The bottom line: Allwell Medicare Advantage may offer some nice benefits, but star ratings and member experience scores are below average, and plans are available in only 11 states. Jump to: Full Review
Allwell Medicare Advantage pros and cons
Pros
- Benefits card: Some Wellcare by Allwell plans include the Spendables card, which comes preloaded with funds members can use on extra benefits, depending on the plan.
- Part B premium coverage: Some plans include a Giveback benefit that refunds some or all of your Medicare Part B premium.
Cons
- Star ratings: For 2025, the average star rating from Medicare for Wellcare by Allwell plans, weighted by enrollment, is 3.42 stars, which is lower than the average for all providers.
- Member discontent: Allwell underperforms on measures of member experience, including metrics for customer service and care coordination.
- State coverage: Allwell Medicare Advantage plans are available in only 11 states.
Compare against other providers
🔍 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Compare against other providers
🔍 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Our full review
Why trust NerdWallet
45+ Medicare companies and brands analyzed by our team of experts.
30+ years of combined experience covering Medicare and personal finance.
Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
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 by Allwell Medicare star ratings
Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 3.42
Allwell Medicare Advantage plans are rated well below the industry average, with an average rating of 3.42 stars out of 5 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2025, weighted by enrollment. For comparison, the average weighted star rating for plans from all providers is 3.96.
There are only two 2025 Wellcare by Allwell plans rated 4 stars. The rest of the provider's plans are rated 3.5 stars or lower.
CMS maintains its 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.
You can find a plan’s rating with Medicare's plan finding tool.
December update
Medicare star ratings are typically released once per year, but CMS recalculated its 2025 star ratings for Wellcare by Allwell’s parent company, Centene, in December 2024. Updates took place after multiple lawsuits from insurance companies alleging that CMS improperly calculated the 2025 star ratings. NerdWallet has updated this article accordingly.
What does Allwell Medicare Advantage cost?
In 2025, nearly 7 in 10 standard Wellcare by Allwell plans with prescription drug coverage have no premium. You'll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $185 per month in 2025.
(Most people pay this standard Part B amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you’ll pay the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). Some Medicare Advantage plans cover part or all of your Part B premium.)
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 three plans in a mid-range city:
Wellcare by Allwell Medicare Advantage plan | Pricing |
|---|---|
Wellcare Simple Open (PPO) | Monthly premium: $0. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $3,900 in-network. Copays:
Dental allowance: $1,000. |
Wellcare Simple (HMO-POS) | Monthly premium: $0. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $5,000. Copays:
Dental allowance: $1,000. |
Wellcare Patriot Giveback Open (PPO) | Monthly premium: $0. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $4,400 in-network. Copays:
Dental allowance: $1,500. |
Selected plans are available in ZIP code 66013. *Inpatient hospital copay is per day for days 1-7. **Inpatient hospital copay is per day for days 1-6. | |
| |
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.
Wellcare by Allwell Medicare Advantage plan types
Allwell offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans 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 (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 (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.
- SNPs
Special needs plans (SNPs) 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.
Third-party ratings
J.D. Power Ranking
In its 2024 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study — the 10th it’s done so far — J.D. Power measured member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans based on eight factors ranging from level of trust to how well a provider resolves problems or complaints. The study was fielded in the 10 biggest state Medicare markets, and here’s how Wellcare (Allwell's brand) ranked in the states where it had enough market share to be considered:
California: 8th out of 8.
Florida: 6th out of 6.
Georgia: 4th out of 4
Illinois: 5th out of 5.
Texas: 6th out of 6.
Allwell Medicare Advantage service area
Wellcare by Allwell offers Medicare Advantage plans in 11 states.
Centene, Allwell’s parent company, is the fifth-largest Medicare Advantage provider among for-profit health plans. Allwell-branded plans cover about 160,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
About Allwell
Allwell is a Medicare brand of Centene Corp., which was founded in 1984. In 2020, Centene acquired Wellcare, and in 2022, Allwell became a Medicare brand under the Wellcare name. 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.
» MORE: Read our review of Wellcare Part D prescription drug plans
Wellcare by Allwell customer service
Allwell Medicare Advantage members can contact their plan’s customer service in a couple of ways:
Call the Member Services number for your state.
Fill out an online form.
Compare Medicare Advantage providers
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.
Find the right Medicare Advantage plan
It’s important to do your research before selecting a Medicare Advantage plan for yourself. Here are some questions to consider asking:
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).
- Parent company Centene is the fifth-largest for-profit Medicare Advantage provider.
- Some plans include the Spendables card, which is preloaded with funds members can use on extra benefits.
- Lower-than-average star ratings from CMS.
- Below-average ratings for member experience metrics such as customer service and care coordination.
- Wellcare by Allwell plans are available in only 11 states.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2025 Star Ratings Data Tables (ZIP). Accessed Apr 16, 2025.
- 2.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CY2025 Landscape (202412) (ZIP). Accessed Apr 16, 2025.
- 3.J.D. Power. Regional Medicare Advantage Plans Have Higher Customer Satisfaction than Commercial Member Health Plans, J.D. Power Finds. Accessed Apr 16, 2025.
- 4.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Monthly Enrollment by Plan. Accessed Apr 16, 2025.
Medicare Advantage review methodology
The Medicare Advantage marketplace is concentrated among just a handful of companies; in many places, one insurer serves more than half of the market. NerdWallet reviewed 26 Medicare Advantage brands, with some insurers having more than one brand under their umbrella. (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield includes the brands Anthem and Highmark.) At the national level, these reviews include nine of the 10 largest brands by enrollment. At the state level, our research includes at least one major insurer in 47 of the 49 states that offer Medicare Advantage plans, and includes the top two insurers in 35 of those states. (Alaska doesn't offer Medicare Advantage plans.) We also look at online search volume to identify regional and other notable players in the space.
NerdWallet’s Medicare Advantage reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as pricing, plan availability by state, plan types available, consumer experience, extra benefits offered and more. 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.
Compare Medicare Advantage plans
Insurance company | CMS star rating | States available | Members in high-rated plans | Member experience | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(855) 821-0556 / TTY 711 Call UnitedHealthcarefrom UnitedHealthcare | |||||
3.95 | 3.95/5 | 49 states and Washington, D.C. | Medium (50% to 84%) | 3.41 (Average) | |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | |||||
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 3.63 | 3.63/5 | 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico | Low (49% or less) | 3.62 (Above average) |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | |||||
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 4.29 | 4.29/5 | 44 states and Washington, D.C. | High (85% to 100%) | 4.01 (Above average) |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | |||||
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 3.97 | 3.97/5 | 29 states and Washington, D.C. | Medium (50% to 84%) | 3.82 (Above average) |