WellPoint

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WellPoint is the largest health insurer in the U.S. It provides coverage to 34 million customers, primarily under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield name. In 14 states, it is a Blue Cross or BCSB licensee. In other states, it provides coverage under the Unicare name. Wellpoint offers plans such as HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and PPO (Preferred Provider

Organization) to individuals, employers, and recipients of Medicare and Medicaid. [1]

Access WellPoint's corporate rap sheet compiled and written by Good Jobs First here.

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council

WellPoint was a "Director" level sponsor of 2011 American Legislative Exchange Council Annual Conference, which in 2010, equated to $10,000.[2] It announced on March 1, 2013 that it had not attended an ALEC meeting nor supported ALEC financially since the summer of 2011 and had "no current plans to support ALEC or attend any of their meetings,"[3] but according to an August 2013 ALEC board document, it terminated its membership on April 22, 2013 and was then "considering giving funds outside of membership."[4]

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our ExposedbyCMD.org site.

Political Contributions

WellPoint gave $430,580 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 16% to Democrats, 82% to Republicans, and 2% ($8,000) to Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). [5]

Lobbying

Wellpoint, as a subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, spent $1,760,000 for lobbying in 2006. [6]

Personnel

Key executives and 2006 pay: [7]          Options
exercised
Larry C. Glasscock, Chairman, Chairman of Exec. Committee    $1,290,000    $9,530,000
John S. Watts, Jr., CEO of Commercial & Consumer Bus.    $1,530,000    $3,860,000
Joan Herman, CEO of Sr. Specialty & State Sponsored Programs    $1,570,000    $11,150,000
Michael A. Stocker, CEO of East Region    $6,260,000    $12,270,000
Alice F. Rosenblatt, Chief Actuary    $1,400,000    $10,070,000

Selected members of the Board of Directors: [8]

Contact Details

120 Monument Circle
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-532-6000
Fax: 317-488-6028
Web: http://www.wellpoint.com

References

  1. WellPoint Profile, Hoovers, accessed September 2007.
  2. [American Legislative Exchange Council, 2011 Conference Sponsors, conference brochure on file with CMD, August 11, 2011]
  3. WellPoint, WellPoint Statement on American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Participation, corporate statement, March 1, 2013.
  4. American Legislative Exchange Council, ALEC 40th Anniversary Annual Meeting Board Meeting packet, organizational documents, August 6, 2013, released by The Guardian December 3, 2013.
  5. 2006 PAC Summary Data, Open Secrets, accessed September 2007.
  6. WellPoint lobbying expenses, Open Secrets.
  7. WellPoint Key Executives, Yahoo Finance, accessed September 2007.
  8. Board of Directors, WellPoint, accessed September 2007.