Medicare Advantage

Before You Pick a D-SNP, Confirm Your Medicaid Level

Fayette County has 66 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 11 plans are not coming back, 12 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 Lexington, not which plan to pick.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For people in Lexington who have both Medicare and Medicaid, the 2027 plan year brings a familiar set of choices with a few new names in the mix. Dual Special Needs Plans — usually called D-SNPs — are a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for this group, and the lineup for Fayette County next year includes 16 of them from five carriers.

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and anything you pick during that window starts January 1, 2027. But if you have Medicaid, you likely have more chances to change plans than everyone else — more on that below.

What is a Dual Special Needs Plan, and who is it for in Lexington?

A D-SNP is a Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Kentucky, Medicaid is called Kentucky Medicaid (sometimes still referred to by its older name in day-to-day conversation), and the Department for Medicaid Services decides what level of help you qualify for.

"Dual eligible" is not one single thing. Some people are full duals — Medicaid pays their Medicare premiums and cost-sharing and also covers extra services like long-term care. Others are partial duals, which usually means one of the Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB or QI) helps with Medicare costs but does not provide full Medicaid benefits. D-SNPs are built around those categories, and some plans are designed for one group and not the other.

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

Fayette County has 16 D-SNPs for 2027, out of 66 Medicare Advantage plans total in the county. The table on this page lists every plan; the five carriers offering D-SNPs are:

• Aetna (CVS Health) — 2 plans: Aetna Medicare HIDE (HMO D-SNP) and Aetna Medicare Partial Dual (HMO D-SNP)
• Centene (WellCare) — 4 plans: Wellcare Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP), Wellcare Dual Access Sync Open (PPO D-SNP), Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO-POS D-SNP) and Wellcare Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP)
• Humana — 4 plans: Humana Dual QMB Only (HMO D-SNP), Humana Dual Select H5619-075 (HMO D-SNP), Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H5619-163 (HMO D-SNP) and HumanaChoice SNP-DE H5525-045 (PPO D-SNP)
• Passport Advantage — 1 plan: Passport Advantage (HMO D-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare — 5 plans: UHC Dual Advantage KY-V1 (HMO-POS D-SNP), UHC Dual Complete KY-Q1 (PPO D-SNP), UHC Dual Complete KY-Q2 (HMO-POS D-SNP), UHC Dual Complete KY-S3 (PPO D-SNP) and UHC Dual Complete KY-S4 (HMO-POS D-SNP)

Plan names, premiums, provider networks and drug lists are not the same from one plan to the next. Compare the specifics on medicare.gov or in each plan's Evidence of Coverage before you choose.

What's new or renamed among Lexington D-SNPs for 2027?

Two D-SNPs are new for 2027 in Fayette County: Humana Dual QMB Only (HMO D-SNP) and UHC Dual Complete KY-Q2 (HMO-POS D-SNP), plus UHC Dual Complete KY-S4 (HMO-POS D-SNP). Two more were renamed: Wellcare Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP) was previously Wellcare Dual Access Sync, and UHC Dual Advantage KY-V1 was previously UHC Dual Complete KY-V001.

If you are already enrolled in a D-SNP, your Annual Notice of Change arrived in September. It spells out any changes to your plan for 2027, including a new name or any shift in cost-sharing or benefits. If you don't act, your plan simply renews as described in the ANOC — nothing happens automatically that you didn't agree to.

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

Most people only get to change Medicare Advantage plans during the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31). People with Medicaid or Extra Help have additional opportunities built into the rules.

As of 2025, the Special Enrollment Period for dual-eligible and Extra Help enrollees generally allows one change per month to either join an integrated D-SNP that aligns with your Medicaid plan, or move to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. The specifics on which plans count as "integrated" and when you can use the SEP have been changing, so call 1-800-MEDICARE or check medicare.gov to confirm what applies to you before you switch.

Your Medicaid status itself can also open a Special Enrollment Period — for example, if you newly qualify, lose eligibility, or move between full and partial dual status.

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

Eligibility has two sides, and both have to line up:

1. Medicare. You need Medicare Part A and Part B. You can confirm your enrollment at ssa.gov, by calling the Social Security Administration, or on your red, white and blue Medicare card. 2. Medicaid. You need to be enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program. The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services (kynect.ky.gov or 1-855-459-6328) is the office that confirms your level — full dual, QMB, SLMB or QI. The D-SNP you choose has to match the level you qualify for.

If a plan asks for proof of Medicaid when you apply and you aren't sure what you have, request a copy of your Medicaid eligibility letter from the state before you enroll. That saves time and prevents a plan denial later.

What else is changing for 2027 that affects dual-eligible residents?

A few program-wide figures are already set for 2027 and apply no matter which plan you choose:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. Many dual-eligible residents pay little to nothing for drugs through Extra Help, but the cap sets the ceiling for everyone.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — the option to spread drug costs across the calendar year — is still available.

The 2027 Part B standard premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets had not been published as of September 2026. CMS normally releases those in the fall.