Medicare Advantage
Wellcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Houston: 1 new, 5 not returning, 2 renamed
HOUSTON — Fall 2026 is the stretch when Medicare shoppers compare what their plan looks like next year against what else is on the shelf. For people in and around Houston who already have — or are considering — a Wellcare Medicare Advantage plan, the shelf itself is changing. Wellcare will offer five Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County for 2027, down from nine this year, with one brand-new Dual Special Needs Plan and two plans carrying new names.
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Key takeaways
- Wellcare will offer 5 Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County (where Houston is) for 2027: 4 HMOs and 1 HMO-POS, all with drug coverage, including 3 Dual Special Needs Plans.
- Compared with 2026, 5 Wellcare plans are not returning, 1 is new for 2027, and 2 have been renamed — your Annual Notice of Change spells out exactly what shifts for your plan.
- The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, 2026; any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
- Wellcare is one of 15 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in the county for 2027 (99 plans in all), so comparing against your doctors and prescriptions on medicare.gov is the practical next step.
MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site, not Wellcare and not Medicare. We publish the plan availability counts straight from CMS so you can see what is in your county before the December 7 deadline.
What Wellcare is offering in Harris County for 2027
Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level, and Houston sits inside Harris County. For 2027, Wellcare (which CMS groups under Centene) has five Medicare Advantage plans in the county, all of them including prescription drug coverage. By type, that is four HMOs and one HMO-POS. Three of the five are Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), which are built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid.
The table below lists every Wellcare plan in the county for 2027. The named plans, in alphabetical order, are Wellcare Simple (HMO), Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Access (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP), and Wellcare TexanPlus Classic Simple (HMO-POS).
We cannot share premiums, copays, networks or star ratings here — those live on the official Plan Finder — but we can tell you what is in the lineup so you know what to look up.
What is new, renamed or not returning
Year to year, Medicare Advantage lineups shift. Here is what changed for Wellcare in Harris County between 2026 and 2027:
- New for 2027: Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP).
- Renamed: Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Access (HMO D-SNP), which was Wellcare Dual Access (HMO D-SNP) in 2026; and Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP), which was Wellcare Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP) in 2026.
- Not returning: five Wellcare plans offered in Harris County in 2026 are not on the 2027 list.
If a plan you have is being discontinued, Wellcare is required to notify you by mail. If your plan is simply renamed, the notice will say so. Either way, the document to look for is the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) — it is the official, plan-by-plan summary of what is different about your coverage next year.
Special Needs Plans in the mix
Three of Wellcare's five 2027 plans in Harris County are D-SNPs — Medicare Advantage plans limited to people who also qualify for Medicaid. There are no Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) or Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) in Wellcare's Harris County lineup for 2027. If you are not dually eligible, a D-SNP will not be an option for you; the Plan Finder on medicare.gov will only show you plans you qualify to join.
How to check a plan against your doctors and prescriptions before December 7
Three steps will tell you more than any brochure:
1. Pull out your Annual Notice of Change. It arrived (or will arrive) by late September. It shows what your current plan looks like for 2027 — the premium, the deductibles, the drug tier changes, the network updates. If you do nothing, that is the plan you will have on January 1. 2. Use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, your prescriptions and your pharmacy. You can also check whether specific doctors are in a plan's network, though confirming with the plan directly is wise. 3. Call if it is faster. 1-800-MEDICARE is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For plan-specific details, the number on the back of your member card goes straight to the carrier.
Wellcare is one of 15 carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County for 2027, and across all carriers there are 99 plans in the county. In other words, there is room to compare before you commit.
The 2027 numbers CMS has already set
A few program-level figures for 2027 are confirmed and worth knowing while you shop:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap will be $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
- The Part D maximum deductible will be $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
- The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33 — 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 in the fall, usually in November.
Dates to keep in mind
- October 15 – December 7, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period. Any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
- January 1 – March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, when people already in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch once or go back to Original Medicare.
Nothing has to happen on December 7 if your current plan still fits. If it does not — or if it is one of the five Wellcare plans not returning in Harris County — the window to pick something else closes that day.
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 Harris County
(MA penetration in Harris 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 Harris County for 2027
CMS lists 5 Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County for 2027, alphabetically by carrier. 14 other carriers also offer plans there.
| Plan | Type | Drug coverage | For 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centene (WellCare) 5 plans | |||
| Wellcare Simple (HMO) | HMO | Yes | Returning |
| Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Access (HMO D-SNP) | HMO D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP) | HMO D-SNP | Yes | New |
| Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP) | HMO D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Wellcare TexanPlus Classic Simple (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | 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 Harris 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.
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The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Wellcare plan is one of the five not returning?
Are the renamed Wellcare plans the same coverage with a new name?
I have both Medicare and Medicaid. Do I have to pick a D-SNP?
What happens if I miss December 7?
- 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 Houston
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This page was last updated: October 2026.