Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTENE CORP [CNC] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP, Bus Mgmt & Integration
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
7711 CARONDELET AVE.		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/16/2009
(Street)

ST. LOUIS, MO 63105		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/16/2009   M   2,000 A $ 13.58 22,768 (1) D  
Common Stock 12/16/2009   S   2,000 (2) D $ 21 20,768 (1) D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 13.58 12/16/2009   M     2,000 08/26/2005 08/26/2013 Common Stock 2,000 $ 13.58 19,500 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 13.98             12/16/2008 12/16/2013 Common Stock 32,000   32,000 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 16.65             05/04/2009 05/04/2014 Common Stock 15,000   15,000 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 26.07             12/08/2009 12/08/2014 Common Stock 30,000   30,000 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 25.4             12/13/2010 12/13/2015 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 25.21             12/12/2011 12/12/2016 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 D  
Common Stock Option (right to buy) $ 20.58             07/23/2012 07/23/2017 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 D  

Reporting Owners

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

Signatures

 /s/ William N. Scheffel (executed by attorney-in-fact)   12/18/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) Ownership includes previous awards of 11,750 restricted stock units subject to vesting requirements.
(2) Sale pursuant to a 10b5-1 trading plan dated March 11, 2009.

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