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Allwell Medicare Advantage 2023 Review
Now under the Wellcare name, Allwell falls behind other providers in ratings and member satisfaction.
Kate Ashford, CSA® Lead Writer | Medicare, retirement, personal finance
Kate Ashford is a writer and NerdWallet authority on Medicare. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. She has a degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. Kate has appeared as a Medicare expert on the PennyWise podcast by Lee Enterprises, and she's been quoted in national publications including Healthline, Real Simple and SingleCare. She is based in New York.
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.
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CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Allwell is a brand of Wellcare, which is owned by Centene. Wellcare by Allwell plans are available in only 19 states and get lower-than-average star ratings and poor member satisfaction scores.
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
Low (49% or less)
Member satisfactionBased on scores from the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, which measures overall customer satisfaction.
Below average
Pros
Company strength: Parent company Centene is the fifth-largest for-profit Medicare Advantage provider.
Some plans include extra benefits such as the Flex Card, which is preloaded with funds members can use on dental, vision and hearing benefits when they've exhausted plan coverage.
Cons
Lower-than-average star ratings from CMS.
Parent company Centene lands last in member satisfaction ratings of all major providers.
Wellcare by Allwell plans are available in only 19 states.
States available
19 states
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
Low (49% or less)
Member satisfactionBased on scores from the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, which measures overall customer satisfaction.
Below average
Pros
Company strength: Parent company Centene is the fifth-largest for-profit Medicare Advantage provider.
Some plans include extra benefits such as the Flex Card, which is preloaded with funds members can use on dental, vision and hearing benefits when they've exhausted plan coverage.
Cons
Lower-than-average star ratings from CMS.
Parent company Centene lands last in member satisfaction ratings of all major providers.
Wellcare by Allwell plans are available in only 19 states.
Allwell is a Medicare brand of Centene Corp., the sixth-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans
Here’s what you should know about Allwell Medicare Advantage.
Allwell Medicare Advantage pros and cons
Allwell’s offerings have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
Company strength: Allwell’s parent company, Centene, acquired Wellcare in 2020, and the combined entities account for 4.4% of the Medicare Advantage market in 2023
Extra benefits: Some Wellcare by Allwell plans include the Flex Card, which comes preloaded with additional funds members can use on dental, vision and hearing benefits once they’ve exhausted their plan coverage
Additional benefits for the chronically ill: Some plans include special supplementary benefits for the chronically ill, including a Flex Card for utility costs, a care concierge service, grocery delivery and a robotic companion pet
Lower star ratings: For 2023, the average star rating from Medicare for Wellcare by Allwell contracts, weighted by enrollment, is 3.05 stars (out of 5 stars), compared with an overall average among all Medicare Advantage plans of 4.15 stars
Member discontent: When it comes to member satisfaction, J.D. Power found that Centene (Allwell’s parent company) came in last out of the nine Medicare Advantage companies ranked
If you want Medicare’s take on Allwell’s plans, look no further than the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' own star ratings, which rank each plan from best (5 stars) to worst (1 star). The agency bases these ratings on plans’ quality of care and measurements of customer satisfaction, and ratings may change from year to year.
All Medicare Advantage plans are evaluated on health plan measures, and Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage are also evaluated on drug plan measures.
Based on the most recent year of data and weighted by enrollment, Allwell’s 2023 Medicare Advantage plans get an average rating of 3.05 stars. There are no 2023 Wellcare by Allwell plans rated higher than 3.5 stars
Costs for Medicare Advantage plans will depend on your plan, your geographic location and your health needs.
Premiums
One of the costs to consider is the plan’s premium, and many Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 premium. Nearly 7 in 10 Wellcare by Allwell plans in 2023 have no premium
, although some plans cover part or all of this cost.
Copays, coinsurance and deductibles
Requirements for copays, coinsurance and deductibles vary depending on your plan, location and the services you use. Other out-of-pocket costs to consider include:
Whether the plan covers any part of your monthly Medicare Part B premium.
The plan’s yearly deductibles and any other deductibles, such as a drug deductible.
Copayments and/or coinsurance for each visit or service. For instance, there may be a $10 copay for seeing your primary doctor and a $45 copay for seeing a specialist.
The plan’s in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums.
Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network, or how often you may go out of network for care.
Whether you require extra benefits, and if the plan charges for them.
Here are examples of Wellcare by Allwell Medicare Advantage costs for the most popular plans in a mid-range city:
To get a sense of costs, use Medicare’s plan finding tool to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only Allwell plans, or compare across carriers. You can also shop directly from Allwell’s website by entering your ZIP code.
Wellcare by Allwell Medicare Advantage plan types
Wellcare by Allwell offers a few kinds of Medicare Advantage plans, and they vary in structure, costs and benefits.
In general, Allwell offers Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans, or MAPDs, as well as Medicare Advantage Plans without drug coverage.
Plan availability may vary by county. Other plan offerings may include the following types:
HMO plans
A health maintenance organization, or HMO, generally requires that you use a specific network of doctors and hospitals. You may need a referral from your primary doctor in order to see a specialist, and out-of-network benefits are usually very limited.
PPO plans
Preferred provider organization, or PPO, plans provide the most freedom, allowing you to see any provider that accepts the insurance. You may not need to choose a primary doctor, and you don’t need referrals to see specialists. You can seek out-of-network care, although it may cost more than seeing an in-network doctor.
SNP plans
Special needs plans restrict membership to people with certain diseases or characteristics. Hence, the benefits, network and drug formularies are tailored to the needs of those members. Allwell offers two types of SNPs:
Chronic Condition SNP: For people with one or more specific conditions, such as chronic heart failure, congestive heart failure or diabetes.
Dual-Eligible SNP: For people who are entitled to Medicare and who also qualify for assistance from a state Medicaid program.
Looking for Unbiased Medicare Advice?
Chapter saves people over $1,000/year on their Medicare plans. You can reach them at (855)480-7438
There are a few companies that weigh in on health plans or on the strength of the company in question, and we’ve included two here:
J.D. Power Ranking: 9th out of 9
In its 2022 Medicare Advantage Study — the eighth it's done so far — J.D. Power measured member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans based on six factors: coverage and benefits, provider choice, cost, customer service, information and communication, and billing and payment. On these measures, parent company Centene scored 773 points out of 1,000 and came in last out of the top nine Medicare Advantage providers
The National Committee for Quality Assurance rates health insurance plans on a 5-point scale (with 5 being best) based on clinical quality, member satisfaction and results from the NCQA's accreditation survey. The ratings highlight the results of care and what patients say about their care.
In its September 2022 scoring of Allwell plans, the NCQA awarded ratings between 2.0 and 2.5 stars to the three Allwell plans with enough data reported
. More than 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Centene Medicare Advantage plan, but the company lost 66,000 members for the 2023 plan year
. Centene headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri. Centene offers coverage through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans, as well as individual and family coverage through the health insurance marketplace. Centene covers more than 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage providers. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
What are the plan’s costs? Do you understand what the plan’s premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?
Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plan’s network.
Are your prescriptions covered? If you’re on medication, it’s crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?
Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?
Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?
If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).
