Les, a former managing editor, insurance, at QuinStreet, has more than 20 years of experience in journalism. In his career, he has covered everything from health insurance to presidential politics. Read full bio >>
Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. Read full bio >>
Why you can trust Insure.com
Quality Verified
At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain our editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria.
Founded in 1984 as a nonprofit Medicaid plan by a former hospital bookkeeper, Elizabeth “Betty” Brinn, Centene has grown into a $60 billion company that employs over 69,000 people and covers 23 million managed care members
Over the years it has acquired a variety of healthcare businesses including Opticare, a vision management services company; US Script, a pharmacy benefit management services company; and Cardium, a disease management services company. These companies currently operate as Envolve. In 2011, Centene formed a correctional healthcare services company that operates under the name Centurion.
In 2014, the Ambetter brand was introduced which offers Health Insurance Marketplace products and in 2016, Centene acquired Health Net and launched the Envolve brand for specialty whole-health solution companies.
Finally, in 2020, Centene joined forces with WellCare and is now serving more than 23 million members across all 50 states in the U.S.
Centene’s main audience is uninsured, underinsured, and low-income individuals. Centene is currently the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the country, and a leader in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, four of the largest Medicaid states.