v2.4.1.9
Condensed Financial Information Of Registrant (Condensed Statements Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Cash provided by operating activities $ 1,223us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities $ 382us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities $ 279us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
Purchases of investments (1,015)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments (790)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments (696)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments
Sales and maturities of investments 406us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments 579us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments 590us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments
Acquisitions, net of cash required (136)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates (63)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates 0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates
Net cash used in investing activities (848)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities (342)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities (188)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities
Proceeds from borrowings 1,875us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 180us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 400us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
Payment of long-term debt and notes payable (1,674)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt (41)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt (218)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 8us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised 9us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised 16us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
Common stock offering 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity 15us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity
Common stock repurchases (29)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock (19)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock (13)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
Debt issue costs (7)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts (4)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts (4)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
Purchase of noncontrolling interest 0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries 0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries (14)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
Excess tax benefits from stock compensation 19us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities 6us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities 11us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
Net cash provided by financing activities 198us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities 154us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities 179us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 572us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease 194us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease 270us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,038us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations 844us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations 574us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 1,610us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations 1,038us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations 844us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
Parent Company [Member]      
Cash provided by operating activities 317us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
302us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
328us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net dividends from and capital contributions to subsidiaries (384)cnc_NetDividendsFromAndCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(417)cnc_NetDividendsFromAndCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(540)cnc_NetDividendsFromAndCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Purchases of investments 32us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(12)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(7)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Sales and maturities of investments 14us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
10us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
30us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleMaturityAndCollectionsOfInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Acquisitions, net of cash required 137us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(67)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesAndInterestInAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net cash used in investing activities (539)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(486)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(517)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Proceeds from borrowings 1,875us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
180us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
400us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Payment of long-term debt and notes payable 1,650us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(30)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(215)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 8us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
9us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
16us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Common stock offering 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
15us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOrSaleOfEquity
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Common stock repurchases 29us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(20)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(13)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Debt issue costs 7us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(3)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(4)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Contributions from noncontrolling interest 6us-gaap_ProceedsFromContributionsFromAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
8us-gaap_ProceedsFromContributionsFromAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
1us-gaap_ProceedsFromContributionsFromAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Purchase of noncontrolling interest 0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
0us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(14)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Excess tax benefits from stock compensation 19us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
6us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
11us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net cash provided by financing activities 222us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
165us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
182us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 0us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(19)us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(7)us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 3us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
22us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
29us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 3us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
$ 3us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
$ 22us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueIncludingDiscontinuedOperations
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember