How to Cancel Your Wellcare Insurance Policy – A Step-by-Step Guide

Wellcare offers Medicare Advantage plans and Part D prescription drug plans to seniors across the country. While these plans provide valuable benefits, you may decide over time that Wellcare is no longer the right fit for your needs.

Canceling or disenrolling from a Wellcare insurance plan is possible at certain times of year. This article outlines the step-by-step process to formally disenroll and terminate your Wellcare policy.

When Can You Cancel Wellcare Insurance?

The first thing to understand is that Medicare imposes limits on when you can leave a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. There are set disenrollment periods each year:

• Annual Enrollment Period – Every year from October 15 to December 7, you can disenroll from any Medicare Advantage or Part D plan and switch to a different option. Your coverage would end on December 31.

• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period – From January 1 to March 31 each year, you can leave a Medicare Advantage plan and switch back to Original Medicare. Coverage would end on the first day of the next month.

Outside of these enrollment periods, you can only disenroll from Wellcare insurance if you have a valid special election period circumstance, such as:

• Moving out of the plan’s service area
• Gaining Medicaid coverage
• Moving to a nursing home
• And more

If you qualify for a special election period, you can disenroll at any time. Your coverage termination date will vary based on your situation.

How to Cancel a Wellcare Medicare Plan

Once you decide it’s time to leave Wellcare, you must formally request disenrollment in writing. Here are the steps:

1. Contact Wellcare to obtain your disenrollment password.

• Call Wellcare member services and explain you want to disenroll.

• A representative will ask you some questions about why you’re leaving.

• They will then provide a unique password that you must have to complete disenrollment.

2. Download the Medicare disenrollment form from Wellcare’s website.

• Go to www.wellcare.com and search for “disenrollment form.”

• Select either the Medicare Advantage disenrollment form or the Part D disenrollment form.

• Save the PDF disenrollment form to your computer.

3. Complete all fields on the disenrollment form.

• Enter your name, ID number, address, phone number, and other details.

• Select your reason for disenrolling from the list of special election period circumstances.

• Enter the disenrollment password provided by Wellcare.

• Sign and date the bottom of the form.

4. Submit the completed Medicare disenrollment form.

• Mail the signed form to:

Wellcare

PO Box 31370

Tampa, FL 33631-3370

• Or fax the completed form to 1-866-388-1769

5. Verify your disenrollment is processed.

• Wellcare will send you a letter confirming your termination date within 10 calendar days.

• Before using new insurance, call to confirm Wellcare cancelled coverage to avoid issues.

And that’s it! Wellcare will formally disenroll you upon receiving your complete documentation. Expect 1-2 months for the process to fully complete.

You must continue using Wellcare providers until your termination date or you’ll face much higher out-of-network costs. So time your doctor visits carefully when transitioning insurance plans.

What Happens After Cancelling Wellcare?

Once you successfully disenroll from your Wellcare Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, here’s what to expect:

• You’ll automatically revert to Original Medicare if leaving a Medicare Advantage Plan. Make sure you have a Medigap and Part D plan lined up.

• You can enroll in a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan during applicable enrollment periods.

• Request your medical records from Wellcare to share with your new providers.

• Prescriptions and scheduled treatments may be disrupted until new coverage starts.

• Wait times may be longer with new providers as you transition care.

• You won’t qualify for Wellcare plan benefits after disenrollment, including:

  • Wellcare network doctors and hospitals

  • $0 premiums or copays

  • Part D prescription coverage

  • Vision, dental, hearing benefits

  • Wellness programs

  • Gym membership

• Read new plan documents closely to understand benefits and costs.

• Pay new premiums once enrolled in a replacement plan.

Can You Re-enroll in Wellcare After Cancelling?

If you later decide Wellcare was better than the new insurer you switched to after cancelling, you generally can re-enroll in a Wellcare Medicare plan.

Here’s how to sign up again for Wellcare insurance if you cancelled:

• When open enrollment starts on October 15, apply for the Wellcare Medicare Advantage or Part D plan you want.

• You’ll need to complete new enrollment forms and get re-approved for Wellcare plans.

• Coverage will start again on January 1 if you enroll during the fall open enrollment period.

• Your previous medical history with Wellcare will still factor into acceptance and premium costs.

• Benefits and networks could be different than your prior Wellcare plan.

The one exception is if you disenrolled from Wellcare due to a valid special election period earlier in the current year. Rules may prohibit you from re-enrolling until the next open enrollment window.

Alternatives to Cancelling Wellcare Coverage

Before formally disenrolling from your Wellcare insurance, explore these options to correct issues that are making you want to cancel:

• Change Wellcare plans – You can switch to a different Wellcare Medicare Advantage or Part D plan that better fits your needs during applicable enrollment periods.

• File appeals – If Wellcare denied a treatment or coverage, file an appeal. If approved, they may cover the service.

• Resolve billing issues – If you received a bill incorrectly, work with Wellcare to fix problems with your member account.

• Change primary doctor – You can select a different in-network primary care physician or specialists at any time.

• Review drug lists – Formularies change constantly. Check if your medication is covered before disenrolling.

• Compare costs – Make sure another insurer will actually save you money compared to Wellcare’s premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

• Consider plan specifics – Weigh benefits like dental, vision, hearing, gym access, and telehealth when comparing plans.

Key Takeaways on Canceling Wellcare Insurance

Disenrolling from Wellcare is a regulated process that only occurs at certain times of year for most Medicare beneficiaries. Keep these tips in mind:

• To cancel, submit a signed Medicare disenrollment form during an open enrollment or special election period.

• Obtain your unique disenrollment password from Wellcare before attempting to terminate coverage.

• Always continue utilizing Wellcare providers until your termination date becomes effective.

• Have new replacement insurance ready to avoid gaps in coverage when leaving Wellcare plans.

• You can re-enroll with Wellcare in the future if you decide to switch back.

With proper planning, you can move on from Wellcare smoothly when the time comes. Just follow the formal disenrollment steps to avoid any issues canceling your Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage.