SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934





        Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 28, 2003
                                                          -------------





                               CENTENE CORPORATION
                              --------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





           Delaware                       000-33395             04-1406317
-------------------------------          -----------        -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of          (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)          File Number)       Identification No.)





          7711 Carondelet Avenue, Suite 800, St. Louis, Missouri 63105
          ------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive office and zip code)





       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (314) 725-4477
                                                           --------------





ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.

(c) Exhibits.

        Exhibit
        Number      Description

         99.1     Press release of Centene Corporation issued July 28, 2003 as
                  to financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2003


ITEM 12. DISCLOSURE OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION").

      On July 28, 2003, we issued a press release announcing our financial
results for the quarter ended June 30, 2003. The full text of the press release
is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this report. The information contained in the
website cited in the press release is not a part of this report.

      The information in this Form 8-K and the exhibit attached hereto shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall
it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of
1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except as expressly set forth by
specific reference in such a filing.


                                    SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: July 29, 2003                  CENTENE CORPORATION



                                     By:      /s/ MICHAEL F. NEIDORFF
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Michael F. Neidorff
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer