v3.8.0.1

Health Net - Fair value of Intangibles and weighted average (Details) - Health Net, Inc. - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 24, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Recognized identifiable intangible assets	$ 1,530
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life	12 years	12 years
Purchased contract rights
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Recognized identifiable intangible assets	$ 1,095
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life	13 years
Provider contracts
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Recognized identifiable intangible assets	$ 181
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life	11 years
Trade names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Recognized identifiable intangible assets	$ 150
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life	10 years
Developed technologies
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Recognized identifiable intangible assets	$ 104
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets, weighted average useful life	5 years

X

- Definition

Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16265-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AcquiredFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsWeightedAverageUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The amount of identifiable intangible assets recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 37
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84160947&loc=d3e2207-128464

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84161108&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=cnc_HealthNetInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_ContractualRightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=cnc_ProviderContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: