v2.4.1.9

Acquisitions and Noncontrolling Interest Non Controlling Interest (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Oct. 31, 2012
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Additional Interest in Subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries | $ 0 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries | $ 14 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Net [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent | 106 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 81 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 47 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 34 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 48 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 50 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 41 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 23 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 268 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 161 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations | 89 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations |
Decrease in equity for purchase of, distribution to and redemption of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 cnc_Decreaseinequityforpurchaseofdistributiontoandredemptionofnoncontrollinginterest | 0 cnc_Decreaseinequityforpurchaseofdistributiontoandredemptionofnoncontrollinginterest | (12)cnc_Decreaseinequityforpurchaseofdistributiontoandredemptionofnoncontrollinginterest |
Increase in equity for distributions from and consolidation of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestIncreaseFromSubsidiaryEquityIssuance | 1 us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestIncreaseFromSubsidiaryEquityIssuance |
Reclassification to redeemable noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (9)cnc_Reclassificationtoredeemablenoncontrollinginterest | 0 cnc_Reclassificationtoredeemablenoncontrollinginterest | 0 cnc_Reclassificationtoredeemablenoncontrollinginterest |
Net transfers from (to) noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (9)us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangesNet | 7 us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangesNet | (11)us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangesNet |
Changes from net earnings attributable to Centene Corporation and net transfers from (to) the noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 259 us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangeDueToNetIncomeAttributableToParentAndEffectsOfChangesNet | 168 us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangeDueToNetIncomeAttributableToParentAndEffectsOfChangesNet | 78 us-gaap_ConsolidationLessThanWhollyOwnedSubsidiaryParentOwnershipInterestChangeDueToNetIncomeAttributableToParentAndEffectsOfChangesNet |
Louisiana Healthcare Connections [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage by parent |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_LouisianaHealthcareConnectionsMember
Payments to Acquire Additional Interest in Subsidiaries | 10 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_LouisianaHealthcareConnectionsMember |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Centurion [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage by parent | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_CenturionMember |  |  |  | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_CenturionMember |  |  |  | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_CenturionMember | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_CenturionMember | 51.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_CenturionMember |
Home State Health Plan [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage by parent | 95.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_HomeStateHealthPlanMember |  |  |  | 95.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_HomeStateHealthPlanMember |  |  |  | 95.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_HomeStateHealthPlanMember | 95.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_HomeStateHealthPlanMember | 95.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_HomeStateHealthPlanMember |
U.S. Medical Management [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage by parent | 68.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember |  |  |  | 0.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember |  |  |  | 68.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember | 0.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember | 0.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = cnc_U.S.MedicalManagementMember |
Noncontrolling Interest [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Net [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase in equity for distributions from and consolidation of noncontrolling interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestIncreaseFromSubsidiaryEquityIssuance / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestMember | $ 7 us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestIncreaseFromSubsidiaryEquityIssuance / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestMember | $ 1 us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestIncreaseFromSubsidiaryEquityIssuance / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_NoncontrollingInterestMember |

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- Definition This element represents the total net income attributable to the parent for the period and the effect of net changes during the period impacting the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary as it relates to the total (consolidated) equity attributable to the parent. The changes to the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary represented by this element did not result in a deconsolidation of the subsidiary from the consolidated financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4M -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591554-111686 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) during the period impacting the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary as it relates to the total (consolidated) equity attributable to the parent. The changes to the parent's ownership interest in a subsidiary represented by this element did not arise in a deconsolidation of the subsidiary from the consolidated financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4M -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591554-111686 + Details
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- Definition Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 18 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7656940&loc=SL4613673-111683 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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