Medicare Advantage

Baltimore's 2027 Dual Special Needs Plans: a plain-language guide for people with Medicare and Medicaid

Baltimore city has 24 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 9 plans are not coming back, 2 are new, and 9 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 1 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Baltimore, not which plan to pick.

BALTIMORE — October 2026. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid in Baltimore, your plan choices for 2027 include nine Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) from six carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape file for the coming plan year. One of those plans is new to Baltimore city for 2027, and one has been renamed. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.

Here is what the lineup looks like, who qualifies, and how often a dual-eligible person can switch during the year.

What a D-SNP is

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Every D-SNP includes Part D drug coverage, and the plan is designed to coordinate benefits between the two programs so you have one card, one care team, and one member services line for most of what you need.

Baltimore is in Baltimore city, which is its own county for Medicare plan purposes. Plan availability in the CMS Landscape file is set at the county level, so the D-SNP list below is what CMS shows for Baltimore city for plan year 2027.

The 2027 D-SNP lineup in Baltimore city

For 2027, CMS lists 9 D-SNPs offered in Baltimore city, out of a broader Medicare Advantage lineup that also includes 2 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 2 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs). The six carriers offering D-SNPs are:

• Alterwood Advantage — 2 D-SNPs
• CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage DualPrime — 1 D-SNP
• HealthSpring — 1 D-SNP
• Johns Hopkins Advantage MD — 1 D-SNP (new for 2027)
• Kaiser Permanente — 2 D-SNPs
• UnitedHealthcare — 2 D-SNPs (one renamed for 2027)

The table on this page lists every D-SNP by name. Costs, provider networks, drug lists and extra benefits vary by plan — the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, and the plan's own Evidence of Coverage are the places to get those details.

Who qualifies: full vs. partial dual eligibility

To join a D-SNP, you need Medicare Parts A and B and some form of Maryland Medicaid help. Within that, there are two broad categories:

• Full-benefit dual eligible. You get the full range of Medicaid benefits in addition to Medicare — things like long-term services and supports, and help with Medicare cost-sharing.
• Partial-benefit dual eligible. You qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (such as QMB, SLMB or QI) that helps pay Medicare premiums, and sometimes deductibles and coinsurance, but not full Medicaid benefits.

Different D-SNPs are built around different eligibility categories, so a plan one neighbor can join may not fit another neighbor's situation. The Maryland Department of Health, which runs Medicaid in the state, is the office that confirms your exact category. You can also see your current level listed on your Medicaid paperwork and in your medicare.gov account.

How often a dual-eligible person can change plans

Most people with Medicare can only change their Medicare Advantage or Part D plan during set windows: the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31).

People who have Medicaid or who get Extra Help with their drug costs have more opportunities during the year. Under current rules, you generally get a monthly chance to either:

• Join an integrated D-SNP that works closely with your Medicaid plan, or
• Leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

CMS has adjusted these special enrollment rules in recent years, so before you act, confirm the current rule for your situation with 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How to confirm eligibility before you enroll

A few simple steps can save a lot of back-and-forth:

1. Check your Medicaid status with Maryland. Call the Maryland Medicaid office or sign in to your state account to confirm you are active and to see your category (full dual, QMB, SLMB, etc.). 2. Check your Medicare record. Sign in at medicare.gov to confirm your Part A and Part B effective dates. 3. Match a plan to your category. Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE, and ask the plan directly whether your Medicaid category qualifies you for that specific D-SNP. 4. Review the plan's documents. The Evidence of Coverage, Summary of Benefits and provider and pharmacy directories are the sources of record for what a plan covers and who is in-network.

What is changing for 2027, in context

Across all Medicare Advantage plans in Baltimore city, CMS shows 9 plans not returning for 2027, 2 brand-new plans, and 1 renamed plan. Within the D-SNP group specifically, Johns Hopkins Advantage MD is adding a new D-SNP (BMORE Balanced), and UnitedHealthcare's UHC Dual Complete MD-Q001 is listed with a plan-type update. If you are already in a D-SNP, read your plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which arrives in the fall — that is where any changes to your 2027 coverage are spelled out.

A few program-level numbers that apply to everyone with Part D drug coverage, including D-SNP members:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026, rising to $2,400 in 2027.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026, rising to $700 in 2027.
• The 2027 Part B standard premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes them in the fall, usually in November.