What are Medicare and Medicaid D-SNP plans?
October 1, 2022
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Dual Eligible Special Needs (D-SNP) health plans provide extra benefits at no extra cost to people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what you need to know and how to determine if you are qualified for a D-SNP plan.
What are Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans?
A Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) is a special type of Medicare Advantage plan. D-SNP benefits and services are similar to those provided by an HMO or PPO Medicare Advantage plan. But they include deeper cost savings and additional benefits and services for individuals with specific diseases, certain healthcare needs, or limited incomes. To understand Medicare terms and definitions, read this article.
Do I qualify for a D-SNP plan?
To qualify for a D-SNP Plan, you must be eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. You must live in the insurance company’s service area. (A service area is a specific geographic area a member must live in to be accepted by a health plan). You also cannot have any other comprehensive health insurance except Medicare.
When can I enroll in a D-SNP Plan?
Enrollment in a D-SNP plan depends on the month you plan to enroll.
- In the first nine months of the calendar year, you may enroll one time per quarter. Your plan will be effective the first day of the next month.
- In the fourth quarter, you can enroll during the Annual Enrollment Period. This period runs from October 15 through December 7. Your enrollment in the plan will be effective on January 1 as long as you enroll before or by December 7.
We hope this article has helped you understand if you are eligible for a D-SNP plan and when you can enroll. If you would like more information about D-SNP plans or about the terms used in this article, you can find it here.
Sources: When you click these links, you will leave the Commonwealth Care Alliance website
- https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health-Plans/SpecialNeedsPlans/D-SNPs
- https://www.medicare.org/articles/when-can-i-enroll-in-a-dsnp/
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