v2.4.1.9
Short-Term And Long-Term Investments And Restricted Deposits (Contractual Maturities Of Short-Term And Long-Term Investments And Restricted Deposits) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Investments [Member]    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]    
One year or less, Amortized Cost $ 176cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
$ 102cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
One year through five years, Amortized Cost 1,121cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
610cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Five years through ten years, Amortized Cost 121cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
157cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Greater than ten years, Amortized Cost 38cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
30cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Total, Amortized Cost 1,456cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
899cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
One year or less, Fair Value 177cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
102cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
One year through five years, Fair Value 1,121cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
611cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Five years through ten years, Fair Value 120cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
151cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Greater than ten years, Fair Value 39cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
30cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Total, Fair Value 1,457cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
894cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsMember
Restricted Deposits [Member]    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]    
One year or less, Amortized Cost 92cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
41cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
One year through five years, Amortized Cost 8cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
6cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Five years through ten years, Amortized Cost 0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Greater than ten years, Amortized Cost 0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Total, Amortized Cost 100cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
47cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAmortizedCost
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
One year or less, Fair Value 92cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
41cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesWithinOneYearFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
One year through five years, Fair Value 8cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
6cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterOneThroughFiveYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Five years through ten years, Fair Value 0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterFiveThroughTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Greater than ten years, Fair Value 0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
0cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesAfterTenYearsFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
Total, Fair Value $ 100cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember
$ 47cnc_InvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsContractualMaturitiesFairValue
/ cnc_ScheduleOfContractualMaturitiesOfInvestmentsAndRestrictedDepositsAxis
= us-gaap_DepositsMember