Medicare Advantage

Wellcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup in Jersey City: three plans return, three bow out

JERSEY CITY — October 2026. Wellcare's Medicare Advantage menu in Hudson County is shorter next year. For plan year 2027, the carrier is offering three Medicare Advantage plans in the county that includes Jersey City, down from six this year — three plans are not returning, and no new plans are being added. If you are a Wellcare member here, that is the single most important thing to check before the Annual Enrollment Period closes on December 7, 2026.

MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site. We are not Wellcare, not Medicare, and not any insurance company. Wellcare is one of nine carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Hudson County for 2027; together those carriers offer 48 plans. This article focuses on Wellcare because its lineup is changing — but you have other options to compare.

What Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Jersey City for 2027?

Jersey City is in Hudson County, where Wellcare is offering three Medicare Advantage plans for plan year 2027. By plan type, that is one HMO (the D-SNP) and two HMO-POS plans. All three include Part D prescription drug coverage.

The returning plans, in alphabetical order, are:

• Wellcare Assist (HMO-POS) — HMO-POS, with drug coverage
• Wellcare Fidelis Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) — HMO D-SNP, with drug coverage
• Wellcare Low Premium (HMO-POS) — HMO-POS, with drug coverage

The table below lists every Wellcare plan available in the county for 2027. We do not list premiums, copays, networks, drug lists or star ratings here — those are plan-specific, change year to year, and should be checked directly on medicare.gov or in the plan's own Evidence of Coverage.

What is a D-SNP, and who is Wellcare Fidelis Dual Align for?

A D-SNP, or Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Wellcare Fidelis Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) is Wellcare's one Special Needs Plan in Hudson County for 2027. Wellcare does not offer a Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP) or Institutional SNP (I-SNP) here.

To enroll in a D-SNP, you generally need to qualify for Medicaid in New Jersey as well as Medicare. If you are not sure whether you qualify, call 1-800-MEDICARE or check with your state Medicaid office.

What changed from 2026 to 2027 for Wellcare in Hudson County?

Three Wellcare plans offered in Hudson County in 2026 are not being offered in 2027, no new Wellcare plans are being added, and none have been renamed. If you are enrolled in a Wellcare plan this year, you should have received an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from Wellcare by late September 2026. That document will tell you whether your specific plan is continuing, and what is changing about it if it is.

If your plan is not returning for 2027 and you take no action, Medicare will not automatically move you to a comparable plan at every carrier — the rules depend on the plan type. The safest step is to open your ANOC, then compare on medicare.gov.

How do I check a Wellcare plan against my doctors and prescriptions before December 7?

The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the tool built for this. You can enter your ZIP code (for Jersey City, that is 07302, 07304, 07305, 07306, 07307, 07310 or similar), add your prescriptions, and see each plan's drug list and estimated yearly cost side by side.

A few things worth doing before the December 7, 2026 deadline:

1. Make a list of your prescriptions, including dosage and how often you fill them. 2. List your doctors and preferred hospitals. On medicare.gov, you can check a plan's provider directory, but calling your doctor's billing office to confirm they will accept a specific plan in 2027 is the surest way. 3. Check your pharmacy. Preferred pharmacies change year to year. 4. Read the ANOC from your current plan — the specifics about any changes are in there.

If you want to talk to a person, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What Medicare dates and 2027 figures should I know?

The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any change you make during that window takes effect January 1, 2027. If you do nothing and your current plan is renewing, you keep it — with whatever changes the ANOC describes.

CMS has confirmed these 2027 Part D figures:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027 (this is a formula input, not what any specific plan charges).

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes those figures in the fall, usually in November. We will update when they are released.

If you miss December 7, there is still the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31, 2027, which lets someone already in a Medicare Advantage plan switch to another MA plan or go back to Original Medicare once.