Quarterly Selected Financial Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Quarterly Selected Financial Information [Abstract]

Quarterly Selected Financial Information

	For the Quarter Ended
	March 31, 2011			June 30, 2011			September 30, 2011			December 31, 2011
Total revenues	$	1,216,357		$	1,315,014		$	1,302,035		$	1,507,176
Amounts attributable to Centene Corporation common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax expense		23,745			28,374			28,987			30,112
Discontinued operations, net of income tax expense		—			—			—			—
Net earnings	$	23,745		$	28,374		$	28,987		$	30,112
Net earnings per share attributable to Centene Corporation:
Basic:
Continued operations	$	0.48		$	0.57		$	0.58		$	0.60
Discontinued operations		—			—			—			—
Basic earnings per common share	$	0.48		$	0.57		$	0.58		$	0.60
Diluted:
Continued operations	$	0.46		$	0.54		$	0.55		$	0.57
Discontinued operations		—			—			—			—
Diluted earnings per common share	$	0.46		$	0.54		$	0.55		$	0.57
Health Benefits Ratio		84.9	%		84.8	%		85.0	%		85.9	%
General & Administrative Expense Ratio		12.0	%		11.2	%		11.3	%		11.0	%
Period end at-risk membership		1,542,500			1,580,500			1,615,700			1,816,000

	For the Quarter Ended
	March 31, 2010			June 30, 2010			September 30, 2010			December 31, 2010
Total revenues	$	1,068,721		$	1,076,772		$	1,121,861		$	1,180,969
Amounts attributable to Centene Corporation common shareholders:
Earnings from continuing operations, net of income tax expense		20,082			22,999			22,402			25,464
Discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit)		3,920			(226	)		260			(65	)
Net earnings	$	24,002		$	22,773		$	22,662		$	25,399
Net earnings per share attributable to Centene Corporation:
Basic:
Continued operations	$	0.43		$	0.46		$	0.46		$	0.52
Discontinued operations		0.08			—			—			—
Basic earnings per common share	$	0.51		$	0.46		$	0.46		$	0.52
Diluted:
Continued operations	$	0.41		$	0.45		$	0.44		$	0.50
Discontinued operations		0.08			—			—			—
Diluted earnings per common share	$	0.49		$	0.45		$	0.44		$	0.50
Health Benefits Ratio		85.7	%		85.4	%		85.9	%		85.0	%
General & Administrative Expense Ratio		11.7	%		11.1	%		10.6	%		11.3	%
Period end at-risk membership		1,471,300			1,534,600			1,473,800			1,533,500