WellPoint suspended from new Medicare enrollments

Posted On: Jan. 13, 2009 2:51 PM CST
Jerry Geisel
INDIANAPOLIS—Managed care giant WellPoint Inc. said it has been suspended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from enrolling new members in its Medicare programs as it moves to resolve undisclosed issues uncovered by internal and CMS audits.

Indianapolis-based WellPoint said it was surprised by the immediate suspension since it had been meeting with CMS regularly regarding its remediation process.

“Our plan is to continue to work with CMS to make improvements as expeditiously as possible, and we will continue to put the resources of our company behind this effort to help ensure we can meet the needs of our Medicare members,” WellPoint said in a Monday statement.

While WellPoint cannot accept new Medicare members, it said it will continue serving those already enrolled.

 As of Sept. 30, 2008, WellPoint had about 472,000 Medicare Advantage members and 1.9 million enrollees in its Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. In all, the nation’s largest private health insurer has about 35 million enrollees.

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