Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid in Maryland: 13 Dual Special Needs Plans for 2027

BALTIMORE — For 2027, Marylanders who have both Medicare and Medicaid will have 13 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) to consider statewide, out of 47 Medicare Advantage plans available across the state, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files for CY2027. D-SNPs are a specialized type of Medicare Advantage plan built around people who qualify for both programs. Availability is set county by county, so a plan on the statewide list may or may not be sold where you live.

What is a D-SNP and who qualifies for one in Maryland in 2027?

A D-SNP is a Medicare Advantage plan designed only for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, and eligibility is confirmed by the Maryland Department of Health, the state Medicaid agency. You can qualify as a "full" dual eligible, meaning Medicaid covers a broad set of benefits for you, or as a "partial" dual eligible, meaning Medicaid helps with Medicare costs through a program such as a Medicare Savings Program.

D-SNPs coordinate Medicare benefits with the Medicaid benefits you already receive from the state. Because the two programs work together, D-SNPs tend to focus on care coordination for people who use both. The specific benefits, provider networks and drug lists vary by plan, and those details live in each plan's Evidence of Coverage and in the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Separate from D-SNPs, Maryland also has 2 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 2 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) in the 2027 landscape, which serve different populations.

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

Maryland has 13 D-SNPs for 2027, spread across six carriers: Alterwood Advantage (2 plans), CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage DualPrime (1), HealthSpring (1), Johns Hopkins Advantage MD (2), Kaiser Permanente (4), and UnitedHealthcare (3). These 13 plans sit within the 47 Medicare Advantage plans available statewide for the year.

Each plan is listed in the full table on this page with its plan type and the number of Maryland counties where it's offered. A few notes worth flagging: Johns Hopkins Advantage MD BMORE Balanced is new for 2027 and is offered in 1 county, and UHC Dual Complete MD-Q001 has been renamed from its prior HMO-POS D-SNP listing to an HMO D-SNP listing. County reach varies widely across the 13 plans — some are offered in a single county, others in more than 20 — so the statewide count is a starting point, not a guarantee that any given plan is sold on your street.

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

People with both Medicare and Medicaid in Maryland generally have more chances to change plans than someone with Medicare alone. The Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7, 2026, is open to everyone with Medicare, and a choice made then takes effect January 1, 2027.

On top of that, dual-eligible enrollees typically qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that allows a plan change once per calendar quarter during the first three quarters of the year, and there is also a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31 for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. The exact SEP rules for dual-eligible and Extra Help enrollees are set by CMS and can change, so it's worth confirming the current rules at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE before making a switch. The point for Maryland readers: the December 7, 2026 date is a milestone, not the only door.

How do I check whether a D-SNP is offered in my Maryland county for 2027?

The most reliable way to see which of Maryland's 13 D-SNPs are offered in your county for 2027 is the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, which lets you enter your ZIP code and filter for Special Needs Plans. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The statewide table on this page shows, for each of the 13 D-SNPs, how many Maryland counties it serves — for example, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage DualPrime is listed in 24 counties, while HealthSpring TotalCare Plus is listed in 4, and Johns Hopkins Advantage MD BMORE Balanced in 1. County counts tell you reach; they do not tell you cost, benefits, provider networks, drug coverage or star ratings. For those details, use the Plan Finder or request the plan's Evidence of Coverage and provider and pharmacy directories directly from the carrier.

Where can I get free help with Medicare and Medicaid questions in Maryland for 2027?

Two free, official resources are available to every Marylander. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you compare plans available in your ZIP code, including D-SNPs, and shows plan-specific details that this article does not quote. 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) is staffed around the clock and can walk through enrollment questions, Special Enrollment Periods and plan comparisons.

For Medicaid eligibility questions — including whether you are classified as full or partial dual eligible — the Maryland Department of Health, as the state Medicaid agency, is the office that makes and confirms that determination. If a plan contacts you, you can always hang up and call the plan back using the number printed on official plan materials or listed on medicare.gov.