Medicare Part D - Missouri - Feedback, please, on Wellcare Value Script (PDP)

[STLmember]

EDIT: I'm adding in the "star" rating from the Medicare.gov website for each plan listed below.  Not sure if the ratings reflect this year or the previous year, but they are calculated based on customer service, member complaints, member experience with the plan, drug safety, accuracy of pricing. 

***********************************************************************

I have traditional Medicare (a supplement plus a Part D plan). I currently take 2 cheap drugs for hypertension.  For 2025, the cheapest Medicare Part D plan available in my neck of the woods (Missouri) is Wellcare Value Script (PDP). Plan ID: S4802-152-0  .

Does anyone have any experience with this plan? If so, please advise of your experience. Thank you.

I've posted all the plans available to me below. Besides the one I mentioned above, do you think any of these other plans are worth considering, even though they are more expensive?

I understand that as one gets older, costs are going to rise. But come on--it's sad how much I have to pay out of pocket in 2025, compared to 2024, just for coverage; never mind the potential additional expense of the drugs themselves. I would consider dropping Part D for 2025, but I believe that if I were to opt back in later, I would  have a permanent "penalty amount" added to my premium.

I hope there is more focus on helping seniors with health care costs in the next 4 years.

2025 PART D PLANS NEAR ME:

Wellcare Value Script (PDP)    3.5 stars out of 5
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-152-0
Monthly Premium $0.00
x 12 months $0.00
Deductible $590.00
Premium + Deductible $590.00
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Saver Rx (PDP)   2.5 stars out of 5
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-368-0
Monthly premium $20.70
x 12 months $248.40
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $838.40
========================================
Wellcare Classic (PDP)   3.5 stars out of 5
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-072-0
Monthly premium $27.30
x 12 months $327.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $917.60
========================================
Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP)   3.5 stars out of 5
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-197-0
Monthly premium $37.30
x 12 months $447.60
Deductible $573.00
Premium + deductible $1020.60
========================================
AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC (PDP)   2 stars out of 5
UnitedHealthcare | Plan ID: S5921-399-0
Monthly premium $91.30
x 12 months $1095.60
Deductible $0.00
Premium + deductible $1095.60
========================================
SilverScript Choice (PDP)     2.5 stars out of 5
Aetna Medicare | Plan ID: S5601-036-0
Monthly premium $44.90
x 12 month $538.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1128.80
========================================
AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP)    2 stars out of 5
UnitedHealthcare | Plan ID: S5921-363-0
Monthly premium $54.80
x 12 months $657.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1247.60
========================================
Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP)       3.5 stars out of 5
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-140-0
Monthly premium $69.80
x 12 months $837.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1426.60
=======================================
Blue MedicareRx Plus (PDP)       3.5 stars out of 5
Anthem / Anthem or Blue KC in Missouri | Plan ID: S5596-044-0
Monthly premium $76.10
x 12 months $913.20
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1503.20
========================================
Blue MedicareRx Value (PDP)    3.5 stars out of 5
Anthem / Anthem or Blue KC in Missouri | Plan ID: S5596-043-0
Monthly premium $91.40
x 12 months $1096.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1686.80
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Assurance Rx (PDP)    2.5 stars out of 5
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-088-0
Monthly premium $91.50
x 12 months $1098
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1688.00
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Extra Rx (PDP)    2.5 stars out of 5
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-263-0
Monthly premium $127.00
x 12 months $1524.00
Deductible $175.00
Premium + deductible $1699.00
========================================
Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP)     3.5 stars out of 5
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-164-0
Monthly premium $142.20
x 12 months $1706.40
Deductible $0.00
Premium + deductible $1706.40
========================================
Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus (PDP)    3.5 stars out of 5
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-221-0
Monthly premium $102.40
x 12 months $1228.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1818.80

[GailL1]

@STLmember 

I cannot tell you what to decide but can give you some pointers -

You get to pick a new plan every year based on your needs.  If now you are only taking (2) cheap drugs and you really aren’t required to use the plan and you just want to avoid the penalty - why not pick the cheapest - that’s the 

Wellcare Value Script (PDP)
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-152-0

which has NO premiums.  You can buy your meds at any of the less costing discount places if you want - there are many.   Just pick the cheapest place to buy them - you don’t have to use the insurance since there is that big deductible now in place for many of the no to lower premium plans but if the price is lower thru the insurance use it.    Some of the other places you can look for even better prices GoodRx, the Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus, Amazon Prime - Costco there are others.  

