v2.4.0.8

Stock Incentive Plans (Summary Of Stock Option Activity) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2013
Stock Incentive Plans [Abstract] |
Outstanding as of December 31, 2012 | 1,299,396
Shares granted | 10,000
Shares exercised | (361,538)
Shares forfeited | (663)
Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 | 947,195
Exercisable as of December 31, 2013 | 921,462
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding as of December 31, 2012 | $ 22.39
Weighted Average Exercise Price Granted | $ 44.58
Weighted Average Exercise Price Exercised | $ 20.32
Weighted Average Exercise Price Forfeited | $ 17.86
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 | $ 23.41
Weighted Average Exercise Price Exercisable as of December 31, 2013 | $ 23.21
Aggregate Intrinsic Value Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 | $ 33,659
Aggreggate Intrinsic Value Exercisable as of December 31, 2013 | $ 32,937
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term Outstanding as of December 31, 2013 | 2 years 9 months 10 days
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term Exercisable as of December 31, 2013 | 2 years 7 months 29 days

X
- Details
Name: | cnc_StockIncentivePlansAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | cnc_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(iii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of shares under options that were cancelled during the reporting period as a result of occurrence of a terminating event specified in contractual agreements pertaining to the stock option plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)-(ii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Weighted average price at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (e)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingAggregateIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition As of the balance sheet date, the number of shares into which fully vested and expected to vest stock options outstanding can be converted under the option plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (e)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Weighted average price at which grantees could have acquired the underlying shares with respect to stock options that were terminated. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Weighted average per share amount at which grantees can acquire shares of common stock by exercise of options. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of share options (or share units) exercised during the current period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28,29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration