Centene CEO Michael Neidorff has cited crime and withdrawn plans for Medicaid expansion as forces pushing Centene's headquarters out of Missouri, but fixing those problems is what has kept him around for so long.
"I don't want to move this company," Mr. Neidorff told the St. Louis Business Journal. "I've been saying some things to try and get people's attention. We employ a lot of people [in St. Louis]. We have a lot of office space. That would not be good."
So what would get Centene to stay?
Centene has been supporting initiatives to solve problems the St. Louis area has been facing, such as funding a consultation of the area's police departments to provide suggestions for improvement.
But Mr. Neidorff said he refuses to continue to invest in the area until conditions improve.
This includes cutting down on crime, which has made hiring difficult for Centene, the St. Louis Business Journal reported. Mr. Neidorff said conditions in St. Louis — which also include subpar public transit — have turned off potential employees, which has to change.
However, Mr. Neidorff did say the city is taking a step in the right direction, with a planned update to the city's MetroLink and airport on the horizon. Even still, he hopes the city will listen to recommendations and bolster its police force with more diverse police chiefs.