Medicare Advantage

Wellcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Lubbock: one new, one renamed, five gone

Lubbock, Texas — Wellcare's Medicare Advantage lineup in Lubbock County is shifting for 2027. One plan is new, one has been renamed, and five plans Wellcare offered in 2026 will not return next year. If you are enrolled in a Wellcare plan now, your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) spells out exactly what is changing for your plan — and the window to switch runs October 15 through December 7, 2026.

MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site and is not Wellcare or Medicare. Wellcare is one of six carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Lubbock County for 2027; across all carriers, 38 Medicare Advantage plans will be sold in the county.

Which Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Lubbock County for 2027?

For 2027, Wellcare (CMS lists the parent as Centene (WellCare)) is offering 4 Medicare Advantage plans in Lubbock County. All four are HMOs. Two are D-SNPs, designed for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Three of the four include Part D prescription drug coverage; one does not.

The table on this page lists every 2027 Wellcare plan in the county by name and type. In alphabetical order, they are:

• Wellcare Patriot Simple (HMO) — HMO, without drug coverage
• Wellcare Simple (HMO) — HMO, with drug coverage
• Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) — HMO D-SNP, with drug coverage (renamed; it was previously Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP))
• Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve Value (HMO D-SNP) — HMO D-SNP, with drug coverage (new for 2027)

Lubbock is in Lubbock County, and Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level, so these are the Wellcare plans anyone with a Lubbock County ZIP code can shop.

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

One Wellcare plan is new for 2027 in Lubbock County — Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve Value (HMO D-SNP). One plan has been renamed: Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP), which was called Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) in 2026. Five Wellcare plans sold in Lubbock County in 2026 will not be offered in 2027.

If you are in a plan that is not returning, Medicare will send you a non-renewal notice explaining your options, and you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan. If your plan is continuing but has been renamed or redesigned, your ANOC — mailed in September — details the 2027 changes to premiums, cost-sharing, drug list and network. We can't list those details here; your ANOC and the Evidence of Coverage are the authoritative source.

What are Special Needs Plans, and does Wellcare offer them in Lubbock County?

Two of Wellcare's 4 Lubbock County plans for 2027 are Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). These plans are limited to people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, and they coordinate benefits across the two programs. Wellcare is not offering a Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP) or an Institutional SNP (I-SNP) in the county for 2027.

If you aren't sure whether you qualify as "dual eligible," Texas Health and Human Services handles Medicaid eligibility, and 1-800-MEDICARE can confirm what you currently have on file.

How do I check a 2027 plan against my doctors and prescriptions before December 7?

The fastest check is the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, type in your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies, and the tool shows every plan available for 2027 along with estimated drug costs and whether each pharmacy is in network. For doctors and hospitals, call the plan directly or search the plan's online provider directory for 2027 — networks can change year to year, so a provider who was in-network in 2026 may or may not be in 2027.

A short checklist before December 7, 2026:

• Read your ANOC — it lists every 2027 change to your current plan.
• Confirm your prescriptions are on the 2027 formulary and note the tier.
• Confirm your primary care doctor, specialists and preferred hospital are in the 2027 network.
• Check your pharmacy's 2027 status (preferred, standard or out-of-network).
• If you take high-cost drugs, note the 2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap of $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026) and ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread drug costs over the year.

What Medicare dates and figures should Lubbock residents know for 2027?

The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 – December 7, 2026. Any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027. If you do nothing and your plan is still offered, it renews automatically with the changes in your ANOC. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1 and want to switch, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 – March 31, 2027, and allows one change.

Confirmed 2027 figures from CMS:

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

Not yet announced: the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets. CMS typically publishes these in the fall, usually November. The 2026 IRMAA surcharges begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer.