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 *
  MANNING FREDERICK J
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
07/22/2008		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTENE CORP [CNC]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
7711 CARONDELET AVENUE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SAINT 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 20,000 (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) 07/01/2011(2) 07/01/2018 Common Stock 20,000 $ 16.79 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
MANNING FREDERICK J
7711 CARONDELET AVENUE
SAINT LOUIS, MO 63105		       Executive Vice President  

Signatures

/s/ Eric R. Slusser (executed by attorney-in-fact) 08/04/2008
**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) Mr. Manning's ownership includes a previous award of 20,000 restricted stock units which vest in three equal annual installments on the anniversary of the grant date beginning on July 1, 2009.
(2) The options vest in three equal annual installments on the anniversary of the grant date, with the final vesting taking place on the date exercisable.

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