Well, I guess it was finally my turn.
On August 10th, I received a Teams invite for a “prioritized meeting.” I already knew what it was before I joined. I’ve been following these posts and paying attention to what has been happening within Centene, so I wasn’t surprised.
And strangely enough, I’m not sad. I’m not angry. I really don’t feel any type of way about it. I think that’s because I’ve seen the writing on the wall for a long time.
I’ve been with Centene for 8 years, and one thing I’ve learned is not to get too comfortable here.
For those who don’t know the history, Centene completed its acquisition of WellCare in January 2020. In 2021, Centene announced a restructuring that eliminated approximately 3,000 employees and 1,500 open positions. Then in 2023, another approximately 2,000 employees were laid off. And now here we are in 2026 going through another major restructuring.
At some point, you have to recognize the pattern.
And I want people who were impacted to understand something: this says more about the company than it does about you or your ability to do your job.
My experience with the culture at Centene has not been a positive one. There is a lot of “buddy-buddy” behavior, favoritism and bias. Sometimes the environment honestly gives mean girl/mean boy energy. The company talks about having an open-door policy, but from my experience, that door doesn't always feel very open. You can raise concerns, provide documentation and go through the appropriate channels and still walk away feeling like absolutely nothing was addressed.
I've also watched employees be expected to take on responsibilities outside of what they were originally hired to do, sometimes without the title or compensation that should come with that additional responsibility.
And I’ll say this carefully because I don't throw accusations of racism around lightly: there were situations I personally witnessed or experienced where the difference in how certain groups of employees were treated made me question whether race or other biases played a role. That's my experience and my observation.
I worked as a Business Analyst within the Florida health plan organization, and the culture within my area simply was not what Centene publicly says its culture is supposed to represent.
What I also struggle to understand about these reductions is how the company determines where the cuts are made. If membership and health-plan performance are major drivers, I would expect performance at the health-plan level to be a significant part of those decisions. Instead, employees are left trying to understand why certain positions and departments are eliminated while others remain.
And yes, companies are moving toward AI, automation and doing more with fewer people. That's reality. But companies still have a responsibility to remember that the numbers on an organizational chart represent actual people.
Even the way my notification was handled left a bad taste in my mouth. I was told I could take the remainder of the day off. Afterward, a meeting was held where my situation was discussed with others. I found that extremely tacky and unnecessary. If I wanted coworkers to know that I had been laid off, I should have been allowed to tell them myself.
But at the end of the day, it is what it is.
For everyone who was impacted: don't automatically look at this as the worst thing that could happen to you. Sometimes something that feels like a door closing is really pushing you toward something better. There are companies out here that will value your experience, compensate you fairly and treat you like a human being instead of a headcount.
And for those who survived this round: please don't get comfortable.
Eight years taught me that longevity does not equal security. Your performance does not guarantee security. Your knowledge does not guarantee security. Being loyal to a company does not mean the company will be loyal to you.
Do your job. Learn everything you can. Build your résumé. Keep your LinkedIn updated. Build relationships outside of Centene. Keep your certifications current. And always have a Plan B.
I don't know what the future holds for Centene. Maybe things will improve. I hope they do for the employees who remain.
But Centene also has to understand that repeated restructuring and employee experiences eventually become part of a company's reputation. When people start saying, “Don't apply there because you'll eventually get laid off” or “Don't work there because of the culture,” that's something leadership should pay attention to.
To everybody affected by this round: keep your head up.
This may not be the ending.
It may be your exit.