Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders' Equity The Company has 10,000 thousand authorized shares of preferred stock at $.001 par value. At December 31, 2017, there were no preferred shares outstanding. The Company's Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program for up to 8,000 thousand shares of the Company's common stock from time to time on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. No duration has been placed on the repurchase program. The Company has 3,335 thousand available shares remaining under the program for repurchases as of December 31, 2017. The Company reserves the right to discontinue the repurchase program at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company did not repurchase any shares through this publicly announced program. As a component of the employee stock compensation plan, employees can use shares of stock which have vested to satisfy statutory tax withholding obligations. As part of this plan, the Company repurchased 727 thousand shares at an aggregate cost of $65 million in 2017 and 1,078 thousand shares at an aggregate cost of $63 million in 2016. These shares are included in the Company's treasury stock. In March 2016, the Company issued 48,449 thousand shares of Centene stock, with a fair value of approximately $3,038 million in connection with the Health Net acquisition. In January 2016, the Company completed a 19% investment in a data analytics business and issued 1,144 thousand shares of Centene common stock to the selling stockholders. The investment is being accounted for using the equity method of accounting, due to the Company's significant influence on the business.

Stockholders' Equity

The Company has 10,000 thousand authorized shares of preferred stock at $.001 par value. At December 31, 2017, there were no preferred shares outstanding.

The Company's Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program for up to 8,000 thousand shares of the Company's common stock from time to time on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. No duration has been placed on the repurchase program. The Company has 3,335 thousand available shares remaining under the program for repurchases as of December 31, 2017. The Company reserves the right to discontinue the repurchase program at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company did not repurchase any shares through this publicly announced program.

As a component of the employee stock compensation plan, employees can use shares of stock which have vested to satisfy statutory tax withholding obligations. As part of this plan, the Company repurchased 727 thousand shares at an aggregate cost of $65 million in 2017 and 1,078 thousand shares at an aggregate cost of $63 million in 2016. These shares are included in the Company's treasury stock.

In March 2016, the Company issued 48,449 thousand shares of Centene stock, with a fair value of approximately $3,038 million in connection with the Health Net acquisition.

In January 2016, the Company completed a 19% investment in a data analytics business and issued 1,144 thousand shares of Centene common stock to the selling stockholders. The investment is being accounted for using the equity method of accounting, due to the Company's significant influence on the business.