TAMPA, Fla./PRNewswire/ — Wellcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, announced today its largest Medicare Advantage expansion to date. Wellcare will now offer its wide range of Medicare Advantage plans in 1,575 counties across 36 states during the 2022 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), beginning Oct. 15.
“At Wellcare, we are committed to expanding choice and access to high-quality, affordable Medicare plans,” said Rich Fisher, SVP and CEO of Medicare for Centene, Wellcare’s parent company. “As we continue to expand our Medicare footprint, we are pleased to continue offering a wide range of Medicare Advantage plans that include benefits with every beneficiary in mind.”
Reaching More Communities
Today, Wellcare serves more than 1.1 million Medicare Advantage members across 33 states. Beginning in 2022, Wellcare will offer plans in 327 new counties and three new states (Massachusetts, Nebraska, and Oklahoma), representing a 26% increase and bringing its total number of Medicare Advantage states to 36. Overall, Wellcare’s expanded footprint will reach 48 million Medicare-eligible adults across the country.
Highlights of Wellcare’s 2022 Benefit Offerings
In 2022, Wellcare will continue to offer a range of Medicare products, including Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP), which offer affordable coverage beyond Original Medicare.
For 2022, Wellcare has lowered many of its Medicare Advantage prescription copays by $5 to $10 dollars when members use preferred pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens, and other major grocery store chains.† Additionally, Wellcare has expanded many of its innovative benefit offerings such as its Flex Card, which can be used for out-of-pocket costs for dental, vision, and hearing. Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) will now include options like a food benefit, a utility benefit, and a care concierge benefit for a number of personal services.
And for those looking for standalone prescription drug coverage, Wellcare’s PDPs are available across all 50 U.S. states. Wellcare will offer three types of standalone plans, all of which include $0 Tier 1 medicines and access to a preferred pharmacy network, including retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, and major grocery store chains.†
Wellcare’s Brand Realignment & Brand Ambassador Joe Montana
In September, Wellcare announced a refreshed corporate Medicare Advantage brand to better align with the company’s mission and strategy to build stronger brand awareness and engage directly with its members. Centene’s Medicare brands, including Allwell, Health Net, Fidelis Care, Trillium Advantage, ‘Ohana Health Plan, and TexanPlus will become one unified Medicare brand under the Wellcare name.
Wellcare also announced Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana will serve as the company’s brand ambassador.i Montana will collaborate with Wellcare on TV commercials, digital ads, social media, and other communications to help seniors understand their Medicare options.
“We are pleased to share our new refreshed Wellcare brand, which is part of our larger corporate strategy to transform and modernize how we engage with our Medicare members about their health,” said Suzy DePrizio, Centene’s SVP and Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re also proud to have legendary quarterback Joe Montana join our team as we partner with him to help seniors and their families better understand their Medicare benefits.”