WellCare Expands Medicare Benefits for 2020 Annual Enrollment Period

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) is offering a number of new plan options to its already extensive, high-quality, low-cost Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan offerings during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) running now through Dec. 7, 2019.

"Selecting a health plan is one of the most critical decisions Americans make each year," said Michael Polen, WellCare's executive vice president, Medicare and operations. "It's a time to evaluate options and select a plan that fits your budget and health needs. At WellCare, we are committed to providing quality, affordable Medicare Advantage plans that support our members' health and well-being in every aspect of their lives – physically, socially and emotionally. We continue to expand our benefits – going beyond the basics – providing valuable offerings to help our members live better, healthier lives."

WellCare Offers Enhanced Medicare Advantage Plans in More Places

For 2020, WellCare is adding 68 new Medicare Advantage plans for a total of 261 plans with $0 or low monthly plan premiums. Plan options will be available in 25 states, including plans in Missouri, New Hampshire and Washington, and 87 new counties across the country. 2020 benefits and features include:

• Expansive Networks of providers, hospitals and specialists with primary care providers (PCPs) serving as a "medical home" for members to help coordinate care with specialists.
• Community-Based Supports: Care teams support members with chronic conditions or after hospitalizations providing in-home visits; coordinating doctor visits; educating members about everyday healthy behaviors; and connecting them to needed social services and community-based programs.
• Affordable Coverage: Many plans have no additional premiums, while doctor visits and prescription drugs have $0 or low co-pays. Plans have a cap on yearly out-of-pocket expenses, and members pay $0 for a 90-day supply of generic medications from CVS Caremark Home Delivery.
• Expanded Plan Offerings include:
• Nine new Part B Premium Giveback plans ranging from $300 to $1,572 annually, which refund a portion of members' Part B premiums back into their social security checks.
• 18 new Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, including PPO Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs)
• 11 new $0 premium plans
• Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) and Tiered plans tested in select markets
• Supplemental Benefits: New in 2020, some plans offer the following benefits:
• Flex Card – Prepaid debit card to help cover out-of-pocket expenses for ancillary services such as dental, vision and hearing.
• OTC Products – Members pay $0 for certain over-the-counter (OTC) products worth up to $1,800 annually, depending on the plan.
• Dental, Vision and Hearing benefits available on almost all plans with dental benefits in some plans up to $5,000 annually, many including dentures.
• Transportation included on many plans for one-way trips to healthcare-related locations on some select plans.
• Delivered Meals including up to 84 meals provided annually.
• Fitness Programs including access to health clubs, streaming exercise classes and fitness apps, or alternatively, at-home kits featuring fitness trackers.
• Alternative Therapies for Pain Management including up to 30 visits for acupuncture, massage and chiropractic services on some select plans.
• In-Home Support Services including up to 24 visits annually to help members with basic living needs like cleaning and cooking.

WellCare Prescription Drug Plans Offer Continued Value

WellCare will offer six different standalone Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) featuring a variety of low premiums, copays, deductibles, formularies and preferred network options available in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

Among the highlights, WellCare has launched a new PDP, WellCare Wellness Rx, featuring an average premium of $13.95 nationwide, a $0-deductible on Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs, and copays starting at $0 for Tier 1 drugs.

In 2020, WellCare will continue to offer some of the lowest premiums across the country with premiums of $13.30 or less in 16 states or territories including Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

Plans will feature large networks, including the addition of new pharmacies with preferred cost sharing where out-of-pocket costs are generally lower. Preferred pharmacies vary by plan but include many large pharmacy chains such as Walmart, CVS, grocers and independent pharmacies. Members will also pay $0 for 90-day supplies of Tier 1 medications and receive discounts on Tier 2 and Tier 3 prescriptions from CVS Caremark Medication Home Delivery.

For more information about WellCare's 2020 Medicare Advantage offerings, visit www.wellcarenow.com or call 1-877-823-8267.

For more information about WellCare's 2020 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan offerings, visit www.pdpwellcare.com or call 1-866-907-4965.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses primarily on providing government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, as well as individuals in the Health Insurance Marketplace. WellCare serves approximately 6.4 million members nationwide as of September 30, 2019. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com.

'Ohana Health Plan, a plan offered by WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona, Inc. WellCare Health Plans, Inc., is an HMO, PPO, PDP, PFFS plan with a Medicare contract and is an approved Part D Sponsor. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. The formulary and/or pharmacy network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. WellCare Prescription Drug Plan, Inc.'s, pharmacy network includes limited lower-cost, preferred pharmacies in suburban areas of CO, CT, HI,  MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT; rural areas of AK, AR,  IA, KS, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, OK, SD, WI, WY; and urban areas of AL, CT, MA, ME, MS, NH, NY, RI, TN, VT. The lower costs advertised in our plan materials for these pharmacies may not be available at the pharmacy you use. For up-to-date information about our network pharmacies, including whether there are any lower-cost preferred pharmacies in your area, please call 1-833-207-4241 (TTY: 711) for Rx Saver, Rx Select and Rx Value Plus plans, and 1-888-550-5252 (TTY: 711) for Classic, Value Script, and Wellness Rx plans or consult the online pharmacy directory at www.wellcare.com/PDP (Note: This disclaimer applies to 2019 and 2020 plans.) You have the choice to sign up for automated mail service delivery. You can get prescription drugs shipped to your home through our network mail service delivery program. You should expect to receive your prescription drugs within 10–14 calendar days from the time that the mail service pharmacy receives the order. If you do not receive your prescription drugs within this time, please contact us at 1-866-892-9006 (TTY 1-866-507-6135), 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit mailrx.wellcare.com. Notice: TennCare is not responsible for payment for these benefits, except for appropriate cost sharing amounts. TennCare is not responsible for guaranteeing the availability or quality of these benefits. Please contact your plan for details. WellCare Health Plans, Inc., complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-374-4056 (TTY: 711).  ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-374-4056 (TTY: 711). 注愠：如果您使用繠體中文，您堯以兠費砲得語言栴助朠務。請致電 1-877-374-4056TTY：711）。

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.