outlays. In addition, we received $53 million of cash proceeds on facility and fixed asset sales. We recorded a portion of these expenses as restructuring charges and the remaining portion through other lines within our consolidated statements of operations. The following provides a summary of our total costs associated with the 2011 Restructuring plan, including the Expansion, by major type of cost: Type of cost Total amount incurred Restructuring charges: Termination benefits $135 million Other (1) $112 million Restructuring-related expenses: Other (2) $39 million $286 million (1) Includes primarily consulting fees, gains and losses on fixed asset disposals and costs associated with contractual cancellations. (2) Comprised of other costs directly related to the 2011 Restructuring plan, including the Expansion, such as program management, accelerated depreciation, retention and infrastructure-related costs. In aggregate, we recorded restructuring charges pursuant to our restructuring plans of $26 million during 2015 , $69 million during 2014 , and $101 million during 2013 . In addition, we recorded expenses within other lines of our accompanying consolidated statements of operations related to our restructuring initiatives of $57 million during 2015 , $48 million during 2014 , and $23 million during 2013 . The following presents these costs by major type and line item within our accompanying consolidated statements of operations, as well as by program: Year Ended December 31, 2015 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total Restructuring charges $ 23 $ — $ — $ 3 $ 26 Restructuring-related expenses: Cost of products sold — — 31 — 31 Selling, general and administrative expenses — 3 — 23 26 — 3 31 23 57 $ 23 $ 3 $ 31 $ 26 $ 83 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 27 $ 3 31 $ 26 $ 87 2011 Restructuring plan (4 ) — — — (4 ) $ 23 $ 3 $ 31 $ 26 $ 83 Year Ended December 31, 2014 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total Restructuring charges $ 42 $ — $ — $ 27 $ 69 Restructuring-related expenses: Cost of products sold — — 24 — 24 Selling, general and administrative expenses — 5 — 19 24 — 5 24 19 48 $ 42 $ 5 $ 24 $ 46 $ 117 (in millions) Termination Accelerated Transfer Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 41 $ 5 $ 24 $ 43 $ 113 2011 Restructuring plan 1 — — 3 4 $ 42 $ 5 $ 24 $ 46 $ 117 Year Ended December 31, 2013 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Net Gain on Fixed Asset Disposal Other Total Restructuring charges $ 60 $ — $ (15 ) $ 56 $ 101 Restructuring-related expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses — 3 — 20 23 — 3 — 20 23 $ 60 $ 3 $ (15 ) $ 76 $ 124 (in millions) Termination Accelerated Net Gain on Fixed Asset Disposal Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 29 $ — $ — $ 1 $ 30 2011 Restructuring plan 37 3 (15 ) 75 100 Substantially completed restructuring programs (6 ) — — — (6 ) $ 60 $ 3 $ (15 ) $ 76 $ 124 In 2013 we recorded a $6 million credit for the release of certain termination benefit accruals related to restructuring programs that were substantially complete by the end of 2012. Termination benefits represent amounts incurred pursuant to our on-going benefit arrangements and amounts for “one-time” involuntary termination benefits, and have been recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 712, Compensation – Non-retirement Postemployment Benefits and ASC Topic 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations (Topic 420). We expect to record additional termination benefits related to our restructuring initiatives in 2016 as we complete our 2014 Restructuring plan. Other restructuring costs, which represent primarily consulting fees, are being recorded as incurred in accordance with Topic 420. Accelerated depreciation is being recorded over the adjusted remaining useful life of the related assets, and production line transfer costs are being recorded as incurred. We have incurred cumulative restructuring charges related to our 2014 Restructuring plan and 2011 Restructuring plan (including the Expansion) of $372 million and restructuring-related costs of $143 million since we committed to each plan. The following presents these costs by major type and by plan: (in millions) 2014 Restructuring plan 2011 plan (including the Expansion) Total Termination benefits $ 96 $ 135 $ 231 Fixed asset write-offs — (1 ) (1 ) Other 29 113 142 Total restructuring charges 125 247 372 Accelerated depreciation 8 5 13 Transfer costs 55 — 55 Other 41 34 75 Restructuring-related expenses 104 39 143 $ 229 $ 286 $ 515 We made cash payments of $95 million in 2015 associated with restructuring initiatives pursuant to these plans, and have made total cash payments of $476 million related to our 2014 Restructuring plan and 2011 Restructuring plan (including the Expansion) since committing to each plan. Each of these payments was made using cash generated from operations, and are comprised of the following: (in millions) 2014 Restructuring plan 2011 Total Year Ended December 31, 2015 Termination benefits $ 37 $ — $ 37 Transfer costs 31 — 31 Other 27 — 27 $ 95 $ — $ 95 Program to Date Termination benefits 69 $ 133 $ 202 Transfer costs 55 — 55 Other 65 154 219 $ 189 $ 287 $ 476 Our restructuring liability is primarily comprised of accruals for termination benefits. The following is a rollforward of the termination benefit liability associated with our 2014 Restructuring plan and 2011 Restructuring plan (including the Expansion) since the inception of the respective plan, which is reported as a component of accrued expenses included in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets: Restructuring Plan Termination Benefits (in millions) 2014 2011 Total Accrued as of December 31, 2012 $ — $ 36 $ 36 Charges 29 37 66 Cash payments — (61 ) (61 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2013 29 12 41 Charges 41 1 42 Cash payments (31 ) (9 ) (40 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2014 39 4 43 Charges 27 (4 ) 23 Cash payments (37 ) — (37 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2015 $ 29 $ — $ 29 In addition to our accrual for termination benefits, we had a $3 million liability as of December 31, 2015 and a $6 million liability as of December 31, 2014 for other restructuring-related items.

Supplemental Balance Sheet Info

Supplemental Balance Sheet Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Supplemental Balance Sheet Information [Abstract]
SUPPLEMENTAL BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION	SUPPLEMENTAL BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION Components of selected captions in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets are as follows: Trade accounts receivable, net As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Accounts receivable $ 1,394 $ 1,288 Less: allowance for doubtful accounts (75 ) (76 ) Less: allowance for sales returns (44 ) (29 ) $ 1,275 $ 1,183 The following is a rollforward of our allowance for doubtful accounts for 2015, 2014 and 2013 : Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Beginning balance $ 76 $ 81 $ 88 Net charges to expenses 15 10 5 Utilization of allowances (16 ) (15 ) (12 ) Ending balance $ 75 $ 76 $ 81 Inventories As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Finished goods $ 706 $ 649 Work-in-process 102 97 Raw materials 208 200 $ 1,016 $ 946 Property, plant and equipment, net As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Land $ 86 $ 80 Buildings and improvements 981 944 Equipment, furniture and fixtures 2,793 2,633 Capital in progress 202 189 4,062 3,846 Less: accumulated depreciation 2,572 2,339 $ 1,490 $ 1,507 Accrued expenses As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Legal reserves $ 773 $ 694 Payroll and related liabilities 504 512 Accrued contingent consideration 119 158 Other 574 586 $ 1,970 $ 1,950 Other long-term liabilities As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Accrued income taxes $ 1,253 $ 1,231 Legal reserves 1,163 883 Accrued contingent consideration 127 116 Other long-term liabilities 431 436 $ 2,974 $ 2,666

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Taxes [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES Our income (loss) before income taxes consisted of the following: Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Domestic $ (1,623 ) $ (1,263 ) $ (774 ) Foreign 973 754 551 $ (650 ) $ (509 ) $ (223 ) The related benefit for income taxes consisted of the following: Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Current Federal $ 59 $ (2 ) $ 46 State 3 (5 ) (9 ) Foreign 132 111 105 194 104 142 Deferred Federal (545 ) (458 ) (212 ) State (41 ) (23 ) (17 ) Foreign (19 ) (13 ) (15 ) (605 ) (494 ) (244 ) $ (411 ) $ (390 ) $ (102 ) The reconciliation of income taxes at the federal statutory rate to the actual benefit for income taxes is as follows: Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate (35.0 )% (35.0 )% (35.0 )% State income taxes, net of federal benefit (4.8 )% (6.5 )% (7.9 )% Effect of foreign taxes (34.4 )% (29.1 )% (63.4 )% Acquisition-related 6.0 % (7.5 )% 3.5 % Research credit (4.4 )% (7.0 )% (12.2 )% Valuation allowance 2.3 % 4.0 % (12.0 )% Goodwill impairment charges — % — % 65.2 % Compensation-related 1.6 % 0.7 % 1.7 % Non-deductible expenses 2.4 % 1.9 % 9.0 % Uncertain domestic tax positions 2.7 % 2.0 % 7.0 % Other, net 0.4 % (0.2 )% (1.9 )% (63.2 )% (76.7 )% (46.0 )% We had net deferred tax liabilities of $264 million as of December 31, 2015 and $799 million as of December 31, 2014 . Gross deferred tax liabilities of $1.875 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $2.096 billion as of December 31, 2014 relate primarily to intangible assets acquired in connection with our prior acquisitions. Gross deferred tax assets of $1.611 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $1.297 billion as of December 31, 2014 relate primarily to the establishment of inventory and product-related reserves; litigation, product liability and other reserves and accruals; compensation related accruals; net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards; and the federal benefit of uncertain tax positions. We reduce our deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that we will not realize some portion or all of the deferred tax assets. We consider relevant evidence, both positive and negative, to determine the need for a valuation allowance. Information evaluated includes our financial position and results of operations for the current and preceding years, the availability of deferred tax liabilities and tax carrybacks, as well as an evaluation of currently available information about future years. Significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows: As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 Deferred Tax Assets: Inventory costs and related reserves $ 49 $ 46 Tax benefit of net operating loss and credits 742 525 Reserves and accruals 232 232 Restructuring-related charges 17 20 Litigation and product liability reserves 689 556 Investment write-down 7 4 Compensation related 138 150 Federal benefit of uncertain tax positions 197 178 Other 39 36 2,110 1,747 Less valuation allowance (499 ) (450 ) 1,611 1,297 Deferred Tax Liabilities: Property, plant and equipment 44 67 Unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments 82 146 Intangible assets 1,749 1,883 1,875 2,096 Net Deferred Tax Liabilities 264 799 Prepaid on intercompany profit 63 69 Total Net Deferred Tax Liabilities and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit $ 201 $ 730 Our deferred tax assets, deferred tax liabilities and prepaid on intercompany profit, are included in the following locations within our accompanying consolidated balance sheets (in millions): Location in As of December 31, Component Balance Sheet 2015 2014 Current deferred tax asset and prepaid on intercompany profit Deferred income taxes $ 496 $ 447 Non-current deferred tax asset Other long-term assets 40 39 Deferred Tax Assets and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit 536 486 Current deferred tax liability Other current liabilities 2 2 Non-current deferred tax liability Deferred income taxes 735 1,214 Deferred Tax Liabilities 737 1,216 Net Deferred Tax Liabilities and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit $ 201 $ 730 As of December 31, 2015 , we had U.S. tax net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits, the tax effect of which was $624 million , as compared to $335 million as of December 31, 2014 . In addition, we had foreign tax net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits, the tax effect of which was $288 million as of December 31, 2015 , as compared to $304 million as of December 31, 2014 . These tax attributes will expire periodically beginning in 2016. The current accounting standard for stock-based compensation prohibits the recognition of windfall tax benefits from stock-based compensation deducted for tax return purposes until realized through a reduction of income taxes payable. We have $32 million and $2 million of U.S. tax net operating loss as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 respectively, which will be recognized through additional paid in capital upon realization of the tax benefit through reduction of income tax payable. These amounts were not included in the gross deferred taxes as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. After consideration of all positive and negative evidence, we believe that it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. As a result, we established a valuation allowance of $499 million as of December 31, 2015 and $450 million as of December 31, 2014 , representing an increase of $49 million . The increase in the valuation allowance as of December 31, 2015 , as compared to December 31, 2014 , is attributable primarily to increases in certain deferred tax assets that are not more likely than not realizable. The income tax impact of the unrealized gain or loss component of other comprehensive income and stockholders' equity was a charge of $25 million in 2015 , a charge of $21 million in 2014 , and a charge of $76 million in 2013 . We have not provided U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes on the undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 because we intend to permanently reinvest such earnings outside the U.S. As of December 31, 2015 , the cumulative amount of excess financial reporting basis over the tax basis of investments in foreign subsidiaries that is indefinitely reinvested is approximately $8.9 billion . Generally, such amounts become subject to U.S. taxation upon the remittance of dividends and under certain other circumstances. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability related to investments in these foreign subsidiaries. We obtain tax incentives through Free Trade Zone Regime offered in Costa Rica which allows 100% exemption from income tax in the first eight years of operations and 50% exemption in the following four years. This tax incentive resulted in income tax savings of $7 million for 2015 , $7 million for 2014 , and $6 million for 2013 . The tax incentive for 100% exemption from income tax is expected to expire in 2023. The impact of per share earnings is immaterial for 2015, 2014 and 2013 . As of December 31, 2015 , we had $1.056 billion of gross unrecognized tax benefits, of which a net $900 million , if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate. As of December 31, 2014 , we had $1.047 billion of gross unrecognized tax benefits, of which a net $903 million , if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate. As of December 31, 2013, we had $1.102 billion of gross unrecognized tax benefits, of which a net $941 million , if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in millions): Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Beginning Balance $ 1,047 $ 1,102 $ 1,088 Additions based on positions related to the current year 32 44 59 Additions based on positions related to prior years 38 3 43 Reductions for tax positions of prior years (36 ) (87 ) (42 ) Settlements with taxing authorities (18 ) (5 ) (15 ) Statute of limitation expirations (7 ) (10 ) (31 ) Ending Balance $ 1,056 $ 1,047 $ 1,102 We are subject to U.S. Federal income tax as well as income tax of multiple state and foreign jurisdictions. We have concluded all U.S. federal income tax matters through 2000, all foreign income tax matters through 2002 and substantially all material state and local income tax matters through 2005. We have received Notices of Deficiency from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reflecting proposed audit adjustments for Guidant Corporation for its 2001 through 2006 tax years and Boston Scientific Corporation for its 2006 and 2007 tax years. The total incremental tax liability asserted by the IRS for the applicable periods is $1.162 billion plus interest. The primary issue in dispute for all years is the transfer pricing associated with the technology license agreements between domestic and foreign subsidiaries of Guidant. In addition, the IRS has proposed adjustments in connection with the financial terms of our Transaction Agreement with Abbott Laboratories pertaining to the sale of Guidant's vascular intervention business to Abbott in April 2006. In addition to the Notices of Deficiency, during 2014, we received a Revenue Agent Report from the IRS reflecting significant proposed audit adjustments to our 2008, 2009, and 2010 tax years based upon the same transfer pricing methodologies that the IRS applied to our 2001 through 2007 tax years. We do not agree with the transfer pricing methodologies applied by the IRS or its resulting assessment. In addition, we believe that the IRS positions with regard to these matters are inconsistent with the applicable tax laws and the existing Treasury regulations. We believe we have meritorious defenses for our tax filings, and we have filed petitions with the U.S. Tax Court contesting the Notices of Deficiency for the 2001 - 2007 tax years in challenge. We currently expect the trial in this matter to begin in the second half of 2016. Furthermore, we have submitted a letter to the IRS protesting the Revenue Agent Report for the 2008 - 2010 tax years and requesting an administrative appeal hearing. We do not believe that the IRS will hear our appeal until the Tax Court case is concluded. No payments on the net assessments would be required until the dispute is definitively resolved, which, based on experiences of other companies, could take several years. We believe our income tax reserves associated with these matters are adequate as of December 31, 2015. However, final resolution is uncertain and could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. We recognize interest and penalties related to income taxes as a component of income tax expense. We had $500 million accrued for gross interest and penalties as of December 31, 2015 and $443 million as of December 31, 2014 . The increase in gross interest and penalties was the result of $57 million recognized in our consolidated statements of operations. We recognized $37 million of interest and penalties related to income taxes in 2015 , recognized $26 million in 2014 and recognized $22 million in 2013 . It is reasonably possible that within the next 12 months we will resolve multiple issues including transfer pricing and transactional related issues with foreign, federal and state taxing authorities, in which case we could record a reduction in our balance of unrecognized tax benefits of up to $13 million .