If these are tier 1 drugs, or even tier 2, you will not meet your deductible anyway.  

This particular plan has no premiums - you just need to be on it  to avoid the Part D premium for not having one.  

If you do have to get on another type drug during the year - just check this plans formulary so the doc can order accordingly OR you can file an exception to get it covered for 2025 if need be.

Like I said, you are only picking for 2025.  For 2026 you can pick all over again if your needs change or the plan changes.

The reason why things have gotten more expensive this year and why some plans are no longer available is because of all the changes that were made to the program for 2025 - a $ 2000 maximum out of pocket and many cheaper higher priced drugs and insulin at $35 per month.  The insurance company is having to pick up more of the cost and in some instances so are the manufacturers.  So they devised their plans using the tools they have to absorb these cost as well as other rules of coverage that CMS has placed upon them.

That’s how insurance works - we buy plans together and then it is a kind of share and share alike benefit coverage.  The 2025 plans definitely help some people.  For others, not so much - 

If I were you with only these meds - just pick the cheapest.  You can also talk to your local SHIP representative but they are probab ly really booked up but may have just a place for quick questions.  That’s your states’ State Health Insurance Assistance Program.  

Good Luck - 

[STLmember]

Thanks for the tip about talking to the State Health Insurance Assistance Program.  They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so that's a good idea.

Everything else you wrote is already exactly what I've been thinking. (Though I appreciate the info to remind us why these drugs have gone up, at least in part.)  In fact, I'll be talking to my conservative doctor (so I may have to pivot and look for someone else) about getting a 6-month or even a 12-month Rx for my HTN drugs _now_ so that I can take my GoodRx card and get both drugs to help tide me through 2025 at whopping current GoodRx cost of:

• approximately $17 (6 months of drug #1) or $23 (300 tablets, or 10 months for drug #1)
• approximately $29 (6 months of drug #2) or $30 ((300 tablets, or 10 months for drug #2) 
• total = about $50 for both drugs to last me for 6 months
  OR about $53 for both drugs to last me for 10 months

Can't beat that. I just need to find a flexible doctor who is willing and able to write an Rx to cover that many months. Since I have taken these meds for several years already, having an Rx that provides me with 6 or 10 months of meds simply helps me keep my health care costs as low as possible.

[GailL1]

I don’t know about your state but legally some meds cannot be written for a longer period of time than 9-months without a renewal in the prescription. I think most chronic disease meds fall in this category.  They do this so that you have to contact the doc to see if he wants to check anything before a renewal.  Because even drugs for chronic conditions affect other things - so blood work might need to be done.  And for B/P meds - they have to still be working or changes have to be made - meds or dose or both.

Some meds are only (1) month like pain meds.  

[SpringIsHereVA]

[11/7/24] @STLmember , I have an appointment with my local Office of Aging (LOA) next week [11/14/24] to select another Part D plan. Per the Medicare Comparison Tool on the Medicare WEBSITE, Wellcare [and other plans] is mentioned in my search results there. I am in Virginia. Maybe there is a Medicare Advocate near you who could make sure you pick a plan that will work for you. I turned 65 last year 2023 and had chosen Aetna Silvescript for my Part D. Was happy with it for my Chlolestral and Blood Pressure Prescriptions, CVS Pharmacy.

But in 2025 that plan is being deleted. They are substituting an EXPENSIVE plan. I am NOT interested.

I also have Traditional Medicare.

Good Luck!!!

---

[*** STLMEMBER wrote: I have traditional Medicare (a supplement plus a Part D plan). I currently take 2 cheap drugs for hypertension.  For 2025, the cheapest Medicare Part D plan available in my neck of the woods (Missouri) is Wellcare Value Script (PDP). Plan ID: S4802-152-0  .

Does anyone have any experience with this plan? If so, please advise of your experience. Thank you.

