Centene hoping to be up and running in Great Falls in five weeks

A small band of folks in shiny white hard hats got a look at the future Great Falls home of the Centene Corp. on Tuesday, about five weeks before the roughly $7 million claims-processing center is scheduled to open.

While workers scrambled to make the opening deadline, a contingent of Centene officials, including chief executive Michael Neidorff, checked out the two-story structure on 26th Street South near Benefis Healthcare.

"I’m here to see what’s been done," Neidorff said, before the walk-through began.

The brief tour was one of several stops for the Centene officials.

They helped dedicate an eagle sculpture at the Great Falls International Airport Tuesday afternoon, and Neidorff was scheduled to toss out the first pitch in the Great Falls White Sox season opener in the evening. Centene helped pay for the sculpture and bought naming rights at Legion Park.

Centene, which is based in St. Louis, is currently operating in temporary quarters in the Strain Building at 410 Central Ave. Plans call for the company’s 26 employees to move to the new building in early August.

The company is currently advertising for additional claims analysts for the center, where workers will process Medicaid claims. The job total will climb to about 40 by mid-August, officials said.

By JAMES E. LARCOMBE Tribune Business Editor

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