Medicare Advantage

Corpus Christi's 2027 C-SNPs: four Medicare Advantage plans for people with a qualifying diagnosis

Nueces County has 58 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 19 plans are not coming back, 10 are new, and 29 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 10 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Corpus Christi, not which plan to pick.

CORPUS CHRISTI — For 2027, people on Medicare in Nueces County who live with certain chronic illnesses will have four Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) to consider during this fall's Annual Enrollment Period. These are a narrow slice of Medicare Advantage built around a specific diagnosis, and getting into one takes a step most other plans don't require: a doctor's confirmation that you have the qualifying condition.

What is a C-SNP, and how does it work in Corpus Christi for 2027?

A Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan that only accepts members who have a specific chronic illness, such as diabetes or a serious heart condition. Like other Medicare Advantage plans, a C-SNP replaces how you get your Part A and Part B services, and most C-SNPs include Part D drug coverage. The difference is that the plan is designed around one condition (or a small group of related ones) — the drug list, care team and extra benefits are shaped to that diagnosis.

To join, Medicare requires proof you actually have the condition. The plan sends your doctor a short form to sign; if your provider confirms the diagnosis, your enrollment goes through. If the form doesn't come back in time, the plan can end your membership.

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

Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where CMS lists 4 C-SNPs for 2027 out of 58 Medicare Advantage plans in the county. Two carriers offer them:

• Humana — 2 C-SNPs
• UnitedHealthcare — 2 C-SNPs

The other Special Needs Plans in the county are a different category: 18 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for people with both Medicare and Medicaid, and 5 Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) for people living in nursing facilities. Those are separate products with separate rules.

Which C-SNPs are available in Corpus Christi for 2027?

Here are the four C-SNPs listed by CMS for Nueces County in 2027, in alphabetical order by carrier. The table below shows each plan's type and drug coverage; carrier-specific costs, networks and benefits aren't included here — those come from the plan's own materials.

• Humana Gold Plus - Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP) — Humana
• Humana Gold Plus - Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP) — Humana
• UHC Complete Care TX-18 (HMO-POS C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare
• UHC Complete Care TX-29 (Regional PPO C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

The Humana plans state the conditions they serve in their names. For the UnitedHealthcare plans, you can confirm which conditions qualify by checking the plan's Evidence of Coverage on medicare.gov or by calling the plan directly.

Who qualifies for a C-SNP, and how is the diagnosis confirmed?

Only people with the specific chronic condition the plan serves can enroll. Medicare keeps a list of 15 qualifying conditions C-SNPs are allowed to target, including chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disorders, end-stage renal disease and several others.

The confirmation step is routine but important:

1. You pick a C-SNP and start the enrollment application. 2. The plan contacts your doctor (or asks you to list one) and sends a short verification form. 3. Your provider signs the form confirming you have the qualifying diagnosis. 4. Once Medicare and the plan have that confirmation, your coverage begins.

If your diagnosis can't be confirmed, you won't be enrolled in the C-SNP — but you can choose a regular Medicare Advantage plan or stay with Original Medicare.

When can someone in Corpus Christi join a C-SNP?

Most people join during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7, 2026, with coverage starting January 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews into 2027 with any changes spelled out in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).

There is also a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) tied to the chronic condition itself. If you're newly diagnosed with a qualifying condition — or you already have one and want to switch into a C-SNP — you don't have to wait for the fall window. You can enroll in a C-SNP once, outside AEP, using this SEP. The enrollment still requires provider confirmation of the diagnosis. If you later lose eligibility (for example, if a plan's condition no longer applies), Medicare gives you a separate period to move to another plan.

What else is changing in Corpus Christi for 2027?

Nueces County is seeing some turnover in its Medicare Advantage lineup for 2027: 19 plans are not returning, 10 are new, and 10 have been renamed. If you're already enrolled in a C-SNP, check your ANOC — mailed in late September — to see whether your plan is continuing and whether anything about your drug list or cost sharing is changing.

At the program level, a few 2027 Part D numbers are already set: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B standard premium and IRMAA income brackets haven't been announced yet; CMS typically publishes them in November.