I've posted all the plans available to me below. Besides the one I mentioned above, do you think any of these other plans are worth considering, even though they are more expensive?

I understand that as one gets older, costs are going to rise. But come on--it's sad how much I have to pay out of pocket in 2025, compared to 2024, just for coverage; never mind the potential additional expense of the drugs themselves. I would consider dropping Part D for 2025, but I believe that if I were to opt back in later, I would  have a permanent "penalty amount" added to my premium.

I hope there is more focus on helping seniors with health care costs in the next 4 years.

2025 PART D PLANS NEAR ME:

Wellcare Value Script (PDP)
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-152-0
Monthly Premium $0.00
x 12 months $0.00
Deductible $590.00
Premium + Deductible $590.00
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Saver Rx (PDP)
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-368-0
Monthly premium $20.70
x 12 months $248.40
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $838.40
========================================
Wellcare Classic (PDP)
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-072-0
Monthly premium $27.30
x 12 months $327.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $917.60
========================================
Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP)
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-197-0
Monthly premium $37.30
x 12 months $447.60
Deductible $573.00
Premium + deductible $1020.60
========================================
AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC (PDP)
UnitedHealthcare | Plan ID: S5921-399-0
Monthly premium $91.30
x 12 months $1095.60
Deductible $0.00
Premium + deductible $1095.60
========================================
SilverScript Choice (PDP)
Aetna Medicare | Plan ID: S5601-036-0
Monthly premium $44.90
x 12 month $538.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1128.80
========================================
AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP)
UnitedHealthcare | Plan ID: S5921-363-0
Monthly premium $54.80
x 12 months $657.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1247.60
========================================
Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP)
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-140-0
Monthly premium $69.80
x 12 months $837.60
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1426.60
=======================================
Blue MedicareRx Plus (PDP)
Anthem / Anthem or Blue KC in Missouri | Plan ID: S5596-044-0
Monthly premium $76.10
x 12 months $913.20
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1503.20
========================================
Blue MedicareRx Value (PDP)
Anthem / Anthem or Blue KC in Missouri | Plan ID: S5596-043-0
Monthly premium $91.40
x 12 months $1096.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1686.80
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Assurance Rx (PDP)
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-088-0
Monthly premium $91.50
x 12 months $1098
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1688.00
========================================
Cigna Healthcare Extra Rx (PDP)
Cigna Healthcare | Plan ID: S5617-263-0
Monthly premium $127.00
x 12 months $1524.00
Deductible $175.00
Premium + deductible $1699.00
========================================
Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP)
Humana | Plan ID: S5884-164-0
Monthly premium $142.20
x 12 months $1706.40
Deductible $0.00
Premium + deductible $1706.40
========================================
Wellcare Medicare Rx Value Plus (PDP)
Wellcare | Plan ID: S4802-221-0
Monthly premium $102.40
x 12 months $1228.80
Deductible $590.00
Premium + deductible $1818.80 ***]

---

[STLmember]

Thank you for the info. I had SilverScript also for 2024 and was happy with it.  I can look for an advocate here, but what else can they tell me that I cannot see for myself, since I'm not going to pivot to an Advantage plan?

I would personally like to see America open pharmaceutical options to other countries, some of which frequently offer the same medications we have in the U.S., but at a much lower cost. That in itself might drive down Part D costs, if pharmaceuticals could be obtained by insurers from approved vendors outside of the U.S. I'm no expert in this area, but I am cautiously optimistic that if we seniors complain enough, RFK will hear us.  And really, this is an issue that affects all consumers, not just seniors.

[GailL1]

@STLmember 

One of the up and coming administration’s previous plans was to open up importation of drugs to states.  I don’t know if that is still a plan - 

many of our drugs are already imported especially from China and India - especially generics.  So if we are successful in bringing some of that manufacturing back to the states, we may be paying more because of the cost to manufacture here rather than someplace else.       

Much of this is because we want the latest and the greatest - sometimes even if there is an alternative.  CMS is moving more towards restricting brand coverage if there is a generic or biosimilar available.  That would save cost for everybody.  

