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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia Associate Giving Campaign Raises More Than a Million Dollars


WEBWIRE

ATLANTA, GA -- Dec. 27, 2004 -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) today announced that its annual Associate Giving Campaign raised more than one million dollars. More than 1,000 BCBSGa employees participated in this year’s campaign.


“The generosity of BCBSGa’s associates is outstanding,” said John Watts, CEO and president of BCBSGa. “It is inspiring to see the outpouring of support for charitable organizations throughout Georgia and nationwide. Our associates have demonstrated once again that they are committed to making the communities in which we live and work, a better place to live.”

BCBSGa’s campaign was part of a broader charitable giving initiative by WellPoint Health Networks that raised $8.5 million for nearly 5,000 charities across the country.

More than 8,000 WellPoint Health Networks associates pledged more than $5.6 million, a 56 percent increase in funds over the previous year. The WellPoint Foundation matched 50 percent of the associate total, adding more than $2.8 million to the campaign. Matching grants will be awarded in 2005.

This campaign represents contributions from employees at the company formerly known as WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. and its subsidiaries. This campaign is separate from any charitable giving initiatives by WellPoint, Inc. the company formed Nov. 30, 2004, when WellPoint Health Networks merged with Anthem, Inc., creating the nation’s leading health benefits company.

“We challenged our associates to go above and beyond this year in representing WellPoint’s core commitment to social responsibility,” said Leonard D. Schaeffer, chairman of the new WellPoint, Inc. and former chief executive officer of WellPoint Health Networks. “WellPoint employees responded with record-breaking donations, demonstrating how strongly they care about their communities.”

The WellPoint Foundation covered the administrative costs of the campaign. “Every dollar of those donations will reach the charities our associates designated along with the Foundation’s 50 percent match,” said Schaeffer.

About WellPoint, Inc.

WellPoint, Inc. is the largest publicly traded commercial health benefits company in terms of membership in the United States. WellPoint, Inc. 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, Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com.

About WellPoint Foundation

The WellPoint Foundation focuses on initiatives that will make health care more accessible and affordable, improve quality of care, support the development of health-related public policy, and help establish best practices in medicine. The WellPoint Foundation, which was established in 2001, is one of the largest corporate foundations in the nation with assets exceeding $135 million. The Foundation focuses on developing social investment programs and partnering with nonprofit public charities whose projects and programs closely align with WellPoint’s health care priorities.



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