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Segment Information | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract] |
Segment Information | Segment Information Centene operates in two segments: Managed Care and Specialty Services. The Managed Care segment consists of Centene’s health plans including all of the functions needed to operate them. The Specialty Services segment consists of Centene’s specialty companies offering auxiliary healthcare services and products. Factors used in determining the reportable business segments include the nature of operating activities, the existence of separate senior management teams, and the type of information presented to the Company's chief operating decision-maker to evaluate all results of operations. In January 2017, the Company reclassified Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona, LLC and the related Cenpatico Integrated Care health plan from the Specialty Services segment to the Managed Care segment due to a reorganization of the Arizona management structure following the Health Net integration. As a result, the financial results of Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona, LLC and the related Cenpatico Integrated Care health plan have been reclassified from the Specialty Services segment to the Managed Care segment for all periods presented. Segment information as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017, follows ($ in millions):
| Managed Care |  | Specialty Services |  | Eliminations |  | Consolidated Total
Total revenues from external customers | $ | 45,798 |  |  | $ | 2,584 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 48,382 |
Total revenues internal customers | 44 |  |  | 9,471 |  |  | (9,515 | ) |  | — |
Total revenues | $ | 45,842 |  |  | $ | 12,055 |  |  | (9,515 | ) |  | $ | 48,382 |
Earnings from operations | $ | 917 |  |  | $ | 282 |  |  | — |  |  | $ | 1,199 |
Total assets | $ | 19,959 |  |  | $ | 1,896 |  |  | — |  |  | $ | 21,855 |
Segment information as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016, follows ($ in millions):
| Managed Care |  | Specialty Services |  | Eliminations |  | Consolidated Total
Total revenues from external customers | $ | 38,182 |  |  | $ | 2,425 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 40,607 |
Total revenues internal customers | 200 |  |  | 5,952 |  |  | (6,152 | ) |  | — |
Total revenues | $ | 38,382 |  |  | $ | 8,377 |  |  | $ | (6,152 | ) |  | $ | 40,607 |
Earnings from operations | $ | 1,077 |  |  | $ | 183 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1,260 |
Total assets | $ | 18,423 |  |  | $ | 1,774 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 20,197 |
Segment information as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015, follows ($ in millions):
| Managed Care |  | Specialty Services |  | Eliminations |  | Consolidated Total
Total revenues from external customers | $ | 20,865 |  |  | $ | 1,895 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 22,760 |
Total revenues internal customers | 101 |  |  | 4,862 |  |  | (4,963 | ) |  | — |
Total revenues | $ | 20,966 |  |  | $ | 6,757 |  |  | $ | (4,963 | ) |  | $ | 22,760 |
Earnings from operations | $ | 531 |  |  | $ | 174 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 705 |
Total assets | $ | 6,327 |  |  | $ | 1,012 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 7,339 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for reporting segments including data and tables. Reportable segments include those that meet any of the following quantitative thresholds a) it's reported revenue, including sales to external customers and intersegment sales or transfers is 10 percent or more of the combined revenue, internal and external, of all operating segments b) the absolute amount of its reported profit or loss is 10 percent or more of the greater, in absolute amount of 1) the combined reported profit of all operating segments that did not report a loss or 2) the combined reported loss of all operating segments that did report a loss c) its assets are 10 percent or more of the combined assets of all operating segments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134510 + Details
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