US-based health insurer WellPoint (WLP) has named Joseph Swedish as the company's new chief executive officer effective from 25 March 2013.

Swedish, who replaces interim chief executive officer John Cannon, joins WLP from Trinity Health Corporation, where he was acting as president and chief executive officer of the company.

He has more than 40 years of health care insurance expertise, out of which he worked as CEO for 24 years and helped organizations to improve their core operations and initiate financial restructurings among others.

Before Trinity Health, he served as president and CEO of Centura Health in Colorado.

He has also worked as president of the East Florida and Central Florida Divisions for the Hospital Corporation of America from 1994 through 1998.

WellPoint provides an array of health benefit solutions through a broad portfolio of integrated health care plans and related services, as well as life and disability insurance benefits, pharmacy benefit management, dental and long term care insurance among others.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, WellPoint is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee.