Well Point - Company Description

Company Description

WellPoint is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its 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 Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan counties and as Blue Cross, Blue Shield or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. In addition to Blue Cross, the company also operates under the Anthem name.

WellPoint's corporate "political action committee" (PAC), called "WellPAC," raised $1.3 million in 2010, and contributed nearly all of it to Federal and non-Federal candidates. Of the monies given to Federal candidates, 75 percent was given to Republicans, whose party opposes the health care reform enacted, and 25 percent was given to Democratic candidates. WellPoint Inc. spent an additional $1 million on lobbying activities in 2010, and 77 percent of that amount was given to Republicans, and 22 percent was given to Democrats.

In 2011, WellPoint acquired CareMore from CCMP Capital.

In June 2012, WellPoint acquired 1-800 Contacts from Fenway Partners. One month later, WellPoint acquired Amerigroup.

In March 2013, WellPoint named Joseph R. Swedish as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Swedish has 40 years of experience in the health care industry.