WellPoint Statement on Senate Finance Committee Health Reform Options Paper

INDIANAPOLIS, April 29 /PRNewswire/ — The Senate Finance Committee is off to a good start.  WellPoint is pleased that the Senate Finance Committee has shown a commitment to addressing underlying quality and cost issues within our health care system and is considering adopting many of the innovative programs and services private plans have pioneered. We also appreciate that the Committee is considering several approaches to addressing Medicare Advantage payments and we will provide input that can assist the Committee in crafting legislation that will protect the benefits and choices that more than 10 million seniors have selected.

About WellPoint, Inc.

WellPoint works to simplify the connection between Health, Care and Value. We help to improve the health of our communities, deliver better care to members, and provide greater value to our customers and shareholders. WellPoint is the nation’s largest health benefits company, with approximately 35 million members in its affiliated health plans. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.

Source: WellPoint, Inc

CONTACT:  Cheryl Uram Leamon, +1-317-488-6748, or Kristin Binns,

+1-917-697-7802, both of Wellpoint, Inc.

Web Site:  http://www.wellpoint.com/