Washington, DC - DC Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation Commissioner Lawrence Mirel has issued the following statement regarding the conversion and acquisition of CareFirst, Inc. by WellPoint Health Networks Inc

"Following the Order issued by the Maryland Insurance Administration disapproving the proposed conversion of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to for-profit status, the DC Department received a letter from WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. dated March 6, 2003 requesting that we suspend our investigation for 30 days pending the companies' review of the Maryland Order. We will be honoring their request."

The DC Department of Insurance and Securities Regulation (DISR) has two missions, (1) to provide fair, efficient and fast regulatory supervision of the insurance and securities businesses for the protection of the people of the District of Columbia, and (2) to create conditions that will retain and attract national and international insurance and other financial businesses to the District.