Medicare Advantage

Dual Special Needs Plans in Boston for 2027: 17 D-SNPs and who can join

For 2027, Boston is looking at 50 Medicare Advantage plans: 12 new, 14 gone since 2026, and 24 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 3 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Suffolk County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

BOSTON — Fall 2026. If you have both Medicare and MassHealth, you have a specific kind of plan built for you — a Dual Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP. For 2027, Suffolk County, which includes Boston, has 17 D-SNPs offered by seven carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. That is the slice of the local Medicare Advantage lineup designed to coordinate the two programs under one plan.

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any choice you make takes effect January 1, 2027. People with full Medicaid or Extra Help also have extra chances to change plans during the year — more on that below.

What a D-SNP is, in plain terms

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. The plan includes Part A (hospital), Part B (medical) and Part D (drugs) in one package, and it is built to work alongside your Medicaid benefits. In Massachusetts, two familiar flavors show up in the D-SNP world: Senior Care Options (SCO), for people 65 and older, and One Care, for adults with disabilities who are not yet 65. Both appear in the Suffolk County list.

Who qualifies: full vs. partial dual eligibility

"Dual eligible" is an umbrella term. The key split is:

• Full dual eligible — You get full MassHealth benefits in addition to Medicare. Medicaid can help cover services Medicare does not, and often picks up Medicare cost-sharing.
• Partial dual eligible — You qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (such as QMB, SLMB or QI) that helps pay Medicare premiums or cost-sharing, but you do not get full Medicaid benefits.

Which bucket you are in matters, because some D-SNPs are open only to people with full Medicaid. MassHealth — the state Medicaid agency — is the office that confirms your level. If you are not sure where you stand, call MassHealth or check your most recent eligibility notice before you shop.

The 17 D-SNPs offered in Suffolk County for 2027

The table below lists every plan available in the county. For D-SNPs specifically, these seven carriers are offering plans for 2027, in alphabetical order:

• Commonwealth Care Alliance Massachusetts — 1 D-SNP: CCA Senior Care Options (HMO D-SNP)
• Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc. — 1 D-SNP: CCA One Care (HMO D-SNP)
• Fallon Health — 2 D-SNPs: NaviCare (HMO D-SNP), which is new for 2027, and NaviCare NHC (HMO D-SNP), which was renamed from NaviCare (HMO D-SNP)
• Mass General Brigham Health Plan — 2 D-SNPs: Mass General Brigham One Care (HMO D-SNP), Mass General Brigham SCO (HMO D-SNP)
• Molina Healthcare of Massachusetts — 3 D-SNPs: Molina One Care (HMO D-SNP), Senior Whole Health SCO (HMO D-SNP), Senior Whole Health SCO NHC (HMO D-SNP)
• Tufts Health Plan — 4 D-SNPs: Tufts Health One Care (HMO D-SNP), Tufts Health One Care CW (HMO D-SNP), Tufts Health Plan Senior Care Options (HMO D-SNP), Tufts Health Plan Senior Care Options CW (HMO D-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare — 4 D-SNPs: UHC One Care MA-Y3 (HMO D-SNP), UHC One Care MA-YL (HMO D-SNP) (renamed from UHC One Care MA-Y4), UHC Senior Care Options MA-Y001 (HMO D-SNP), UHC Senior Care Options MA-YL (HMO D-SNP) (renamed from UHC Senior Care Options NHC MA-Y002)

All 17 include drug coverage. There are no C-SNPs (for chronic conditions) or I-SNPs (for institutional residents) offered in the county for 2027. For costs, provider networks, drug lists and plan benefits, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call the plan directly — this article does not compare plan features.

How often a dual-eligible person can change plans

This is one of the biggest practical differences between D-SNP members and most other Medicare beneficiaries. You are not locked into the fall window.

• Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026): Anyone can change plans. New coverage starts Jan. 1, 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027): If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch once or go back to Original Medicare with a Part D plan.
• Special Enrollment Periods for dual-eligible and Extra Help enrollees: People with Medicaid or Extra Help generally get a monthly opportunity to join an integrated D-SNP or move to Original Medicare with a Part D plan. The specifics have shifted in recent years as CMS has aligned D-SNPs more closely with Medicaid, so confirm the current rules by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

If your dual-eligible status changes mid-year — for example, you lose or gain full Medicaid — that itself can open a Special Enrollment Period.

How to confirm your eligibility

A few straightforward steps:

1. Check your Medicare status at medicare.gov or on your red, white and blue Medicare card. 2. Check your MassHealth status by logging in to your MassHealth account, reviewing your most recent eligibility letter, or calling MassHealth customer service. The state agency is the authority on whether your coverage is full or partial. 3. Call 1-800-MEDICARE to confirm which Special Enrollment Periods currently apply to you and which D-SNPs you may be eligible to join. 4. Compare on the Plan Finder at medicare.gov, which filters for D-SNPs and shows the plans your zip code qualifies for.

What is changing locally for 2027

Across the full Medicare Advantage lineup in Suffolk County, 14 plans are not returning for 2027, 12 are new, and 3 are being renamed. Within the D-SNP group, Fallon Health's NaviCare line has one new plan and one rename, and UnitedHealthcare has renamed two of its D-SNPs. If you are already in a plan, read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed in September — it spells out what, if anything, is different for next year. If you do nothing and your plan is still offered, it simply renews on Jan. 1.

2027 Part D figures that apply to everyone

Even inside a D-SNP, Part D rules set the ceiling on drug costs. CMS has confirmed these 2027 numbers:

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

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced as of this writing. CMS typically publishes them in November. Most people with full Medicaid have their Part B premium paid by the state, and most qualify automatically for Extra Help with Part D.