Centene Corporation
Company History
Centene History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1984 in St. Louis, Missouri
When was Centene founded?
Centene was founded in 1984 in St. Louis, Missouri by Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn, making it 42 years old.
- Founded
- 1984
- Founding place
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Founders
- Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn
- Headquarters today
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1984–2026)
- Current CEO
- Sarah M. London
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1984 | Founded as a Medicaid Plan |
| 1996 | Michael Neidorff Becomes CEO |
| 2001 | NYSE Listing |
| 2016 | Health Net Acquisition |
| 2018 | Acquired Fidelis Care |
| 2020 | WellCare Acquisition |
| 2021 | Magellan Health Deal |
| 2022 | Sarah London Becomes CEO |
| 2022 | Death of Michael Neidorff |
| 2025 | 2025 Guidance Withdrawn |
| 2025 | $6.7 Billion Goodwill Impairment |
| 2026 | Return to Profitability |
- Where was Centene founded?
- Centene was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1984.
- Who founded Centene?
- Centene was founded by Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn.
- When did Centene start?
- Centene was founded in 1984.
- How old is Centene?
- Centene is 42 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1984, Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn, a former hospital bookkeeper, founded a nonprofit Medicaid plan in Milwaukee called Family Hospital Physician Associates, named for the hospital that housed its first offices. The plan coordinated care for Medicaid members who often struggled to find doctors willing to accept low government payments. After Brinn's death the plan was converted into a for-profit company, renamed Centene in 1997, moved to St. Louis and scaled nationally under Michael Neidorff.
Founders
Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn
Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn founded Centene's predecessor in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A former hospital bookkeeper, she launched Family Hospital Physician Associates as a nonprofit Medicaid plan, operating from offices in Family Hospital. Its purpose was to coordinate care for Medicaid members, many of them low-income mothers and children, who had trouble finding doctors willing to accept Medicaid's low payment rates and often relied on emergency rooms for routine care. After Brinn's death, the nonprofit was sold to investors and the proceeds went to the Betty Brinn Foundation. The business was renamed Centene in 1997 and, under Michael Neidorff, grew into a national managed care company. Milwaukee's Betty Brinn Children's Museum carries her name. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Founded as a Medicaid Plan
Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn founded Family Hospital Physician Associates, a nonprofit Medicaid plan in Milwaukee.
Source: centene.comMichael Neidorff Becomes CEO
Michael F. Neidorff took over and led Centene's national expansion for more than 25 years.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgNYSE Listing
Centene went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CNC.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgHealth Net Acquisition
Centene acquired Health Net, expanding its Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial presence, especially in California.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWellCare Acquisition
Centene completed the WellCare acquisition, significantly increasing its Medicare and Medicaid scale.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMagellan Health Deal
Centene agreed in January 2021 to buy the behavioural-health company Magellan Health for about $2.2 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSarah London Becomes CEO
Sarah M. London became Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Michael Neidorff.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDeath of Michael Neidorff
Long-serving chief executive Michael Neidorff died in April 2022.
Source: en.wikipedia.org2025 Guidance Withdrawn
On July 1, 2025, Centene withdrew its 2025 earnings guidance after independent actuarial data showed weaker Marketplace risk-adjustment results.
Source: investors.centene.com$6.7 Billion Goodwill Impairment
Centene recorded a $6.7 billion non-cash goodwill impairment in Q3 2025, producing a FY2025 GAAP net loss on $194.777 billion of revenue.
Source: investors.centene.comReturn to Profitability
Centene earned about $1.1 billion in Q2 2026 and raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to above $4.80.
Source: investors.centene.comMajor Acquisitions
Health Net, Inc.
2016Expand Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial scale, especially in Western U.S. markets.
Fidelis Care
2018Expand into New York Medicaid managed care.
WellCare Health Plans
2020Increase national government-program scale and Medicare presence.
Magellan Health
2022Add behavioral health, specialty healthcare, and pharmacy-related capabilities.
Keep researching Centene
Centene Company History FAQ
When was Centene founded and how did it start?
Centene was founded in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Elizabeth "Betty" Brinn as Family Hospital Physician Associates, a nonprofit Medicaid plan named for the hospital that housed its first offices.
When did Michael Neidorff take over and when was the name Centene adopted?
Michael Neidorff became CEO in 1996. The company was renamed Centene Corporation in 1997 and moved its headquarters to St. Louis, Missouri, before expanding into more state Medicaid programs.
When did Centene go public on the New York Stock Exchange?
Centene completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2001 under the ticker symbol CNC.
How did the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) transform Centene's business?
The ACA expanded Medicaid eligibility in many states and created individual health insurance exchanges. Centene launched Ambetter on the exchanges in 2014, and Marketplace plans became one of its largest businesses.
When did Centene acquire Health Net and Fidelis Care?
Centene acquired Health Net in March 2016, expanding into California, and acquired Fidelis Care in July 2018, making it a leading Medicaid carrier in New York.
When did Centene complete its $17.3 billion merger with WellCare?
Centene completed its acquisition of WellCare Health Plans in January 2020 in a deal valued at about $17.3 billion, making it a major Medicare Advantage and Part D insurer alongside its Medicaid business.
When did Sarah London become CEO?
Sarah M. London became CEO in March 2022, succeeding Michael Neidorff. Since then Centene has sold non-core assets, outsourced pharmacy benefit management to Express Scripts and focused on U.S. government-sponsored health plans.
What is Centene's position in American healthcare today?
Centene is the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the U.S., with about 12.1 million Medicaid members across 30 states and 25.9 million total at-risk members at June 30, 2026. It reported $194.8 billion of revenue in 2025.
When was Centene founded?
Centene was founded in 1984 as Family Hospital Physician Associates, a tiny non-profit health plan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before relocating to St. Louis and pivoting massively into a for-profit Medicaid giant.
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