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES The medical device market in which we primarily participate is largely technology driven. As a result, intellectual property rights, particularly patents and trade secrets, play a significant role in product development and differentiation. Over the years, there has been litigation initiated against us by others, including our competitors, claiming that our current or former product offerings infringe patents owned or licensed by them. Intellectual property litigation is inherently complex and unpredictable. In addition, competing parties frequently file multiple suits to leverage patent portfolios across product lines, technologies and geographies and to balance risk and exposure between the parties. In some cases, several competitors are parties in the same proceeding, or in a series of related proceedings, or litigate multiple features of a single class of devices. These forces frequently drive settlement not only for individual cases, but also for a series of pending and potentially related and unrelated cases. Although monetary and injunctive relief is typically sought, remedies and restitution are generally not determined until the conclusion of the trial court proceedings and can be modified on appeal. Accordingly, the outcomes of individual cases are difficult to time, predict or quantify and are often dependent upon the outcomes of other cases in other geographies. During recent years, we successfully negotiated closure of several long-standing legal matters and have received favorable rulings in several other matters; however, there continues to be outstanding intellectual property litigation. Adverse outcomes in one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our ability to sell certain products and on our operating margins, financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity. In the normal course of business, product liability, securities and commercial claims are asserted against us. Similar claims may be asserted against us in the future related to events not known to management at the present time. We maintain an insurance policy providing limited coverage against securities claims, and we are substantially self-insured with respect to product liability claims and fully self-insured with respect to intellectual property infringement claims. The absence of significant third-party insurance coverage increases our potential exposure to unanticipated claims or adverse decisions. Product liability claims, securities and commercial litigation, and other legal proceedings in the future, regardless of their outcome, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity. In addition, like other companies in the medical device industry, we are subject to extensive regulation by national, state and local government agencies in the United States and other countries in which we operate. From time to time we are the subject of qui tam actions and governmental investigations often involving regulatory, marketing and other business practices. These qui tam actions and governmental investigations could result in the commencement of civil and criminal proceedings, substantial fines, penalties and administrative remedies and have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity. In accordance with ASC Topic 450, Contingencies , we accrue anticipated costs of settlement, damages, losses for product liability claims and, under certain conditions, costs of defense, based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, we expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range. Our accrual for legal matters that are probable and estimable was $1.936 billion as of December 31, 2015 and $1.577 billion as of December 31, 2014 , and includes certain estimated costs of settlement, damages and defense. The increase in our legal accrual was primarily due to litigation-related charges recorded during the year. During 2015, 2014 and 2013 , we recorded litigation-related net charges in the amount of $1.105 billion , $1.036 billion , and $221 million , respectively. The net charges recorded in 2015 include amounts related to transvaginal surgical mesh product liability cases and claims, the Mirowski lawsuit and certain other items. The net charges recorded in 2014 include a $600 million charge related to the agreement between our subsidiary, Guidant Corporation (Guidant) and Johnson & Johnson signed on February 13, 2015, to settle the breach of merger agreement lawsuit brought by Johnson & Johnson, stemming from our acquisition of Guidant. In exchange, we made aggregate payments totaling $600 million to Johnson & Johnson during 2015. The 2014 net charges also include amounts related to transvaginal surgical mesh product liability cases and claims and certain other items. We continue to assess certain litigation and claims to determine the amounts, if any, that management believes will be paid as a result of such claims and litigation and, therefore, additional losses may be accrued and paid in the future, which could materially adversely impact our operating results, cash flows and/or our ability to comply with our debt covenants. In management's opinion, we are not currently involved in any legal proceedings other than those specifically identified below, which, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operations and/or cash flows. Unless included in our legal accrual or otherwise indicated below, a range of loss associated with any individual material legal proceeding cannot be estimated. Patent Litigation On May 19, 2005, G. David Jang, M.D. filed suit against us alleging breach of contract relating to certain patent rights covering stent technology. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California seeking monetary damages and rescission of contract. After a Markman ruling relating to the Jang patent rights, Dr. Jang stipulated to the dismissal of certain claims alleged in the complaint with a right to appeal and the parties subsequently agreed to settle the other claims. In May 2007, Dr. Jang filed an appeal with respect to the remaining patent claims and in July 2008, the Court of Appeals vacated the District Court's consent judgment and remanded the case back to the District Court for further clarification. In August 2011, the District Court entered a stipulated judgment that we did not infringe the Jang patent. Dr. Jang filed an appeal on September 21, 2011 and on August 22, 2012, the Court of Appeals vacated the District Court's judgment and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings. On July 8, 2015, a jury found that our Express Stent family did not literally infringe a Jang patent, but that the stents infringed under the doctrine of equivalents. The court reserved judgment until the conclusion of further proceedings related to the doctrine of equivalents finding. On September 29, 2015, the court ruled that our Express Stent family did not infringe under the doctrine of equivalents and, on October 30, 2015, the court entered judgment in our favor. On November 25, 2015, Dr. Jang filed a motion for judgment as a matter of law on literal infringement and/or for a new trial and, on November 30, 2015, Dr. Jang filed a notice of appeal. On February 3, 2016, the court denied Dr. Jang’s motion for a new trial and judgment as a matter of law. On September 27, 2010, Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Boston Scientific Ltd., Endovascular Technologies, Inc. and we filed suit against Taewoong Medical, Co., Ltd., Standard Sci-Tech, Inc., EndoChoice, Inc. and Sewoon Medical Co., Ltd for infringement of three patents on stents for use in the GI system (the Pulnev and Hankh patents) and against Cook Medical Inc. (and related entities) for infringement of the same three patents and an additional patent (the Thompson patent). The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief. In December 2010, we amended our complaint to add infringement of six additional Pulnev patents. In January 2011, the defendants filed a counterclaim of invalidity and unenforceability. In December 2011, we amended the complaint to add Chek-Med Systems d/b/a GI Supply as a defendant. On February 18, 2014, Atlas IP, LLC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida alleging that the sale of our LATITUDE® Patient Management System and implantable devices that communicate with the LATITUDE® device infringe a patent owned by Atlas. On July 9, 2014, the District Court granted our motion to transfer venue to the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. On January 12, 2015, Atlas dismissed its complaint. On September 22, 2015, Atlas IP LLC filed a complaint in Federal Court in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada alleging that the sale of our LATITUDE® Patient Management System and implantable devices that communicate with the LATITUDE® device infringe certain claims of a Canadian patent owned by Atlas. On September 22, 2014, The Board of Trustees for the University of Alabama filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama alleging that the sale of our cardiac resynchronization therapy devices infringe a patent owned by the University of Alabama. On August 21, 2015, the court ordered a stay pending our requests for inter partes review of all claims related to the patent before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Our requests were rejected on September 24, 2015 and October 19, 2015. A trial has been scheduled to begin on May 22, 2017. On October 30, 2015, a subsidiary of Boston Scientific filed suit against Edwards Lifesciences Corporation and Edwards Lifesciences Services GmbH in Düsseldorf District Court in Germany for patent infringement. We allege that Edwards’ SAPIEN 3 heart valve infringes our patent related to adaptive sealing technology. On November 9, 2015, Edwards Lifesciences, LLC filed an invalidity claim against one of our subsidiaries, Sadra Medical, Inc., in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division Patents Court in the United Kingdom, alleging that a European patent owned by Sadra relating to a repositionable heart valve is invalid. On January 15, 2016, we filed our defense and counterclaim for a declaration that our European patent is valid and infringed by Edwards. On November 23, 2015, Edwards Lifesciences PVT, Inc. filed a patent infringement action against us and one of our subsidiaries, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, in the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany alleging a European patent (Spenser) owned by Edwards is infringed by our Lotus™ transcatheter heart valve system. On November 23, 2015, Edwards Lifesciences Corporation filed a patent infringement action against us and Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH in the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany alleging an European patent (Bourang) owned by Edwards is infringed by our Lotus™ transcatheter heart valve system. Product Liability Litigation Fewer than five individual lawsuits remain pending in state court jurisdictions against Guidant alleging personal injuries associated with defibrillators or pacemakers involved in certain 2005 and 2006 product communications. Further, we are aware of approximately 18 Guidant product liability lawsuits pending in international jurisdictions associated with defibrillators or pacemakers, including devices involved in the 2005 and 2006 product communications. Four of these suits are pending in Canada involving certain models of Guidant pacemakers, three of which are stayed pending the outcome of one lead class action. On May 8, 2009, the Justice of Ontario Court certified a class of persons in whom pacemakers were implanted in Canada and a class of family members with derivative claims. In each case, these matters generally seek monetary damages from us. This class action has been inactive since 2011. On March 24, 2014, the Ontario Superior Court approved a $3 million settlement of a class action involving certain models of Guidant defibrillators. We believe Guidant has satisfied its obligations pursuant to the settlement agreement. As of February 23, 2016, over 35,000 product liability cases or claims related to transvaginal surgical mesh products designed to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse have been asserted against us. The pending cases are in various federal and state courts in the United States and include eight putative class actions. There were also fewer than 20 cases in Canada, inclusive of four putative class actions, and fewer than 15 claims in the United Kingdom. Generally, the plaintiffs allege personal injury associated with use of our transvaginal surgical mesh products. The plaintiffs assert design and manufacturing claims, failure to warn, breach of warranty, fraud, violations of state consumer protection laws and loss of consortium claims. Over 3,100 of the cases have been specially assigned to one judge in state court in Massachusetts. On February 7, 2012, the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (MDL) established MDL-2326 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and transferred the federal court transvaginal surgical mesh cases to MDL-2326 for coordinated pretrial proceedings. During the fourth quarter of 2013, we received written discovery requests from certain state attorneys general offices regarding our transvaginal surgical mesh products. We have responded to those requests. During April 2015, we entered into an initial master settlement agreement with certain plaintiffs’ counsel to settle 2,970 pending cases and claims, including the case in the District Court of Dallas County (TX) for which there is a judgment of approximately $35 million that is currently subject to appeal, for approximately $119 million . Subsequently, we entered into several additional master settlement agreements with certain plaintiffs’ counsel. As of February 23, 2016, we have entered into master settlement agreements to resolve an aggregate of over 10,000 cases and claims. Each master settlement agreement was entered into solely by way of compromise and without any admission or concession by us of any liability or wrongdoing and provides that the settlement and the distribution of settlement funds to participating claimants are conditioned upon, among other things, achieving minimum required claimant participation thresholds. If the participation thresholds under a master settlement agreement are not satisfied, we may terminate that agreement. In addition, we continue to engage in discussions with various plaintiffs’ counsel regarding potential resolution of pending cases and claims. On or about January 12, 2016, Teresa L. Stevens filed a claim against us and three other defendants asserting for herself, and on behalf of a putative class of similarly-situated women, that she was harmed by a vaginal mesh implant that she alleges contained a counterfeit or adulterated resin product that we imported from China. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, before the same Court that is hearing the mesh MDL. The complaint, which alleges Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations, fraud, misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices and unjust enrichment, seeks both equitable relief and damages under state and federal law. On January 26, 2016, the Court issued an order staying the case and directing the plaintiff to submit information to allow the FDA to issue a determination with respect to her allegations. In addition, we are in contact with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, and are responding voluntarily to their requests in connection with that office’s review of the allegations concerning the use of mesh resin in the complaint. We deny the plaintiff’s allegations and intend to defend ourselves vigorously. We have established a product liability accrual for known and estimated future cases and claims asserted against us as well as with respect to the actions that have resulted in verdicts against us and the costs of defense thereof associated with our transvaginal surgical mesh products. While we believe that our accrual associated with this matter is adequate, changes to this accrual may be required in the future as additional information becomes available. While we continue to engage in discussions with plaintiffs’ counsel regarding potential resolution of pending cases and claims and intend to vigorously contest the cases and claims asserted against us; that do not settle, the final resolution of the cases and claims is uncertain and could have a material impact on our results of operations, financial condition and/or liquidity. Initial trials involving our transvaginal surgical mesh products have resulted in both favorable and unfavorable judgments for us. We do not believe that the judgment in any one trial is representative of potential outcomes of all cases or claims related to our transvaginal surgical mesh products. Governmental Investigations and Qui Tam Matters On August 3, 2012, we were served with a qui tam complaint that had previously been filed under seal against Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corp. in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on March 2, 2011. On August 8, 2012, we learned that the federal government had previously declined to intervene in this matter. The relators’ complaint, now unsealed, alleges that Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corp. violated the federal and various states' false claims acts through submission of fraudulent bills for implanted devices, under-reporting of certain adverse events, and promotion of off-label uses. On September 10, 2012, the relators filed an amended complaint revising and restating certain of the claims in the original complaint. Our motion to dismiss, filed subsequently, was denied on May 31, 2013, and on June 28, 2013, we answered the amended complaint and brought certain counterclaims arising from relators’ unauthorized removal of documents from the business during their employments, which the relators moved to dismiss on July 22, 2013. The Court denied relators’ motion to dismiss the counterclaims on September 4, 2014. On May 5, 2014, we were served with a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. The subpoena seeks information relating to the launch of the Cognis and Teligen line of devices in 2008, the performance of those devices from 2007 to 2009, and the operation of the Physician Guided Learning Program. We are cooperating with this request. On February 23, 2015, a judge for the Court of Modena (Italy) ordered a trial for Boston Scientific SpA and three of its employees, as well as numerous other defendants charged in criminal proceedings. The charges arise from allegations that the defendants made improper donations to certain health care providers and other employees of the Hospital of Modena in order to induce them to conduct unauthorized clinical trials, as well as related government fraud in relation to the financing of such clinical trials. We deny these allegations and intend to defend ourselves vigorously. On December 1, 2015, the Brazilian governmental entity known as CADE (the Administrative Council of Economic Defense), served a search warrant on the offices of our Brazilian subsidiary, as well as on the Brazilian offices of several other major medical device makers who do business in Brazil, in furtherance of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive activity with respect to certain tender offers for government contracts. We are cooperating fully with CADE’s inquiry. Other Proceedings On September 28, 2011, we served a complaint against Mirowski Family Ventures LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana for a declaratory judgment that we have paid all royalties owed and did not breach any contractual or fiduciary obligations arising out of a license agreement. Mirowski answered and filed counterclaims requesting damages. On May 13, 2013, Mirowski Family Ventures served us with a complaint alleging breach of contract in Montgomery County Circuit Court, Maryland, and they amended this complaint on August 1, 2013. On July 29, 2013, the Indiana case was dismissed. On September 10, 2013, we removed the case to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. On June 5, 2014, the District Court granted Mirowski’s motion to remand the case to the Montgomery County Circuit Court. On September 24, 2014, following a jury verdict against us, the Montgomery County Circuit Court entered a judgment that we breached our license agreement with Mirowski and awarded damages of $308 million . On October 28, 2014, the Montgomery County Circuit Court denied our post-trial motions seeking to overturn the judgment. On November 19, 2014, we filed an appeal with the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. On January 29, 2016, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals affirmed the decision of the Montgomery County Circuit Court. We plan to seek reconsideration of the decision of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. On April 24, 2014, Dr. Qingsheng Zhu and Dr. Julio Spinelli, acting jointly on behalf of the stockholder representative committee of Action Medical, Inc. (Action Medical), filed a lawsuit against us and our subsidiary, Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. (CPI), in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The stockholder representatives allege that we and CPI breached a contractual duty to pursue development and commercialization of certain patented heart pacing methods and devices and to return certain patents. A trial has been scheduled to begin on April 18, 2016. Refer to Note J - Income Taxes for information regarding our tax litigation. Matters Concluded Since December 31, 2014 On September 25, 2006, Johnson & Johnson filed a lawsuit against us, Guidant and Abbott Laboratories in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges that Guidant breached certain provisions of the amended merger agreement between Johnson & Johnson and Guidant (Merger Agreement) as well as the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing. The complaint further alleges that Abbott and we tortiously interfered with the Merger Agreement by inducing Guidant's breach. The complaint seeks certain factual findings, damages in an amount no less than $5.500 billion and attorneys' fees, costs, and interest. In August 2007, the judge dismissed the tortious interference claims against us and Abbott and the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing claim against Guidant. On June 20, 2011, Guidant filed a motion for summary judgment, and the hearing on this motion was held on July 25, 2012. On July 7, 2014, the judge denied Guidant’s motion. The bench trial was held in November and December. On February 13, 2015, the parties reached a settlement agreement pursuant to which Guidant made aggregate payments to Johnson & Johnson totaling $600 million , we agreed that neither we nor our affiliates will commence, or assist any third party in commencing, proceedings of any kind, against Johnson & Johnson or its affiliates for patent infringement or seeking any remedy for patent infringement based on Johnson & Johnson or its affiliates making, having made, using, selling, offering for sale or importing the S.M.A.R.T®, S.M.A.R.T® Control®, and S.M.A.R.T® Flex stent products and Johnson & Johnson dismissed its actions against Guidant with prejudice. On October 5, 2007, Dr. Tassilo Bonzel filed a complaint against Pfizer, Inc. and our Schneider subsidiaries and us in the District Court in Kassel, Germany alleging that a 1995 license agreement related to a catheter patent is invalid under German law and seeking monetary damages. In June 2009, the District Court dismissed all but one of Dr. Bonzel's claims and in October 2009, he added new claims. We opposed the addition of the new claims. The District Court ordered Dr. Bonzel to select the claims he would pursue and in January 2011, he made that selection. A hearing was held on March 28, 2014 and a decision was made to take evidence at a hearing to be set at a later date. On January 23, 2015, the parties reached a confidential settlement agreement. On April 15, 2015, all remaining Boston Scientific affiliates were dismissed from the case. On June 27, 2008, the Republic of Iraq filed a complaint against our wholly-owned subsidiary, BSSA France, and 92 other defendants in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges that the defendants acted improperly in connection with the sale of products under the United Nations Oil for Food Program. The complaint also alleges Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations, conspiracy to commit fraud and the making of false statements and improper payments, and it seeks monetary and punitive damages. On February 6, 2013, the District Court dismissed the complaint with prejudice on standing and jurisdictional grounds. On September 18, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the District Court’s decision to dismiss the complaint with prejudice. On October 2, 2014, the plaintiff filed a petition for rehearing en banc. On December 2, 2014, the Second Circuit denied the petition for rehearing en banc. On March 2, 2015, the plaintiff filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court requesting judicial review of the Second Circuit’s decision. On June 15, 2015, the United States Supreme Court denied the plaintiff’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari. On September 22, 2009, Cordis Corporation, Cordis LLC and Wyeth Corporation filed a complaint for patent infringement against Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. and us alleging that the PROMUS® coronary stent system, supplied to us by Abbott, infringes a patent (the Llanos patent) owned by Cordis and Wyeth. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey seeking monetary and injunctive relief. In August 2010, Cordis filed an amended complaint to add an additional patent and in September 2010, we filed counterclaims of invalidity and non-infringement. On October 26, 2011, the District Court granted Cordis' motion to add the Promus Element stent system to the case. On February 6, 2012, the District Court granted our motion to stay the action until the conclusion of the reexaminations against the Llanos patents that are pending in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. On February 27, 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a decision in which certain claims of the Llanos patent were deemed unpatentable. On April 24, 2015, Cordis filed an appeal before the Federal Circuit. On December 16, 2015, the parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement. On March 12, 2010, we received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting documents and information relating to reimbursement advice offered by us relating to certain CRM devices. On February 9, 2016, the DOJ informed us that we are no longer required to retain documents and information relating to the CID. On May 17, 2010, Dr. Luigi Tellini filed suit against us and certain of our subsidiaries, Guidant Italia S.r.l. and Boston Scientific S.p.A., in the Civil Tribunal in Milan, Italy alleging certain of our Cardiac Rhythm Management products infringe an Italian patent (the Tellini patent) owned by Dr. Tellini and seeking monetary damages. In January 2011, Dr. Tellini refiled amended claims after his initial claims were dismissed without prejudice to refile. On February 12, 2015, the Tribunal found the Tellini patent invalid and dismissed the case. On July 11, 2014, we were served with a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The subpoena seeks information relating to BridgePoint Medical, Inc., which we acquired in October 2012, including information relating to its sale of CrossBoss® and Stingray® products, educational and training activities that relate to those sales and our acquisition of BridgePoint Medical. On August 20, 2015, the court unsealed a qui tam lawsuit brought by a former employee named Robin Levy against the company as well as a decision by the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey declining to intervene in the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the company violated the federal and various state false claims acts through seeking to upcode Chronic Total Occlusion (“CTO”) procedures and requiring in-patient treatment and purchases of coronary stents in order for physicians to receive training on the CTO procedure. On January 26, 2016, the Court dismissed the qui tam lawsuit. On October 14, 2014, MK Optics, LLC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that the sale of our Spyglass Direct Visualization System infringes a patent owned by MK Optics. The parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement and the case was dismissed on April 6, 2015. On March 18, 2015, Denise Fretter and Maria Korsgaard, claiming to represent a class of current and former female field sales employees at Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (BSNC), filed a lawsuit against BSNC in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiffs allege gender discrimination in pay, promotions and differential treatment against them and the putative class. On February 6, 2016, the parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement, and the case has been dismissed.

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]	STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Preferred Stock We are authorized to issue 50 million shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, option or other rights thereof, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption terms, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014 , we had no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding. Common Stock We are authorized to issue 2.0 billion shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share. Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share. Holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if and when declared by the Board of Directors, and to share ratably in our assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of liquidation. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption, or conversion rights. The holders of common stock do not have cumulative voting rights. The holders of a majority of the shares of common stock can elect all of the directors and can control our management and affairs. On January 25, 2013, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to $1.0 billion of our common stock. We did not repurchases any shares of our common stock during 2015. During 2014 , we repurchased approximately 10 million shares of our common stock for $125 million . During 2013 , we repurchased approximately 51 million shares of our common stock for $500 million . Repurchased shares are available for reissuance under our equity incentive plans and for general corporate purposes, including acquisitions. As of December 31, 2015 , we had remaining $535 million authorized under our 2013 share repurchase program. There were approximately 248 million shares in treasury as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 .

