Medicare Advantage

Have Medicare and AHCCCS in Glendale? 10 Dual Special Needs Plans are on the table for 2027

For 2027, Glendale is looking at 92 Medicare Advantage plans: 17 new, 13 gone since 2026, and 33 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Maricopa County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — If you have both Medicare and Arizona's Medicaid program (AHCCCS), you have a wider set of choices this fall than most Medicare shoppers — and a different rulebook for when you can change your mind. For 2027, Maricopa County's Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) lineup includes 10 plans from six carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for the coming plan year. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change made in that window takes effect January 1, 2027.

What is a Dual Special Needs Plan, and who qualifies in Glendale?

A D-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. In Arizona, the Medicaid program is called AHCCCS. To enroll in a D-SNP, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B and also qualify for some level of Medicaid help.

There are two broad groups:

• Full dual-eligible. Medicaid covers a full benefit package, often including long-term services and help with Medicare cost-sharing.
• Partial dual-eligible. Medicaid helps pay some Medicare costs through a Medicare Savings Program (for example, QMB, SLMB or QI), but does not provide the full Medicaid benefit.

Each D-SNP is designed for specific dual categories. The state Medicaid agency — AHCCCS — is the office that confirms which category you fall into, and plans verify that with the state before enrolling you.

Which D-SNPs are offered in Maricopa County for 2027?

Glendale is in Maricopa County, where CMS lists 10 D-SNPs for 2027 from six carriers. In alphabetical order by carrier, those plans are:

• Banner Medicare Advantage — Banner Medicare Advantage Dual (HMO D-SNP); Banner Medicare Advantage Dual (HMO D-SNP)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona — Health Choice Pathway (HMO D-SNP)
• Centene (WellCare) — Wellcare Arizona Complete Health Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP), new for 2027
• Mercy Care Advantage — Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)
• Molina Healthcare of Arizona — Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare — UHC Dual Complete AZ-S001 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete AZ-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP), renamed from UHC Dual Complete AZ-Y001

D-SNPs are only one slice of the county's Special Needs Plan picture: for 2027 there are also 25 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 5 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs). The table below lists every plan available in the county, with type and whether it includes drug coverage. We do not list premiums, copays, provider networks or star ratings here — those are plan-specific and belong to the plan's own documents.

How often can a dual-eligible person in Glendale change plans?

Most Medicare members can only switch during the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026, for 2027 coverage) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31, 2027). People with Medicaid or Extra Help have more flexibility.

Under current CMS rules, if you have both Medicare and Medicaid you generally have a monthly Special Enrollment Period to:

• Enroll in or switch to an integrated D-SNP (one aligned with your Medicaid plan), or
• Leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare, then add a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

The exact use of this monthly window has been tightening in recent years, so confirm the current rule for your situation with 1-800-MEDICARE before you make a change. Even if you do nothing, your current plan simply renews for 2027 if it is being offered again, with any changes spelled out in the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed you.

How do I confirm my dual eligibility before I enroll?

Before you pick a D-SNP, confirm two things: that you have active AHCCCS coverage, and what category of help you qualify for. You can do that in a few ways:

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7, to confirm what Medicare has on file.
• Sign in to medicare.gov to see your coverage and use the Plan Finder.
• Contact AHCCCS (Arizona's Medicaid agency) to verify your Medicaid status and category.
• Ask the plan you are considering — D-SNPs are required to check your eligibility with the state before enrolling you.

Your dual status can change if your income or household changes, so it is worth checking before each Annual Enrollment Period.

What else is changing for 2027 that D-SNP members should know?

Two program-wide numbers are already set for 2027. The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Many dual-eligible members pay little or nothing for prescriptions because they also get Extra Help, but these are the ceilings that apply across Part D.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not yet been announced; CMS typically publishes those figures in the fall. Across all Medicare Advantage in Maricopa County for 2027, CMS data show 17 new plans, 13 not returning, and 13 renamed — so even if you are staying put, it is worth opening the ANOC envelope.