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 *   SANDERS ELIZABETH A 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) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) 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 30,888 D Â

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 Stock Units	  (1)	  (2)	Common Stock	3,968	$ 0	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	02/07/2005	02/06/2012	Common Stock	4,960	$ 51.21	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	02/05/2006	02/05/2013	Common Stock	4,960	$ 55.1	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	02/01/2011	Common Stock	3,899	$ 79.18	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	02/05/2013	Common Stock	5,523	$ 79.18	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	02/07/2012	Common Stock	5,132	$ 79.18	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	01/31/2011	Common Stock	2,437	$ 79.18	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	06/29/2009	Common Stock	2,692	$ 79.18	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	01/26/2007	01/26/2014	Common Stock	4,960	$ 82.06	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	03/01/2009	Common Stock	1,438	$ 87.72	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	06/30/2008	Common Stock	141	$ 87.72	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	06/29/2009	Common Stock	5,218	$ 87.72	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	02/10/2010	Common Stock	1,559	$ 87.72	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SANDERS ELIZABETH A 120 MONUMENT CIRCLE INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204	  X	Â	Â	Â

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 shares made in the Company's 1999 Stock Incentive Plan. The shares will vest in three equal annual installments on January 2, 2005, January 2, 2006, and January 2, 2007.
(2)	There is no expiration date with respect to the deferred shares.
(3)	These shares are fully vested.

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