Is WellCare Right for You? Is it Right for Anyone?

WellCare may be part of one of the largest providers of Medicare Advantage plans, but the reviews don't reflect it. In early 2020, Centene Corp., one of the largest Medicare Advantage plan providers, acquired WellCare. However, compared to other healthcare providers, member satisfaction is waning. Despite the lackluster reviews and satisfaction rates, there are still some pros to this plan and some may opt to take the benefits regardless of WellCare's reputation. Before you choose this provider, here's what you need to consider.

Should You Choose WellCare?

One of the biggest pros to this plan is that some plans provide supplementary benefits to be used by the chronically ill to assist with additional expenses. These benefits can include utility, health club or fitness center memberships, free meal delivery with no copay, or care concierge. Some plans also provide members with an allowance for over-the-counter items. Additionally, certain plans also include a Flex Card, a Visa prepaid debit card that provides additional funds for vision, dental, and hearing. They may also provide qualified individuals with a Giveback benefit, allowing some or all of a member's Medicare Part B premiums to be refunded.

WellCare Medicare Advantage is Falling Behind

WellCare plans are only offered in 36 states, well behind many other comparable providers and potentially contributing to the low satisfaction rating WellCare has received. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services keeps a database of ratings for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans, and the outlook hasn't been good for WellCare. According to this database, parent company Centene's 2023 rating is just 2.88 out of 5 stars when considering the quality of care and customer satisfaction. Centene also ranked 9th out of 9 on the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study. This is unsurprising when WellCare struggled in over half of the contract categories rated.