Wellpoint
3.32
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
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The bottom line: Wellpoint Medicare Advantage offers low-cost plans in six states, but star ratings and member experience are subpar for the field. Jump to: Full Review
3.32
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
$0 premiums: Three-quarters of Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans (74%) are $0 premium.
Low-cost plans: The average premium for a standard Wellpoint Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan is $12.30, which is lower than the average from all major providers.
Flexible benefits: Some Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans offer “Essential Extras,” a feature where members choose an extra benefit for their plan, including money toward assistive devices, healthy groceries, or dental, vision or hearing care.
Limited availability: Wellpoint offers Medicare Advantage plans in only six states: Arizona, Iowa, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
Low star ratings: Wellpoint plans' average star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), weighted by enrollment, is 3.32 stars (the national average for all providers is 3.92 stars).
Low satisfaction: Member experience ratings, which include metrics like customer service and getting needed care, are well below average for major providers.
Limited plan options: Wellpoint offers only HMO and HMO-POS plans, which are the most restrictive in terms of medical flexibility.
3.82
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
4.27
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
3.63
CMS Star Rating
from Humana
3.93
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
3.82
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
3.63
CMS Star Rating
from Humana
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 3.32
Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans are rated below the industry average, receiving an average rating of 3.32 stars out of 5 from CMS for 2025, weighted by enrollment. For comparison, the average weighted star rating for plans from all providers is 3.92.
There are no Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans with a rating higher than 3.5 stars.
CMS maintains star ratings for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans on a 5-point scale, ranking plans 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 the Medicare plan finding tool.
Three-quarters of Wellpoint standard Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans have $0 premiums. For plans with a monthly cost, the average premium is $12.30, which is lower than the average from big providers. You'll also still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $174.70 per month in 2024.
(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 Wellpoint Medicare Advantage costs for three plans in a mid-range city:
Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans | Pricing |
---|---|
Wellpoint Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS) | Monthly premium: $0. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $6,750 in-network. Copays:
Dental allowance: $2,000. |
Wellpoint Extra Help (HMO-POS) | Monthly premium: $9.10. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $4,900 in-network. Copays:
Dental allowance: $3,250. |
Wellpoint Medicare Advantage 2 (HMO-POS) | Monthly premium: $0. Deductible: None. Out-of-pocket max: $4,150 in-network. Copays:
Dental allowance: $2,500. |
Selected plans are available in ZIP code 37901. *Inpatient hospital copay is per day for days 1-6. | |
Sources: |
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 Wellpoint plans or compare across carriers.
There are three kinds of Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans, and all Wellpoint Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.
Plan offerings include the following types:
Wellpoint offers Medicare Advantage plans in six states.
Wellpoint's parent company, Elevance Health, is the fourth-largest for-profit Medicare Advantage provider. Wellpoint-branded plans cover more than 135,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
Wellpoint's parent company, Elevance Health, is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was formed in 2004 out of a merger between WellPoint Health Networks and Anthem. In 2022, the company changed its name to Elevance Health, but it still sells Medicare products under a number of brands, including Wellpoint.
Wellpoint offers individual and family plans, dental and vision coverage, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement Insurance and Medicaid plans.
Here’s how Wellpoint members can contact customer service:
Call the number on the back of your ID card, available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Chat live with a member services representative once you’ve logged into your account online.
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.
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?
3.32
CMS Star Rating
Wellpoint plans are affordable but not widely available, and they score below-average in terms of Medicare stars and member satisfaction.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
on NerdWallet
States available
6 states
Members in high-rated plans
Low (49% or less)
Member experience
2.24 (Below average)
States available
6 states
Members in high-rated plans
Low (49% or less)
Member experience
2.24 (Below average)
Pros
Cons