Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  HOBBS CARY
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/12/2006		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTENE CORP [CNC]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
7711 CARONDELET AVE.		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP, Strategy & Bus Impl
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

ST. LOUIS, MO 63105		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 7,000 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 10/20/2005 10/20/2010 Common Stock 4,000 $ 0.45 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 08/26/2008(2) 08/26/2013 Common Stock 22,000 $ 13.58 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 12/16/2008(2) 12/16/2013 Common Stock 32,000 $ 13.98 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 05/04/2009(2) 05/04/2014 Common Stock 15,000 $ 16.65 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 12/08/2009(2) 12/08/2014 Common Stock 30,000 $ 26.07 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 12/13/2010(2) 12/13/2015 Common Stock 5,000 $ 25.4 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 12/12/2011(2) 12/12/2016 Common Stock 5,000 $ 25.21 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) 07/23/2012(2) 07/23/2017 Common Stock 5,000 $ 20.58 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
HOBBS CARY
7711 CARONDELET AVE.
ST. LOUIS, MO 63105		       SVP, Strategy & Bus Impl  

Signatures

/s/ J. Per Brodin (executed by attorney-in-fact) 12/14/2007
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Ms. Hobbs' ownership includes a previous award of 1,500 restricted stock untis which vest in three equal annual installments on the anniversary of the grant date beginning on December 13, 2008.
(2) The options vest in five equal annual installments on the anniversary of the grant date, with the final vesting taking place on the date exercisable.

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