Plan year 2027 · Medicare AdvantageCMS files of Sept. 22 and Oct. 1, 2026
Wellcare Iowa Total Care Dual Access, 2027
H1862Contract004Plan
HMO-POS D-SNP · special needs plan, dual-eligible · 76 counties in Iowa
Run by Wellcare of Iowa, Inc. (contract H1862), sold as Wellcare, owned by Centene Corporation
Wellcare Iowa Total Care Dual Access (H1862-004) costs $24.60 a month in 2027, down $4.40 from 2026, with an in-network out-of-pocket limit of $9,850 ($9,250 in 2026). In 2026 it was called Wellcare Dual Access. It leaves 6 counties it served in 2026, where 23 of its members lived; they choose another plan for 2027 (the counties are listed below).
What changes from 2026 to 2027?
| What you pay or get | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan name | Wellcare Dual Access | Wellcare Iowa Total Care Dual Access | renamed |
| Monthly premium | $29 | $24.60 | ▼down $4.40 |
| In-network out-of-pocket limit | $9,250 | $9,850 | ▲up $600 |
| Drug deductible | $615 | $700 | ▲up $85 |
| Hospital stay, in network | $2,155 a stay | $2,140 a stay | ▼down $15for a 5-day stay |
| Skilled nursing facility, in network | $0 a day for days 1–20, then $218 a day for days 21–70, then $0 a day for days 71–100 | $0 a day for days 1–20, then $221 a day for days 21–70, then $0 a day for days 71–100 | ▲up $30for a 30-day stay |
| Comprehensive dental, yearly limit | $4,000 a year | $2,500 a year | ▼down $1,500 |
| Eyewear, yearly limit | $400 a year | $200 a year | ▼down $200 |
| Hearing aids, yearly limit for both ears | $1,000 a year | $500 a year | ▼down $500 |
| Over-the-counter items, yearly | not offered | $408 a year | ▲added |
| Counties served | 75 | 76 | ▲up 1 |
| Drug tier 1, generic | $19 | $15 | ▼down $4 |
| Drug tier 2, preferred brand | $20 | 25% of the cost | changed |
| Drug tier 3, non-preferred drug | 25% of the cost | 29% of the cost | ▲up 4 points |
| Drug tier 4, injectable drugs | $100 | 25% of the cost | changed |
| Drug tier 6, select care drugs | $6 | $0 | ▼down $6 |
| 7 lines do not change | |||
| Part B premium reduction, monthly | none | none | no change |
| Primary care visit | 20% of the cost | 20% of the cost | no change |
| Specialist visit | 20% of the cost | 20% of the cost | no change |
| Emergency room | $115 copay | $115 copay | no change |
| Medical deductible, in network | none | none | no change |
| Ground ambulance, in network | 20% of the cost | 20% of the cost | no change |
| Drug tier 5, specialty tier | 25% of the cost | 25% of the cost | no change |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape files for 2027 (Sept. 22, 2026, revised Sept. 30) and 2026 (Sept. 2, 2026 revision); CMS plan benefit package files, 2027 and 2026; CMS plan crosswalk from 2026 to 2027 (Oct. 1, 2026). Plan details can change during the year; confirm on Medicare Plan Finder.
What will prescriptions cost?
| Tier | What the tier holds | 2026, standard pharmacy | 2027, standard pharmacy | 2027, preferred pharmacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Generic | $19 | $15 | $0 |
| Tier 2 | Preferred Brand | $20 | 25% of the cost | 25% of the cost |
| Tier 3 | Non-Preferred Drug | 25% of the cost | 29% of the cost | 29% of the cost |
| Tier 4 | Injectable Drugs | $100 | 25% of the cost | 25% of the cost |
| Tier 5 | Specialty Tier | 25% of the cost | 25% of the cost | 25% of the cost |
| Tier 6 | Select Care Drugs | $6 | $0 | $0 |
Source: CMS plan benefit package files, 2027 and 2026. Insulin is capped at $35 a month by law. A drug's tier is set by the plan's formulary.
