Part D SS deductions are messed up 2026,Wellcare.

[mf15]

Have Wellcare last year cost zero this year 8.20. I made no changes, in plan or in SS deductions.
Have payments taken from SS each month for the past 12 years,wife also.
Get 2026 cola letter notice not deducting part D payments, thought must be mistake. Strange.!!!
Today get payment books from Wellcare.
Call Wellcare,they will fix it but need to pay Jan by voucher.
They say since cost was zero last year SS removed us from deducted payments.
What the heck/H**L is going on with SS,why would they do something stupid like this?
Is it just me and the wife or thousands of others?

Medicare chat person says.

Your plan had no premium last year and this year they put you in direct billing (bill by mail). Call your plan if you want your premiums withheld from Social Security benefit.
That is the default payment option. You had no premium so there was no withhold option last year. This year you have a premium and they bill you directly unless you tell the plan otherwise.

Well that's good to know. I call BS. I had Wellcare before it was zero cost,my instructions were to deduct from SS,perhaps they messed up.

oldmike



Oldmike

 

[PatrickA5]

Interesting. I noticed the same thing on my SS notice. I just assumed SS didn't yet know of my Wellcare premium amount. I think I'll wait until my first SS check to see for sure. If it isn't withheld, I may just pay a lump sum to Wellcare for the full year since it would be only $67.

 

[Sue J]

At the Wellcare site, Under "Pay Your Premium" there is this note. Scroll down, it's on the left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Pay By Deduction​

Member Services can help you request to have your premium deducted from your Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board Benefit check.

Call us at [1-888-550-5252] (TTY: [711])

Hours of Operation

October 1 through March 31:

Open 7 days a week

Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

April 1 to September 30:

Monday - Friday

Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

[TN Jim]

Just received a coupon payment book for Wellcare premiums for 2026. States payment is due on the 20th of each month. I checked the box to have premium paid from SS. My SS is paid on the 3rd Wednesday. Not sure what to do, as the 3rd Wednesday of January is 21st. I need to call Wellcare.

I changed Part D plans for 2026. My COLA indicated no Part D deduction, which was received in early December.

 

[mf15]

Just received a coupon payment book for Wellcare premiums for 2026. States payment is due on the 20th of each month. I checked the box to have premium paid from SS. My SS is paid on the 3rd Wednesday. Not sure what to do, as the 3rd Wednesday of January is 21st. I need to call Wellcare.

I changed Part D plans for 2026. My COLA indicated no Part D deduction, which was received in early December.

I tried calling,could not understand the person. I think she said ok. But,might be a good idea to check again,
Please let us know what they say,mine is on the 4th wed. So now need to send in 2 checks,wife also has Wellcare.
I think she also may have said have to elect every year. I have been on Part D for 12 years never had to do this mess. What are they going to do with thousands of possibly blind or mentally impaired people. It may also take 3 months for SS to handle it.
oldmike

 

[TN Jim]

Just checked the Wellcare website. Mine shows paid for Jan. Next due is for Feb. My SS payment is the 3rd Wednesday. DW is paid on the 2nd Wednesday. DW's was not paid by SS, Checking the bank online DW SS shows pending payment. The amount of the deposit indicates not paying Wellcare.

 

[TN Jim]

Update: Checked bank, pending SS payment indicated no payment of Wellcare premium. Checked Wellcare website today, Jan15th, shows January premium not paid. I paid January premium online. Will check again next month.

 

[ERhoosier]

I'vs got same situation as OP. Zero premium last year but small one this. Trying to have this year's premium autopay from SS but was advised by Wellcare to pay on website until SS deduction starts. Agreed as cannot risk losing Part D. Now SS has deducted premium and I already paid on-line so I guess I'm out my Jan payment. Called Wellcare and operator was clueless, even after checking with "supervisor". Commercial insurance regs REQUIRE rebate of 'positive account balances' to the customer. De minimus issue here but would hate to have that happen with full Medigap premiums.

 

[ali]

I calle

Have Wellcare last year cost zero this year 8.20. I made no changes, in plan or in SS deductions.
Have payments taken from SS each month for the past 12 years,wife also.
Get 2026 cola letter notice not deducting part D payments, thought must be mistake. Strange.!!!
Today get payment books from Wellcare.
Call Wellcare,they will fix it but need to pay Jan by voucher.
They say since cost was zero last year SS removed us from deducted payments.
What the heck/H**L is going on with SS,why would they do something stupid like this?
Is it just me and the wife or thousands of others?

Medicare chat person says.

Your plan had no premium last year and this year they put you in direct billing (bill by mail). Call your plan if you want your premiums withheld from Social Security benefit.
That is the default payment option. You had no premium so there was no withhold option last year. This year you have a premium and they bill you directly unless you tell the plan otherwise.

Well that's good to know. I call BS. I had Wellcare before it was zero cost,my instructions were to deduct from SS,perhaps they messed up.

oldmike



Oldmike

d Wellcare and all is perfect with still zero pay (here in Florida). But was told that Wellcare will call every 6 mo to verify that the account is still valid. Note We did get a call last year around 6 mo ago to verify the possilbilty of my husband's two heart medications possibly causing an issue. Since at the time my initial reaction was This could be someone looking to do identity theft , I was vague telling the caller that we don't give private information out. But now I see that Wellcare was actually looking to verify that the person getting the meds was indeed the person linked to the card.