v2.4.1.9

Organization And Operations | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014
Organization And Operations [Abstract] |
Organization and Operations | Organization and Operations Centene Corporation, or the Company, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise operating in two segments: Managed Care and Specialty Services. The Managed Care segment provides Medicaid and Medicaid-related health plan coverage to individuals through the government subsidized programs, including Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Long Term Care (LTC), Foster Care, dual-eligible individuals (Duals) in Medicare Special Needs Plans and the Supplemental Security Income Program, also known as the Aged, Blind or Disabled Program, or collectively ABD and the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Specialty Services segment consists of our specialty companies offering auxiliary healthcare services and products to state programs, healthcare organizations, employer groups and other commercial organizations, as well as to our own subsidiaries. On February 2, 2015, the Board of Directors declared a two-for-one split of Centene's common stock in the form of a 100% stock dividend distributed February 19, 2015 to stockholders of record on February 12, 2015. All share, per share and stock price information presented in this Form 10-K has been adjusted for the two-for-one stock split.

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

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NatureOfOperations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration