Feb 15 (Reuters) – Former Amerigroup Chief Executive James
Carlson, who joined WellPoint Inc after his company was
acquired by the No. 2 U.S. health insurer, will leave WellPoint
at the end of the month, the company said on Friday.
The announcement comes days after WellPoint selected Joseph
Swedish, who had run a large nonprofit hospital system, to be
its new chief executive.
Carlson had been viewed as a strong contender for the
WellPoint CEO post after Angela Braly abruptly stepped down in
August under pressure from investors unhappy with the company’s
financial performance.
“After helping close the Amerigroup transaction and
assisting over the past six weeks with the integration of the
two companies, Jim Carlson will be leaving WellPoint effective
Feb 28,” WellPoint spokeswoman Kristin Binns said.
The company did not give a reason for Carlson’s decision
leave.
Since Braly’s departure, WellPoint has been run by interim
CEO John Cannon. Swedish is set to take the helm on March 25.
