ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 27, 2003--Centene Corporation (Nasdaq:CNTE) announced today that it will present at the Bear Stearns 16th Annual HealthCare Conference. The conference will be held at The Plaza Hotel, Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, in New York City.

Michael F. Neidorff, President and Chief Executive Officer, will present on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. The presentation will be available as a live audio webcast at http://www.centene.com, and will be available until, September 11, 2003 at the aforementioned URL.

Centene Corporation provides managed care programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Centene operates health plans in Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas and New Jersey. Information regarding Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.

CONTACT: Centene Corporation Karey L.Witty, 314-725-4477 or Investor Relations: Lisa M. Wilson, 212-759-3929

SOURCE: Centene Corporation