Medicare Advantage

Wellcare Medicare Advantage in Ohio for 2027: 4 Plans, County by County

COLUMBUS — Ohioans comparing Medicare Advantage coverage for 2027 will see Wellcare, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services groups under Centene (WellCare), continue in the state with a small, focused lineup. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027, Wellcare is offering 4 Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio next year, all built around dual-eligible needs. This article is published by an independent Medicare education site; we are not the government and not affiliated with Wellcare or any insurance carrier.

2027 plan lineupOhio

What Wellcare offers statewide for 2027

Across Ohio for 2027, Wellcare lists 4 Medicare Advantage plans. All 4 are HMOs, all 4 include prescription drug coverage, and all 4 are Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), which are designed for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Wellcare does not list any Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) or Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) in Ohio for 2027.

For context, CMS shows 19 other carriers offering Medicare Advantage in Ohio for 2027, and all carriers together list 180 plans. Wellcare's share of that landscape is small by plan count, but concentrated in the D-SNP category.

If you are not eligible for Medicaid, D-SNP plans generally will not be the right fit, because enrollment is limited to people who meet both Medicare and Medicaid eligibility rules. The full statewide plan table on this page shows each Wellcare plan name and type side by side.

Wellcare's plans with the widest county reach

CMS county-level files show all 4 Wellcare plans listed in all 88 Ohio counties for 2027:

• Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Access (HMO D-SNP)
• Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP)
• Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP)
• Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align Unity (HMO D-SNP)

Statewide listing does not automatically mean every plan is marketed or appropriate for every reader — these are D-SNPs with Medicaid eligibility requirements. The table on this page shows the plan-by-plan county footprint from the CMS Landscape file.

What is new or not returning

Year over year, the Wellcare lineup in Ohio is shifting. Comparing the CY2026 and CY2027 CMS Landscape files:

• 3 Wellcare plans are new for 2027: Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Access (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP), and Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP).
• 1 plan has been renamed: Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align Unity (HMO D-SNP) was previously listed as Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP).
• 6 Wellcare plans from 2026 are not returning for 2027.

If you are currently enrolled in a Wellcare plan that is ending, you should receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from the carrier explaining what is happening with your coverage and what your options are. If a plan is renamed, your coverage may continue under the new name, but the ANOC and your 2027 Evidence of Coverage will spell out any differences.

Checking whether a plan is offered in your county — and covers your doctors and prescriptions

Medicare Advantage plans are sold county by county. A plan that appears on a statewide list may not be available in the county where you live, and the specifics of a plan — provider network, pharmacy network, drug formulary, prior authorization rules, extra benefits — vary by plan.

A few steps that help:

1. Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare and enter your ZIP code. The Plan Finder will show only the plans available where you live. 2. Within Plan Finder, add your prescription drugs and your preferred pharmacy. The tool will show whether each drug is on a given plan's formulary. 3. Check the provider directory for any plan you are considering, and confirm directly with your doctor's office that they will be in-network for that plan in 2027. 4. Read the plan's Evidence of Coverage for the full rules on cost-sharing, referrals, and coverage limits.

Because Wellcare's Ohio plans for 2027 are all D-SNPs, confirm your Medicaid status with the Ohio Department of Medicaid before enrolling — eligibility is required.

What to do before December 7

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any plan election you make during that window takes effect January 1, 2027.

A practical checklist:

• Read the ANOC your current plan mails you in the fall; it compares 2026 and 2027.
• Make a list of your current doctors, prescriptions, and pharmacies.
• Use Medicare.gov Plan Finder to see every plan available in your county, not just Wellcare's.
• Call the plans you are seriously considering and ask about anything the Plan Finder does not make clear.
• If you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, ask specifically about D-SNP options and how they coordinate your benefits.

There is no need to rush — the deadline is a date, not a countdown. The point is to make a thoughtful decision before December 7, 2026.

Where to get free help

For unbiased, no-cost help:

• Visit medicare.gov to compare plans, read plan documents, and check whether a specific plan is offered in your county.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with TTY service at 1-877-486-2048.

Carriers can also answer questions about their own plans directly, using the member services number printed on plan materials and on each plan's page in Medicare Plan Finder.