Shares closed at $55.96 as the S&P 500 gained 0.84% to 7,398.93 and the Dow Jones added 0.02% to 49,609.16.
Centene outperformed peers including HCA Healthcare and IQVIA, while Labcorp fell 1.52% during the broadly positive session.
The stock remains 12.77% below its 52-week high of $64.15 reached on 12 May, and trading volume of 5.3 million was below its 50-day average of 6.8 million.
Centene's profits are surging, but can it withstand the historic Medicaid spending cuts set to hit in just seven months?
As Centene boosts its bottom line, what will the new era of stricter federal rules mean for patient care?