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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) 12/19/96
WellPoint Health Networks Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
California 1-14340 95-3760980
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(State or Other Jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of Incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
21555 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills, California 91367
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (818) 703-4000
Not applicable
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(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.
On December 19, 1996, WellPoint Health Networks Inc. (the "Company")
announced that its California health maintenance organization subsidiary,
CaliforniaCare Health Plans ("CaliforniaCare"), had been awarded a one-year
accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance ("NCQA").
On December 30, 1996, the Company also announced that CaliforniaCare
had agreed to a dismissal of its lawsuit previously filed in the United States
District Court for the District of Columbia against NCQA. CaliforniaCare's
lawsuit had originally been filed in October 1995.
Attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2
are the press releases issued by the Company with respect to the matters
discussed above.
ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND
EXHIBITS.
(c) Exhibits
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Description
----------- -----------
<S> <C>
99.1 Press Release dated December 19, 1996, with
respect to the award of accreditation to
CaliforniaCare by NCQA.
99.2 Press Release dated December 30, 1996, with
respect to the dismissal of CaliforniaCare's
lawsuit with NCQA.
</TABLE>
2
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: December 31, 1996
WELLPOINT HEALTH NETWORKS INC.
By: /s/ THOMAS C. GEISER
--------------------------------
Name: Thomas C. Geiser
Title: Executive Vice President
3
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EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Description
----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
99.1 Press Release dated December 19, 1996, with
respect to the award of a one-year
accreditation to CaliforniaCare by NCQA.
99.2 Press Release dated December 30, 1996, with
respect to the dismissal of CaliforniaCare's
lawsuit with NCQA.
</TABLE>
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[Blue Cross of California Letterhead]
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 1996
Media Contact: Cynthia Coulter (818) 703-3046
Investor Contact: John Cygul (818) 703-4321
CALIFORNIACARE HEALTH PLANS RECEIVES
NCQA ONE-YEAR ACCREDITATION
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. -- CaliforniaCare Health Plans, one of the largest
health maintenance organizations in the state, announced today that the
CaliforniaCare HMO was awarded One-Year Accreditation from the National
Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). One-Year Accreditation is granted to
health plans that have well-established quality improvement programs and meet
most NCQA standards.
NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates
managed care organizations. NCQA's mission is to provide information that
enables purchasers and consumers of managed health care to distinguish among
plans based on quality, thereby allowing them to make more informed decisions.
"This supports our belief that we're doing the `right things right',"
said Jeffrey Rideout, M.D., vice president of quality management, Blue Cross of
California. "CaliforniaCare will continue to provide high quality health care
to our members, and we will continue our work to maintain and improve our
accreditation status."
NCQA's Standards for Accreditation -- developed by employers, unions
and health plans -- are demanding and are purposely set high to encourage
health plans to continuously enhance their quality. There are 50 standards for
quality, including the following six categories: Quality Improvement, Physician
Qualifications and Evaluation, Members' Rights and Responsibilities, Preventive
Health Services, Utilization Management, and Medical Records.
CaliforniaCare Health Plans is an HMO that offers health coverage under
the name, Blue Cross of California. Blue Cross of California, serving
approximately 3.4 million members, is the California operating subsidiary of
WellPoint Health Networks Inc. (NYSE: WLP), one of the nation's largest
publicly traded managed care companies. WellPoint offers a comprehensive array
of health plans provided through health maintenance organizations, preferred
provider organizations and specialty managed health care networks. Specialty
products include pharmacy benefit management, dental, vision, mental health,
life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, COBRA administration
and 24-hour integrated, network-based workers' compensation.
###
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[Blue Cross of California Letterhead]
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 30, 1996
Contact: Cynthia Coulter
(818) 703-3046
CALIFORNIACARE HEALTH PLANS
DISMISSES LAWSUIT AGAINST NCQA
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. -- CaliforniaCare Health Plans announced today that it
has decided not to proceed with its lawsuit against the National Committee for
Quality Assurance (NCQA). CaliforniaCare originally filed the lawsuit against
the NCQA in October 1995. CaliforniaCare filed the dismissal on December 24,
1996.
CaliforniaCare Health Plans is an HMO that offers health coverage under the
name, Blue Cross of California. Blue Cross of California, serving approximately
3.4 million members, is the California operating subsidiary of WellPoint Health
Networks Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly traded managed care
companies. WellPoint offers a comprehensive array of health plans provided
through health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations and
specialty managed care networks.
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