Is Your Wellmark Medicare Advantage Plan Ending in 2027?

If you received a letter saying your plan will not be offered next year, you are not alone, and you have more options than the letter suggests. Midwest Division is an independent, family and veteran-owned agency in Sioux Falls. We will sit down with you, explain what the letter means, and review your choices at no cost.

Call (605) 274-7420

What happened

Wellmark has announced it will stop offering Medicare Advantage plans in 98 Iowa counties and 43 South Dakota counties at the end of 2026. Members on those plans received a notice this fall. Your coverage continues through December 31, 2026. On January 1, 2027, the plan ends, and if you have not chosen something else, you return to Original Medicare without the extra coverage you had.

This is not a mistake on your part, and it is not something you can appeal. It is a business decision by the carrier, and it is happening to tens of thousands of your neighbors.

Your rights when a plan ends

When a Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, Medicare gives you protections you do not normally get:

A Special Enrollment Period. You can choose a new plan from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027, in addition to the regular Annual Enrollment Period that runs October 15 through December 7.
Guaranteed-issue rights for a Medicare Supplement. For a limited window around the date your plan ends, you can buy certain Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies without answering health questions and without being turned down or charged more for your health. This matters if you have been declined for a supplement before, or thought you could never qualify.
A choice, not a default. You can move to a different Medicare Advantage plan if one is offered in your county, or return to Original Medicare with a supplement and a stand-alone drug plan. Which is better depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget.

The guaranteed-issue window is short and the dates are strict. Missing it can mean losing the right to a supplement without health questions.

What to do now

Keep your letter. It is your proof of eligibility for the special enrollment period and guaranteed-issue rights.
Do not cancel anything yet. Your current plan works through December 31.
Make a list of your doctors, your pharmacy, and your prescriptions. Those three things decide which options fit.
Talk to someone local before you pick. The 1-800 numbers in the mail will enroll you in whatever they sell. We represent multiple carriers and we are here in March when you have a question.

Why a local independent agent

We are not a call center. Our office is at 3701 W 49th St in Sioux Falls, and we have helped Midwest families with Medicare since 2009. We compare plans from the carriers we represent side by side, explain the differences in plain language, and you decide. There is no cost for our help and no obligation.

Counties affected

South Dakota: 43 counties, including Minnehaha, Lincoln, Davison, Brookings, Codington, Yankton, and Beadle. Iowa: 98 of 99 counties. If you are not sure whether your county is on the list, call us and we will check for you.

Request a no-cost review

Call (605) 274-7420

A licensed agent in Sioux Falls will answer. Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central.

NOT ASSOCIATED WITH CMS OR MEDICARE OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 5 organizations which offer 23 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. This is a solicitation of insurance. Wellmark is a trademark of its owner and is referenced here for identification only; Midwest Division Insurance Agency is not affiliated with Wellmark.