Stock Ownership Plans

Stock Ownership Plans	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Stock Ownership Plans [Abstract]
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]	STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS Employee and Director Stock Incentive Plans In March and May 2011, our Board of Directors and stockholders, respectively, approved our 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the 2011 LTIP), authorizing up to 146 million shares of our common stock. The 2011 LTIP covers officers, directors, employees and consultants, and provides for the grant of restricted or unrestricted common stock, deferred stock units (DSU), options to acquire our common stock, stock appreciation rights, performance awards (market-based and performance-based DSUs) and other stock and non-stock awards. Shares reserved under our current and former stock incentive plans totaled approximately 163 million as of December 31, 2015 . The Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors, consisting of independent, non-employee directors, may authorize the issuance of common stock and authorize cash awards under the 2011 LTIP in recognition of the achievement of long-term performance objectives established by the Committee. Nonqualified options issued to employees are generally granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of our stock on the grant date, vest over a four -year service period, and have a ten -year contractual life. In the case of qualified options, if the recipient owns more than ten percent of the voting power of all classes of stock, the option granted will be at an exercise price of 110 percent of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant and will expire over a period not to exceed five years. Non-vested stock awards, including restricted stock awards and deferred stock units, issued to employees are generally granted with an exercise price of zero and typically vest in five equal annual installments. These awards represent our commitment to issue shares to recipients after the vesting period. Upon each vesting date, such awards are no longer subject to risk of forfeiture and we issue shares of our common stock to the recipient. The following presents the impact of stock-based compensation on our consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 : Year Ended December 31, (in millions, except per share data) 2015 2014 2013 Cost of products sold $ 7 $ 6 $ 8 Selling, general and administrative expenses 81 79 79 Research and development expenses 19 18 18 107 103 105 Less: income tax benefit (28 ) (28 ) (29 ) $ 79 $ 75 $ 76 Net impact per common share - basic $ 0.06 $ 0.06 $ 0.06 Net impact per common share - assuming dilution $ 0.06 $ 0.06 $ 0.06 Stock Options We use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to calculate the grant-date fair value of stock options granted to employees under our stock incentive plans. We calculated the fair value for options granted during 2015, 2014 and 2013 using the following estimated weighted-average assumptions: Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Options granted (in thousands) 4,441 4,943 1,992 Weighted-average exercise price $ 16.49 $ 13.02 $ 7.44 Weighted-average grant-date fair value $ 5.54 $ 5.07 $ 2.84 Black-Scholes Assumptions Expected volatility 31 % 37 % 36 % Expected term (in years, weighted) 6.0 6.0 5.9 Risk-free interest rate 1.49% - 1.92% 1.69% - 2.09% 0.89% - 1.72% Expected Volatility We use our historical volatility and implied volatility as a basis to estimate expected volatility in our valuation of stock options. Expected Term We estimate the expected term of options using historical exercise and forfeiture data. We believe that this historical data provides the best estimate of the expected term of new option grants. Risk-Free Interest Rate We use yield rates on U.S. Treasury securities for a period approximating the expected term of the award to estimate the risk-free interest rate in our grant-date fair value assessment. Expected Dividend Yield We have not historically paid cash dividends to our stockholders and currently do not intend to pay cash dividends. Therefore, we have assumed an expected dividend yield of zero in our grant-date fair value assessment. Information related to stock options for 2015, 2014 and 2013 under stock incentive plans is as follows: Stock Options (in thousands) Weighted Average Exercise Price Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in millions) Outstanding as of December 31, 2012 54,881 $ 12 Granted 1,992 7 Exercised (7,221 ) 8 Cancelled/forfeited (4,760 ) 21 Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 44,892 $ 12 Granted 4,943 13 Exercised (4,418 ) 8 Cancelled/forfeited (5,909 ) 17 Outstanding as of December 31, 2014 39,508 $ 11 Granted 4,441 16 Exercised (9,040 ) 9 Cancelled/forfeited (3,820 ) 25 Outstanding as of December 31, 2015 31,089 $ 11 5.3 $ 240 Exercisable as of December 31, 2015 22,104 $ 10 4.0 $ 196 Expected to vest as of December 31, 2015 8,299 13 8.4 42 Total vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2015 30,403 $ 11 5.2 $ 238 The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised was $69 million in 2015 and $24 million in both 2014 and 2013 . Non-Vested Stock We value restricted stock awards and DSUs based on the closing trading value of our shares on the date of grant. Information related to non-vested stock awards during 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows: Non-Vested Stock Award Units (in thousands) Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value Balance as of December 31, 2012 36,593 $ 7 Granted 13,913 8 Vested (1) (10,307 ) 8 Forfeited (2,860 ) 7 Balance as of December 31, 2013 37,339 $ 7 Granted 7,072 13 Vested (1) (11,205 ) 7 Forfeited (2,671 ) 8 Balance as of December 31, 2014 30,535 $ 9 Granted 6,606 16 Vested (1) (11,607 ) 8 Forfeited (1,770 ) 10 Balance as of December 31, 2015 23,764 $ 11 (1) The number of restricted stock units vested includes shares withheld on behalf of employees to satisfy statutory tax withholding requirements. The total vesting date fair value of stock award units that vested was approximately $186 million in 2015 , $146 million in 2014 and $80 million in 2013 . Market-based DSU Awards During 2015, 2014 and 2013 , we granted market-based DSU awards to certain members of our senior management team. The number of shares ultimately issued to the recipient is based on the total shareholder return (TSR) of our common stock as compared to the TSR of the common stock of the other companies in the S&P 500 Health Care Index over a three-year performance period. In addition, award recipients must remain employed by us throughout the three-year performance period to attain the full amount of the market-based DSUs that satisfied the market performance criteria. We determined the fair value of the 2015 market-based DSU awards to be approximately $7 million and the fair values of the 2014 and the 2013 market-based awards to be approximately $6 million and $8 million , respectively. We determined these fair values based on Monte Carlo simulations as of the date of grant, utilizing the following assumptions: 2015 2014 2013 Awards Awards Awards Stock price on date of grant $ 16.31 $ 13.08 $ 7.39 Measurement period (in years) 3.0 3.0 3.0 Risk-free rate 0.98 % 0.66 % 0.34 % We recognize the expense on these awards in our consolidated statements of operations on a straight-line basis over the three-year measurement period. Free Cash Flow Performance-based DSU Awards During 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , we granted free cash flow performance-based DSU awards to certain members of our senior management team. The attainment of these performance-based DSUs is based on our adjusted free cash flow (FCF) measured against our internal annual financial plan performance for FCF. FCF is measured over a one-year performance period beginning January 1st of each year and ending December 31st. The number of performance-based DSUs as to which the performance criteria under this program shall be determined to have been satisfied will be in a range of 0% to 150% of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded to the participant. In addition, award recipients must remain employed by us throughout a three-year service period (inclusive of the one-year performance period) to attain the full amount of the performance-based DSUs that satisfied the performance criteria. We determined the fair value of the 2015 FCF awards to be approximately $6 million , based on the closing stock price at December 31, 2015 and an achievement of approximately 104% of the target payout. The per unit fair value is $18.44 , which is the closing stock price on December 31, 2015 . We determined the fair value of the 2014 FCF awards to be approximately $5 million and the per unit fair value was $13.25 , and we determined the fair value of the 2013 FCF awards to be approximately $9 million and the per unit fair value was $12.02 . We recognize the expense on these awards in our consolidated statements of operations over the vesting period which is three years after the date of grant. Expense Attribution We recognize compensation expense for our stock using a straight-line method over the substantive vesting period. Most of our stock awards provide for immediate vesting upon death or disability of the participant. In addition, our stock grants to employees provide for accelerated vesting of our stock-based awards, other than performance-based and market-based awards, upon retirement. In accordance with the terms of our stock grants, for employees who will become retirement eligible prior to the vest date we expense stock-based awards, other than performance-based and market-based awards, over the greater of one year or the period between grant date and retirement-eligibility. The performance-based and market-based awards discussed above do not contain provisions that would accelerate the full vesting of the awards upon retirement-eligibility. We recognize stock-based compensation expense for the value of the portion of awards that are ultimately expected to vest. ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The term “forfeitures” is distinct from “cancellations” or “expirations” and represents only the unvested portion of the surrendered stock-based award. We have applied, based on an analysis of our historical forfeitures, a weighted-average annual forfeiture rate of approximately nine percent to all unvested stock-based awards as of December 31, 2015 , which represents the portion that we expect will be forfeited each year over the vesting period. We re-evaluate this analysis annually, or more frequently if there are significant changes in circumstances, and adjust the forfeiture rate as necessary. Ultimately, we will only recognize expense for those shares that vest. Unrecognized Compensation Cost We expect to recognize the following future expense for awards outstanding as of December 31, 2015 : Unrecognized Compensation Cost (in millions)(1) Weighted Average Remaining Vesting Period (in years) Stock options $ 25 Non-vested stock awards 135 $ 160 1.3 (1) Amounts presented represent compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures. Employee Stock Purchase Plans Our global employee stock purchase plan provides for the granting of options to purchase up to 50 million shares of our common stock to all eligible employees. Under the global employee stock purchase plan, we grant each eligible employee, at the beginning of each six-month offering period, an option to purchase shares of our common stock equal to not more than ten percent of the employee’s eligible compensation or the statutory limit under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Such options may be exercised only to the extent of accumulated payroll deductions at the end of the offering period, at a purchase price equal to 85 percent of the fair market value of our common stock at the beginning or end of each offering period, whichever is less. As of December 31, 2015 , there were approximately 17 million shares available for future issuance under the employee stock purchase plan. Information related to shares issued or to be issued in connection with the employee stock purchase plan based on employee contributions and the range of purchase prices is as follows: (shares in thousands) 2015 2014 2013 Shares issued or to be issued 2,529 2,618 3,833 Range of purchase prices $11.24 - $15.13 $10.12 - $11.04 $5.01 - $7.96 We use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to calculate the grant-date fair value of shares issued under the employee stock purchase plan. We recognize expense related to shares purchased through the employee stock purchase plan ratably over the offering period. We recognized $9 million in expense associated with our employee stock purchase plan in 2015 , $8 million in 2014 and $7 million in 2013 .

Weighted Average Shares Outstan

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
EARNINGS PER SHARE	WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 1,341.2 1,324.3 1,341.2 Net effect of common stock equivalents — — — Weighted average shares outstanding - assuming dilution 1,341.2 1,324.3 1,341.2 We generated net losses in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 . Our weighted-average shares outstanding for earnings per share calculations excluded common stock equivalents of 22 million , 24 million and 19 million due to our net loss positions in 2015 , 2014 and 2013 , respectively. Weighted-average shares outstanding, assuming dilution, also excludes the impact of 2 million stock options for 2015 , 12 million for 2014 , and 16 million for 2013 , due to the exercise prices of these stock options being greater than the average fair market value of our common stock during the year.

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
SEGMENT REPORTING	SEGMENT REPORTING We have three reportable segments comprised of: Cardiovascular, Rhythm Management, and MedSurg, which represent an aggregation of our operating segments. Each of our reportable segments generates revenues from the sale of medical devices. We measure and evaluate our reportable segments based on segment net sales and operating income, excluding the impact of changes in foreign currency and sales from divested businesses. Sales generated from reportable segments and divested businesses, as well as operating results of reportable segments and corporate expenses, are based on internally-derived standard currency exchange rates, which may differ from year to year, and do not include intersegment profits. We exclude from segment operating income certain corporate-related expenses and certain charges or credits that our chief operating decision maker considers to be non-recurring and/or non-operational, such as amounts related to goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges; acquisition-, divestiture-, restructuring- and litigation-related charges and credits; pension termination charges; and amortization expense. Although we exclude these amounts from segment operating income, they are included in reported consolidated operating income (loss) and are included in the reconciliation below. A reconciliation of the totals reported for the reportable segments to the applicable line items in our accompanying consolidated statements of operations is as follows: Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Net sales Interventional Cardiology $ 2,242 $ 2,092 $ 1,995 Peripheral Interventions 975 861 805 Cardiovascular 3,217 2,953 2,800 Cardiac Rhythm Management 1,934 1,922 1,882 Electrophysiology 248 228 154 Rhythm Management 2,182 2,150 2,036 Endoscopy 1,422 1,343 1,277 Urology and Pelvic Health 735 542 505 Neuromodulation 512 474 454 MedSurg 2,669 2,359 2,236 Net sales allocated to reportable segments 8,068 7,462 7,072 Sales generated from business divestitures — 4 58 Impact of foreign currency fluctuations (591 ) (86 ) 13 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143 Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Depreciation expense Cardiovascular $ 116 $ 120 $ 111 Rhythm Management 94 92 99 MedSurg 73 75 73 Depreciation expense allocated to reportable segments 283 287 283 Impact of foreign currency fluctuations (9 ) — (4 ) $ 274 $ 287 $ 279 Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Income (loss) before income taxes Cardiovascular $ 972 $ 767 $ 665 Rhythm Management 328 289 211 MedSurg 856 746 679 Operating income allocated to reportable segments 2,156 1,802 1,555 Corporate expenses and currency exchange (486 ) (308 ) (203 ) Goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges; pension termination charges; and acquisition-, divestiture-, litigation-, and restructuring-related net charges (1,502 ) (1,357 ) (822 ) Amortization expense (495 ) (438 ) (410 ) Operating income (loss) (327 ) (301 ) 120 Other expense, net (323 ) (208 ) (343 ) $ (650 ) $ (509 ) $ (223 ) As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 Total assets (restated*) Cardiovascular $ 1,583 $ 1,501 Rhythm Management 1,279 1,329 MedSurg 1,141 982 Total assets allocated to reportable segments 4,003 3,812 Goodwill 6,473 5,898 Other intangible assets, net 6,194 5,606 All other corporate assets 1,463 1,708 $ 18,133 $ 17,024 *Certain prior year balances related to debt issuance costs have been restated to reflect our adoption of ASC Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs . Amounts reclassified from other long-term assets to long-term debt were not material. Please refer to Note A - Significant Accounting Policies and Note Q - New Accounting Pronouncements for additional details. Enterprise-Wide Information (based on actual currency exchange rates) Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Net sales Interventional Cardiology $ 2,033 $ 2,057 $ 1,997 Cardiac Rhythm Management 1,807 1,912 1,886 Endoscopy 1,306 1,323 1,280 Peripheral Interventions 904 850 809 Urology and Pelvic Health 693 535 505 Neuromodulation 501 472 453 Electrophysiology 233 227 155 7,477 7,376 7,085 Sales generated from divested businesses — 4 58 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143 United States $ 4,229 $ 3,885 $ 3,743 Japan 602 678 744 Other countries 2,646 2,813 2,598 7,477 7,376 7,085 Sales generated from divested businesses — 4 58 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143 As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Long-lived assets United States $ 1,018 $ 1,002 $ 998 Ireland 170 197 240 Other foreign countries 302 308 308 Property, plant and equipment, net 1,490 1,507 1,546 Goodwill 6,473 5,898 5,693 Other intangible assets, net 6,194 5,606 5,950 $ 14,157 $ 13,011 $ 13,189

Changes in Other Comprehensive

Changes in Other Comprehensive Income	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Changes in Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note [Text Block]	CHANGES IN OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME The following table provides the reclassifications out of other comprehensive income for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 . Amounts in the chart below are presented net of tax. Year Ended December 31, 2015 (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments Unrealized Gains/Losses on Derivative Financial Instruments Defined Benefit Pension Items / Other Total Beginning Balance $(38) $219 $(37) $144 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications (16) 70 (3) 51 (Gain)/Loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — (137) 30 (107) Net current-period other comprehensive income (16) (67) 27 (56) Ending Balance $(54) $152 $(10) $88 Year Ended December 31, 2014 (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments Unrealized Gains/Losses on Derivative Financial Instruments Defined Benefit Pension Items / Other Total Beginning Balance $(16) $141 $(19) $106 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications (22) 145 (10) 113 (Gain)/Loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — (67) (8) (75) Net current-period other comprehensive income (22) 78 (18) 38 Ending Balance $(38) $219 $(37) $144 The income tax impact of the amounts in other comprehensive income for unrealized gains/losses on derivative financial instruments before reclassifications was an expense of $39 million in the year ended December 31, 2015 and an expense of $83 million in the year ended December 31, 2014 . The gains and losses on derivative financial instruments reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income were reduced by income tax impacts of $78 million in the year ended December 31, 2015 and $38 million in the year ended December 31, 2014 . Refer to Note E – Fair Value Measurements for further detail on the reclassifications related to derivatives. The income tax impact of the amounts in other comprehensive income for defined benefit and pension items before reclassifications was a benefit of $2 million in the year ended December 31, 2015 and a benefit of $5 million in the year ended December 31, 2014 . The gains and losses on defined benefit and pension items reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income were reduced by income tax impacts of $17 million in the year ended December 31, 2015 and $5 million in the year ended December 31, 2014 .

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies. Recently issued standards typically do not require adoption until a future effective date. Prior to their effective date, we evaluate the pronouncements to determine the potential effects of adoption on our consolidated financial statements. Standards Implemented ASC Update No. 2014-08 In April 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. Update No. 2014-08 changed the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and enhanced convergence of the FASB's and the International Accounting Standard Board's (IASB) reporting requirements for discontinued operations. We were required to apply this amendment, prospectively to: (1) all disposals (or classifications as held for sale) of components of an entity that occurred within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014 and interim periods within those years and (2) all businesses that, on acquisition, are classified as held for sale that occurred within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014 and interim periods within those years. We adopted Update No. 2014-08 beginning in our first quarter ended March 31, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2014-08 did not impact our results of operations or financial position. ASC Update No. 2015-03 In April 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs . Update No. 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Update No. 2015-03 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. We adopted Update No. 2015-03 as of December 31, 2015 which required us to reclassify our debt issuance costs from deferred charges to direct deductions of our debt liabilities. We were required to apply this amendment retrospectively to all prior periods reflected in the financial statement. The adoption of Update No. 2015-03 did not have a material impact on our financial position and had no impact on our results of operations. Standards to be Implemented ASC Update No. 2014-09 In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Update No. 2014-09 provides enhancements to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported while also improving comparability in the financial statements of companies using International Financial Reporting Standards and U.S. GAAP. The core principle requires entities to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration an entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. In July 2015, the FASB voted to approve a one year deferral, making the standard effective for public entities for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. As such, the standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. Under the deferral, early application is still permitted but not before the original public organization effective date, which is for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We expect to adopt Update No. 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018. We are in the process of determining the effect that the adoption of this standard will have on our financial position and results of operations. ASC Update No. 2015-05 In April 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-05, Intangibles- Goodwill and Other - Internal -Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. Update No. 2015-05 provides accounting guidance on how customers should treat cloud computing arrangements. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. Update No. 2015-05 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those reporting periods. We elected to adopt the amendments prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date . The adoption of Update No. 2015-05 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. ASC Update No. 2015-12 In July 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-12, Plan Accounting: Defined Benefit Pension Plans (Topic 960), Defined Contribution Pension Plans (Topic 962), and Health and Welfare Benefit Plans (Topic 965). Update No. 2015-12 has three parts. Part I designates contract value as the only required measure for fully benefit-responsive investment contracts. Part II simplifies the investment disclosure requirements under Topics 820, 960, 962, and 965 for employee benefit plans and Part III provides an alternative measurement date for fiscal periods that do not coincide with a month-end date. Update No. 2015-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2015-12 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. ASC Update No. 2015-16 In September 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement - Period Adjustments . Update No. 2015-16 eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments following a business combination. Update No. 2015-16 requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment (including the impact on prior periods) be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. The prior period impact of the adjustment should be either presented separately on the face of the income statement or disclosed in the notes. Update No. 2015-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2015-16 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. ASC Update No. 2015-17 In November 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740). Update No. 2015-17 requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. It is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted. An entity can elect to adopt prospectively or retrospectively. The adoption of Update No. 2015-17 will not impact our results of operations. We are in the process of determining the effect that the adoption of this standard will have on our financial position. ASC Update No. 2016-01 In January 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. It is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application of certain provisions is permitted. Update 2016-01 requires entities to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value with changes recognized in net income. However, an entity may choose to measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. It also simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. Update 2016-01 also requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset and liability. The adoption of Update No. 2016-01 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. No other new accounting pronouncements, issued or effective, during the period had, or is expected to have, a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Schedule II

Schedule II	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block]	Description Balance at Charges to Expenses (a) Deductions to Accounts (b) Charges to Balance at End of Year Year Ended December 31, 2015: Allowances for uncollectible accounts and sales returns and allowances $ 105 15 (16 ) 15 $ 119 Year Ended December 31, 2014: Allowances for uncollectible accounts and sales returns and allowances $ 112 10 (15 ) (2 ) $ 105 Year Ended December 31, 2013: Allowances for uncollectible accounts and sales returns and allowances $ 119 5 (12 ) — $ 112 (a) Represents allowances for uncollectible accounts established through selling, general and administrative expenses. (b) Represents actual write-offs of uncollectible accounts. (c) Represents net change in allowances for sales returns, recorded as contra-revenue.

