Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Earnings (loss) attributable to Centene Corporation	$ 1,058	$ (172)	$ 2,188	$ 677
Shares used in computing per share amounts:
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding (in shares)	548,932	583,644	549,850	583,435
Common stock equivalents (as determined by applying the treasury stock method) (in shares)	1,376	0	2,146	6,791
Weighted average number of common shares and potential dilutive common shares outstanding (in shares)	550,308	583,644	551,996	590,226
Net earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Centene Corporation:
Basic earnings (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.93	$ (0.29)	$ 3.98	$ 1.16
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.92	$ (0.29)	$ 3.96	$ 1.15
Anti-dilutive restricted stock and restricted stock units excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings (loss) per common share (in shares)	2,000	6,000	2,000	226