WellPoint and Anthem Announce Appearance at Upcoming Investor Conference

Business Wire, May 18, 2004

Business Editors

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. & INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2004

WellPoint Health Networks Inc. (NYSE:WLP) and Anthem, Inc. (NYSE:ATH) today announced that members of their senior management are currently scheduled to appear at the Banc of America Healthcare Conference on Friday, May 21, 2004.

The presentation is expected to begin at approximately 11:20 a.m. Pacific Time. Investors, analysts and the general public are invited to listen to the presentation webcast on the Internet by visiting WellPoint's website, www.wellpoint.com or Anthem's website, www.anthem.com, under Investor Relations. Statistical and other financial information discussed during the presentation (including the presentation slides to be used) will also be available on the websites. A replay of the webcast will not be available.

To listen to the live webcast, please visit the WellPoint or Anthem website at least 20 minutes early to download and install any necessary audio software. Individuals who listen to the webcast will be presumed to have read WellPoint's and Anthem's most recent reports filed on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

Conference date and time are subject to change and are based upon current expectations.

About WellPoint

WellPoint Health Networks Inc. serves the health care needs of more than 15 million medical members and approximately 46 million specialty members nationwide through Blue Cross of California, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin, HealthLink and UNICARE. Visit WellPoint on the web at www.wellpoint.com. Blue Cross of California, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Anthem

Anthem, Inc. is an Indiana-domiciled publicly traded company that, through its subsidiary companies, provides health care benefits to more than 12.5 million people. Anthem is the fourth largest publicly traded health benefits company in the United States and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Anthem is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada, Maine and Virginia, excluding the immediate suburbs of Washington, D.C. Anthem had assets of $13.9 billion as of March 31, 2004 and full year 2003 revenue of almost $16.8 billion. More information about Anthem is available at www.anthem.com.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This press release may be deemed to be solicitation material in respect of the proposed merger of Anthem and WellPoint. In connection with the proposed transaction, Anthem has filed on May 11, 2004 a definitive registration statement on Form S-4, including the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus constituting a part thereof, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). SHAREHOLDERS OF ANTHEM AND STOCKHOLDERS OF WELLPOINT ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS THAT IS PART OF THE DEFINITIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER. The final joint proxy statement/prospectus has been mailed to shareholders of Anthem and stockholders of WellPoint. Investors and securityholders will be able to obtain the documents free of charge at the SEC's web site, www.sec.gov, from Anthem Investor Relations at 120 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46204-4903, or from WellPoint Investor Relations at 1 WellPoint Way, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362.

Participants in Solicitation

Anthem, WellPoint and their directors and executive officers and other members of their management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information concerning Anthem's participants is set forth in the proxy statement, dated April 16, 2004, for Anthem's 2004 annual meeting of shareholders as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A. Information concerning WellPoint's participants is set forth in WellPoint's Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 29, 2004. Additional information regarding the interests of Anthem's and WellPoint's participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction has been included in the definitive registration statement and joint proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC.