Medicare Advantage

Sacramento's 2027 Dual Special Needs Plans: four D-SNPs, who they fit, and when you can switch

Sacramento County has 32 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 13 plans are not coming back, 7 are new, and 23 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 9 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Sacramento, not which plan to pick.

SACRAMENTO — If you have both Medicare and Medi-Cal, you have a specific kind of plan built for you: a Dual Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP. For 2027, Sacramento County residents will have four D-SNPs to choose from, offered by four different carriers. One of them is new this year. The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.

If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews with the updates spelled out in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). But because you qualify for both programs, you also get extra chances to switch during the year that most Medicare beneficiaries don't have.

What a D-SNP is, in plain language

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for people who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California). Every D-SNP includes Part A, Part B, and Part D (prescription drug) coverage in one plan. D-SNPs are built to coordinate care across both programs so you have fewer gaps to manage on your own.

Sacramento is in Sacramento County, where CMS lists 4 D-SNPs for plan year 2027 — part of a broader 2027 lineup that also includes 12 Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) for people with qualifying conditions. There are no Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) in the county for 2027.

The 2027 D-SNPs available in Sacramento County

Four carriers offer a D-SNP in Sacramento County for 2027. The table below lists every plan with the details CMS publishes. In alphabetical order by carrier, the D-SNPs are:

• Wellcare Health Net Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare); new for 2027
• Anthem Full Dual Advantage Aligned (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Kaiser Permanente Dual Complete North P2 (HMO D-SNP) — Kaiser Permanente
• Molina Medicare Complete Care Plus (HMO D-SNP) — Molina Healthcare of California

All four include prescription drug coverage. For premiums, provider networks, drug lists, and extra benefits, check the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or read each plan's Evidence of Coverage.

Who qualifies: full vs. partial dual eligibility

"Dual eligible" is an umbrella term. Within it, there are two main categories:

• Full-benefit dual eligible. You have Medicare and you qualify for full Medi-Cal benefits. Medi-Cal typically pays your Medicare premiums and cost sharing and covers services Medicare doesn't, such as long-term services and supports.
• Partial-benefit dual eligible. You have Medicare and qualify for a Medicare Savings Program through Medi-Cal (for example, QMB, SLMB, or QI). Medi-Cal helps with certain Medicare costs but you don't get full Medi-Cal benefits.

Not every D-SNP accepts every category. Some are designed only for full-benefit duals; others accept partial duals as well. Your Medi-Cal level — not just whether you "have Medi-Cal" — is what determines which plans you can join and what extra benefits you may get.

To confirm your current Medi-Cal status, contact your county Medi-Cal office or the California Department of Health Care Services. To confirm which category a specific plan requires, call the plan directly or 1-800-MEDICARE.

How often you can change plans

Most Medicare beneficiaries can only change plans during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31). People with both Medicare and Medicaid, or who get Extra Help with Part D, have more flexibility.

Under current rules, dual eligibles generally have a monthly Special Enrollment Period that lets them:

• Enroll in or switch to an integrated D-SNP, or
• Leave a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

The specific rules for these SEPs have been updated by CMS in recent years, so before you act, confirm what applies to your situation by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7.

What's changing for 2027 — and what's not

Across Sacramento County's full Medicare Advantage market, CMS data show 13 plans are not returning for 2027, 7 are new, and 9 have been renamed. If your plan is one of them, you'll see it in your ANOC, usually mailed in late September. Within the D-SNP group specifically, the Wellcare Health Net Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) is new for 2027.

A few program-wide numbers to keep in mind as you compare drug coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33 — this is a formula input CMS uses, not what any specific plan charges.

For people with full Medi-Cal or Extra Help, Part D cost sharing is typically much lower than these caps because of program subsidies.

CMS has not yet announced the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible or the 2027 IRMAA income brackets; those are usually published in the fall.

How to confirm your eligibility and compare

A simple order of operations:

1. Confirm your Medi-Cal level. Contact your county Medi-Cal office or the California Department of Health Care Services. Ask whether you're full-benefit or partial-benefit, and which Medicare Savings Program (if any) you're in. 2. Read your ANOC. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan or D-SNP, your Annual Notice of Change explains what's different for 2027. 3. Compare at medicare.gov. The Medicare Plan Finder lets you enter your ZIP code, drugs, and pharmacies to see every plan available in Sacramento County. 4. Call for a human. 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) is available 24/7 and can walk through your options.