Medicare Advantage

Wellcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Bakersfield: both are Special Needs Plans

Bakersfield, Calif. — Fall 2026. If you have a Wellcare Medicare Advantage plan in Bakersfield, or you are shopping for one during this year's Annual Enrollment Period, the 2027 lineup is short and specific: Wellcare is offering two plans in Kern County next year, and both are Special Needs Plans built for people who qualify by health condition or by having both Medicare and Medi-Cal.

MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site — we are not Wellcare, Medicare, or any insurance company. We publish what CMS releases so you can walk into the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, knowing what is actually on the shelf.

What Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Bakersfield for 2027?

Bakersfield is in Kern County, where Wellcare (CMS lists the parent company as Centene) is offering 2 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Both are HMO Special Needs Plans and both include Part D prescription drug coverage.

Specifically, Wellcare's 2027 plans in Kern County are:

• Wellcare Health Net Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP) — a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan
• Wellcare Specialty Simple (HMO C-SNP) — a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan

The table below lists every Wellcare plan in Kern County side by side. For prices, copays, provider networks, drug lists and star ratings, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE — those details change by plan and we don't publish them here.

What is a Special Needs Plan, and who can join one?

A Special Needs Plan (SNP) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who meet a specific eligibility rule. Both Wellcare plans in Kern County for 2027 are SNPs, so not everyone can enroll.

• A D-SNP (Dual Eligible) is for people who have both Medicare and Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program). Wellcare Health Net Dual Liberty is this type.
• A C-SNP (Chronic Condition) is for people with a qualifying chronic health condition — CMS defines the list, and it includes conditions like diabetes, chronic heart failure and certain lung disorders. Wellcare Specialty Simple is this type.

If you don't fit either category, you would look at a different carrier's plans in the county. There are 10 other Medicare Advantage carriers in Kern County for 2027, offering 42 plans altogether across all carriers.

What is new or not returning from Wellcare in Kern County for 2027?

For 2027 in Kern County, Wellcare has 0 new plans, 0 plans leaving, and 1 plan that was renamed. The renamed plan is Wellcare Health Net Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP), which was previously called Wellcare Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP).

A new name does not necessarily mean a new plan — but it also doesn't mean nothing changed. Every Medicare Advantage member gets an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by the end of September. That document lists the exact 2027 changes to your plan: premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers, provider network, and extra benefits. Read it before December 7.

How do I check a Wellcare plan against my doctors and prescriptions?

Before you enroll or stay put, check three things against the specific plan you are considering — in Bakersfield, that most often means confirming the plan works with the Kern County doctors and pharmacies you already use.

1. Your doctors. On medicare.gov's Plan Finder, you can enter the plan name and search its provider directory, or call the plan directly to confirm each doctor and hospital is in-network for 2027. Networks can change year to year. 2. Your prescriptions. Plan Finder lets you enter every drug you take, your dose, and your preferred pharmacy. It will show the plan's formulary (covered drug list) and the tier each drug falls on. A drug that was covered in 2026 may be on a different tier — or not covered — in 2027. 3. Your pharmacy. Plans have preferred and standard pharmacies, and the cost can differ. Confirm your usual pharmacy is in the plan's network.

If you also qualify for Medi-Cal (needed for the D-SNP) or have a qualifying chronic condition (needed for the C-SNP), bring proof when you call — the plan will verify eligibility.

What is changing in Part D for 2027?

Even if your plan is renewing, the Part D program itself has new numbers for 2027 that CMS has already published:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once you hit the cap, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Individual plans can set a lower deductible.
• The Part D national base beneficiary premium is $41.33 for 2027. This is a formula input CMS uses, not the premium any specific plan charges.
• The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan remains available: it lets you spread your drug costs out across the year in monthly installments at no extra charge.

CMS has not yet published the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible or the 2027 IRMAA income brackets. Those usually come out in November — check medicare.gov when they are released.

What are the key dates for 2027 Medicare coverage?

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any change you make in that window takes effect January 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan automatically renews for 2027 — assuming it is still offered — with whatever changes are listed in its ANOC.

After that, Medicare Advantage members get one more window: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 through March 31, 2027, when you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare one time. People in SNPs who continue to qualify also have Special Enrollment Periods available at other times of the year.