Medicare Advantage

Newark Medicare and Medicaid: a plain guide to the five D-SNPs in Essex County for 2027

Essex County has 48 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 10 plans are not coming back, 10 are new, and 12 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 2 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Newark, not which plan to pick.

Newark, N.J. — Fall 2026. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid in Newark, your plan choices for 2027 include a small, specialized group called Dual Special Needs Plans, or D-SNPs. For the 2027 plan year, Essex County — the county Newark sits in — has five D-SNPs from five different carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Dual-eligible residents also have more flexibility than most Medicare beneficiaries to switch during the year. Here is what Newark readers should know before deciding.

What is a D-SNP, and who are they for in Newark?

A D-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. It bundles your Part A (hospital), Part B (doctor) and, in Essex County, Part D (drug) coverage, and it coordinates with your New Jersey Medicaid benefits. Every D-SNP available in Essex County for 2027 includes drug coverage.

D-SNPs are not open to the general Medicare population. You must be enrolled in Medicare and also qualify for Medicaid in New Jersey — either full Medicaid or one of the Medicare Savings Programs that pay some Medicare costs (partial dual eligibility). The plan you can join depends on which level you have, which is why confirming your Medicaid status matters before you enroll.

Which D-SNPs are offered in Essex County for 2027?

For plan year 2027, Essex County has five D-SNPs, listed below in alphabetical order by carrier (the table on this page shows the full plan roster):

• Aetna Medicare FIDE (HMO D-SNP) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Wellcare Fidelis Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Horizon NJ TotalCare (HMO D-SNP) — Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
• UHC Dual Complete NJ-Y001 (HMO D-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

All five are HMO D-SNPs with drug coverage. Essex County also has other Special Needs Plans for 2027 that are not D-SNPs: seven C-SNPs (for people with certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease) and three I-SNPs (for people living in a long-term care setting). Those are different programs with their own eligibility rules.

For reference, Essex County's full 2027 Medicare Advantage landscape includes 48 plans from 10 carriers.

What is the difference between full and partial dual eligibility?

Full dual eligibility means you qualify for full New Jersey Medicaid in addition to Medicare. Medicaid typically helps with your Medicare premiums and cost-sharing, and it can cover services Medicare does not, such as long-term services and supports.

Partial dual eligibility means you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (such as QMB, SLMB or QI) that helps pay some Medicare costs — most often your Part B premium, and in some cases deductibles, copays and coinsurance — but you are not enrolled in full Medicaid.

Both groups may be eligible for a D-SNP, but each plan is designed around a specific level of help. The New Jersey Medicaid program (NJ FamilyCare) is the official source for your current status. You can also ask 1-800-MEDICARE to check what Medicare has on file.

How often can a dual-eligible person change plans?

Most people with Medicare can only change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans during the 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 this writing, dual-eligible beneficiaries generally have a monthly chance to make one of two moves: enroll in an integrated D-SNP that aligns with their Medicaid plan, or leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare paired with a stand-alone Part D plan. Other changes may require you to wait for the regular enrollment windows. These rules have shifted in recent years, so before you act, call 1-800-MEDICARE or check medicare.gov to confirm what applies in 2027.

If you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 as long as it is still offered. The ANOC your plan mails each fall explains any changes to benefits or costs for the new year.

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

Start with two phone calls. Contact NJ FamilyCare (New Jersey Medicaid) to confirm whether you have full Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program, and ask for the exact category — plans are built around those categories. Then call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to confirm what Medicare has on record and to walk through D-SNP options for ZIP codes in Newark.

To compare the five Essex County D-SNPs side by side — premiums, drug lists (formularies), provider networks, extra benefits and star ratings — use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Each plan also publishes an Evidence of Coverage and a provider and pharmacy directory, which are the authoritative documents for what is covered and who is in network.

A few program-level 2027 figures that affect anyone with Part D, including D-SNP members: the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum Part D deductible is $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not yet been announced; CMS typically publishes them in the fall.