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PlainMedicare

Plan year 2026 · coverage ends Dec. 31, 2026CMS crosswalk of Oct. 1, 2026

Wellcare Simple is not offered under this ID in 2027

H4868Contract019Plan

HMO-POS · served 31 counties in New York in 2026

Run by New York Quality Healthcare Corporation (contract H4868), sold as Wellcare, owned by Centene Corporation

CMS crosswalk: members move into H5599-004 in 27 of its 31 counties; in the others the plan ends

Folds in part

Wellcare Simple (H4868-019) is not offered under this ID in 2027. The CMS plan crosswalk of October 1, 2026 moves its members into Wellcare Fidelis Simple (H5599-004), in the 27 counties where that plan is sold (14,479 members in September 2026). In its other 4 counties (2,893 members) there is no plan to move into: coverage ends December 31, 2026, and members there need to choose a new plan.

What changes for its members in Wellcare Fidelis Simple?

For members in the 27 counties where Wellcare Fidelis Simple is sold: this plan's 2026 amounts beside Wellcare Fidelis Simple (H5599-004) in 2027. The changed lines are marked and come first.
What you pay or get20262027Change
Plan nameWellcare SimpleWellcare Fidelis Simplerenamed
In-network out-of-pocket limit$9,250$9,850up $600
Drug deductible$615$700up $85
Specialist visit$25 copay$50 copayup $25
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 71–100up $30for a 30-day stay
Ground ambulance, in network$340 copay$320 copaydown $20
Eyewear, yearly limit$200 a yearnot offereddropped
Hearing aids, yearly limit for both ears$750 a yearnot offereddropped
Counties served3158up 27
Drug tier 1, generic$5$10up $5
Drug tier 2, preferred brand$1025% of the costchanged
Drug tier 3, non-preferred drug25% of the cost37% of the costup 12 points
Drug tier 4, injectable drugs33% of the cost1% of the costdown 32 points
10 lines do not change
Monthly premium$0$0no change
Part B premium reduction, monthlynonenoneno change
Primary care visit$0 copay$0 copayno change
Emergency room$115 copay$115 copayno change
Medical deductible, in networknonenoneno change
Hospital stay, in network$600 a day for days 1–4, then $0 a day for days 5–90$600 a day for days 1–4, then $0 a day for days 5–90no change
Comprehensive dental, yearly limitnot offerednot offeredno change
Over-the-counter items, yearlynot offerednot offeredno change
Drug tier 5, specialty tier25% of the cost25% of the costno change
Drug tier 6, select care drugs$0$0no change

Source: CMS plan crosswalk from 2026 to 2027 (Oct. 1, 2026); 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. Your plan's Annual Notice of Change is the letter that confirms your 2027 plan; confirm on Medicare Plan Finder.

What can members do, and by when?

If you live in Albany (NY), Bronx (NY), Broome (NY), Cayuga (NY), Chenango (NY), Cortland (NY), Dutchess (NY), Erie (NY), Genesee (NY), Jefferson (NY), Kings (NY), Livingston (NY), Madison (NY), Monroe (NY), Nassau (NY), New York (NY), Niagara (NY), Oneida (NY), Orange (NY), Rensselaer (NY), Rockland (NY), Saratoga (NY), Schenectady (NY), Suffolk (NY), Ulster (NY), Wayne (NY), Westchester (NY)

If you do nothing
You are moved into Wellcare Fidelis Simple on January 1, 2027.
October 15 to December 7, 2026
Open enrollment: choose another Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare with a drug plan, instead.

If you live in Onondaga (NY), Queens (NY), Richmond (NY), Tompkins (NY)

Your coverage
Ends December 31, 2026: Wellcare Fidelis Simple is not 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, without a drug plan unless you join one (with Extra Help or full Medicaid, Medicare enrolls you in one).
Without a drug plan
Going 63 days or more in a row without drug coverage can mean a late enrollment penalty if you join a drug plan later; joining by the end of February keeps a January and February gap under 63 days, waiting longer does not.

Source: Medicare.gov, “Special enrollment periods” and “Joining a plan” (read Oct. 7, 2026).

Where did its members live?

Where its members lived in September 2026; each county and state page lists the 2027 plans sold there.

All 31 counties, most members first; CMS hides counts under 11 per county, so the counties add up to a little less than the plan's total
CountyMembers, Sept. 2026For 2027
Monroe, NY3,210moves into H5599-004
Queens, NY2,121plan ends here
Kings, NY1,916moves into H5599-004
Wayne, NY1,262moves into H5599-004
Suffolk, NY1,256moves into H5599-004
Bronx, NY1,223moves into H5599-004
New York, NY1,003moves into H5599-004
Nassau, NY975moves into H5599-004
Erie, NY593moves into H5599-004
Westchester, NY560moves into H5599-004
Richmond, NY511plan ends here
Rockland, NY327moves into H5599-004
Orange, NY308moves into H5599-004
Broome, NY254moves into H5599-004
Ulster, NY237moves into H5599-004
Dutchess, NY202moves into H5599-004
Onondaga, NY202plan ends here
Niagara, NY193moves into H5599-004
Oneida, NY149moves into H5599-004
Albany, NY145moves into H5599-004
Show the other 11 counties
CountyMembers, Sept. 2026For 2027
Chenango, NY129moves into H5599-004
Jefferson, NY96moves into H5599-004
Rensselaer, NY87moves into H5599-004
Livingston, NY73moves into H5599-004
Schenectady, NY71moves into H5599-004
Cayuga, NY62moves into H5599-004
Tompkins, NY59plan ends here
Saratoga, NY49moves into H5599-004
Cortland, NY42moves into H5599-004
Genesee, NY36moves into H5599-004
Madison, NY21moves into H5599-004

Source: CMS monthly enrollment by plan and by county, September 2026 (CMS hides counts under 11).

What else should you check?