Significant Accounting Polici26

Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	Principles of Consolidation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Boston Scientific Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries, after the elimination of intercompany transactions. We assess the terms of our investment interests to determine if any of our investees meet the definition of a variable interest entity (VIE) . For any VIEs, we perform an analysis to determine whether our variable interests give us a controlling financial interest in a VIE. The analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the enterprise that has both 1) the power to direct activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and 2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity. Based on our assessments under the applicable guidance, we did not have controlling financial or operating interests in any VIEs and therefore did not consolidate any VIEs during the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . On January 3, 2011, we closed the sale of our Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation (Stryker). Due to our continuing involvement in the operations of the Neurovascular business following the divestiture, the divestiture did not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation and, therefore, the results of the Neurovascular business are included in our results of operations for all periods presented. Refer to Note C – Divestitures for a description of this business divestiture. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Boston Scientific Corporation have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-K and Regulation S-X. Additionally, certain prior year balances related to debt issuance costs have been restated to reflect our adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs . Amounts reclassified from other long-term assets to long-term debt were not material. Refer to Note Q - New Accounting Pronouncements for additional information on our adoption of the accounting pronouncement.
Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Subsequent Events We evaluate events occurring after the date of our accompanying consolidated balance sheets for potential recognition or disclosure in our financial statements. On January 29, 2016, following a ruling by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals related to litigation with Mirowski Family Ventures LLC, we increased our accrual related to this matter. This is considered a material recognized subsequent event and has been reflected appropriately in our accompanying consolidated financial statements. See Note K – Commitments and Contingencies for further details. In addition, those items requiring disclosure (unrecognized subsequent events) in the financial statements have been disclosed accordingly. See Note K– Commitments and Contingencies for further details.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accounting Estimates To prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, management makes estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of our financial statements and the reported amounts of our revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Our actual results may differ from these estimates. Refer to Critical Accounting Estimates included in Item 7 of this Annual Report for further discussion.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash and Cash Equivalents We record cash and cash equivalents in our consolidated balance sheets at cost, which approximates fair value. Our policy is to invest excess cash in short-term marketable securities earning a market rate of interest without assuming undue risk to principal, and we limit our direct exposure to securities in any one industry or issuer. We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with a remaining maturity of three months or less at the time of acquisition to be cash equivalents. We record available-for-sale investments at fair value and exclude unrealized gains and temporary losses on available-for-sale securities from earnings, reporting such gains and losses, net of tax, as a separate component of stockholders’ equity, until realized. We compute realized gains and losses on sales of available-for-sale securities based on the average cost method, adjusted for any other-than-temporary declines in fair value. We held no available-for-sale securities during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 .
Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]	Concentrations of Credit Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial instrument contracts and accounts and notes receivable. Our investment policy limits exposure to concentrations of credit risk and changes in market conditions. Counterparties to financial instruments expose us to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance. We transact our financial instruments with a diversified group of major financial institutions with investment grade credit ratings and actively monitor their credit ratings and our outstanding positions to limit our credit exposure. We provide credit, in the normal course of business, to hospitals, healthcare agencies, clinics, doctors' offices and other private and governmental institutions and generally do not require collateral. We record our accounts receivable in our consolidated balance sheets at net realizable value. We perform on-going credit evaluations of our customers and maintain allowances for potential credit losses, based on historical information and management's best estimates. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against this reserve. We recorded write-offs of uncollectible accounts receivable of $16 million in 2015 , $15 million in 2014 , and $12 million in 2013 . We are not dependent on any single institution and no single customer accounted for more than ten percent of our net sales in 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 or accounts receivable at December 31, 2015 or 2014 ; however, large group purchasing organizations, hospital networks and other buying groups have become increasingly important to our business and represent a substantial portion of our U.S. net sales. We closely monitor outstanding receivables for potential collection risks, including those that may arise from economic conditions, in both the U.S. and international economies. Our European sales to government-owned or supported customers in Southern Europe, specifically Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are subject to an increased number of days outstanding relative to other countries prior to payment. Historically, receivable balances with certain publicly-owned hospitals in these countries accumulate over a period of time and are then subsequently settled as large lump sum payments. While we believe our allowance for doubtful accounts in these countries is adequate as of December 31, 2015 , if significant changes were to occur in the payment practices of these European governments or if government funding becomes unavailable, we may not be able to collect on receivables due to us from these customers and our write-offs of uncollectible amounts may increase.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Revenue Recognition We generate revenue primarily from the sale of single-use medical devices, and present revenue net of sales taxes in our consolidated statements of operations. We sell our products primarily through a direct sales force. In certain international markets, we sell our products through independent distributors. We consider revenue to be realized or realizable and earned when all of the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists; delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; the price is fixed or determinable; and collectibility is reasonably assured. Revenue is recognized upon passage of title and risk of loss to customers, unless we are required to provide additional services, and provided we can form an estimate for sales returns. We recognize revenue from consignment arrangements based on product usage, or implant, which indicates that the sale is complete. For revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables, where the sale of a device is combined with a future service obligation, we defer revenue on the undelivered element and recognize this revenue over the related service period. Many of our Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) product offerings combine the sale of a device with our LATITUDE ® Patient Management System, which represents a future service obligation. Generally, we do not have vendor specific objective evidence of selling price available related to our future service obligations; therefore, we determine our estimates of selling price using third party evidence when available; otherwise, we use our best estimate of selling price. We allocate arrangement consideration using the relative selling price method. We generally allow our customers to return defective, damaged and, in certain cases, expired products for credit. We base our estimate for sales returns upon historical trends and record the amount as a reduction to revenue when we sell the initial product. In addition, we may allow customers to return previously purchased products for next-generation product offerings. For these transactions, we defer recognition of revenue on the sale of the earlier generation product based upon an estimate of the amount of product to be returned when the next-generation products are shipped to the customer. We also offer sales rebates and discounts to certain customers. We treat sales rebates and discounts as a reduction of revenue and classify the corresponding liability as current. We estimate rebates for products where there is sufficient historical information available to predict the volume of expected future rebates. If we are unable to estimate the expected rebates reasonably, we record a liability for the maximum rebate percentage offered. We have entered certain agreements with group purchasing organizations to sell our products to participating hospitals at negotiated prices. We recognize revenue from these agreements following the same revenue recognition criteria discussed above.
Product Warranty Disclosure [Text Block]	Warranty Obligations We offer warranties on certain of our product offerings. The majority of our warranty liability relates to implantable devices offered by our CRM business, which include defibrillator and pacemaker systems. Our CRM products come with a standard limited warranty covering the replacement of these devices. We offer a full warranty for a portion of the period post-implant, and a partial warranty for a period of time thereafter. We estimate the costs that we may incur under our warranty programs based on the number of units sold, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims and cost per claim, and record a liability equal to these estimated costs as cost of products sold at the time the product sale occurs. We assess the adequacy of our recorded warranty liabilities on a quarterly basis and adjust these amounts as necessary. Changes in our product warranty accrual during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 consisted of the following (in millions): Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Beginning balance $ 25 $ 28 $ 26 Provision 15 9 12 Settlements/ reversals (17 ) (12 ) (10 ) Ending balance $ 23 $ 25 $ 28
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Inventories We state inventories at the lower of first-in, first-out cost or market. We base our provisions for excess, expired and obsolete inventory primarily on our estimates of forecasted net sales. A significant change in the timing or level of demand for our products as compared to forecasted amounts may result in recording additional provisions for excess, expired and obsolete inventory in the future. Further, the industry in which we participate is characterized by rapid product development and frequent new product introductions. Uncertain timing of next-generation product approvals, variability in product launch strategies, product recalls and variation in product utilization all affect our estimates related to excess, expired and obsolete inventory. Approximately 40 percent of our finished goods inventory as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 was at customer locations pursuant to consignment arrangements or held by sales representatives.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property, Plant and Equipment We state property, plant, equipment, and leasehold improvements at historical cost. We charge expenditures for maintenance and repairs to expense and capitalize additions and improvements that extend the life of the underlying asset. We provide for depreciation using the straight-line method at rates that approximate the estimated useful lives of the assets. We depreciate buildings and improvements over a 20 to 40 year life; equipment, furniture and fixtures over a three to ten year life; and leasehold improvements over the shorter of the useful life of the improvement or the term of the related lease. Depreciation expense was $274 million in 2015 , $287 million in 2014 , and $279 million in 2013 .
Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Valuation of Business Combinations We allocate the amounts we pay for each acquisition to the assets we acquire and liabilities we assume based on their fair values at the dates of acquisition, including identifiable intangible assets and in-process research and development which either arise from a contractual or legal right or are separable from goodwill. We base the fair value of identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination, including in-process research and development, on detailed valuations that use information and assumptions provided by management, which consider management’s best estimates of inputs and assumptions that a market participant would use. We allocate any excess purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired to goodwill. Transaction costs associated with these acquisitions are expensed as incurred through selling, general and administrative costs. In those circumstances where an acquisition involves a contingent consideration arrangement, we recognize a liability equal to the fair value of the contingent payments we expect to make as of the acquisition date. We re-measure this liability each reporting period and record changes in the fair value through a separate line item within our consolidated statements of operations. Increases or decreases in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability can result from changes in discount periods and rates, as well as changes in the timing and amount of revenue estimates or in the timing or likelihood of achieving regulatory, revenue or commercialization-based milestones.
In Process Research and Development, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Indefinite-lived Intangibles, including In-Process Research and Development Our indefinite-lived intangible assets that are not subject to amortization include acquired balloon and other technology, which is foundational to our continuing operations within the Cardiovascular market and other markets within interventional medicine, and in-process research and development intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Our in-process research and development represents intangible assets acquired in a business combination that are used in research and development activities but have not yet reached technological feasibility, regardless of whether they have alternative future use. The primary basis for determining the technological feasibility or completion of these projects is obtaining regulatory approval to market the underlying products in an applicable geographic region. We classify in-process research and development acquired in a business combination as an indefinite-lived intangible asset until the completion or abandonment of the associated research and development efforts. Upon completion of the associated research and development efforts, we will determine the useful life of the technology and begin amortizing the assets to reflect their use over their remaining lives. Upon permanent abandonment, we would write-off the remaining carrying amount of the associated in-process research and development intangible asset. We test our indefinite-lived intangible assets at least annually during the third quarter for impairment and reassess their classification as indefinite-lived assets; in addition, we review our indefinite-lived assets for classification and impairment more frequently if changes in circumstances or indicators exist. We assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that our indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If we conclude that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, we then determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset, we write the carrying value down to the fair value. We use the income approach to determine the fair values of our in-process research and development. This approach calculates fair value by estimating the after-tax cash flows attributable to an in-process project over its useful life and then discounting these after-tax cash flows back to a present value. We base our revenue assumptions on estimates of relevant market sizes, expected market growth rates, expected trends in technology and expected levels of market share. In arriving at the value of the in-process projects, we consider, among other factors: the in-process projects’ stage of completion; the complexity of the work completed as of the acquisition date; the costs already incurred; the projected costs to complete; the contribution of other acquired assets; the expected regulatory path and introduction dates by region; and the estimated useful life of the technology. We apply a market-participant risk-adjusted discount rate to arrive at a present value as of the date of acquisition. See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for more information related to indefinite-lived intangibles, including in-process research and development during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . For asset purchases outside of business combinations, we expense any purchased research and development assets as of the acquisition date.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets We record intangible assets at historical cost and amortize them over their estimated useful lives. We use a straight-line method of amortization, unless a method that better reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are consumed or otherwise used up can be reliably determined. The approximate useful lives for amortization of our intangible assets are as follows: patents and licenses, two to 20 years; definite-lived technology-related, five to 25 years; customer relationships, five to 25 years; other intangible assets, various. We review intangible assets subject to amortization quarterly to determine if any adverse conditions exist or a change in circumstances has occurred that would indicate impairment or a change in the remaining useful life. Conditions that may indicate impairment include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in legal factors or business climate that could affect the value of an asset, a product recall, or an adverse action or assessment by a regulator. If an impairment indicator exists, we test the intangible asset for recoverability. For purposes of the recoverability test, we group our amortizable intangible assets with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows if the intangible asset does not generate cash flows independent of other assets and liabilities. If the carrying value of the intangible asset (asset group) exceeds the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the intangible asset (asset group), we will write the carrying value down to the fair value in the period identified. We calculate fair value of our intangible assets as the present value of estimated future cash flows we expect to generate from the asset using a risk-adjusted discount rate. In determining our estimated future cash flows associated with our intangible assets, we use estimates and assumptions about future revenue contributions, cost structures and remaining useful lives of the asset (asset group). See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for more information related to impairments of intangible assets during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . For patents developed internally, we capitalize costs incurred to obtain patents, including attorney fees, registration fees, consulting fees, and other expenditures directly related to securing the patent.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Goodwill Valuation Effective as of January 1, 2013, we reorganized our business from geographic regions to fully operationalized global business units. Our reorganization changed our reporting structure and changed the composition of our reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. Following the reorganization, based on information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker, we have three new global reportable segments consisting of: Cardiovascular, Rhythm Management, and MedSurg. We determined our new global reporting units by identifying our operating segments and assessing whether any components of these segments constituted a business for which discrete financial information is available and whether segment management regularly reviews the operating results of any components. Through this process, we identified the following global reporting units as of January 1, 2013: Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Interventions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Endoscopy, Urology and Pelvic Health, and Neuromodulation. We allocate any excess purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination to goodwill. We test our goodwill balances during the second quarter of each year for impairment, or more frequently if indicators are present or changes in circumstances suggest that impairment may exist. In performing the assessment, we utilize the two-step approach prescribed under ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) . The first step requires a comparison of the carrying value of the reporting units, as defined, to the fair value of these units. We assess goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment, referred to as a component. We determine our reporting units by first identifying our operating segments, and then assess whether any components of these segments constitute a business for which discrete financial information is available and where segment management regularly reviews the operating results of that component. We aggregate components within an operating segment that have similar economic characteristics. For our 2015, 2014 and 2013 annual impairment assessment we identified seven reporting units, including Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Interventions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Endoscopy, Urology and Pelvic Health, and Neuromodulation. When allocating goodwill from business combinations to our reporting units, we assign goodwill to the reporting units that we expect to benefit from the respective business combination at the time of acquisition. In addition, for purposes of performing our goodwill impairment tests, assets and liabilities, including corporate assets, which relate to a reporting unit’s operations, and would be considered in determining its fair value, are allocated to the individual reporting units. We allocate assets and liabilities not directly related to a specific reporting unit, but from which the reporting unit benefits, based primarily on the respective revenue contribution of each reporting unit. During 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 , we used only the income approach, specifically the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method, to derive the fair value of each of our reporting units in preparing our goodwill impairment assessments. This approach calculates fair value by estimating the after-tax cash flows attributable to a reporting unit and then discounting these after-tax cash flows to a present value using a risk-adjusted discount rate. We selected this method as being the most meaningful in preparing our goodwill assessments because we believe the income approach most appropriately measures our income producing assets. We have considered using the market approach and cost approach but concluded they are not appropriate in valuing our reporting units given the lack of relevant market comparisons available for application of the market approach and the inability to replicate the value of the specific technology-based assets within our reporting units for application of the cost approach. Therefore, we believe that the income approach represents the most appropriate valuation technique for which sufficient data are available to determine the fair value of our reporting units. In applying the income approach to our accounting for goodwill, we make assumptions about the amount and timing of future expected cash flows, terminal value growth rates and appropriate discount rates. The amount and timing of future cash flows within our DCF analysis is based on our most recent operational budgets, long range strategic plans and other estimates. The terminal value growth rate is used to calculate the value of cash flows beyond the last projected period in our DCF analysis and reflects our best estimates for stable, perpetual growth of our reporting units. We use estimates of market-participant risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital (WACC) as a basis for determining the discount rates to apply to our reporting units’ future expected cash flows. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, we then perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. If the carrying value of a reporting unit is zero or negative, we evaluate whether it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. If we determine adverse qualitative factors exist that would indicate it is more likely than not an impairment exists, we then perform the second step of the goodwill test. The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill to its carrying value. If we were unable to complete the second step of the test prior to the issuance of our financial statements and an impairment loss was probable and could be reasonably estimated, we would recognize our best estimate of the loss in our current period financial statements and disclose that the amount is an estimate. We would then recognize any adjustment to that estimate in subsequent reporting periods, once we have finalized the second step of the impairment test. See Note D - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for discussion of our goodwill impairment charges.
Equity and Cost Method Investments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Investments in Publicly Traded and Privately Held Entities We account for our publicly traded investments as available-for-sale securities based on the quoted market price at the end of the reporting period. We compute realized gains and losses on sales of available-for-sale securities based on the average cost method, adjusted for any other-than-temporary declines in fair value. We held no available-for-sale securities during 2015 , 2014 , and 2013 . We account for investments in entities over which we have the ability to exercise significant influence under the equity method if we hold 50 percent or less of the voting stock and the entity is not a VIE in which we are the primary beneficiary in accordance with ASC Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures . We record these investments initially at cost, and adjust the carrying amount to reflect our share of the earnings or losses of the investee, including all adjustments similar to those made in preparing consolidated financial statements. We account for investments in entities in which we have less than a 20 percent ownership interest under the cost method of accounting if we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee in accordance with ASC Topic 325, Investments - Other . In addition, we have notes receivable from certain companies that we account for in accordance with ASC Topic 320, Investments - Debt and Equity Securities . Refer to Note B - Acquisitions and Strategic Investments for additional details on the balances of our equity and cost method investments. Each reporting period, we evaluate our investments to determine if there are any events or circumstances that are likely to have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment. Examples of such impairment indicators include, but are not limited to: a significant deterioration in earnings performance; recent financing rounds at reduced valuations; a significant adverse change in the regulatory, economic or technological environment of an investee; or a significant doubt about an investee’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we identify an impairment indicator, we will estimate the fair value of the investment and compare it to its carrying value. Our estimation of fair value considers all available financial information related to the investee, including valuations based on recent third-party equity investments in the investee. If the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value, the investment is impaired and we make a determination as to whether the impairment is other-than-temporary. We deem an impairment to be other-than-temporary unless we have the ability and intent to hold an investment for a period sufficient for a market recovery up to the carrying value of the investment. Further, evidence must indicate that the carrying value of the investment is recoverable within a reasonable period. For other-than-temporary impairments, we recognize an impairment loss equal to the difference between an investment’s carrying value and its fair value. Impairment losses on our investments are included in other, net in our consolidated statements of operations.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes We utilize the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, we determine deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of our assets and liabilities. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when we expect the differences to reverse. We reduce our deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that we will not realize some portion or all of the deferred tax assets. We consider relevant evidence, both positive and negative, to determine the need for a valuation allowance. Information evaluated includes our financial position and results of operations for the current and preceding years, the availability of deferred tax liabilities and tax carrybacks, as well as an evaluation of currently available information about future years. We have not provided U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes on the undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 because we intend to permanently reinvest such earnings outside the U.S. As of December 31, 2015 , the cumulative amount of excess financial reporting basis over the tax basis of investments in foreign subsidiaries that is indefinitely reinvested is approximately $8.9 billion . Generally, such amounts become subject to U.S. taxation upon the remittance of dividends and under certain other circumstances. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability related to investments in these foreign subsidiaries. We provide for potential amounts due in various tax jurisdictions. In the ordinary course of conducting business in multiple countries and tax jurisdictions, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain. Therefore, judgment is required based on individual facts, circumstances and information available in determining whether or not based on technical merits, the position will be sustained upon examination. In our opinion, we have made adequate provisions for income taxes in determining our worldwide income tax position for all years subject to audit. Although we believe our estimates are reasonable, the final outcome of open tax matters may be different from that which we have reflected in our historical income tax provisions and accruals. Such differences could have a material impact on our income tax provision and operating results. See Note J - Income Taxes for further information and discussion of our income tax provision and balances.
Legal Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Legal and Product Liability Costs In the normal course of business, we are involved in various legal and regulatory proceedings, including intellectual property, breach of contract, securities litigation and product liability suits. In some cases, the claimants seek damages, as well as other relief, which, if granted, could require significant expenditures or impact our ability to sell our products. We are also the subject of certain governmental investigations, which could result in substantial fines, penalties, and administrative remedies. We maintain an insurance policy providing limited coverage against securities claims, and we are substantially self-insured with respect to product liability claims and fully self-insured with respect to intellectual property infringement claims. We accrue anticipated costs of settlement, damages, losses for product liability claims and, under certain conditions, costs of defense, based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, we expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range. We analyze litigation settlements to identify each element of the arrangement. We allocate arrangement consideration to patent licenses received based on estimates of fair value, and capitalize these amounts as assets if the license will provide an on-going future benefit. See Note K - Commitments and Contingencies for discussion of our individual material legal proceedings. In accordance with ASC Topic 450, Contingencies , we accrue anticipated costs of settlement, damages, losses for product liability claims and, under certain conditions, costs of defense, based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, we expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range.
Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities or Restructurings, Policy	Costs Associated with Exit Activities We record employee termination costs in accordance with ASC Topic 712, Compensation - Nonretirement and Postemployment Benefits , if we pay the benefits as part of an on-going benefit arrangement, which includes benefits provided as part of our established severance policies or that we provide in accordance with international statutory requirements. We accrue employee termination costs associated with an on-going benefit arrangement if the obligation is attributable to prior services rendered, the rights to the benefits have vested, the payment is probable and we can reasonably estimate the liability. We account for employee termination benefits that represent a one-time benefit in accordance with ASC Topic 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations . We record such costs into expense over the employee’s future service period, if any. Other costs associated with exit activities may include contract termination costs, including costs related to leased facilities to be abandoned or subleased, consultant fees and impairments of long-lived assets. The costs are expensed in accordance with ASC Topic 420 and ASC Topic 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment and are included in restructuring charges in our consolidated statement of operations. Additionally, costs directly related to our active restructuring initiatives, including program management costs, accelerated depreciation, and costs to transfer product lines among facilities are included within costs of products sold and selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statement of operations. See Note H - Restructuring-Related Activities for further information and discussion of our restructuring plans.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Translation of Foreign Currency We translate all assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries from local currency into U.S. dollars using the year-end exchange rate, and translate revenues and expenses at the average exchange rates in effect during the year. We show the net effect of these translation adjustments in our consolidated financial statements as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. For any significant foreign subsidiaries located in highly inflationary economies, we would re-measure their financial statements as if the functional currency were the U.S. dollar. We did not record any highly inflationary economy translation adjustments in 2015 , 2014 or 2013 . Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in other, net in our consolidated statements of operations, net of losses and gains from any related derivative financial instruments. We recognized net foreign currency transaction losses of $21 million in 2015 , $18 million in 2014 , and $11 million in 2013 .
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Financial Instruments We recognize all derivative financial instruments in our consolidated financial statements at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging , and we present assets and liabilities associated with our derivative financial instruments on a gross basis in our financial statements. In accordance with Topic 815, for those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the hedging instrument must be designated, based upon the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e. gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and, further, on the type of hedging relationship. Our derivative instruments do not subject our earnings or cash flows to material risk, as gains and losses on these derivatives generally offset losses and gains on the item being hedged. We do not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes and we do not have any non-derivative instruments that are designated as hedging instruments pursuant to Topic 815. Refer to Note E – Fair Value Measurements for more information on our derivative instruments. Our derivative instruments do not subject our earnings or cash flows to material risk, as gains and losses on these derivatives generally offset losses and gains on the item being hedged. We do not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes and we do not have any non-derivative instruments that are designated as hedging instruments pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815).
Shipping and Handling Cost, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Shipping and Handling Costs We generally do not bill customers for shipping and handling of our products. Shipping and handling costs of $93 million in 2015 , $100 million in 2014 , and $97 million in 2013 are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Research and Development We expense research and development costs, including new product development programs, regulatory compliance and clinical research as incurred. Refer to Indefinite-lived Intangibles, including In-Process Research and Development for our policy regarding in-process research and development acquired in connection with our business combinations and asset purchases.
Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Employee Retirement Plans Following our 2006 acquisition of Guidant Corporation, we sponsored the Guidant Retirement Plan, a frozen noncontributory defined benefit plan covering a select group of current and former employees. The plan was partially frozen as of September 25, 1995 and completely frozen as of May 31, 2007, and was terminated effective December 1, 2014. During 2015, we finalized the termination process and settled the plan’s obligations. As a result, we recorded pension termination charges of $44 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. We continue to sponsor the Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan, a frozen, nonqualified defined benefit plan for certain former officers and employees of Guidant. The Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan was partially funded through a Rabbi Trust that contains segregated company assets used to pay the benefit obligations related to the plan. We also maintain an Executive Retirement Plan, a defined benefit plan covering executive officers and division presidents and certain persons that may have served in these roles. Participants may retire with unreduced benefits once retirement conditions have been satisfied. In addition, we maintain retirement plans covering certain international employees. We use a December 31 measurement date for these plans and record the underfunded portion as a liability, recognizing changes in the funded status through other comprehensive income (OCI).
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Net Income (Loss) per Common Share We base net income (loss) per common share upon the weighted-average number of common shares and common stock equivalents outstanding during each year. Potential common stock equivalents are determined using the treasury stock method. We exclude stock options whose effect would be anti-dilutive from the calculation.

