Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  PONDER RONALD J
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
11/30/2004		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
WELLPOINT INC [WLP]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
120 MONUMENT CIRCLE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 40
I
401(k)
Common Stock 2,060
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Deferred Comp Stock Units   (1)   (1) Common Stock 222 $ 0 D  
Deferred Comp Stock Units   (2)   (2) Common Stock 10,600 $ 0 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 02/04/2013 Common Stock 117,800 $ 55.1 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 06/23/2012 Common Stock 99,200 $ 67.95 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 01/25/2014 Common Stock 79,360 $ 82.06 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
PONDER RONALD J
120 MONUMENT CIRCLE
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204		       EVP  

Signatures

Nancy Purcell, Attorney-in-fact 12/02/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Deferred share right grant made in the Company's Comprehensive Executive Non-qualified Retirement Plan and awarded pursuant to the Company's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan. The deferred shares are fully vested.
(2) Deferred share right grant made in the Company's Comprehensive Executive Non-qualified Retirement Plan and awarded pursuant to the Company's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan. The deferred shares will vest in three equal installments beginning January 26, 2005, January 26, 2006 and January 26, 2007.
(3) The options are vested with respect to 58,900 shares and 58,900 options will vest in equal installments on February 5, 2005, August 5, 2005 and February 5, 2006.
(4) The options are vested with respect to 66,133 shares and 33,067 options will vest on June 24, 2005.
(5) The options are vested with respect to 13,226 shares and 66,134 options will vest in five equal installments on January 26, 2005, July 26, 2005, January 26, 2006, July 26, 2006 and January 26, 2007.

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