Dec 12 (Reuters) - Centene ( CNC ) expects president-elect

Donald Trump's administration to extend "some portion" of tax

credit refunds that help millions of Americans cover the cost of

Obamacare plans as the company gears up for more scrutiny into

two of its largest businesses.

The health insurer provides both government-backed

Medicaid plans for low-income people, as well as income-based

government-subsidized health insurance under the Affordable Care

Act, also known as Obamacare - businesses that Wall Street

analysts expect could be targeted by the new administration.

The tax credits, which were originally set to expire in

2023, were extended through 2025 as part of a new provision

within Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.

Republican governors and state legislators are

"overwhelmingly supportive" of the enhanced premium tax credits

and individual market which now covers more than 20 million

Americans, Jon Dinesman, Centene's ( CNC ) executive vice president of

external affairs, said on Thursday.

The company still expects political skepticism from the new

administration to target its Medicaid business, Dinesman added.

The comments came at Centene's ( CNC ) investor conference on

Thursday. The event, originally slated to be in-person, took

place virtually after the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, the

CEO of UnitedHealth Group's ( UNH ) health insurance unit.

"2024 has been a long, complicated and now tragic year for

the industry," Centene ( CNC ) CEO Sarah London said at the investor

day, which began with a moment of silence for the UnitedHealth ( UNH )

executive.

Thompson's killing has sparked social media outrage among

Americans struggling to receive and pay for medical care in the

complex health insurance system, drawing renewed attention to

deepening frustrations over healthcare coverage in the country.

Meanwhile, the industry has been grappling to contain costs

due to higher demand from members enrolled in government-backed

Medicare plans for older adults or those with disabilities, as

well as prolonged Medicaid re-determination that has left the

companies with more sick patients in need of medical care.

Centene ( CNC ) forecast 2025 profit above Wall Street expectations,

banking on higher enrollments in its commercial business.

The insurer said it expects its Medicare business to break

even by 2027. Medicaid plans account for a substantial amount of

Centene's ( CNC ) total revenue and medical membership.

"Republicans coming into control of the federal government

... threatens its Medicaid and individual exchange strongholds,"

Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said.

Centene ( CNC ) expects an adjusted profit greater than $7.25 per

share next year, compared with the average analyst estimate of

$6.97, according to data compiled by LSEG.