Accounting Policies (Policies)

Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities or Restructurings, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Termination benefits represent amounts incurred pursuant to our on-going benefit arrangements and amounts for “one-time” involuntary termination benefits, and have been recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 712, Compensation – Non-retirement Postemployment Benefits and ASC Topic 420, Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations (Topic 420). We expect to record additional termination benefits related to our restructuring initiatives in 2016 as we complete our 2014 Restructuring plan. Other restructuring costs, which represent primarily consulting fees, are being recorded as incurred in accordance with Topic 420. Accelerated depreciation is being recorded over the adjusted remaining useful life of the related assets, and production line transfer costs are being recorded as incurred.
Legal Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Legal and Product Liability Costs In the normal course of business, we are involved in various legal and regulatory proceedings, including intellectual property, breach of contract, securities litigation and product liability suits. In some cases, the claimants seek damages, as well as other relief, which, if granted, could require significant expenditures or impact our ability to sell our products. We are also the subject of certain governmental investigations, which could result in substantial fines, penalties, and administrative remedies. We maintain an insurance policy providing limited coverage against securities claims, and we are substantially self-insured with respect to product liability claims and fully self-insured with respect to intellectual property infringement claims. We accrue anticipated costs of settlement, damages, losses for product liability claims and, under certain conditions, costs of defense, based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, we expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range. We analyze litigation settlements to identify each element of the arrangement. We allocate arrangement consideration to patent licenses received based on estimates of fair value, and capitalize these amounts as assets if the license will provide an on-going future benefit. See Note K - Commitments and Contingencies for discussion of our individual material legal proceedings. In accordance with ASC Topic 450, Contingencies , we accrue anticipated costs of settlement, damages, losses for product liability claims and, under certain conditions, costs of defense, based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, we expense these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range and no amount within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range.
ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures	We determine the fair value of our derivative instruments using the framework prescribed by ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures , by considering the estimated amount we would receive or pay to transfer these instruments at the reporting date and by taking into account current interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, the creditworthiness of the counterparty for assets, and our creditworthiness for liabilities. In certain instances, we may utilize financial models to measure fair value. In doing so, we use inputs that include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; other observable inputs for the asset or liability; and inputs derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data by correlation or other means.
ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging	Financial Instruments We recognize all derivative financial instruments in our consolidated financial statements at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging , and we present assets and liabilities associated with our derivative financial instruments on a gross basis in our financial statements. In accordance with Topic 815, for those derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the hedging instrument must be designated, based upon the exposure being hedged, as a fair value hedge, cash flow hedge, or a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e. gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and, further, on the type of hedging relationship. Our derivative instruments do not subject our earnings or cash flows to material risk, as gains and losses on these derivatives generally offset losses and gains on the item being hedged. We do not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes and we do not have any non-derivative instruments that are designated as hedging instruments pursuant to Topic 815. Refer to Note E – Fair Value Measurements for more information on our derivative instruments. Our derivative instruments do not subject our earnings or cash flows to material risk, as gains and losses on these derivatives generally offset losses and gains on the item being hedged. We do not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes and we do not have any non-derivative instruments that are designated as hedging instruments pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815).

New Accounting Pronouncements N

New Accounting Pronouncements New Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]
ASC Update No. 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property Plant and Equipment (Topic 360) [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2014-08 In April 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. Update No. 2014-08 changed the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and enhanced convergence of the FASB's and the International Accounting Standard Board's (IASB) reporting requirements for discontinued operations. We were required to apply this amendment, prospectively to: (1) all disposals (or classifications as held for sale) of components of an entity that occurred within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014 and interim periods within those years and (2) all businesses that, on acquisition, are classified as held for sale that occurred within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014 and interim periods within those years. We adopted Update No. 2014-08 beginning in our first quarter ended March 31, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2014-08 did not impact our results of operations or financial position.
ASC Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2015-03 In April 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs . Update No. 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Update No. 2015-03 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. We adopted Update No. 2015-03 as of December 31, 2015 which required us to reclassify our debt issuance costs from deferred charges to direct deductions of our debt liabilities. We were required to apply this amendment retrospectively to all prior periods reflected in the financial statement. The adoption of Update No. 2015-03 did not have a material impact on our financial position and had no impact on our results of operations.
ASC Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2014-09 In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Update No. 2014-09 provides enhancements to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported while also improving comparability in the financial statements of companies using International Financial Reporting Standards and U.S. GAAP. The core principle requires entities to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration an entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. In July 2015, the FASB voted to approve a one year deferral, making the standard effective for public entities for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. As such, the standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. Under the deferral, early application is still permitted but not before the original public organization effective date, which is for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We expect to adopt Update No. 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018. We are in the process of determining the effect that the adoption of this standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.
ASC Update No. 2015 -05, Intangibles- Goodwill and Other - Internal -Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2015-05 In April 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-05, Intangibles- Goodwill and Other - Internal -Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. Update No. 2015-05 provides accounting guidance on how customers should treat cloud computing arrangements. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. Update No. 2015-05 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those reporting periods. We elected to adopt the amendments prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date . The adoption of Update No. 2015-05 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
ASC Update No. 2015-12, Plan Accounting [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2015-12 In July 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-12, Plan Accounting: Defined Benefit Pension Plans (Topic 960), Defined Contribution Pension Plans (Topic 962), and Health and Welfare Benefit Plans (Topic 965). Update No. 2015-12 has three parts. Part I designates contract value as the only required measure for fully benefit-responsive investment contracts. Part II simplifies the investment disclosure requirements under Topics 820, 960, 962, and 965 for employee benefit plans and Part III provides an alternative measurement date for fiscal periods that do not coincide with a month-end date. Update No. 2015-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2015-12 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
ASC Update No. 2015-16, Business Combinations [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2015-16 In September 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement - Period Adjustments . Update No. 2015-16 eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments following a business combination. Update No. 2015-16 requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment (including the impact on prior periods) be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. The prior period impact of the adjustment should be either presented separately on the face of the income statement or disclosed in the notes. Update No. 2015-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of Update No. 2015-16 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
ASC Update No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740) [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2015-17 In November 2015, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740). Update No. 2015-17 requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. It is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted. An entity can elect to adopt prospectively or retrospectively. The adoption of Update No. 2015-17 will not impact our results of operations. We are in the process of determining the effect that the adoption of this standard will have on our financial position.
ASC Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities [Policy Text Block]	ASC Update No. 2016-01 In January 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. It is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application of certain provisions is permitted. Update 2016-01 requires entities to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value with changes recognized in net income. However, an entity may choose to measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. It also simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. Update 2016-01 also requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset and liability. The adoption of Update No. 2016-01 is not expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

Significant Accounting Polici29

Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Product Warranty Liability [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Beginning balance $ 25 $ 28 $ 26 Provision 15 9 12 Settlements/ reversals (17 ) (12 ) (10 ) Ending balance $ 23 $ 25 $ 28
Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 ( in millions) Projected Fair value of Plan Assets Underfunded Projected Fair value of Plan Assets Underfunded Executive Retirement Plan $ 14 $ — $ 14 $ 13 $ — $ 13 Guidant Retirement Plan (frozen) — — — 148 140 8 Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan (frozen) 33 — 33 34 — 34 International Retirement Plans 84 52 32 90 51 39 $ 131 $ 52 $ 79 $ 285 $ 191 $ 94
Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]	Expected Return on Plan Assets Rate of Discount Rate Compensation Increase Executive Retirement Plan 3.75% 3.00% Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan (frozen) 4.25% International Retirement Plans 1.00% - 2.20% 3.00% - 4.10% 3.00% - 6.78%
Schedule of Changes in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 Beginning fair value $ 191 $ 166 Actual return on plan assets 1 26 Employer contributions 6 16 Benefits paid (145 ) (11 ) Net transfers in (out) — — Foreign currency exchange (1 ) (6 ) Ending fair value $ 52 $ 191

Acquisitions and Strategic In30

Acquisitions and Strategic Investments (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Acquisitions (Tables) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Components of Purchase Price [Table Text Block]	The components of the aggregate preliminary purchase prices are as follows (in millions): Cash, net of cash acquired $ 1,734 Fair value of contingent consideration 63 $ 1,797 The components of the aggregate purchase price for the Bayer and IoGyn acquisitions are as follows (in millions): Cash, net of cash acquired $ 479 Fair value of prior interests 31 $ 510
Business Combination, Purchase Price Allocation Schedule [Table Text Block]	he following summarizes the aggregate purchase price allocation for Bayer and IoGyn as of December 31, 2014: Goodwill $ 210 Amortizable intangible assets 263 Inventory 23 Property, Plant and Equipment 17 Prepaid Transaction Service Agreement 5 Other net assets (1 ) Deferred income taxes (7 ) $ 510 The following summarizes the aggregate purchase price allocation for the Bard EP acquisition (in millions): Goodwill $ 140 Amortizable intangible assets 112 Other net assets 19 Deferred income taxes 3 $ 274 The following summarizes the aggregate preliminary purchase price allocation for the 2015 acquisitions as of December 31, 2015 (in millions): Goodwill $ 573 Amortizable intangible assets 1,073 Indefinite-lived intangible assets 7 Inventory 103 Property, Plant and Equipment 43 Other net assets 43 Deferred income taxes (45 ) $ 1,797
Description of unobservable inputs used in Level 3 fair value measurements [Table Text Block]	The recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our contingent consideration liability include the following significant unobservable inputs: Contingent Consideration Liability Fair Value as of December 31, 2015 Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range R&D and Commercialization-based Milestone $19 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 2% - 3.5% Probability of Payment 32% - 95% Projected Year of Payment 2017 - 2021 Revenue-based Payments $125 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 11% - 15% Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2022 $102 million Monte Carlo Revenue Volatility 15% Risk Free Rate LIBOR Term Structure Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2018 The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our intangible asset impairment analysis included the following significant unobservable inputs: Intangible Asset Valuation Date Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Rate Technology-related (amortizable) September 30, 2015 $8 million Income Approach -Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 10% In-Process R&D June 30, 2015 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D September 30, 2014 $16 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D June 30, 2014 $83 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% Technology-related (amortizable) June 30, 2014 $8 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D March 31, 2014 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 20% Technology-related (amortizable) March 31, 2014 $64 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D June 30, 2013 $178 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5%
Schedule of Business Acquisitions by Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Table Text Block]	Changes in our contingent consideration liability were as follows (in millions): Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 501 Amounts recorded related to new acquisitions 3 Other amounts recorded related to prior acquisitions (8 ) Fair value adjustment (85 ) Contingent payments related to prior period acquisition (137 ) Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 274 Amounts recorded related to new acquisitions 63 Other amounts recorded related to prior acquisitions (1 ) Fair value adjustment 123 Contingent payments related to prior period acquisition (213 ) Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 246
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Intangible Assets, Description	We allocated a portion of the purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 233 10 - 14 14 - 18 % Customer Relationships 29 10 18% Other intangible assets 1 2 14% $ 263 We allocated a portion of the preliminary purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 431 11-13 13.5% - 23% Customer relationships 624 12-13 13.5% - 15% Other intangible assets 18 13 13.5% Indefinite-lived intangible assets: In-process research & development $ 7 N/A 17% $ 1,080 We allocated a portion of the purchase price to specific intangible asset categories as of the acquisition date as follows: Amount (in millions) Weighted (in years) Range of Risk- Amortizable intangible assets: Technology-related $ 82 10 11.5% Customer relationships 30 7 11.5% $ 112

Goodwill and Other Intangible31

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Intangible Assets and Goodwill [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 Gross Carrying Accumulated Amortization/ Gross Carrying Accumulated Amortization/ (in millions) Amount Write-offs Amount Write-offs Amortizable intangible assets Technology-related $ 8,948 $ (4,054 ) $ 8,406 $ (3,697 ) Patents 520 (358 ) 519 (342 ) Other intangible assets 1,529 (610 ) 875 (533 ) $ 10,997 $ (5,022 ) $ 9,800 $ (4,572 ) Unamortizable intangible assets Goodwill $ 16,373 $ (9,900 ) $ 15,798 $ (9,900 ) In-process research and development (IPR&D) 99 181 Technology-related 120 — 197 — $ 16,592 $ (9,900 ) $ 16,176 $ (9,900 )
Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]	The following represents our goodwill balance by global reportable segment: (in millions) Cardiovascular Rhythm Management MedSurg Total Balance as of December 31, 2013 $ 3,252 $ 294 $ 2,147 $ 5,693 Purchase price adjustments (2 ) (4 ) (2 ) (8 ) Goodwill acquired 169 — 44 213 Other changes in carrying amount* 7 $ — (7 ) — Balance as of December 31, 2014 $ 3,426 $ 290 $ 2,182 $ 5,898 Purchase price adjustments 2 2 (2 ) 2 Goodwill acquired 23 — 550 573 Balance as of December 31, 2015 $ 3,451 $ 292 $ 2,730 $ 6,473
Asset Impairment Charges [Text Block]	The following is a rollforward of accumulated goodwill write-offs by global reportable segment: (in millions) Cardiovascular Rhythm Management MedSurg Total Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2013 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) $ (1,461 ) $ (9,900 ) Goodwill written off — — — — Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2014 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) (1,461 ) $ (9,900 ) Goodwill written off — — — — Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2015 $ (1,479 ) $ (6,960 ) $ (1,461 ) $ (9,900 )
Description of unobservable inputs used in Level 3 fair value measurements [Table Text Block]	The recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our contingent consideration liability include the following significant unobservable inputs: Contingent Consideration Liability Fair Value as of December 31, 2015 Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Range R&D and Commercialization-based Milestone $19 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 2% - 3.5% Probability of Payment 32% - 95% Projected Year of Payment 2017 - 2021 Revenue-based Payments $125 million Discounted Cash Flow Discount Rate 11% - 15% Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2022 $102 million Monte Carlo Revenue Volatility 15% Risk Free Rate LIBOR Term Structure Projected Year of Payment 2016 - 2018 The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of our intangible asset impairment analysis included the following significant unobservable inputs: Intangible Asset Valuation Date Fair Value Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Rate Technology-related (amortizable) September 30, 2015 $8 million Income Approach -Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 10% In-Process R&D June 30, 2015 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D September 30, 2014 $16 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% In-Process R&D June 30, 2014 $83 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5 - 20% Technology-related (amortizable) June 30, 2014 $8 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D March 31, 2014 $6 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 20% Technology-related (amortizable) March 31, 2014 $64 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 15% In-Process R&D June 30, 2013 $178 million Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method Discount Rate 16.5%
Schedule of Impaired Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Technology-related (amortizable) $ 9 $ 107 $ — In-process research and development 10 88 53 $ 19 195 $ 53
Schedule of Expected Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]	Estimated Amortization Expense Fiscal Year (in millions) 2016 $ 536 2017 520 2018 517 2019 513 2020 510

Fair Value Measurements (Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Measurements (Tables) [Abstract]
Gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives designed as hedging instruments	The following presents the effect of our derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges under Topic 815 on our accompanying consolidated statements of operations during 2015, 2014 and 2013 (in millions): Amount of Pre-tax Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCI (Effective Portion) Amount of Pre-tax Gain (Loss) Reclassified from AOCI into Earnings (Effective Portion) Location in Statement of Operations Year Ended December 31, 2015 Interest rate contracts $ 11 $ 2 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 98 213 Cost of products sold $ 109 $ 215 Year Ended December 31, 2014 Interest rate contracts $ — $ 1 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 227 105 Cost of products sold $ 227 $ 106 Year Ended December 31, 2013 Interest rate contracts $ — $ 1 Interest expense Currency hedge contracts 207 36 Cost of products sold $ 207 $ 37
Classification of derivative assets and liabilities within level 2	The following are the balances of our derivative assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : As of December 31, December 31, (in millions) Location in Balance Sheet (1) 2015 2014 Derivative Assets: Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current assets $ 138 $ 178 Currency hedge contracts Other long-term assets 66 141 Interest rate contracts Other current assets — 3 Interest rate contracts Other long-term assets — 22 204 344 Non-Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current assets 33 100 Total Derivative Assets $ 237 $ 444 Derivative Liabilities: Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current liabilities $ 1 $ 1 Non-Designated Hedging Instruments Currency hedge contracts Other current liabilities 22 35 Total Derivative Liabilities $ 23 $ 36 (1) We classify derivative assets and liabilities as current when the remaining term of the derivative contract is one year or less.
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis consist of the following as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 : As of December 31, 2015 As of December 31, 2014 (in millions) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Money market and government funds $ 118 $ — $ — $ 118 $ 151 $ — $ — $ 151 Currency hedge contracts — 237 — 237 — 419 — 419 Interest rate contracts — — — — — 25 — 25 $ 118 $ 237 $ — $ 355 $ 151 $ 444 $ — $ 595 Liabilities Currency hedge contracts $ — $ 23 $ — $ 23 $ — $ 36 $ — $ 36 Accrued contingent consideration — — 246 246 — — 274 274 $ — $ 23 $ 246 $ 269 $ — $ 36 $ 274 $ 310
Changes in the fair value of recurring fair value measurements using Level 3 inputs	Our recurring fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) relate solely to our contingent consideration liability
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
NetGainsand LossesonDerivatives not designated as hedging instruments [Table Text Block]	in millions Location in Statement of Operations Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Gain (loss) on currency hedge contracts $ 48 $ 52 $ 45 Other, net Gain (loss) on foreign currency transaction exposures (69 ) (70 ) (56 ) Other, net Net foreign currency gain (loss) $ (21 ) $ (18 ) $ (11 )

Borrowings and Credit Arrange33

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Tables) [Abstract]
Terms of senior notes [Table Text Block]	Our senior notes consist of the following as of December 31, 2015 : Amount (in millions) Issuance Date Maturity Date Semi-annual Coupon Rate January 2017 Notes $ 250 November 2004 January 2017 5.125% October 2018 Notes 600 August 2013 October 2018 2.650% January 2020 Notes 850 December 2009 January 2020 6.000% May 2020 Notes 600 May 2015 May 2020 2.850% May 2022 Notes 500 May 2015 May 2022 3.375% May 2025 Notes 750 May 2015 May 2025 3.850% October 2023 Notes 450 August 2013 October 2023 4.125% November 2035 Notes 350 November 2005 November 2035 6.250% January 2040 Notes 300 December 2009 January 2040 7.375% $ 4,650
Schedule of debt maturities	The debt maturity schedule for the significant components of our debt obligations as of December 31, 2015 is as follows: (in millions) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Thereafter Total Senior notes $ — $ 250 $ 600 $ — $ 1,450 $ 2,350 $ 4,650 Term loans — 85 390 150 375 — 1,000 $ — $ 335 $ 990 $ 150 $ 1,825 $ 2,350 $ 5,650 Note: The table above does not include unamortized discounts associated with our senior notes, or amounts related to interest rate contracts used to hedge the fair value of certain of our senior notes or debt issuance costs.
Summary of term loan and revolving credit facility agreement compliance with debt covenants	Our revolving credit facility agreement in place as of December 31, 2015 requires that we maintain certain financial covenants, as follows: Covenant Requirement Actual as of December 31, 2015 Maximum leverage ratio (1) 4.5 times 3.0 times Minimum interest coverage ratio (2) 3.0 times 6.6 times (1) Ratio of total debt to consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the credit agreement, for the preceding four consecutive fiscal quarters. (2) Ratio of consolidated EBITDA, as defined by the credit agreement, to interest expense for the preceding four consecutive fiscal quarters.

