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Wellcare Medicare Part D 2024 Review | Low Cost, High Quality
Wellcare Value Script Part D plans have low prices, and their quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have improved significantly.
Alex Rosenberg Lead Writer | Medicare, health care, legislation
Alex Rosenberg is a NerdWallet writer focusing on Medicare and information technology. He has more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about health care, insurance, technology, data privacy and public policy. His research has supported lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as health systems and national health authorities in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. He is based in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
Holly Carey joined NerdWallet in 2021 as an editor on the team responsible for expanding content to additional topics within personal finance. She currently leads the Medicare team. Previously, Holly wrote and edited content and developed digital media strategies as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy. She is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Best for low premiums
Wellcare
4
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Wellcare’s Part D plans are inexpensive, and their quality ratings have improved significantly since previous years.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Varies
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
4.0 (Above average)
Pros
Low prices, and even some $0-premium plans.
Quality ratings are much better than in previous years.
Multiple $0-deductible plan options.
Cons
Underperformed on ratings for online pricing accuracy and members choosing to leave.
Coinsurance for brand-name drugs could be pricey.
Out-of-pocket costsBased on how frequent and how high a company's copays, coinsurance and deductibles are in comparison to other insurance companies.
Varies
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Drug Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
4.0 (Above average)
Pros
Low prices, and even some $0-premium plans.
Quality ratings are much better than in previous years.
Multiple $0-deductible plan options.
Cons
Underperformed on ratings for online pricing accuracy and members choosing to leave.
Coinsurance for brand-name drugs could be pricey.
Wellcare is part of Centene Corp., which has overtaken Aetna to become the largest company offering Medicare Part D plans in 2024. Its Wellcare Value Script plan has monthly premiums below $1 in 45 states and Washington, D.C., including 16 states with $0 premiums.
Over 6.6 million Medicare beneficiaries have Wellcare Part D plans as of June 2024 — an increase of more than 2 million members since September 2023
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PDP Plan Directory. Accessed Jun 28, 2024.
. And while it trails competitors in some areas, Wellcare’s star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have improved since previous years
NerdWallet’s Medicare content, including articles, reviews and recommendations, is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in Medicare. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Nasdaq, MSN, MarketWatch, Yahoo! Finance and other national and regional media outlets. They have been cited in publications including Healthline, and appeared on NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast.
Wellcare Medicare Part D pros and cons
Medicare prescription drug plans from Wellcare have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
Low prices: Wellcare has the least expensive Part D plans on the market, on average.
Improved quality: Wellcare plans have much better quality ratings in 2024 than in previous years.
$0-deductible options: Wellcare’s low-cost Value Script plan has no deductible for drugs on formulary Tier 1 and Tier 2, and its Medicare Rx Value Plus plan has no deductible for all covered drugs.
Cons
Shopping and retention struggles: Wellcare underperformed on quality measures related to online pricing accuracy and members choosing to leave the plan.
Coinsurance requirements: Most Wellcare plans have coinsurance rather than copays for brand-name drugs, which could get expensive.
These ratings use a 5-point scale where 5 is the best and 1 is the worst. The agency bases its ratings on drug plans’ quality of service and customer experiences, and ratings are updated annually
Medicare star ratings are typically released once per year, but in 2024, CMS recalculated its ratings mid-year. Updates took place after multiple court rulings in favor of insurance companies alleging that CMS improperly calculated the 2024 star ratings. NerdWallet has updated this review accordingly.
Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medicare Part D Plans
Wellcare Medicare Part D prescription drug plans
Wellcare offers the following stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for 2024:
Wellcare Value Script: Wellcare describes this plan as having “a low premium and $0 copays for Tier 1 prescriptions when filled at a preferred cost share pharmacy
Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus: Wellcare describes this plan as “best suited to those who take several medications regularly and desire low copays and no deductibles
Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B) can purchase a Medicare Part D plan for prescription drug coverage. Part D plans are sold by private insurance companies. The costs and coverage can vary significantly, so it’s important to compare options.
💬 From our Nerds: Is Wellcare Value Script a good drug plan?
“Wellcare’s Value Script plan is an outlier in 2024 — in a good way. It has $0 premiums in 16 states and premiums below $1 per month in almost every state. And even as it lowered prices, Wellcare leapfrogged major competitors on the government’s quality ratings.
