Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid in Idaho: 5 Dual Special Needs Plans for 2027

BOISE — Idahoans who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid will have 5 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) to consider for 2027, out of 44 Medicare Advantage plans available across the state, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files for CY2027. These plans are designed specifically for people with both kinds of coverage, and they are offered county by county, so what appears on this statewide list may not be sold in every reader's home county.

The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and a choice made during that window takes effect January 1, 2027. Dual-eligible Idahoans also have additional chances to change plans during the year, which we explain below.

What is a D-SNP in Idaho and who qualifies in 2027?

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Idaho for 2027, qualifying means a person is enrolled in Medicare (usually Part A and Part B) and also receives help from Idaho Medicaid, with eligibility confirmed by the state Medicaid agency.

Dual eligibility comes in two broad forms. "Full" dual eligibility means a person qualifies for full Medicaid benefits in addition to Medicare. "Partial" dual eligibility means Medicaid helps pay certain Medicare costs — for example, through a Medicare Savings Program — without covering the full range of Medicaid services. Different D-SNPs are designed for different subsets of this population, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which runs Idaho Medicaid, is the office that confirms a person's category. A D-SNP cannot enroll someone whose dual status the state has not confirmed.

Each D-SNP in Idaho for 2027 includes Medicare prescription drug coverage, according to the CMS Landscape file. Specific benefits, drug lists, provider networks and cost-sharing vary by plan and should be reviewed in each plan's Evidence of Coverage or on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

How many D-SNPs are offered in Idaho for 2027, and which carriers offer them?

Idaho has 5 D-SNPs listed statewide for 2027, part of a broader lineup that also includes 4 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 2 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs), all drawn from the state's 44 Medicare Advantage plans in the CMS Landscape file.

Two carriers offer D-SNPs in Idaho for 2027:

• Molina Healthcare of Utah & Idaho offers 2 D-SNPs, both named Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP).
• UnitedHealthcare offers 3 D-SNPs: UHC Dual Complete ID-QV1 (HMO-POS D-SNP), which CMS lists as a renamed version of UHC Dual Complete ID-Q1 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete ID-Y1 (HMO-POS D-SNP); and UHC Dual Complete ID-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP), which is new for 2027.

The full plan-by-plan list, including county footprints, is shown in the tables on this page. Statewide availability does not guarantee availability in a specific county — one Molina D-SNP, for example, is listed in 38 Idaho counties and the other in 5, while the three UnitedHealthcare D-SNPs are each listed in 44 counties, per the 2027 Landscape file.

How often can a dual-eligible person in Idaho change plans in 2027?

Dual-eligible Idahoans generally have more chances to change Medicare Advantage plans than people with Medicare alone. On top of the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage effective January 1, 2027) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 through March 31, 2027), most people with both Medicare and Medicaid qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that lets them make a change once per calendar quarter during the first three quarters of the year.

That means a dual-eligible resident of Idaho typically has one opportunity to switch D-SNPs (or move between a D-SNP and Original Medicare with a stand-alone drug plan) in January–March, April–June, and July–September 2027, in addition to the annual fall window. The exact rules depend on a person's dual-eligibility category, which the Idaho Medicaid agency confirms. Current enrollment-period rules are published by CMS at medicare.gov.

How do I check which D-SNPs are offered in my Idaho county for 2027?

To see which of Idaho's 5 D-SNPs are offered in a specific county for 2027, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter the ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Plan Finder shows the plans available at that address, along with premiums, cost-sharing, drug coverage details, provider networks and star ratings for each plan.

County footprints vary. In the Idaho 2027 Landscape file, one Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP) is listed in 38 counties and the other in 5 counties, while each of the three UHC Dual Complete D-SNPs is listed in all 44 Idaho counties. Readers in less-populated counties should confirm what is actually sold at their address before assuming a statewide plan is available locally.

Where can an Idahoan get free help with Medicare and Medicaid questions for 2027?

For free, personalized Medicare help in Idaho, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) any time, or use the tools at medicare.gov to compare plans side by side. These are the official federal resources and do not sell insurance.

For Medicaid questions — including confirming full or partial dual-eligible status, which a D-SNP requires — the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare handles the state side. Social Security Administration offices can help with Medicare enrollment and with the Extra Help program for prescription drug costs, and the U.S. Census Bureau publishes the population data often cited alongside enrollment numbers.