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Leases of Lessee Disclosure [Table Text Block]	Future minimum rental commitments as of December 31, 2015 under all noncancelable lease agreements, including capital leases, were as follows (in millions): 2016 $ 58 2017 44 2018 36 2019 27 2020 21 Thereafter 43 $ 229

Restructuring Related Activit35

Restructuring Related Activities (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Restructuring and Related Cost [Line Items]
Impact of restructuring costs on the accompanying financial statements	The following presents these costs by major type and line item within our accompanying consolidated statements of operations, as well as by program: Year Ended December 31, 2015 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total Restructuring charges $ 23 $ — $ — $ 3 $ 26 Restructuring-related expenses: Cost of products sold — — 31 — 31 Selling, general and administrative expenses — 3 — 23 26 — 3 31 23 57 $ 23 $ 3 $ 31 $ 26 $ 83 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 27 $ 3 31 $ 26 $ 87 2011 Restructuring plan (4 ) — — — (4 ) $ 23 $ 3 $ 31 $ 26 $ 83 Year Ended December 31, 2014 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Transfer Costs Other Total Restructuring charges $ 42 $ — $ — $ 27 $ 69 Restructuring-related expenses: Cost of products sold — — 24 — 24 Selling, general and administrative expenses — 5 — 19 24 — 5 24 19 48 $ 42 $ 5 $ 24 $ 46 $ 117 (in millions) Termination Accelerated Transfer Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 41 $ 5 $ 24 $ 43 $ 113 2011 Restructuring plan 1 — — 3 4 $ 42 $ 5 $ 24 $ 46 $ 117 Year Ended December 31, 2013 (in millions) Termination Benefits Accelerated Depreciation Net Gain on Fixed Asset Disposal Other Total Restructuring charges $ 60 $ — $ (15 ) $ 56 $ 101 Restructuring-related expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses — 3 — 20 23 — 3 — 20 23 $ 60 $ 3 $ (15 ) $ 76 $ 124 (in millions) Termination Accelerated Net Gain on Fixed Asset Disposal Other Total 2014 Restructuring plan $ 29 $ — $ — $ 1 $ 30 2011 Restructuring plan 37 3 (15 ) 75 100 Substantially completed restructuring programs (6 ) — — — (6 ) $ 60 $ 3 $ (15 ) $ 76 $ 124
Summary of accrued expenses within accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets	The following is a rollforward of the termination benefit liability associated with our 2014 Restructuring plan and 2011 Restructuring plan (including the Expansion) since the inception of the respective plan, which is reported as a component of accrued expenses included in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets: Restructuring Plan Termination Benefits (in millions) 2014 2011 Total Accrued as of December 31, 2012 $ — $ 36 $ 36 Charges 29 37 66 Cash payments — (61 ) (61 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2013 29 12 41 Charges 41 1 42 Cash payments (31 ) (9 ) (40 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2014 39 4 43 Charges 27 (4 ) 23 Cash payments (37 ) — (37 ) Accrued as of December 31, 2015 $ 29 $ — $ 29
Cumulative Restructuring Charges [Text Block]	The following presents these costs by major type and by plan: (in millions) 2014 Restructuring plan 2011 plan (including the Expansion) Total Termination benefits $ 96 $ 135 $ 231 Fixed asset write-offs — (1 ) (1 ) Other 29 113 142 Total restructuring charges 125 247 372 Accelerated depreciation 8 5 13 Transfer costs 55 — 55 Other 41 34 75 Restructuring-related expenses 104 39 143 $ 229 $ 286 $ 515
Amount Of Cash Paid In Period To Fully Or Partially Settle Specified Type Of Restructuring Cost [Text Block]	We made cash payments of $95 million in 2015 associated with restructuring initiatives pursuant to these plans, and have made total cash payments of $476 million related to our 2014 Restructuring plan and 2011 Restructuring plan (including the Expansion) since committing to each plan. Each of these payments was made using cash generated from operations, and are comprised of the following: (in millions) 2014 Restructuring plan 2011 Total Year Ended December 31, 2015 Termination benefits $ 37 $ — $ 37 Transfer costs 31 — 31 Other 27 — 27 $ 95 $ — $ 95 Program to Date Termination benefits 69 $ 133 $ 202 Transfer costs 55 — 55 Other 65 154 219 $ 189 $ 287 $ 476
2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost [Line Items]
Impact of restructuring costs on the accompanying financial statements	he following table provides a summary of our estimates of costs associated with the 2014 Restructuring plan by major type of cost: Type of cost Total estimated amount expected to be incurred Restructuring charges: Termination benefits $95 million to $100 million Other (1) $30 million to $35 million Restructuring-related expenses: Other (2) $130 million to $135 million $255 million to $270 million (1) Consists primarily of consulting fees and costs associated with contractual cancellations. (2) Comprised of other costs directly related to the 2014 Restructuring plan, including program management, accelerated depreciation, and costs to transfer product lines among facilities.
2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost [Line Items]
Impact of restructuring costs on the accompanying financial statements	The following provides a summary of our total costs associated with the 2011 Restructuring plan, including the Expansion, by major type of cost: Type of cost Total amount incurred Restructuring charges: Termination benefits $135 million Other (1) $112 million Restructuring-related expenses: Other (2) $39 million $286 million

Supplemental Balance Sheet In36

Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Tables) [Abstract]
Trade accounts receivable, net	As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Accounts receivable $ 1,394 $ 1,288 Less: allowance for doubtful accounts (75 ) (76 ) Less: allowance for sales returns (44 ) (29 ) $ 1,275 $ 1,183
Rollforward of allowances for doubtful accounts	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Beginning balance $ 76 $ 81 $ 88 Net charges to expenses 15 10 5 Utilization of allowances (16 ) (15 ) (12 ) Ending balance $ 75 $ 76 $ 81
Inventories	As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Finished goods $ 706 $ 649 Work-in-process 102 97 Raw materials 208 200 $ 1,016 $ 946
Property, plant and equipment, net	As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Land $ 86 $ 80 Buildings and improvements 981 944 Equipment, furniture and fixtures 2,793 2,633 Capital in progress 202 189 4,062 3,846 Less: accumulated depreciation 2,572 2,339 $ 1,490 $ 1,507
Accrued expenses	As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Legal reserves $ 773 $ 694 Payroll and related liabilities 504 512 Accrued contingent consideration 119 158 Other 574 586 $ 1,970 $ 1,950
Other long-term liabilities	As of (in millions) December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Accrued income taxes $ 1,253 $ 1,231 Legal reserves 1,163 883 Accrued contingent consideration 127 116 Other long-term liabilities 431 436 $ 2,974 $ 2,666

Income Taxes (Tables)

Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Taxes (Tables) [Abstract]
Tax rate	Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 U.S. federal statutory income tax rate (35.0 )% (35.0 )% (35.0 )% State income taxes, net of federal benefit (4.8 )% (6.5 )% (7.9 )% Effect of foreign taxes (34.4 )% (29.1 )% (63.4 )% Acquisition-related 6.0 % (7.5 )% 3.5 % Research credit (4.4 )% (7.0 )% (12.2 )% Valuation allowance 2.3 % 4.0 % (12.0 )% Goodwill impairment charges — % — % 65.2 % Compensation-related 1.6 % 0.7 % 1.7 % Non-deductible expenses 2.4 % 1.9 % 9.0 % Uncertain domestic tax positions 2.7 % 2.0 % 7.0 % Other, net 0.4 % (0.2 )% (1.9 )% (63.2 )% (76.7 )% (46.0 )%
Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Beginning Balance $ 1,047 $ 1,102 $ 1,088 Additions based on positions related to the current year 32 44 59 Additions based on positions related to prior years 38 3 43 Reductions for tax positions of prior years (36 ) (87 ) (42 ) Settlements with taxing authorities (18 ) (5 ) (15 ) Statute of limitation expirations (7 ) (10 ) (31 ) Ending Balance $ 1,056 $ 1,047 $ 1,102
Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Domestic $ (1,623 ) $ (1,263 ) $ (774 ) Foreign 973 754 551 $ (650 ) $ (509 ) $ (223 )
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 Deferred Tax Assets: Inventory costs and related reserves $ 49 $ 46 Tax benefit of net operating loss and credits 742 525 Reserves and accruals 232 232 Restructuring-related charges 17 20 Litigation and product liability reserves 689 556 Investment write-down 7 4 Compensation related 138 150 Federal benefit of uncertain tax positions 197 178 Other 39 36 2,110 1,747 Less valuation allowance (499 ) (450 ) 1,611 1,297 Deferred Tax Liabilities: Property, plant and equipment 44 67 Unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments 82 146 Intangible assets 1,749 1,883 1,875 2,096 Net Deferred Tax Liabilities 264 799 Prepaid on intercompany profit 63 69 Total Net Deferred Tax Liabilities and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit $ 201 $ 730 Our deferred tax assets, deferred tax liabilities and prepaid on intercompany profit, are included in the following locations within our accompanying consolidated balance sheets (in millions): Location in As of December 31, Component Balance Sheet 2015 2014 Current deferred tax asset and prepaid on intercompany profit Deferred income taxes $ 496 $ 447 Non-current deferred tax asset Other long-term assets 40 39 Deferred Tax Assets and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit 536 486 Current deferred tax liability Other current liabilities 2 2 Non-current deferred tax liability Deferred income taxes 735 1,214 Deferred Tax Liabilities 737 1,216 Net Deferred Tax Liabilities and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit $ 201 $ 730
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Current Federal $ 59 $ (2 ) $ 46 State 3 (5 ) (9 ) Foreign 132 111 105 194 104 142 Deferred Federal (545 ) (458 ) (212 ) State (41 ) (23 ) (17 ) Foreign (19 ) (13 ) (15 ) (605 ) (494 ) (244 ) $ (411 ) $ (390 ) $ (102 )

Stock Ownership Plans (Tables)

Stock Ownership Plans (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Stock Ownership Plans [Abstract]
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Activity [Table Text Block]	Information related to shares issued or to be issued in connection with the employee stock purchase plan based on employee contributions and the range of purchase prices is as follows: (shares in thousands) 2015 2014 2013 Shares issued or to be issued 2,529 2,618 3,833 Range of purchase prices $11.24 - $15.13 $10.12 - $11.04 $5.01 - $7.96
Schedule of Unrecognized Compensation Cost, Nonvested Awards [Table Text Block]	We expect to recognize the following future expense for awards outstanding as of December 31, 2015 : Unrecognized Compensation Cost (in millions)(1) Weighted Average Remaining Vesting Period (in years) Stock options $ 25 Non-vested stock awards 135 $ 160 1.3 (1) Amounts presented represent compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures.
Market-based awards, valuation assumptions [Table Text Block]	We determined the fair value of the 2015 market-based DSU awards to be approximately $7 million and the fair values of the 2014 and the 2013 market-based awards to be approximately $6 million and $8 million , respectively. We determined these fair values based on Monte Carlo simulations as of the date of grant, utilizing the following assumptions: 2015 2014 2013 Awards Awards Awards Stock price on date of grant $ 16.31 $ 13.08 $ 7.39 Measurement period (in years) 3.0 3.0 3.0 Risk-free rate 0.98 % 0.66 % 0.34 %
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock Units Award Activity [Table Text Block]	Information related to non-vested stock awards during 2015, 2014 and 2013 is as follows: Non-Vested Stock Award Units (in thousands) Weighted Average Grant- Date Fair Value Balance as of December 31, 2012 36,593 $ 7 Granted 13,913 8 Vested (1) (10,307 ) 8 Forfeited (2,860 ) 7 Balance as of December 31, 2013 37,339 $ 7 Granted 7,072 13 Vested (1) (11,205 ) 7 Forfeited (2,671 ) 8 Balance as of December 31, 2014 30,535 $ 9 Granted 6,606 16 Vested (1) (11,607 ) 8 Forfeited (1,770 ) 10 Balance as of December 31, 2015 23,764 $ 11 (1) The number of restricted stock units vested includes shares withheld on behalf of employees to satisfy statutory tax withholding
Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]	The following presents the impact of stock-based compensation on our consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2015 , 2014 and 2013 : Year Ended December 31, (in millions, except per share data) 2015 2014 2013 Cost of products sold $ 7 $ 6 $ 8 Selling, general and administrative expenses 81 79 79 Research and development expenses 19 18 18 107 103 105 Less: income tax benefit (28 ) (28 ) (29 ) $ 79 $ 75 $ 76 Net impact per common share - basic $ 0.06 $ 0.06 $ 0.06 Net impact per common share - assuming dilution $ 0.06 $ 0.06 $ 0.06
Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]	We use the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to calculate the grant-date fair value of stock options granted to employees under our stock incentive plans. We calculated the fair value for options granted during 2015, 2014 and 2013 using the following estimated weighted-average assumptions: Year Ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 Options granted (in thousands) 4,441 4,943 1,992 Weighted-average exercise price $ 16.49 $ 13.02 $ 7.44 Weighted-average grant-date fair value $ 5.54 $ 5.07 $ 2.84 Black-Scholes Assumptions Expected volatility 31 % 37 % 36 % Expected term (in years, weighted) 6.0 6.0 5.9 Risk-free interest rate 1.49% - 1.92% 1.69% - 2.09% 0.89% - 1.72%
Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]	Information related to stock options for 2015, 2014 and 2013 under stock incentive plans is as follows: Stock Options (in thousands) Weighted Average Exercise Price Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years) Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in millions) Outstanding as of December 31, 2012 54,881 $ 12 Granted 1,992 7 Exercised (7,221 ) 8 Cancelled/forfeited (4,760 ) 21 Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 44,892 $ 12 Granted 4,943 13 Exercised (4,418 ) 8 Cancelled/forfeited (5,909 ) 17 Outstanding as of December 31, 2014 39,508 $ 11 Granted 4,441 16 Exercised (9,040 ) 9 Cancelled/forfeited (3,820 ) 25 Outstanding as of December 31, 2015 31,089 $ 11 5.3 $ 240 Exercisable as of December 31, 2015 22,104 $ 10 4.0 $ 196 Expected to vest as of December 31, 2015 8,299 13 8.4 42 Total vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2015 30,403 $ 11 5.2 $ 238

Weighted Average Shares Outst39

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share (Tables) [Abstract]
Weighted average shares outstanding	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 1,341.2 1,324.3 1,341.2 Net effect of common stock equivalents — — — Weighted average shares outstanding - assuming dilution 1,341.2 1,324.3 1,341.2

Segment Reporting (Tables)

Segment Reporting (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Reconciliation of Revenue from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Net sales Interventional Cardiology $ 2,242 $ 2,092 $ 1,995 Peripheral Interventions 975 861 805 Cardiovascular 3,217 2,953 2,800 Cardiac Rhythm Management 1,934 1,922 1,882 Electrophysiology 248 228 154 Rhythm Management 2,182 2,150 2,036 Endoscopy 1,422 1,343 1,277 Urology and Pelvic Health 735 542 505 Neuromodulation 512 474 454 MedSurg 2,669 2,359 2,236 Net sales allocated to reportable segments 8,068 7,462 7,072 Sales generated from business divestitures — 4 58 Impact of foreign currency fluctuations (591 ) (86 ) 13 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143
Reconciliation of depreciation by reportable segment to total [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Depreciation expense Cardiovascular $ 116 $ 120 $ 111 Rhythm Management 94 92 99 MedSurg 73 75 73 Depreciation expense allocated to reportable segments 283 287 283 Impact of foreign currency fluctuations (9 ) — (4 ) $ 274 $ 287 $ 279
Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Income (loss) before income taxes Cardiovascular $ 972 $ 767 $ 665 Rhythm Management 328 289 211 MedSurg 856 746 679 Operating income allocated to reportable segments 2,156 1,802 1,555 Corporate expenses and currency exchange (486 ) (308 ) (203 ) Goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges; pension termination charges; and acquisition-, divestiture-, litigation-, and restructuring-related net charges (1,502 ) (1,357 ) (822 ) Amortization expense (495 ) (438 ) (410 ) Operating income (loss) (327 ) (301 ) 120 Other expense, net (323 ) (208 ) (343 ) $ (650 ) $ (509 ) $ (223 )
Reconciliation of Assets from Segment to Consolidated [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 Total assets (restated*) Cardiovascular $ 1,583 $ 1,501 Rhythm Management 1,279 1,329 MedSurg 1,141 982 Total assets allocated to reportable segments 4,003 3,812 Goodwill 6,473 5,898 Other intangible assets, net 6,194 5,606 All other corporate assets 1,463 1,708 $ 18,133 $ 17,024
Reconciliation of sales by division and region to consolidated [Table Text Block]	Year Ended December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Net sales Interventional Cardiology $ 2,033 $ 2,057 $ 1,997 Cardiac Rhythm Management 1,807 1,912 1,886 Endoscopy 1,306 1,323 1,280 Peripheral Interventions 904 850 809 Urology and Pelvic Health 693 535 505 Neuromodulation 501 472 453 Electrophysiology 233 227 155 7,477 7,376 7,085 Sales generated from divested businesses — 4 58 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143 United States $ 4,229 $ 3,885 $ 3,743 Japan 602 678 744 Other countries 2,646 2,813 2,598 7,477 7,376 7,085 Sales generated from divested businesses — 4 58 $ 7,477 $ 7,380 $ 7,143
Schedule of Disclosure on Geographic Areas, Long-Lived Assets in Individual Foreign Countries by Country [Table Text Block]	As of December 31, (in millions) 2015 2014 2013 Long-lived assets United States $ 1,018 $ 1,002 $ 998 Ireland 170 197 240 Other foreign countries 302 308 308 Property, plant and equipment, net 1,490 1,507 1,546 Goodwill 6,473 5,898 5,693 Other intangible assets, net 6,194 5,606 5,950 $ 14,157 $ 13,011 $ 13,189

