2026 Wellcare Value Script PDP Review

When you start shopping for a 2026 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, Wellcare is sure to be a company that enters the realm of possibilities.

Over the last several years, Wellcare has become one of the most competitively priced Medicare drug plans available in the central Illinois area. Many of our clients here at Sams/Hockaday have a Wellcare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).

Before we get into our full Wellcare PDP review, we’d like to share that prescription drug plans are not one size fits all. Just because someone you know loves their Wellcare drug plan doesn’t mean it’ll be right for you.

If you’re not sure how to compare and choose the right Medicare Part D plan for your specific prescriptions and pharmacy preferences, check out our step-by-step guide: How to Compare and Enroll in a Medicare Part D Drug Plan. It walks you through how to use Medicare’s Plan Compare tool so you can see which plan truly fits your needs before you enroll.

The prescriptions you take will have a huge impact on which drug plan will work best for you. It has a lot to do with each plan’s drug formulary, but before we get into the weeds, let’s quickly go over what Wellcare is.

What is Wellcare?

Wellcare, acquired by Centene in 2020, is now part of the largest Medicaid-managed care organization in the country. Centene serves more than 28 million members in all 50 states.

Wellcare offers Medicare Advantage Plans in 32 states and stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans nationwide (Centene).

How is Wellcare Rated?

Medicare uses a Star Rating System to help consumers understand how well different companies perform. Every Medicare Prescription Drug Plan company is going to have one of these Star Ratings, which range from 1 (worst) to 5 (best).

The Star Rating is a reflection of how well these plans perform in 40 unique areas, including:

• Customer service
• Member complaints
• Changes in the drug plan’s performance
• Member experience with the drug plan
• Drug safety
• Accuracy of drug pricing

Every year, Medicare reviews how each plan performs, and it releases brand new Star Ratings in the fall.

While the star rating isn’t everything, it's one piece of the puzzle when looking at which drug plan will be right for you. 

Wellcare’s overall 2026 Star Rating is 3.5, holding steady from 2025.

While it's still not back to the 4-star rating it had in 2022, holding steady at 3.5 is a good sign, especially with many other plans' ratings continuing to slide.

Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans Offered by Wellcare 

Wellcare currently offers 2 PDP options in Illinois:

• 2025 Wellcare Classic
• 2025 Wellcare Value Script

Medicare Part D plans do change every single year, and the 2026 plans from WellCare are different than last year.

When looking at these 2 plan options, each plan is going to suit different individuals with different prescription regimens.

2026 Wellcare Classic

The Wellcare Classic plan now has a $0 monthly premium for 2026 (down from $3.30 in 2025) and includes a $615 annual drug deductible.

Note: Please remember we are writing this article for clients in our area, which is central Illinois. Plan premiums are different in varoius areas of the country.

This makes it one of the most affordable options available, especially for those who prefer a Wellcare plan with a broad pharmacy network and reliable coverage.

2026 Wellcare ValueScript

Just like the Classic, the Value Script plan also has a $0 premium for 2026 and the same $615 drug deductible. It remains Wellcare’s entry-level option designed for those who want to maintain Medicare drug coverage at little to no monthly cost.

Note: Please remember we are writing this article for clients in our area, which is central Illinois. Plan premiums are different in varoius areas of the country.

If you don’t currently take any prescriptions and simply want to avoid the Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty, either one of these $0 premium plans could be a smart, budget-friendly choice.

How Different Are The 2026 Wellcare Plans?

You might be wondering, if they both have $0 premiums, and the same $615 drug deductible, what is the difference?

The difference becomes clear when you start entering your prescription medications. Each plan has its own drug formulary, so the costs and coverage can vary widely depending on what you take and where you fill your prescriptions.

That’s why it’s so important to run a personalized comparison before choosing a plan. 

If you haven’t done that yet, check out our guide: How to Compare and Enroll in a Medicare Part D Drug Plan. It walks you step-by-step through using Medicare’s Plan Compare tool so you can find out which plan truly fits your needs.

Looking for the Lowest Annual Cost

Ultimately, it’s a math game. When you factor in the copays for your prescriptions, which plan has the lowest annual cost for you?

Also, Wellcare may not have the best plan for you once you enter in your medications. That's why we always recommend you run a personalized comparison before choosing a plan.

How Does a Wellcare Medicare Drug Plan Work?

All Medicare Part D drug plans follow an outline:

• Premium
• Yearly deductible
• Copayments or coinsurance (one or the other)

Every plan is going to have all three of these elements – it’s just a matter of what they are, and what drugs you’re taking. That will determine your annual price.

In addition, insurance companies – including Wellcare – develop a formulary. A formulary is a list of drugs the Part D company chooses to cover.

Within that formulary, you have drug tiers. 

Drug Tiers, Explained

Generic drugs are found in the lower tiers, whereas specialty/brand-name drugs will be in the higher (and more expensive) tiers.

Drugs in the Preferred Generics tier won't cost you anything at the pharmacy counter since both Wellcare PDP plans offer a $0 copay for these.

However, if your prescriptions fall into the Generic tier, your copay would be $3.00 with the Value Script plan and $10.00 with the Classic.

For Non-Preferred Drugs, the coinsurance jumps to 40% with the Value Script plan and 31% with the Classic.

As you can see, the prescriptions you take will make all the difference in determining which Wellcare plan fits you best.

And if you’re looking beyond Wellcare, remember that each insurance company structures its drug tiers differently. 

So if you can get your drug priced as a Preferred Generic with Wellcare, and it’s a Preferred Brand with a different company, it’s going to cost you less with Wellcare.

That’s why it pays to compare plans carefully before enrolling.

Conclusion

For 2026, there are 12 drug plans to choose from here in Decatur, IL, and these 2 from Wellcare represent a good selection.

Because drug plans aren’t one-size-fits-all, it’s important to run your own drug comparison with your exact list of medications. You might find that a Wellcare plan is the best fit for you — or that another company offers better coverage for your specific prescriptions.

To find out if a Wellcare PDP plan is the best fit for you, you can run your own drug cost comparison using your current prescriptions directly on the Medicare.gov website. It’s quick, easy, and only takes a few minutes.

For help running a comparison, check out our step-by-step article: How to Compare and Enroll in a Medicare Part D Drug Plan. It walks you through how to use Medicare’s Plan Compare tool so you can see which plan best fits your needs.

You can enroll in a new drug plan or change your current one during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15 through December 7 each year.

And if you need help along the way, our team here at Sams/Hockaday is always here to guide you.

Read more company reviews:

• Aetna Medicare Supplement Review
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare Supplement Review