How does it compare with plans sold where it is?
In the counties it serves, 9 dual-eligible special needs plans are sold for 2027, this one included. Against the others, 1 plan has a lower out-of-pocket limit, 7 the same. On the premium, 7 plans have a lower premium, 1 the same.
Out-of-pocket limits of the 9 dual-eligible special needs plans
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape files for 2027 (Sept. 22, 2026, revised Sept. 30) and 2026 (Sept. 2, 2026 revision).
Where is it sold, and what does it cost there?
It stops serving 6 counties it served in 2026 (listed in the next section).
The premium and the out-of-pocket limit are the same in all 76 counties: $24.60 a month and $9,850.
Iowa
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape files for 2027 (Sept. 22, 2026, revised Sept. 30) and 2026 (Sept. 2, 2026 revision).
What if you live in a county it leaves?
Its 2026 members in the 6 counties listed below cannot stay in it for 2027; each county page lists the 2027 plans sold there.
- Your coverage
- This plan ends for you on December 31, 2026, because it is no longer sold where you live.
- October 15 to December 7, 2026
- Open enrollment: join another Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare with a drug plan. Coverage starts January 1, 2027.
- December 8, 2026 to the end of February 2027
- A special enrollment period because the plan is leaving: you can still join a plan, but coverage starts the first day of the month after you join, so choose by December 31 to have no gap.
- If you do nothing
- You are enrolled in Original Medicare when the plan ends, and because you have Medicaid, Medicare enrolls you in a drug plan.
- If you choose Original Medicare
- You have a guaranteed right to buy Medigap Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K or L sold in your state by any insurance company; if you were new to Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plans D and G take the place of C and F. Apply from 60 days before to 63 days after the plan ends; the policy starts once your Medicare Advantage coverage ends. Other Medigap plans are not covered by this right.
- If you have Medicaid or Extra Help
- You can switch to a different drug plan, or leave a Medicare Advantage plan for Original Medicare with a drug plan, once a calendar month; the change starts the first day of the next month.
| County | Members, Sept. 2026 |
|---|---|
| Scott, IA | 23 |
| Bremer, IA | fewer than 11 |
| Cherokee, IA | fewer than 11 |
| Fayette, IA | fewer than 11 |
| Ida, IA | fewer than 11 |
| Woodbury, IA | fewer than 11 |
Source: CMS plan crosswalk from 2026 to 2027 (Oct. 1, 2026); CMS monthly enrollment by plan and by county, September 2026 (CMS hides counts under 11); Medicare.gov, “Special enrollment periods” and “When can I buy Medigap?” (read Oct. 7, 2026).
Who runs this plan?
- Plan ID
- H1862-004
- Legal name of the contract
- Wellcare of Iowa, Inc.
- Sold as
- Wellcare
- Parent company
- Centene Corporation
- Plan type
- HMO-POS D-SNP
- 2026 star rating of the contract
- not rated (too little data) overall; health plan not rated, drug plan 3.5 of 5
- Members, September 2026
- 481
- Plan website, as filed with CMS
- go.wellcare.com/IA
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape files for 2027 (Sept. 22, 2026, revised Sept. 30) and 2026 (Sept. 2, 2026 revision); CMS 2026 Star Ratings (October 2025); CMS monthly enrollment by plan and by county, September 2026 (CMS hides counts under 11). CMS publishes the 2027 Star Ratings in October 2026.
What else should you check?
- Other 2027 plans in Polk, IAWhere most of its members live; premiums and limits side by side
- Every Wellcare plan for 2027Its contracts, counties and plans that end
- The other 3 plans of contract H1862Same company, same contract
- Is your prescription covered?Coverage share and tier for 2,259 drugs
Data, not advice. These are the plan's filed amounts, not a quote for you; confirm on Medicare Plan Finder or call the plan before you enroll.