Changes in Other Comprehensiv41

Changes in Other Comprehensive Income (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Changes in Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Changes in Other Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block]	The following table provides the reclassifications out of other comprehensive income for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 . Amounts in the chart below are presented net of tax. Year Ended December 31, 2015 (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments Unrealized Gains/Losses on Derivative Financial Instruments Defined Benefit Pension Items / Other Total Beginning Balance $(38) $219 $(37) $144 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications (16) 70 (3) 51 (Gain)/Loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — (137) 30 (107) Net current-period other comprehensive income (16) (67) 27 (56) Ending Balance $(54) $152 $(10) $88 Year Ended December 31, 2014 (in millions) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments Unrealized Gains/Losses on Derivative Financial Instruments Defined Benefit Pension Items / Other Total Beginning Balance $(16) $141 $(19) $106 Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications (22) 145 (10) 113 (Gain)/Loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — (67) (8) (75) Net current-period other comprehensive income (22) 78 (18) 38 Ending Balance $(38) $219 $(37) $144

Significant Accounting Polici42

Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2012USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Pension termination charges	$ 44	$ 0	$ 0
Number of Reportable Segments | reportablesegments	3
Number of global reporting units | reportablesegments	7	7	7
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - Low	1.00%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - Low	3.00%
International Retirement Plan - Discount Rate - High	2.20%
Executive Retirement Plan Discount Rate	3.75%
Rabbi Trust Assets	$ 11	$ 14
Expense related to matching contributions	69	63	$ 59
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	131	285
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52	191	166
Defined Benefit Plan, Actual Return on Plan Assets	1	26
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer	6	16
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefits Paid	(145)	(11)
Defined Benefit Plan, Transfers Between Measurement Levels	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Changes, Benefit Obligation	(1)	(6)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	79	94
Shipping, Handling and Transportation Costs	93	100	97
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax	$ (21)	$ (18)	(11)
Percent of finished goods at consignment	40.00%	40.00%
Product Warranty Accrual	$ 23	$ 25	28	$ 26
Product Warranty Expense	15	9	12
Product Warranty Accrual, Payments	(17)	(12)	(10)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions		(15)	(12)
Depreciation	274	$ 287	$ 279
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	$ 8,900
Executive Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Guidant Supplemental Retirement Plan Discount Rate	4.25%
International Retirement Plan - Expected Return on Plan Assets - High	4.10%
Concentration Risk, Customer	0	0	0
Executive retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	$ 14	$ 13
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	14	13
Guidant retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	0	148
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	140
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	0	8
Guidant supplement retirement plan [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	33	34
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	0	0
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	33	34
International retirement plans [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation	84	90
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets	52	51
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet	$ 32	$ 39
Low end of range [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	3.00%
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	20 years
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	3 years
Minimum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	2 years
Minimum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	5 years
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	40 years
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life	10 years
Maximum [Member] | Patents [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	20 years
Maximum [Member] | Technology-related [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years
Maximum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life	25 years
High end of range [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
International Retirement Plan Rate of Compensation Increase	6.78%

Acquisitions and Strategic In43

Acquisitions and Strategic Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Aug. 03, 2015	Apr. 02, 2015	Sep. 02, 2014	May. 07, 2014	Nov. 01, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 13, 2015
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount						$ 453	$ 160	$ 131
Equity Method Investments						173	10
Other Cost and Expense, Operating						123	(85)	4
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						1,734	486	274
Maximum future contingent consideration for acquisitions completed after January 1, 2009						1,918
Accrued Contingent Consideration						246	274	501
Contingent consideration recognized in the period						63	3
Adjustments to accrued contingent consideration						(1)	(8)
Contingent payment related to business combination						(213)	(137)
Goodwill						6,473	5,898	5,693
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles							263
Total							510
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Fair Value							31
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability						123	(85)
Payment of contingent consideration						213	137	165
Cost Method Investments						45	27
Notes receivable from portfolio companies						30	17
Equity Method Investment, Difference Between Carrying Amount and Underlying Equity						80
Celenova [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						70
2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill								140
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles								112
Total								274
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets								19
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current								(3)
Xlumena [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		$ 63
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones		$ 13
Other 2015 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						6
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Asset						1
AMS urology portfolio [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	$ 1,616
Potential payments based on acheiving certain milestones	50
Non-voting Preferred Stock Investment Amount	$ 60
2015 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						1,734
Goodwill						573
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles						1,073
Indefinite-lived intangible assets						7
Total						1,797
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Other Noncurrent Assets						43
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Inventory						103
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment						43
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current						(45)
Contingent consideration recognized in the period						63
Bayer and IoGyn [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired							479
Goodwill							210
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles							263
Total							510
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Inventory							23
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment							17
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets							5
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net							(1)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets, Current							(7)
Bayer [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired			$ 414
IoGyn [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired				$ 65
Remaining equity of IoGyn purchased				72.00%
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain							19
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Minority interest owned of IoGyn				28.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred				$ 8
2014 acquisitions (excluding Bayer and IoGyn) [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired							7
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Asset							4
Bard EP [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payment to acquire in cash					$ 274
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Payment to acquire in cash					$ 274
2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net						1,080
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration						$ (19)
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration						2.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment						32.00%
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,017
R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration						3.50%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, probability of payment						95.00%
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,021
Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired						$ 431	$ 233
Customer Contracts [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired								$ 30
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life								7 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation								11.50%
Technology-related [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life						11 years	10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						13.50%	14.00%
Technology-related [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life						13 years	14 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						23.00%	18.00%
Technology-related [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired								$ 82
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life								10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation								11.50%
Customer Relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired						$ 624	$ 29
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life							10 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation							18.00%
Customer Relationships [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life						12 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						13.50%
Customer Relationships [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life						13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						15.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired						$ 18	$ 1
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life							2 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation							14.00%
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | 2015 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Asset, Weighted Average Useful Life						13 years
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						13.50%
Purchased research and development [Member] | 2015 Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Range of Risk Adjusted Discount Rates used in Purchase Price Allocation						17.00%
Purchased research and development [Member] | 2012 Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
In-Process Research and Development Acquired						$ 7
Discounted cash flow [Member] | R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,016
Discounted cash flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration						$ (125)
Discounted cash flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration						11.00%
Discounted cash flow [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Risk-adjusted discount rate for contingent consideration						15.00%
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,022
Monte Carlo [Member] | R&D- and commercialization-based milestones [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,016
Monte Carlo [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration						$ (102)
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revenue Volatility - Contingent Consideration						15.00%
Monte Carlo [Member] | revenue-based payments [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Acquisitions (Textuals) [Abstract]
contingent consideration liability, projected year of payment						2,018
Preventis [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage									27.00%
Preventice [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Common Stock Interest Acquired									18.50%
Frankenman [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage										25.00%

Divestitures (Details)

Divestitures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2011
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Purchase Price for Divestiture of Business	$ 1,500
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses			$ 30	$ 10	$ 1,450
Gain on divestitures		$ 0	12	38
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses		$ 0	$ 4	$ 58

Goodwill and Other Intangible45

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details)	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2013USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill				$ 5,898,000,000						$ 6,473,000,000	$ 5,898,000,000	$ 5,693,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross				9,800,000,000						10,997,000,000	9,800,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization				(4,572,000,000)						(5,022,000,000)	(4,572,000,000)
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss				(9,900,000,000)						(9,900,000,000)	(9,900,000,000)	(9,900,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charges							$ 423,000,000			0	0	423,000,000
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)				5,606,000,000						6,194,000,000	5,606,000,000	5,950,000,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments										2,000,000	(8,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period										573,000,000	213,000,000
Goodwill, Other Changes											0
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges	$ 10,000,000	$ 9,000,000		18,000,000	$ 12,000,000					19,000,000	195,000,000	53,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges						$ 110,000,000	$ 55,000,000			19,000,000	195,000,000	476,000,000
Goodwill, Gross				15,798,000,000						16,373,000,000	15,798,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs				(9,900,000,000)						(9,900,000,000)	(9,900,000,000)
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill				16,176,000,000						16,592,000,000	16,176,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year One										536,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Two										520,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Three										517,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Four										513,000,000
Future Amortization Expense, Year Five										$ 510,000,000
Number of Reportable Segments | reportablesegments										3
In process research and development	16,000,000	83,000,000	$ 6,000,000			$ 178,000,000
Core technology	$ 8,000,000	$ 8,000,000	$ 64,000,000
Electrophysiology [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Hypothetical change in WACC									0.50%
Hypothetical change in revenue growth rates									1.50%
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Level Of Excess Fair Value Over Carrying Value For Reporting Unit		26.00%							26.00%
Cardiovascular [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill				3,426,000,000						$ 3,451,000,000	3,426,000,000	3,252,000,000
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss				(1,479,000,000)						(1,479,000,000)	(1,479,000,000)	(1,479,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charges										0	0
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments										2,000,000	(2,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period										23,000,000	169,000,000
Goodwill, Other Changes											7,000,000
Rhythm Management [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill				290,000,000						292,000,000	290,000,000	294,000,000
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss				(6,960,000,000)						(6,960,000,000)	(6,960,000,000)	(6,960,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charges										0	0
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments										2,000,000	(4,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period										0	0
Goodwill, Other Changes											0
MedSurg [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill				2,182,000,000						2,730,000,000	2,182,000,000	2,147,000,000
Goodwill, Impaired, Accumulated Impairment Loss				(1,461,000,000)						(1,461,000,000)	(1,461,000,000)	(1,461,000,000)
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment charges										0	0
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments										(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Goodwill, Acquired During Period										550,000,000	44,000,000
Goodwill, Other Changes											(7,000,000)
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Goodwill (Textuals) [Abstract]
Level Of Excess Fair Value Over Carrying Value For Reporting Unit		28.00%							28.00%
Allocated Goodwill									$ 292,000,000
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Intangible assets reclassified from unamortizable to amortizable										77,000,000
Technology-related [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Intangible assets reclassified from unamortizable to amortizable										77,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross				8,406,000,000						8,948,000,000	8,406,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization				(3,697,000,000)						(4,054,000,000)	(3,697,000,000)
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges										9,000,000	107,000,000	0
Patents [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross				519,000,000						520,000,000	519,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization				(342,000,000)						(358,000,000)	(342,000,000)
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross				875,000,000						1,529,000,000	875,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization				(533,000,000)						(610,000,000)	(533,000,000)
Purchased research and development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges										10,000,000	88,000,000	$ 53,000,000
Technology-related [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)				197,000,000						120,000,000	197,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, accumulated write-offs				0						0	0
Purchased research and development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)				181,000,000						$ 99,000,000	181,000,000
Sadra Medical Inc [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges								$ 51,000,000
2011 Acquisitions, excluding Sadra [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges								$ 2,000,000
In Process Research and Development 2 [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
In process research and development		$ 6,000,000
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges					4,000,000
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate			20.00%			16.50%
IPR&D that was impaired [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill), Fair Value Disclosure				$ 0							$ 0
Core technology [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Other intangible asset charges					$ 8,000,000
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	10.00%	15.00%	15.00%
Minimum [Member] | In Process Research and Development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		16.50%			16.50%	16.50%
Maximum [Member] | In Process Research and Development [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		20.00%			20.00%	20.00%
Vessix Charges [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairment Charges						$ 67,000,000
Other In-process Research and Development Project Charges [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairment Charges						8,000,000
Atritech Charges [Member]
Other Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Asset Impairment Charges						$ 35,000,000

Fair Value Measurements (Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Contracts, Liability, Fair Value Disclosure			$ 2,178				$ 1,458	$ 2,178
Accrued Contingent Consideration			(274)				(246)	(274)	$ (501)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Cost Method Investments			27				45	27
Time Deposits, at Carrying Value			255				31	255
Cash			181				170	181
Gain (loss) related to ineffective portion of hedging relationships							(1)	0
Impairment of Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 10	$ 9	18	$ 12			19	195	53
Foreign Currency Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, Net								105	(36)
Unrealized gain on derivative financial instruments			217				145	217
Foreign Currency Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months							103
Foreign Currency Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments at Fair Value, Net			2,470				2,090	2,470
Notional Amount of Interest Rate Derivatives		450							450
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings for terminated interest rate swaps		$ 11
Interest Rate Derivatives, at Fair Value, Net							35
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net							2	1	1
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net							11	0	0
Unamortized gains on senior notes			45				63	45
Unamortized losses on senior notes			2				1	2
Unrealized gain on interest rate cash flow hedges, pretax, AOCI			2				10	2
Gain (loss) recognized in earnings for previously terminated interest rate swaps							13	9	10
Gain (loss) on previously terminated interest rate swaps to be reclassified within twelve months							13
Asset Impairment Charges					$ 110	$ 55	19	195	476
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure			4,613				5,887	4,613
Interest rate swaps terminated in Q1 2015 [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Accrued Investment Income Receivable										$ 7
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net							215	106	37
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net							109	227	207
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Cost of products sold [Member] | Foreign Exchange Contract [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated OCI into Income, Effective Portion, Net							213	105	36
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Effective Portion, Net							98	227	207
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other, net [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Net gain (loss) from foreign currency transaction exposures							(69)	(70)	(56)
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Gain (Loss), Net							48	52	45
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), Realized							(21)	(18)	$ (11)
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value			0				0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value							0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value			0				0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value			151				118	151
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure			419				237	419
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value			25				0	25
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure			595				355	595
Foreign Currency Contracts, Liability, Fair Value Disclosure			36				23	36
Accrued Contingent Consideration			274				246	274
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure			310				269	310
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value			151				118	151
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure			151				118	151
Foreign Currency Contracts, Liability, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Accrued Contingent Consideration			0				0	0
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value			0					0
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure			419				237	419
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value			25				0	25
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure			444				237	444
Foreign Currency Contracts, Liability, Fair Value Disclosure			36				23	36
Accrued Contingent Consideration			0				0	0
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure			36				23	36
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Money Market Funds, at Carrying Value			0				0	0
Foreign Currency Contract, Asset, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Foreign Currency Contracts, Liability, Fair Value Disclosure			0				0	0
Accrued Contingent Consideration			274				246	274
Liabilities, Fair Value Disclosure			$ 274				246	274
(Gain) Loss on hedged debt obligation [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense, Other							(8)	(29)
Loss on hedged debt obligation [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Interest Expense, Other							$ 8	$ 29

Fair Value Measurements (Deta47

Fair Value Measurements (Details BS Table) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	$ 237	$ 444
Derivative Liabilities	23	36
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value	204	344
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Asset, at Fair Value	33	100
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments, Liability, at Fair Value	22	35
Currency hedge contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value	138	178
Currency hedge contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Long Term Assets [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value	66	141
Currency hedge contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Current Liabilities [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Liabilities, at Fair Value	1	1
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value	0	3
Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Other Long Term Assets [Member]
Derivatives Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Instruments in Hedges, Assets, at Fair Value	$ 0	$ 22

Borrowings and Credit Arrange48

Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Details) $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015JPY (¥)	Oct. 23, 2015USD ($)	Apr. 10, 2015USD ($)	Aug. 06, 2013	Apr. 18, 2012USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes issued			$ 4,050
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	$ 0	$ 0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	44	44	59
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due in year two	335	335
Payments due in year three	990	990
Payments due in year four	150	150
Payments due in year five	1,825	1,825
Payments due, Thereafter	2,350	2,350
Payments due, Total	5,650	5,650
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Total debt	5,677	5,677	4,244
Revolving credit facility	300	300					$ 2,000		$ 2,000
Senior notes	4,650	4,650
Maximum amount of proceeds from sale of finance receivables	392	392
De-recognized receivables	$ 151	$ 151	$ 167
Average interest rate of de-recognized receivables		2.40%	3.20%
Interest Expense		$ 284	$ 216	$ 324
Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	4.5	4.5			4.5
Minimum interest coverage ratio	3	3			3
Actual, Covenant [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	3	3			3
Minimum interest coverage ratio	6.6	6.6			6.6
2015 Term Loan Facility [Domain]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Gross	$ 750	$ 750
the 2015 Facility [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Minimum							0.90%
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Maximum							1.50%
Current interest rate on revolving credit facility	1.30%
Commitment fee percentage	0.20%
Amount of exclusions from EBITDA related to existing restructuring plans							$ 620
Restructuring charges remaining to be excluded from calculation of consolidated EBITDA	$ 558	558
Amount of exclusions from EBITDA related to future litigation charges and payments							$ 2,000
Legal payments remaining to be excluded from calculation of consolidated EBITDA	1,803	1,803
Amended Definition of Consolidated EBITDA Amount of Legal Exclusion						$ 300
Unsecured Term Loan Facility [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Minimum								1.00%
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Maximum								1.75%
Long-term Debt, Gross	$ 250	$ 250	400
Unsecured Term Loan Facility, Interest Rate During Period	1.50%	1.50%			1.50%
Unsecured Term Loan Repayment		$ 150
2015 Term Loan [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Minimum							1.00%
Interest Margin above LIBOR, Maximum							1.75%
Unsecured Term Loan Facility, Interest Rate During Period	1.50%	1.50%			1.50%
Quarterly term-loan principal payments							$ 38
$600 million, Senior Note [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.40%	6.40%			6.40%
Due in 2018 [Member] | Unsecured Term Loan Facility [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Quarterly term-loan principal payments	$ 20	$ 20
Due Q4 2017 [Member] | Unsecured Term Loan Facility [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Quarterly term-loan principal payments	$ 10	$ 10
November 2015 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%	5.50%			5.50%
January 2017 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 250	$ 250
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.125%	5.125%			5.125%
October 2018 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 600	$ 600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.65%	2.65%			2.65%
January 2020 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 850	$ 850
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.00%	6.00%			6.00%
May 2020 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 600	$ 600
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.85%	2.85%			2.85%
May 2022 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 500	$ 500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.375%	3.375%			3.375%
May 2025 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 750	$ 750
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.85%	3.85%			3.85%
October 2023 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 450	$ 450
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.125%	4.125%			4.125%
November 2035 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	7.00%	7.00%			7.00%
Senior notes	$ 350	$ 350
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.25%	6.25%			6.25%
January 2040 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 300	$ 300
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.375%	7.375%			7.375%
$600 million, Snr Note [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Repayments of Debt		$ 1,830
Premiums, accelerated amortization of debt issuance costs & investor discount costs [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Interest Expense		$ 45
First four fiscal quarter-ends following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition [Member] | Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	4.5	4.5			4.5
Fifth fiscal quarter-end following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition [Member] | Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	4.25	4.25			4.25
Seventh fiscal quarter-end following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition [Member] | Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	3.75	3.75			3.75
Eighth fiscal quarter-end and thereafter following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition [Member] | Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	3.50	3.50			3.50
Sixth fiscal quarter-end following the closing of the AMS Portfolio Acquisition [Member] | Covenant Requirement [Member]
Summary of compliance with debt covenants
Maximum Leverage Ratio	4	4			4
$600 million, Senior Note [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	$ 600	$ 600
Aggregate Unsecured Term Loan Facility [Member] [Domain]
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due, Total	1,000	1,000
Unsecured Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due in year two	85	85
Payments due in year three	390	390
Payments due in year four	150	150
Payments due in year five	375	375
Payments due, Thereafter	0	0
November 2015 Notes [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Senior notes	400	400
May 2022 Notes [Member]
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due, Total	500	500
May 2020 Notes [Member]
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due, Total	600	600
Offering Completed in May 2015 [Member]
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due, Total	1,850	1,850
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due in year two	250	250
Payments due in year three	600	600
Payments due in year four	0	0
Payments due in year five	1,450	1,450
Payments due, Thereafter	2,350	2,350
Payments due, Total	4,650	4,650	3,800
May 2025 Notes [Member]
Schedule of debt maturities
Payments due, Total	750	750
Uncommitted Credit Facilities With Two Commercial Japanese Banks [Member]
Borrowings and Credit Arrangements (Textuals) [Abstract]
Maximum amount of proceeds from sale of finance receivables	175	175			¥ 21
De-recognized receivables	$ 132	$ 132	$ 134
Average discounted rates of notes receivables	1.60%	1.60%	1.80%		1.60%

