Medicare Advantage
Wellcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Charlotte: two gone, three renamed
Charlotte, N.C. — If you have a Wellcare Medicare Advantage plan in Charlotte, your 2027 lineup looks a little different. Wellcare will offer seven Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County next year, down from nine this year, with two plans not returning and three carrying new names. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
Compare Medicare Advantage options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare Advantage listings from licensed insurance partners.
What’s your ZIP code?
Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
This affects which Medicare Advantage options you can choose.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Medicare Advantage plans in your area are changing or leaving for 2027.
One call tells you whether your plan is on the list — before enrollment opens.
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. No phone menu, ever.
Medicare Advantage plans in your area are changing or leaving for 2027.
Is your plan on the list? One call tells you — before enrollment opens.
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. About 5 minutes, no obligation.
Agents available Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm CT
Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240Found a plan you like online?
One free call confirms it's actually right for you — online directories are wrong more often than you'd think.
- Your doctors — confirmed in-network for 2027
- Your prescriptions — checked against the plan's 2027 drug tiers
855-729-3240 · free · about 5 minutes
Key takeaways
- Wellcare will offer 7 Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County for 2027: 3 HMO-POS and 4 PPO, all with drug coverage, and 3 of them Dual Special Needs Plans.
- Two Wellcare plans that were sold here in 2026 are not returning for 2027, and three plans have been renamed — the specifics are in each plan's Annual Notice of Change.
- Wellcare is one of 12 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in the county next year, with 89 Medicare Advantage plans in total.
- To compare any plan against your doctors and prescriptions, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE before December 7, 2026.
This article walks through what Wellcare is offering in the county next year, what is new or gone, and how to check any of these plans against your own doctors and prescriptions before the December 7 deadline. MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent news and education site, not Wellcare and not Medicare.
What Wellcare is offering in Mecklenburg County for 2027
Charlotte sits in Mecklenburg County, and Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level. For 2027, Wellcare (which CMS groups under Centene) is offering seven Medicare Advantage plans in the county. By plan type, three are HMO-POS and four are PPO. All seven include Part D prescription drug coverage.
The table below lists every Wellcare plan available in the county for 2027. Plans named here are listed exactly as CMS lists them; we are not attaching costs, benefits, networks, or ratings to any plan — those details belong in each plan's own documents.
Special Needs Plans in the lineup
Three of Wellcare's 2027 plans in Mecklenburg County are Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), designed for people who have both Medicare and full Medicaid. They are Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty (HMO-POS D-SNP), Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty Open (PPO D-SNP), and Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP). Wellcare is not offering a Chronic Condition SNP or Institutional SNP in the county next year.
If you qualify for Medicaid as well as Medicare, D-SNPs are worth looking at closely — but eligibility rules apply, and the Plan Finder will show you which ones you can actually enroll in.
What's new, what's not returning, and what was renamed
Wellcare has no brand-new Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County for 2027. Two of its 2026 plans are not being offered next year. If one of those is yours, Wellcare will send you a non-renewal notice, and you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to pick another plan.
Three plans are returning with new names:
- Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Liberty (HMO-POS D-SNP)
- Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty Open (PPO D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Liberty Open (PPO D-SNP)
- Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP)
A new name does not necessarily mean the plan is identical to last year's version, or that it is different. The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed in late September spells out exactly what is changing for 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, network, drug list, and extra benefits.
Drug coverage in 2027: what to look at
Every Wellcare Medicare Advantage plan listed above includes Part D drug coverage. When you compare plans, two 2027 numbers set by CMS matter:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that cap, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
- The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Plans can set a lower deductible, but not higher.
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is also available if you'd rather spread drug costs across the year instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
The Part B standard premium, Part B deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet. CMS normally publishes those in the fall, typically in November.
How to check a plan against your doctors and prescriptions before December 7
Here is a practical sequence:
1. Read your ANOC. If you're already in a Wellcare plan, this is the clearest picture of what is changing on January 1. 2. List your prescriptions and doctors. Include dose and frequency for drugs, and the full name and address for each provider. 3. Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Log in, add your drugs and your pharmacy, and the tool will show the 2027 cost estimate for each plan, including whether your drugs are on the formulary. 4. Confirm your doctors are in-network. Check the plan's own online provider directory for 2027, and call your doctor's office to confirm — networks change. 5. Call if you'd rather talk to someone. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24/7.
Remember: if you do nothing, and your current plan is still offered in 2027, it renews automatically with the changes in your ANOC.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Mecklenburg County
(MA penetration in Mecklenburg County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
2027 plan lineup
Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County for 2027
CMS lists 7 Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County for 2027, alphabetically by carrier. 11 other carriers also offer plans there.
| Plan | Type | Drug coverage | For 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centene (WellCare) 7 plans | |||
| Wellcare Assist Open (PPO) | PPO | Yes | Returning |
| Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty (HMO-POS D-SNP) | HMO-POS D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Liberty Open (PPO D-SNP) | PPO D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Wellcare Carolina Complete Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP) | HMO-POS D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Wellcare Patriot Giveback Open (PPO) | PPO | Yes | Returning |
| Wellcare Simple (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | Returning |
| Wellcare Simple Open (PPO) | PPO | Yes | Returning |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
The 2027 choices, by type
How Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans in Mecklenburg County break down for 2027
HMO plans use a network and usually a primary-care doctor and referrals; HMO-POS plans add some out-of-network coverage; PPO plans also cover out-of-network care, at a higher share; PFFS plans pay any provider that accepts the plan’s terms. Special Needs Plans serve people with Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), certain chronic conditions (C-SNP) or living in an institution (I-SNP).
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is Wellcare the only Medicare Advantage carrier in Charlotte for 2027?
My Wellcare plan isn't being offered in 2027. What happens?
My plan has a new name for 2027. Is it the same plan?
When do changes I make this fall take effect?
- CMS — MA Landscape Source File (plan-level availability by county)
- CMS — MA Landscape Source Files, current and coming plan year (year-over-year comparison)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Also for Charlotte
Content Integrity Standards
- No invented figures. Program-level numbers come from CMS / Medicare.gov; we never use placeholder data.
- No plan rankings or recommendations. This is educational content. We don't rank, score, or recommend specific plans.
- AI-assisted, human-reviewed. Articles are produced with AI-assisted tools and reviewed by the responsible desk before publishing.
- Inline sourcing. Facts and figures are cited to primary sources — CMS, SSA, and Medicare.gov.
- Correction transparency. We fix errors openly and note when a page was last updated.
- Not a government site. MyMedicarePlans.org is privately owned and not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
This page was last updated: October 2026.