ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2005--Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) announced today that it will present at the Piper Jaffray 17th Annual Health Care Conference, which will be held January 25-27, 2005, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Michael F. Neidorff, Centene's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will present on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The presentation will be available as a live, audio webcast at http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/confLobby.zhtml?ticker= CNC&item_id=988719 (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists), then archived for on-demand listening for 15 days.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation provides multi-line 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). The Company operates health plans in Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. In addition, the Company contracts with other healthcare organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, nurse triage and pharmacy compliance. Information regarding Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.

CONTACT: Centene Corporation, St. Louis Investor Relations: Lisa M. Wilson, 212-759-3929

SOURCE: Centene Corporation