Medicare Advantage

Reno D-SNPs for 2027: who qualifies, when you can switch, and the carriers in Washoe County

People in Reno can choose from 42 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 47 this year. Twelve of this year’s plans are gone, 7 are new to Washoe County, and 23 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 11 of them under a new name.

RENO, Nev. — People in Washoe County who have both Medicare and Medicaid will see 17 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) offered for 2027, from eight carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. Fall 2026 is when those plans are published for the coming year, and the lineup includes new names, renamed plans and familiar ones carrying over.

D-SNPs are a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for "dual eligible" members — people enrolled in both Medicare and Nevada Medicaid. They coordinate the two programs under one plan. The rules for who qualifies, and how often you can change plans, are different from the rules for a general Medicare Advantage member — and that is what this guide walks through.

What is a D-SNP, and how many are offered in Reno for 2027?

A D-SNP is a Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. For 2027, Washoe County — the county Reno is in — has 17 D-SNPs out of 42 Medicare Advantage plans overall, from 8 carriers. The other Special Needs Plans in the county are 7 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and no Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs).

Every D-SNP in Washoe County for 2027 includes Part D prescription drug coverage. The plans are a mix of HMO, HMO-POS and PPO designs. Because they are built for dual eligibles, D-SNPs are designed to work alongside Medicaid benefits rather than duplicate them.

Which carriers offer D-SNPs in Washoe County for 2027?

Eight carriers offer D-SNPs in Washoe County for 2027. In alphabetical order: Aetna (CVS Health) with 2 plans, Alignment Health Plan with 1, Centene (WellCare) with 2, Elevance Health (Anthem) with 2, Humana with 2, Kaiser Permanente with 1, Prominence Health Plan with 1, and UnitedHealthcare with 6.

Several D-SNPs are new or renamed for 2027. The new-for-2027 D-SNPs are Aetna Medicare Full Dual (HMO D-SNP), Aetna Medicare Partial Dual (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare SilverSummit Healthplan Dual Liberty (HMO-POS D-SNP), UHC Dual Complete NV-Q3 (PPO D-SNP) and UHC Dual Complete NV-S6 (PPO D-SNP). Renamed plans include Alignment Health Duals+ 005 (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare SilverSummit Healthplan Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP), KP Medicare Duals H2960-024 (HMO D-SNP), UHC Dual Complete NV-Q1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) and UHC Dual Complete NV-Q2 (PPO D-SNP). The table below lists every D-SNP in the county. For benefits, networks and costs, check the plan's own materials, medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.

Who qualifies for a D-SNP in Nevada — "full" vs. "partial" dual eligible?

To qualify for any D-SNP, you need Medicare Parts A and B and some level of Nevada Medicaid. The state Medicaid agency — the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services — determines which category you fall into, and that category can affect which D-SNP you can enroll in.

In plain terms, "full" dual eligible means Medicaid covers a broad set of benefits for you, including help with Medicare cost sharing. "Partial" dual eligible means Medicaid helps with some Medicare costs (for example, Part B premiums through a Medicare Savings Program) but does not provide full Medicaid benefits. Some D-SNPs accept only full duals; others accept partial duals too. The two new 2027 Aetna plans — Aetna Medicare Full Dual (HMO D-SNP) and Aetna Medicare Partial Dual (HMO D-SNP) — are named around that distinction, but the only way to confirm which plans you personally qualify for is to check your Medicaid status with the state and your Medicare status with 1-800-MEDICARE.

How often can a dual-eligible person change plans?

Dual eligibles have more chances to change plans than most Medicare members. Everyone can use the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026, with the new plan starting Jan. 1, 2027. Medicare Advantage members can also use the Jan. 1 – March 31 Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period to switch once.

On top of that, people with Medicaid or Extra Help generally have a Special Enrollment Period that lets them, once per month, either enroll in an integrated D-SNP or drop a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan. The exact Special Enrollment rules have changed in recent years, so confirm what applies to you right now by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) or checking medicare.gov. If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews for 2027 if it is being offered again — but read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mails you, since benefits can shift year to year.

How do I confirm my eligibility and compare D-SNPs in Reno?

Start with two phone calls. For your Medicare status and plan options, call 1-800-MEDICARE or sign in at medicare.gov, where the Plan Finder lets you compare every D-SNP available in your ZIP code side by side, including drug lists and provider networks. For your Medicaid status — and whether you are full or partial dual eligible — contact Nevada Medicaid through Access Nevada or the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services.

A few program-level numbers may help you plan for 2027. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B standard premium, Part B deductible and IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet; CMS typically releases them in the fall. Most people with full Medicaid also qualify for Extra Help, which pays most Part D costs.