Page 1

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , D.C. 20549 Form 10 - K ( Mark One ) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 0 or TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Delaware ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 7700 Forsyth Boulevard St. Louis , ( Address of principal executive offices ) Commission file number : 001-31826 Centene Corporation ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Title of Each Class Common Stock , $ 0.001 Par Value Missouri 42-1406317 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification Number ) Registrant's telephone number , including area code : ( 314 ) 725-4477 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Large accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer 63105 ( Zip Code ) Trading Symbol ( s ) CNC Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None ( Title of Class ) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes > No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes > No Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer " , " accelerated filer " , " smaller reporting company " , and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Accelerated filer □ Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes □ No The aggregate market value of the voting and non - voting common equity held by non - affiliates of the registrant , based upon the last reported sale price of the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30 , 2020 , was $ 36.8 billion . As of February 19 , 2021 , the registrant had 581,593,037 shares of common stock issued and outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the Proxy Statement for the registrant's 2021 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III , Items 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 .