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net	$ 76	$ 76	$ 77
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current	58
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years	44
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years	36
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years	27
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years	21
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter	43
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due	$ 229

Restructuring Related Activit50

Restructuring Related Activities (Details in Narrative) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended			26 Months Ended	53 Months Ended	84 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	$ 83	$ 117	$ 124
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						$ 372
Restructuring Charges	26	69	101
Payments for Restructuring	95					476
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date	515			$ 515	$ 515	515
Restructuring Related Expenses	57	48	23
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date						143
Proceeds on disposals of property, plant and equipment	0	0	53
2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost		113	30
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				125
Payments for Restructuring	95			189
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date	229			229	229	229
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date				104
2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost		4	100
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					247
Payments for Restructuring	0				287
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date	286			286	286	286
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date					39
Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	26	46	76
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						142
Restructuring Reserve	3	6		3	3	3
Restructuring Charges	3	27	56
Payments for Restructuring	27					219
Restructuring Related Expenses	23	19	20
Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	26	43	1
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				29
Payments for Restructuring	27			65
Other Restructuring [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	$ 3	$ 75
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					113
Payments for Restructuring	0				154
Maximum [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring plan estimated future cash outflow	255
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	270			270	270	270
Minimum [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring plan estimated future cash outflow	240
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	255			255	255	255
Restructuring Plan [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	286			286	286	286
Restructuring Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	112			112	112	112
Restructuring Plan [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	35			35	35	35
Restructuring Plan [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	$ 30			$ 30	$ 30	$ 30

Restructuring Related Activit51

Restructuring Related Activities (Details in Tables) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended			26 Months Ended	53 Months Ended	84 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2012
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	$ (95)					$ (476)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						372
Restructuring Charges	26	$ 69	$ 101
Restructuring Related Expenses	57	48	23
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	83	117	124
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date						143
2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	0				$ (287)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					247
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost		4	100
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date					39
2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	(95)			$ (189)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				125
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost		113	30
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date				104
2010 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			(6)
Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	29	43	41	29	29	29	$ 36
Payments for Restructuring	(37)	(40)	(61)			(202)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						231
Restructuring Charges	23	42	60
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	0	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	23	42	60
Employee Severance [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	0	4	12	0	0	0	36
Payments for Restructuring	0	(9)	(61)		(133)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					135
Restructuring Charges	(4)	1	37
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	(4)	1	37
Employee Severance [Member] | 2014 and 2011 Plan only [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges			66
Employee Severance [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	29	39	29	29	29	29	$ 0
Payments for Restructuring	(37)	(31)	0	(69)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				96
Restructuring Charges	27	41	29
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	27	41	29
Employee Severance [Member] | 2010 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			(6)
Impairment of an asset in value [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						(1)
Restructuring Charges			(15)
Restructuring Related Expenses			0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			(15)
Impairment of an asset in value [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					(1)
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			(15)
Impairment of an asset in value [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Impairment of an asset in value [Member] | 2010 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve	3	6		3	3	3
Payments for Restructuring	(27)					(219)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date						142
Restructuring Charges	3	27	56
Restructuring Related Expenses	23	19	20
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	26	46	76
Other Restructuring [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	0				(154)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date					113
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	3	75
Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	(27)			(65)
Restructuring Charges Incurred to Date				29
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	26	43	1
Other Restructuring [Member] | 2010 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Restructuring Related To Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date						75
Restructuring Related To Plan [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	(4)
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date					34
Restructuring Related To Plan [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	87
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date				41
Accelerated Depreciation [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	0	0	0
Restructuring Related Expenses	3	5	3
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	3	5	3
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date						13
Accelerated Depreciation [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0	3
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date					5
Accelerated Depreciation [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	3	5	0
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date				8
Accelerated Depreciation [Member] | 2010 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost			0
Transfer costs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	(31)					(55)
Restructuring Charges	0	0
Restructuring Related Expenses	31	24
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	31	24
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date						55
Transfer costs [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	0				0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	0
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date					0
Transfer costs [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Payments for Restructuring	(31)			(55)
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	31	24
Restructuring-related Costs Incurred to Date				55
Restructuring Plan [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	286			286	286	286
Restructuring Plan [Member] | Employee Severance [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	135			135	135	135
Restructuring Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	112			112	112	112
Restructuring Related To Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2011 Restructuring Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	39			39	39	39
Cost of products sold [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	31	24
Cost of products sold [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	0
Cost of products sold [Member] | Accelerated Depreciation [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	0
Cost of products sold [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	0
Cost of products sold [Member] | Transfer costs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	31	24
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	26	24	23
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | Impairment of an asset in value [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses			0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	23	19	20
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | Accelerated Depreciation [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	3	5	$ 3
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] | Transfer costs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Related Expenses	0	$ 0
Minimum [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	255			255	255	255
Minimum [Member] | Restructuring Plan [Member] | Employee Severance [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	95			95	95	95
Minimum [Member] | Restructuring Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	30			30	30	30
Minimum [Member] | Restructuring Related To Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	130			130	130	130
Maximum [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	270			270	270	270
Maximum [Member] | Restructuring Plan [Member] | Employee Severance [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	100			100	100	100
Maximum [Member] | Restructuring Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	35			35	35	35
Maximum [Member] | Restructuring Related To Plan [Member] | Other Restructuring [Member] | 2014 Restructuring plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	$ 135			$ 135	$ 135	$ 135

Supplemental Balance Sheet In52

Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Beginning balance	$ 105	$ 112	$ 119
Net (credits) charges to expenses		10	5
Utilization of allowances		(15)	(12)
Ending balance	119	105	112
Trade accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable	1,394	1,288
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts	(75)	(76)
Less: allowance for sales returns	(44)	(29)
Trade accounts receivable, net	1,275	1,183
Inventories
Finished goods	706	649
Work-in-process	102	97
Raw materials	208	200
Inventories	1,016	946
Property, plant and equipment, net
Land	86	80
Buildings and improvements	981	944
Equipment, furniture and fixtures	2,793	2,633
Capital in progress	202	189
Property, plant and equipment	4,062	3,846
Less: accumulated depreciation	2,572	2,339
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,490	1,507	1,546
Accrued expenses
Payroll and related liabilities	504	512
Legal reserves	773	694
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability, Current	119	158
Other	574	586
Accrued expenses	1,970	1,950
Other long-term liabilities
Accrued income taxes	1,253	1,231
Legal reserves	1,163	883
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability, Noncurrent	127	116
Other Long-Term Liabilities	431	436
Other long-term liabilities	2,974	2,666
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Member]
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Beginning balance	76	81	88
Net (credits) charges to expenses	15	10	5
Utilization of allowances	(16)	(15)	(12)
Ending balance	$ 75	$ 76	$ 81

Income Taxes (Details - Rate Ta

Income Taxes (Details - Rate Table)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]
effective income tax reconciliation, compensation-related	1.60%	0.70%	1.70%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate	(35.00%)	(35.00%)	(35.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes	(4.80%)	(6.50%)	(7.90%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential	(34.40%)	(29.10%)	(63.40%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense	6.00%	(7.50%)	3.50%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Credits, Research	(4.40%)	(7.00%)	(12.20%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance	2.30%	4.00%	(12.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Uncertain Domestic Tax Positions	2.70%	2.00%	7.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Other Adjustments	0.40%	(0.20%)	(1.90%)
Reported tax rate	(63.20%)	(76.70%)	(46.00%)
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Schedule of Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Impairment Losses	2.40%	1.90%	9.00%
Goodwill [Member]
Schedule of Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Impairment Losses	0.00%	0.00%	65.20%

Income Taxes Income Taxes (Deta

Income Taxes Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance		$ 536	$ 486
Incremental tax liability asserted by IRS		1,162
Income Tax Examination, Penalties and Interest Accrued		500	443
Unrecognized Tax Benefits		1,056	1,047	$ 1,102	$ 1,088
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate		900	903	941
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increases Resulting from Current Period Tax Positions		32	44	59
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increases Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions		38	3	43
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decreases Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions		(36)	(87)	(42)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decreases Resulting from Settlements with Taxing Authorities		(18)	(5)	(15)
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Reductions Resulting from Lapse of Applicable Statute of Limitations		(7)	(10)	(31)
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic		624	335
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current		496	447
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent		40	39
Deferred Tax Assets, Inventory		49	46
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards		742	525
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals		232	232
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges		17	20
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Contingencies		689	556
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Impairment Losses		7	4
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Share-based Compensation Cost		138	150
Federal benefit of uncertain tax positions		197	178
Deferred Tax Assets, Other		39	36
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross		2,110	1,747
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance		(499)	(450)
Change in Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance		49
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Current		2	2
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent		735	1,214
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment		44	67
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Derivatives		82	146
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets		1,749	1,883
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other		1,875	2,096
Deferred Tax Liabilities		737	1,216
Deferred Tax Liabilities		264	799
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross		1,875	2,096
Current Federal Tax Expense (Benefit)		59	(2)	46
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Domestic		(1,623)	(1,263)	(774)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Foreign		973	754	551
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest		(650)	(509)	(223)
Current State and Local Tax Expense (Benefit)		3	(5)	(9)
Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit)		132	111	105
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		194	104	142
Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(545)	(458)	(212)
Deferred State and Local Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(41)	(23)	(17)
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(19)	(13)	(15)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(605)	(494)	(244)
Income tax (benefit) expense		(411)	(390)	(102)
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Foreign		288	304
Operating Loss Carryforwards		32	2
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax		25	21	76
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings		8,900
Free Trade Zone Regime Tax Incentive		7	7	6
Gross interest and penalties recognized in period		57
Income Tax Examination, Penalties and Interest Expense		37	26	$ 22
Potential Reduction In Unrecognized Tax Benefits Over Next Twelve Months As Result Of Concluding Certain Matters	$ 13
Deferred Tax Assets, Prepaid on Intercompany Profit		63	69
Net Deferred Tax Liabilities and Prepaid on Intercompany Profit		201	730
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance		$ 1,611	$ 1,297

Commitments and Contingencies (

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	Feb. 13, 2015USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2015USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)patentsclaims	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)	Feb. 23, 2016claims	Apr. 29, 2015claims
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value | $			$ 308
Accrual for legal matters that are probable and estimable | $				$ 1,936	$ 1,577
Litigation-related charges | $				$ 1,105	$ 1,036	$ 221
Product liability lawsuits related to defibrillators or pacemakers				18
Suits Pending Against Guidant in Canada and Filed as Class Actions				4
Suits Pending Against Guidant in Canada, Pending Outcome of Two Lead Class Actions				3
Suits Pending Against Guidant in Canada, Number of Lead Class Action				1
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Consideration | $				$ 3
Initial GI stent patents allegedly infringed (Pulnev and Hankh patents) | patents				3
Additional Pulnev patents added to infringement suit | patents				6
Individual Lawsuits Pending in Various State and Federal Jurisdictions Against Guidant				5
Minimum damages for Guidant breach of Merger Agreement | $				$ 5,500
Total Amount Payable To Johnson And Johnson per Settlement Agreement | $	$ 600
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Product liability cases or claims related to mesh product assigned to one judge in state court in Massachusetts							3,100
Litigation Settlement, Amount | $		$ 119
Putative class actions in Canada, Mesh							4
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Putative class actions in the U.S., Mesh							8
Product liability cases or claims related to mesh product							35,000
Product liability cases or claims in Canada, Mesh							20
Product liability cases or claims related to mesh product - United Kingdom							15
Settled Litigation [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Product liability cases or claims related to mesh product								2,970
Litigation Settlement, Amount | $		$ 35
Settled Litigation [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Product liability cases or claims related to mesh product							10,000

Stockholders' Equity (Details)

Stockholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jan. 25, 2013
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Treasury Stock, Shares	248,000,000	248,000,000
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount	$ 535
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount				$ 1,000
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares		10,000,000	51,000,000
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	$ 0	$ 125	$ 500

Stock Ownership Plans (Details)

Stock Ownership Plans (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Feb. 23, 2015	Feb. 24, 2014	Feb. 28, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	May. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share Price				$ 16.31	$ 13.08	$ 7.39
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Stock Options	$ 25
Fair value of the Free Cash Flow (FCF) performance awards	$ 6	$ 5	$ 9
Closing stock price at year end	$ 18.44	$ 13.25	$ 12.02
Target payout of Free Cash Flows (FCF) performance awards	104.00%
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans	2,529,000	2,618,000	3,833,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number	23,764,000	30,535,000	37,339,000				36,593,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 11	$ 9	$ 7				$ 7
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period	6,606,000	7,072,000	13,913,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 16	$ 13	$ 8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period	(11,607,000)	(11,205,000)	(10,307,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 8	$ 7	$ 8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period	(1,770,000)	(2,671,000)	(2,860,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 10	$ 8	$ 7
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number	31,089,000	39,508,000	44,892,000				54,881,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross	4,441,000	4,943,000	1,992,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	(9,040,000)	(4,418,000)	(7,221,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 9	$ 8	$ 8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period	(3,820,000)	(5,909,000)	(4,760,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 25	$ 17	$ 21
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 107	$ 103	$ 105
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	163,000,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense	$ (28)	$ (28)	(29)
Share-based compensation, net of tax benefit	$ 79	$ 75	$ 76
compensation expense, per share - basic	$ 0.06	$ 0.06	$ 0.06
compensation expense, per share - diluted	0.06	0.06	0.06
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	16.49	13.02	7.44
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 5.54	$ 5.07	$ 2.84
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	31.00%	37.00%	36.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	6 years	6 years	5 years 10 months 24 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Minimum	1.49%	1.69%	0.89%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate, Maximum	1.92%	2.09%	1.72%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Total Intrinsic Value	$ 69	$ 24	$ 24
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Compensation Expense	$ 9	$ 8	$ 7
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 11	$ 11	$ 12				$ 12
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 4 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Intrinsic Value	$ 240
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number	22,104,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 10
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value	$ 196
Options expected to vest	8,299,000
Options expected to vest, weighted average exercise price	$ 13
Options expected to vest, weighted average remaining contractual life	8 years 5 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 42
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number	30,403,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 11
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 2 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 238
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Total Fair Value	$ 186	$ 146	$ 80
Amount of employees total compensation eligible for GESOP purchase	10.00%
Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Exercise Amount equivalent to 85% of Fair Market Value of Common Stock at beginning or end of each offering period (whichever is less)	85.00%
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Non-vested stock awards	$ 135
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	$ 160
weighted average remaining vesting period	1 year 4 months
annualweightedaverageforfeiturerate	9.00%
Nonqualified Options Vesting Period	4 years
Nonqualified Options Contractual Life	10 years
voting power of all classes of stock	10.00%
Exercise price of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant	110.00%
Qualified options expire over a period not to exceed	5 years
Qualified options exercise price	$ 0
High end of range [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded	150.00%
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase price, range	$ 15.13	$ 11.04	$ 7.96
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded	0.00%
Employee stock purchase plan, purchase price, range	$ 11.24	$ 10.12	$ 5.01
2011 LTIP Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common Stock, Shares Authorized								146,000,000
Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	50,000,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	17,000,000
Cost of products sold [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 7	$ 6	$ 8
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	81	79	79
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	19	18	18
2015 awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Fair value of market based awards	$ 7
Measurement period - market based awards	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	0.98%
2014 awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Fair value of market based awards		$ 6
Measurement period - market based awards		3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate		0.66%
2013 awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Fair value of market based awards			$ 8
Measurement period - market based awards			3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate			0.34%

Weighted Average Shares Outst58

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (Details) - shares shares in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Excluded common stock equivalents	22	24	19
Weighted average shares outstanding
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	1,341.2	1,324.3	1,341.2
Net effect of common stock equivalents	0	0	0
Weighted average shares outstanding - assuming dilution	1,341.2	1,324.3	1,341.2
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Earnings Per Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Excluded common stock equivalents	2	12	16

Segment Reporting (Details)

Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015USD ($)reportablesegments	Dec. 31, 2014USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 7,477	$ 7,376	$ 7,085
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,490	1,507	1,546
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	8,068	7,462	7,072
Impact of foreign currency fluctuations	(591)	(86)	13
Net sales	7,477	7,380	7,143
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	7,477	7,376	7,085
Segment Reporting, Sales from Divested Businesses	0	4	58
Amortization expense	(495)	(438)	(410)
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(327)	(301)	120
Other expense, net	(323)	(208)	(343)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(650)	(509)	(223)
Depreciation	274	287	279
Goodwill	6,473	5,898	5,693
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	6,194	5,606	5,950
TOTAL ASSETS	18,133	17,024
Long-Lived Assets	$ 14,157	13,011	13,189
Segment Reporting (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | reportablesegments	3
United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	$ 1,018	1,002	998
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	4,229	3,885	3,743
Japan [Member]
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	602	678	744
IRELAND
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	170	197	240
Other countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	302	308	308
Net sales
Revenue by country at actual foreign currency rates	2,646	2,813	2,598
Global Interventional Cardiology (IC) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,242	2,092	1,995
Corporate expenses and currency exchange [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(486)	(308)	(203)
Depreciation	(9)	0	(4)
Special Charges [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	(1,502)	(1,357)	(822)
Global Peripheral Interventions (PI) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	975	861	805
Cardiovascular [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	3,217	2,953	2,800
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	972	767	665
Depreciation	116	120	111
Goodwill	3,451	3,426	3,252
TOTAL ASSETS	1,583	1,501
Global CRM Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,934	1,922	1,882
Global Electrophysiology (EP) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	248	228	154
Rhythm Management [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,182	2,150	2,036
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	328	289	211
Depreciation	94	92	99
Goodwill	292	290	294
TOTAL ASSETS	1,279	1,329
Global Endoscopy (Endo) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	1,422	1,343	1,277
Global Urology (Uro) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	735	542	505
Global Neuromodulation (NM) Reporting Unit [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	512	474	454
MedSurg [Member]
Net sales
Net sales allocated to reportable segments	2,669	2,359	2,236
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	856	746	679
Depreciation	73	75	73
Goodwill	2,730	2,182	2,147
TOTAL ASSETS	1,141	982
Total allocated to reportable segments [Member]
Net sales
Operating income allocated to reportable segments	2,156	1,802	1,555
Depreciation	283	287	283
TOTAL ASSETS	4,003	3,812
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Net sales
TOTAL ASSETS	1,463	1,708
Interventional Cardiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	2,033	2,057	1,997
Cardiac Rhythm Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,807	1,912	1,886
Endoscopy [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	1,306	1,323	1,280
Peripheral Interventions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	904	850	809
Urology / Women's Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	693	535	505
Neuromodulation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	501	472	453
Electrophysiology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from core businesses	$ 233	$ 227	$ 155

Changes in Other Comprehensiv60

Changes in Other Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Changes in Other Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	$ (54)	$ (38)	$ (16)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cumulative Changes in Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges and Treasury Locks, Effect Net of Tax	152	219	141
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net of Tax	(10)	(37)	(19)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	88	144	106
Cumulative Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax, Period Increase (Decrease)	(16)	(22)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	70	145
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Reclassification Adjustments, Net of Tax	(3)	(10)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost Recognized in Net Periodic Pension Cost, Net of Tax	30	(8)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	27	(18)	22
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, Net of Tax	51	113
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Reclassified from OCI, Net of Tax	(137)	(67)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassifications out of OCI, Net of Tax	(107)	(75)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(16)	(22)	10
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax	(67)	78	107
Other comprehensive income for defined benefits and pension items, before reclassification, tax impact	2	5
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(56)	38	$ 139
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	(39)	(83)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising Reclassed from OCI, Tax	78	38
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Unamortized (Gain) Loss Arising During Period, Tax	$ 17	$ 5

Schedule II (Details)

Schedule II (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Balance	$ 119	$ 105	$ 112	$ 119
Net (credits) charges to expenses		10	5
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions		(15)	(12)
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Charged to Other Accounts	$ 15	$ (2)	$ 0