Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid in Austin: a plain guide to the 14 D-SNPs for 2027

People in Austin can choose from 56 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 60 this year. 15 of this year’s plans are gone, 11 are new to Travis County, and 21 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 8 of them under a new name.

AUSTIN — If you have both Medicare and Medicaid in Travis County, your 2027 lineup of Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) is set, and this fall brings new entrants to compare. CMS Landscape files for 2027 show 14 D-SNPs available in the county Austin sits in, offered by six carriers. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any choice you make takes effect January 1, 2027.

What a D-SNP is, in plain terms

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Every D-SNP in Travis County includes drug coverage. The plan coordinates your Medicare benefits with the help you get through Texas Medicaid, which can simplify cards, bills and care management.

D-SNPs are not the only Special Needs Plans in the area. Travis County also has 8 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 6 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) for 2027, which serve different groups. This article focuses on the 14 D-SNPs.

Who qualifies: full vs. partial dual eligibility

To join a D-SNP, you must have Medicare (Parts A and B) and some level of Texas Medicaid help. Dual eligibility comes in two broad flavors:

• Full dual eligible: You get full Medicaid benefits in addition to Medicare. Medicaid may help with Medicare premiums and cost-sharing and also cover services Medicare does not, such as long-term services and supports.
• Partial dual eligible: You get help through a Medicare Savings Program (such as QMB, SLMB, or QI) that pays certain Medicare costs, but not full Medicaid benefits.

Different D-SNPs are designed for different dual categories. Some plan names in the roster below hint at this (for example, plans labeled "Full Dual"). The right fit depends on your Medicaid level, which Texas Health and Human Services determines.

To confirm your status, you can:

• Call Texas Health and Human Services at 2-1-1 or check YourTexasBenefits.com.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) to confirm how Medicare sees your eligibility.
• Check your Medicaid award letter or MCO card.

The 14 D-SNPs in Travis County for 2027

The table on this page lists every 2027 D-SNP in the county, by carrier. In alphabetical order, the carriers and plans are:

• Aetna (CVS Health): Aetna Medicare Full Dual (HMO D-SNP)
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) — renamed from Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP)
• Devoted Health: DEVOTED DUAL 015 TX (HMO D-SNP); DEVOTED DUAL FULL 037 TX (HMO D-SNP)
• Elevance Health (Anthem): Wellpoint Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — new for 2027; Wellpoint Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP) — new for 2027; Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — new for 2027
• Humana: Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H0028-032 (HMO D-SNP); Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H4461-071 (HMO D-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare: UHC Dual Advantage TX-V11 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — new for 2027; UHC Dual Complete TX-Q6 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — new for 2027; UHC Dual Complete TX-S001 (Regional PPO D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete TX-S6 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — new for 2027; UHC Dual Complete TX-YL2 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — new for 2027

Premiums, networks, drug lists and extra benefits vary. For plan-specific details, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

How often you can switch plans

Most people can change Medicare coverage only during set windows. Dual-eligible beneficiaries have more flexibility:

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027. Anyone with Medicare can switch, add or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31, 2027, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
• A monthly Special Enrollment Period for duals and people with Extra Help: Current CMS rules generally allow one change per month to enroll in an integrated D-SNP or to drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan. The exact rules have been changing, so confirm what applies to your situation with 1-800-MEDICARE before you move.

If you do nothing during AEP, your current plan renews for 2027 if it is still offered. Any changes to premiums, cost-sharing, drug list or network will appear in the Annual Notice of Change your plan sent in September.

What is changing in Travis County for 2027

Across all Medicare Advantage plans in the county, CMS data show 15 plans not returning, 11 new plans, and 8 renamed plans for 2027. Within the D-SNP group specifically, Elevance Health (Anthem) is entering with three new Wellpoint plans, and UnitedHealthcare is adding four new Dual Complete and Dual Advantage options. Centene's Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync has been renamed Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty Sync.

If your plan is not returning, you will get a non-renewal letter and a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan.

A few 2027 program facts to keep in mind

These apply across Medicare, not to any single plan:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• Many people with full Medicaid or Extra Help pay little or nothing toward Part D cost-sharing.
• The 2027 Part B premium, deductible and IRMAA income brackets have not yet been announced; CMS typically releases them later in the fall.

How to decide

1. Confirm your Medicaid level with Texas HHS (2-1-1 or YourTexasBenefits.com). 2. Check your current plan's ANOC for any 2027 changes. 3. Compare D-SNPs on medicare.gov's Plan Finder — enter your ZIP code, drugs and preferred doctors. 4. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (24/7) for help confirming eligibility, enrollment windows, or plan details.