v3.8.0.1

Earnings Per Share (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017
Earnings Per Share [Abstract] |
Calculation Of Basic And Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share | The following table sets forth the calculation of basic and diluted net earnings (loss) per common share for the years ended December 31 ($ in millions, except shares in thousands and per share data in dollars):
| 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Earnings (loss) attributable to Centene Corporation: |  |  |  |  |
Earnings from continuing operations, net of tax | $ | 828 |  |  | $ | 559 |  |  | $ | 356 |
Discontinued operations, net of tax | — |  |  | 3 |  |  | (1 | )
Net earnings | $ | 828 |  |  | $ | 562 |  |  | $ | 355 |
Shares used in computing per share amounts: |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding | 172,427 |  |  | 159,568 |  |  | 119,101 |
Common stock equivalents (as determined by applying the treasury stock method) | 4,275 |  |  | 4,407 |  |  | 3,965 |
Weighted average number of common shares and potential dilutive common shares outstanding | 176,702 |  |  | 163,975 |  |  | 123,066 |
Net earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Centene Corporation: |  |  |  |  |
Basic: |  |  |  |  |
Continuing operations | $ | 4.80 |  |  | $ | 3.50 |  |  | $ | 2.99 |
Discontinued operations | — |  |  | 0.02 |  |  | (0.01 | )
Basic earnings per common share | $ | 4.80 |  |  | $ | 3.52 |  |  | $ | 2.98 |
Diluted: |  |  |  |  |
Continuing operations | $ | 4.69 |  |  | $ | 3.41 |  |  | $ | 2.89 |
Discontinued operations | — |  |  | 0.02 |  |  | (0.01 | )
Diluted earnings per common share | $ | 4.69 |  |  | $ | 3.43 |  |  | $ | 2.88 |

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EarningsPerShareAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of an entity's basic and diluted earnings per share calculations, including a reconciliation of numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per-share computations for income from continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEarningsPerShareBasicAndDilutedTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration