WellPoint Appoints Raj G. Bal as President of Individual Business

INDIANAPOLIS, June 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- WLP | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) today announced the appointment of Raj Bal as president of its Individual Business segment, effective July 8, 2008.

In his new role, Bal will be responsible for leading WellPoint's Individual Business segment, which currently serves more than 2.5 million members.

"WellPoint is very fortunate to add the quality of experience and strategic expertise that Raj will bring to our Individual Business," said Brian Sassi, president and chief executive officer of WellPoint's Consumer Business Unit. "Raj's years of dedicated service to the managed health care sector -- coupled with his experience in Individual Medical, Small Group, Specialty and product development -- will help WellPoint continue to meet the needs of the Individual market segment."

Prior to joining WellPoint, Bal served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Assurant Health. In this role, he held a variety of increasingly-responsible positions, including executive vice president and chief operating officer, responsible for Individual medical, small group, specialty, and worksite businesses, as well as sales, marketing, actuarial, operations, underwriting, and network management. Bal also served as senior vice president, Specialty Products and Development while at Assurant, where he was responsible for the Specialty Division, Individual and Group, new business development and R&D.

With a career spanning more than 30 years, Bal served as vice president, Product Management, at Fortis (now Time) Insurance Company Small Group Business Unit. He also serves on the Policy Committee for America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and on the board of the Health Care leadership Council. In addition, he serves on the board of the Heartland Institute in Chicago and the Penfield Children's Center in Milwaukee. Bal has a B.A. in Economics from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, and a M.B.A in Marketing from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg Manitoba.

WellPoint is the largest Individual under 65 insurer with 2.5 million members. Our affiliated companies offer a variety of individual health plan designs and products. We offer many choices in health benefits plans, and we are dedicated to working with our members to find health coverage that is appropriate, beneficial and affordable for them. Also available are a wide range of related specialty products and other services including flexible spending accounts.

About WellPoint, Inc.

WellPoint, Inc. is the largest health benefits company in terms of medical membership in the United States. 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 Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as Empire Blue Cross or Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the city of Fairfax, the town of Vienna and the area east of State Route 123.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com .

SOURCE WellPoint, Inc.

http://www.wellpoint.com

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