Medicare Advantage

Scottsdale D-SNPs for 2027: six carriers, 10 plans, and a monthly chance to switch

For 2027, Scottsdale 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.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Fall 2026. If you have both Medicare and Arizona Medicaid (AHCCCS), you have a specific slice of the Medicare Advantage market built for you: Dual Special Needs Plans, or D-SNPs. For plan year 2027, six carriers will offer 10 D-SNPs across Maricopa County, the county Scottsdale is in. One of those plans is new, and one has been renamed. The rest of this guide walks through who qualifies, how often a dual-eligible person can change plans, and how to confirm your status before the Dec. 7, 2026 deadline.

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

A Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan that only enrolls people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Arizona, Medicaid is run through AHCCCS (the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System), so your AHCCCS status is what determines whether you qualify.

There are two broad groups:

• Full dual eligible: You get full Medicaid benefits in addition to Medicare. Medicaid typically helps with Medicare premiums, cost-sharing, and services Medicare does not cover (like long-term services and supports).
• Partial dual eligible: You qualify for a Medicare Savings Program that helps pay some Medicare costs (for example, your Part B premium), but you do not get full Medicaid benefits.

Different D-SNPs are designed for different sub-groups within those categories. The plan itself, along with AHCCCS and 1-800-MEDICARE, can confirm which plans match your specific eligibility level.

How many D-SNPs are offered in Maricopa County for 2027, and from which carriers?

For plan year 2027, Maricopa County will have 10 D-SNPs offered by six carriers. For context, D-SNPs are 10 of the 92 Medicare Advantage plans in the county; the other Special Needs Plans break out as 25 C-SNPs (for people with certain chronic conditions) and 5 I-SNPs (for people in institutional settings).

The six carriers offering D-SNPs in the county for 2027, in alphabetical order:

• Banner Medicare Advantage (2 D-SNPs)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (1 D-SNP)
• Centene (WellCare) (1 D-SNP)
• Mercy Care Advantage (3 D-SNPs)
• Molina Healthcare of Arizona (1 D-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare (2 D-SNPs)

The full table below lists every D-SNP by name. One plan — Wellcare Arizona Complete Health Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) from Centene (WellCare) — is new for 2027. UHC Dual Complete AZ-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP) from UnitedHealthcare has been renamed from UHC Dual Complete AZ-Y001. Your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) spells out any plan changes if you are already enrolled.

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

Most people on Medicare can only change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans during the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026, for 2027 coverage) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027). Dual-eligible people get more flexibility.

Under current CMS rules, people with Medicaid or Extra Help generally have a monthly Special Enrollment Period to either:

• Join an integrated D-SNP (one that aligns your Medicare and Medicaid coverage), or
• Return to Original Medicare and pick a stand-alone Part D plan.

The specific rules about how often you can switch and which plans count as "integrated" have shifted over the last few years and continue to be refined. Confirm the current rules that apply to you with 1-800-MEDICARE before you make a move, so you know exactly what your Special Enrollment Period allows.

How do I confirm I'm eligible for a D-SNP?

Eligibility runs through two separate programs, so you confirm it in two places:

1. Medicare: Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) or sign in at medicare.gov to confirm your Medicare enrollment and the Part D Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy status on file. 2. Medicaid (AHCCCS): Contact AHCCCS to confirm your current Medicaid category and whether you are full or partial dual eligible. The category on file is what a D-SNP will verify when you apply.

If you call a plan to enroll, it will also check your eligibility electronically before your coverage starts. If your Medicaid status changes during the year, the plan has a grace period while you re-establish eligibility — ask the plan how long that period is for your specific situation.

What's happening in the broader Scottsdale Medicare market for 2027?

Scottsdale is in Maricopa County, where the overall Medicare Advantage market for 2027 includes a mix of returning, new, and renamed plans across all types (not just D-SNPs). Compared with 2026, the county will see 13 plans not returning, 17 new plans, and 13 renamed plans across the full Medicare Advantage lineup.

A few program-level numbers to keep in mind as you compare:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027 (this is a formula input, not what any one plan charges).
• 2027 Part B premium, deductible, and IRMAA brackets: CMS announces these later in the fall, usually in November.

For most dual-eligible enrollees, Medicaid and Extra Help cover a lot of these cost-sharing amounts, but it's still worth reading your ANOC to see what changes for your plan in 2027.

What should I do before Dec. 7, 2026?

If you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 if it is still offered, with any changes described in your ANOC. If your plan is not returning, you'll get a non-renewal notice and a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan.

A short checklist:

• Read the ANOC your current plan mailed you in September.
• Confirm your Medicare and AHCCCS status are both current.
• Compare D-SNPs at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
• If a plan is a good fit, you can enroll during the fall window or use your monthly dual-eligible Special Enrollment Period.