Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid together in Cleveland: the 11 D-SNPs for 2027 and how to confirm you qualify

People in Cleveland can choose from 99 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 112 this year. 31 of this year’s plans are gone, 18 are new to Cuyahoga County, and 37 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 6 of them under a new name.

CLEVELAND — For people in Cuyahoga County who have both Medicare and Medicaid, the 2027 plan year brings a slightly bigger menu of Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) to choose from, and a few familiar names have changed. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change made in that window starts January 1, 2027 — but dual-eligible residents also have chances to switch outside that window that most other people on Medicare do not.

What is a Dual Special Needs Plan, and who is it for in Cleveland?

A D-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built only for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Cleveland (which is in Cuyahoga County), these plans coordinate your Medicare benefits with your Ohio Medicaid benefits in one package, and all of them include prescription drug coverage.

You qualify if you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B and you also qualify for Medicaid through the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Medicaid comes in levels — commonly described as "full" dual eligibility (Medicaid pays for a broad set of services and usually your Medicare cost-sharing) or "partial" dual eligibility (one of the Medicare Savings Programs helps pay your Medicare premiums or cost-sharing but does not give you full Medicaid benefits). Different D-SNPs are designed for different levels, so your Medicaid category affects which plans you can actually join.

How many D-SNPs are offered in Cuyahoga County for 2027, and from which carriers?

For 2027, Cuyahoga County has 11 D-SNPs out of 99 Medicare Advantage plans overall. The county also has 13 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 9 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs), but those are for different situations.

Four carriers offer D-SNPs in the county for 2027, listed alphabetically: CareSource MyCare Ohio (HMO D-SNP) with 1 plan, Centene (WellCare) with 4, Elevance Health (Anthem) with 4, and Molina Healthcare of Ohio with 2. The table below lists every D-SNP by carrier.

Several plans are new or renamed for 2027. New for next year: Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Access (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Buckeye Health Dual Reserve (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP), Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP), Anthem I MyCare Ohio Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP), and Molina Complete Care Connect for MyCare Ohio (HMO D-SNP). Renamed: Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align Unity (HMO D-SNP) was Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP), and Anthem I MyCare Ohio Full Dual Support (HMO D-SNP) was Anthem I MyCare Ohio Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP). If you are already in a D-SNP, read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed you — it spells out what is different for 2027.

How do I confirm my dual-eligible status in Ohio?

Start with the Ohio Department of Medicaid, which is the agency that decides your Medicaid level. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), and the representative can tell you what Medicare sees on file, which is what a D-SNP will look at when you apply.

Two things are worth checking: whether you have "full" Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program (QMB, SLMB or QI), and whether you have Extra Help with Part D drug costs. Those details decide which D-SNPs you are eligible for and how much help you get with prescriptions.

How often can a dual-eligible person change Medicare plans?

Dual-eligible people and people with Extra Help have more chances to change plans than the general October 15 – December 7 fall window. Under current CMS rules, they get a monthly opportunity (called a Special Enrollment Period) to either enroll in an integrated D-SNP that aligns with their Medicaid plan, or move back to Original Medicare and pick up a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

That is a general rule — the specifics of which SEP applies to you depend on your Medicaid category and the plan you want. Confirm the current rules for your situation with 1-800-MEDICARE before you make a change, because an SEP you expect to have may not fit the plan you have in mind.

What is changing for everyone in 2027 that D-SNP members should know?

Two Part D numbers are confirmed by CMS for 2027: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026). The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33 — that is a formula input CMS uses, not the premium any specific plan charges.

Many D-SNP members have most or all of their drug costs covered through Medicaid and Extra Help, so these Part D figures may not change what you pay out of pocket. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, are not out yet; CMS normally publishes them in the fall.

What should I do during the fall 2026 enrollment window?

If you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 as long as it is being offered, with the changes described in your ANOC. In Cuyahoga County, 31 Medicare Advantage plans are not returning for 2027, 18 are new, and 6 have been renamed — so the first step is to open the ANOC and check that your plan is still there and still works for your doctors and drugs.

To compare D-SNPs side by side, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Keep your Medicare number and your Ohio Medicaid card handy — the Plan Finder uses both to show which D-SNPs you can actually enroll in.