Maybe the government should buy out orphan drugs from the developer and then sell to those that need them.  These are the really really expensive ones that only a few people need for these rare conditions.  

Limiting the patent protection time would make drugs cheaper after a shorter time period but more expensive initially.  Limiting the new uses of drugs and then filing for a new patent could also save money in the long run.

But really, @STLmember, there is little we can do because they are the manufacturers and developers of these expensive drugs - even when government negotiates the cost does not go down to something reasonable for the average person.  I mean I don’t know about you but if a drug cost me $ 40,000 a year, bringing it down to $ 30,000 a year would help some but not as much as I would need.  

CMS, states and drug companies have a lot of various purchasing drug schemes but if there is a real need or demand, they are like anything else - supply and demand.  Case in point, the new GLP-1 weight reduction drugs that also help with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.  Those just might break us !!

[STLmember]

Good points. But from my POV, there is something wrong when we taxpayers help fund research and development of medical treatments and drugs (that we may or may not agree with) but then have to pay through the nose when those treatments and drugs are made available. Meanwhile, in other countries, those treatments become available at way less cost.

(But this is really another issue altogether--investigating how a drug or treatment is developed and gets to market, and whether and how that market is captive to the pharmaceutical manufacturer and the prices it chooses to set, and the role of the FDA and other "health agencies" in all of this, etc.--so I'll just stop here 🙂.)

[GailL1]

Sometimes that funding is through university systems where the research is done.  Then if something promising comes to the attention of a drug manufacturer, they BUY it from the university - many times in sharing the paten profits.

Other times the R & D is on the drug company perhaps sometimes banning together with outside investors to fund it.

Then they have to be paid back - and usually in the first few years BEFORE some other drug company also develops a similar or same drug.

You should investigate some of the bigger drug developers - many are not in this country.  Many are multinational.  Like:

• Sanofi, a major pharmaceutical company, is headquartered in Paris, France. 
• Roche, a major pharmaceutical company, is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. 
• Pfizer is multinational but headquartered here. 
• BioNtech is German
• Moderna is USA

Many generics are developed in other countries like India and China.  

Yes, the U.S. does discover and manufacture many of the world’s leading meds but we are also the top pharmaceutical-importing country too.  Because we are the BUYERS - 

We do not negotiate properly - we don’t do it at the approval stage - countries that negotiate at the approval stage often have a  take it or leave it philosophy - and sometimes this leads them behind in cures - the 1st Hep C curatives meds come to mind here.

Then not too many countries actually help with orphan drug development - we do.  And then we supply the world - these are drugs for rate diseases.  Very expensive because they cost a lot to develop and then there are only a few people that actually need them because the disease is rare BUT the med is needed.

The drug companies spread their cost here to other drugs too.

Like I said your troubles this year are because of the changes to the Part D Medicare program this year.  Pick your plan based on your current needs - you can do it all over again next year during AEP 

[SpringIsHereVA]

[11/8/24] You are welcome @STLmember !!!

My concern is that ONLINE in my humble opinion MAY not always have the CORRECT info.

The Medicare Advocates will sign you up in their office. Well at least my local LOA does.

They also gave me printouts to CONFIRM what was done.

So far, I am GRATEFUL for their FREE help.

As @GailL1 said, it may be TOO LATE to get an appointment BEFORE the December 7th DEADLINE. But it is worth a try.

She also knows alot about Medicare and has helped other members too. There is never an AARP person helping in this Medicare Forum. So we are very lucky to have a fellow member who cares. Thank you Gail.

Anyway, good luck!!!

---

[*** STLMEMBER wrote: Thank you for the info. I had SilverScript also for 2024 and was happy with it.  I can look for an advocate here, but what else can they tell me that I cannot see for myself, since I'm not going to pivot to an Advantage plan?

I would personally like to see America open pharmaceutical options to other countries, some of which frequently offer the same medications we have in the U.S., but at a much lower cost. That in itself might drive down Part D costs, if pharmaceuticals could be obtained by insurers from approved vendors outside of the U.S. I'm no expert in this area, but I am cautiously optimistic that if we seniors complain enough, RFK will hear us.  And really, this is an issue that affects all consumers, not just seniors. ***]

---