“But premiums and star ratings don’t matter if your drugs aren’t covered. Before you enroll, you need to check the formulary. If you confirm that your drugs would be covered with out-of-pocket costs you can afford, Wellcare’s Value Script plan could be your best option.”
Wellcare has cut pricing for its low-cost Value Script plan, offering $0 premiums in 16 states in 2024 and premiums of less than $1 per month in all but five states.
The company’s other two Part D plans have gotten more expensive. The mid-range Classic plan costs about $4 more per month, and the higher-coverage Value Plus plan is about $8 more per month, on average.
Deductibles for the two less expensive plans have gone up by $40 to hit the maximum plans are allowed to charge in 2024, with a couple of exceptions. In Arizona and Colorado, the Value Script deductible has dropped to $400, a decrease of $105 from 2023.
The Value Plus plan retains its $0 deductible.
$0-deductible options
The Wellcare Value Script plan has no deductible for Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs
. It’s the only Wellcare plan for which the deductible depends on the formulary tier. The Wellcare Classic plan applies the deductible to all covered drugs, and the Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus plan has no deductible for drugs covered by the plan.
$0-copay options
All of Wellcare’s Part D plans have $0 copays for Tier 1 generic drugs from preferred pharmacies
. The Classic plan also has $0 copays for Tier 6 drugs.
Cost-sharing requirements on higher tiers can quickly get more expensive. As a result, it’s important to check where your medications and pharmacies fall on each plan’s formulary.
Copay vs. coinsurance requirements
You’ll want to check whether you’ll pay a copay or coinsurance for your medications. Copays are set dollar amounts, so it’s easy to see what you’ll pay. Coinsurance is a percentage of the price for your medications, so coinsurance requirements can be more unpredictable and more expensive.
Wellcare starts requiring coinsurance rather than copays at different tiers depending on your plan
Wellcare Value Script: Copays for Tiers 1-2 and Tier 6; coinsurance for Tiers 3-5.
Wellcare Classic: Copays for Tiers 1-2 and Tier 6; coinsurance for Tiers 3-5.
Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus: Copays for Tiers 1-3 and Tier 6; coinsurance for Tiers 4-5.
That’s a change since 2023 for the Value Script and Classic plans, which used to have copays rather than coinsurance for drugs on Tier 3.
You can enter your medications and pharmacy information on Wellcare’s website to see which drugs are covered and review your estimated costs with different plan options.
Wellcare offers all three of its Medicare Part D plan options in all of its markets.
About Wellcare
Wellcare was founded in 1985 and became a subsidiary of Centene in 2020. The company's headquarters are in Tampa, Florida. Wellcare offers coverage through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans.
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Part D companies. These insurers offer plans in most states, but specifics may vary depending on your location.
Find the right Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
The interactive tool on Medicare.gov can help you find a Medicare Part D plan that covers your prescriptions. It also helps you compare costs among Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans available to you.
Here are some things to keep in mind when comparing plans:
Check the formulary: You’ll want to make sure the medicines you currently take and, importantly, any you think you might need in the future, are covered under each of the plans you’re considering. Talk to your health care providers about what brand-name and generic medicines to look for and any alternatives that may also work in case you can’t find your current medicines on the plans available in your area.
Look for plan changes: Formularies change frequently. Your insurer should send you a Notice of Plan Change when the formulary changes. Read that document carefully.
Check the pharmacy network: Most Medicare Part D plans negotiate with a network of pharmacies for the lowest cost. Check to see if your pharmacy or an equally convenient one is in the plan’s network. Also, compare prices for using mail order.
If your plan does change, and the change affects the prescription drugs you need, you can switch plans during Medicare's open enrollment period, Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Changes go into effect on the following Jan. 1.
If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).
Medicare Part D plan review methodology
NerdWallet’s Medicare Part D reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), pricing, cost-sharing requirements, formulary design, consumer experience and more.
NerdWallet reviewed seven Medicare Part D insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. Together, these seven companies cover just under 90% of Medicare beneficiaries with stand-alone Medicare Part D plans, according to CMS data. We review at least five major Medicare Part D companies in every state in the United States.
These reviews are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several plans to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.
