Since taking the helm at Wellpoint Maryland nearly two years ago, Dr. Darrell Gray has expressed an ongoing commitment to addressing health equity as one of his top priorities.
Gray, the president and CEO of Wellpoint, is an accomplished and well-respected health equity leader who has dedicated his efforts to improving the health outcomes of thousands of Marylanders. His deep-rooted passion for being the “ultimate physician” stemmed from his days in medical school.
“In medical school, my aspiration was to be the ultimate physician that took care of patients [and] be able to guide them on their healthcare journey,” Gray said.
His aspirations, as they relate to positively impacting communities through health equity, have remained a strong point of emphasis that has been implemented through Wellpoint’s practices, initiatives, and programs.
“Our vision here at Wellpoint is to ensure that everyone can lead their healthiest lives. We really have a bold ambition to improve the health of humanity and be a locally trusted health partner,” Gray said.
“Wellpoint is not just a health services company. We look at the whole person and try to ensure that we meet the needs of those who we get to serve.”
Wellpoint is the second-largest Medicaid-managed healthcare organization in the state, managing the healthcare needs of more than 270,000 Marylanders. The company has members in every county across the state and is a subsidiary of Elevance Health.
Formerly known as Amerigroup, Wellpoint Maryland, Inc. is headquartered in Hanover.
Prior to his current role, Gray was the inaugural chief health equity officer at Elevance Health Inc. and was an associate professor of medicine at Ohio State University, also holding leadership roles with the school’s comprehensive cancer center and medical center.
A Baltimore City native, Gray was destined for success. His parents were purpose-driven individuals who epitomized hard work, ethics and integrity. These principles were instilled in Gray from a young age and laid a foundation for the man he would become.
Gray’s mother was a special education teacher in Baltimore City and Baltimore County for more than 30 years and his father was an internal medicine physician in West Baltimore.
“I grew up in the kind of household where education was stressed, but also giving to others was critically important and stressed in our household,” Gray said of his upbringing.
“I had a very unique perspective from both my parents, and it also informed my journey through the city schools system.”
Gray, a graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, left Maryland after high school for college and medical training. He went on to Morehouse College before heading to another HBCU — attending Howard University’s College of Medicine.
Gray completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center and gastroenterology fellowship at Washington University (St. Louis), subsequently earning a master’s degree in public health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as a commonwealth fund fellow.
Gray’s combined medical expertise and educational background prepared him for his current role as the president and CEO of Wellpoint Maryland, a capacity he’s held since July 2023.
His educational foundation and experiences at Morehouse, coupled with his father’s influence, played a considerable role in Gray’s interest in health equity and the sciences.
“I went to Morehouse [and] there it became very clear to me through some health courses such as biology, physics and chemistry, I really did have a love for the sciences,” Gray said, explaining why he pursued a career in medicine.
“I think that combined with my experience with my father and seeing the impact that he had on people in times of illness, but also in times of wellness and the relationship that he was able to build through his work – those things combined solidified what I had felt deep inside as almost like a calling from God and really pushed me toward pursuing a career in medicine.”
Establishing partnerships with community-based organizations, nonprofits, etc., has become an essential component of Wellpoint’s mission. Gray, along with his colleagues, acknowledge that forging lasting relationships enables Wellpoint to advance its mission while impacting the region’s most underserved populations in terms of healthcare.
Some of Wellpoint’s partners include the YMCA, United Way and a number of federally qualified health centers.
The company offers a wide range of affordable Medicare and Medicaid plans, individual and family insurance plans, and more. Some of Wellpoint’s programs are geared toward numerous areas and groups, including:
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Youth in Child Welfare
- Mental Health & Substance Abuse Needs
- Long-Term Services & Supports
- Children with Specialized Needs
- Pregnant Women, Children and Families
In his executive role with Wellpoint, Gray said he has the distinct privilege of deploying resources, interventions, programming and opportunities to promote the mission of the organization. As the nation struggles with ongoing health inequities – issues that Gray characterized as “preventable, avoidable and unjust” – Wellpoint endeavors to be one of the companies leading the way in the fight toward healthcare equity.
“I want to be a part of the solution that helps everyone to lead their healthiest lives,” Gray said.
“I believe my purpose is to architect systems that advance whole health and health equity so that people can maximize the purpose or calling on their lives.”
