Meet the Black man behind Wellpoint, one of Maryland’s largest Medicaid managed care organizations

By Megan SaylesAFRO Business Writermsayles@afro.comHealth equity leader Dr. Darrell Gray has been at the helm of Wellpoint, one of Maryland’s largest managed care plans for Medicaid insurance, for nearly a year now. The Maryland native was named CEO and president last August.& But, Gray’s interest in health care was sparked much earlier by his father who practiced internal medicine in Baltimore.& Darrell Gray is the president and CEO of Wellpoint, a subsidiary of Elevance Health and a Maryland managed care organization for Medicaid. Gray previously served as Elevance Health’s first chief health equity officer.“I was just enamored by how he was able to impact people in times of wellness and when they were ill,” said Gray. “I saw the relationships he was able to establish and how he was able to influence the care of people at a time when people can be most vulnerable.”& As a young boy, Gray accompanied his father to his office and hospitals, observing his interactions with patients. This engendered a passion in Gray, which only grew when he was a biology student at Morehouse College and medical student at Howard University.Through his studies, Gray’s passion made way for his purpose.& “I believe my purpose...