Earnings Per Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

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 per common share ($ in millions, except per share data in dollars and shares in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Earnings attributable to Centene Corporation	$	584	$	568	$	748	$	1,820
Shares used in computing per share amounts:
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding	583,244		579,510		582,636		567,586
Common stock equivalents (as determined by applying the treasury stock method)	7,458		8,461		7,518		8,146
Weighted average number of common shares and potential dilutive common shares outstanding	590,702		587,971		590,154		575,732
Net earnings per common share attributable to Centene Corporation:
Basic earnings per common share	$	1.00	$	0.98	$	1.28	$	3.21
Diluted earnings per common share	$	0.99	$	0.97	$	1.27	$	3.16