Medicare Advantage

Do You Have Diabetes? A C-SNP May Fit in Bexar

Bexar County has 98 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 28 plans are not coming back, 26 are new, and 36 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 11 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for San Antonio, not which plan to pick.

SAN ANTONIO, fall 2026 — If you live with a long-term condition like diabetes, heart disease or chronic kidney disease, a special kind of Medicare Advantage plan is built around you. It is called a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan, or C-SNP, and the 2027 lineup for Bexar County — the county San Antonio sits in — is now set.

For 2027, 18 of the 98 Medicare Advantage plans offered in Bexar County are C-SNPs, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. Seven carriers offer them locally. A few are brand new for next year, and one has been renamed. Here is what that means for you during Annual Enrollment, which runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.

How a C-SNP works

A C-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed around one or more chronic conditions. Like other Medicare Advantage plans, it bundles Part A (hospital), Part B (medical) and almost always Part D (prescription drugs) into one plan from a private insurer. Every C-SNP offered in Bexar County for 2027 includes drug coverage.

What makes a C-SNP different is the focus. The plan's network, drug list, care coordination and extra benefits are shaped around the condition it serves — for example, diabetes or chronic heart failure. Many C-SNPs assign a care coordinator and build in regular check-ins so your care team is talking to each other.

Because the plan is targeted, enrollment is limited to people who actually have the qualifying condition.

Who can enroll — and the role of your provider

To join a C-SNP, you need a qualifying chronic condition that Medicare recognizes for that plan. CMS maintains the official list, which includes conditions like diabetes, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disorders, chronic lung disorders and end-stage renal disease, among others.

A diagnosis on your own say-so is not enough. The plan must get verification from your doctor or other qualified provider — usually through a short form the plan sends. If the plan cannot confirm your diagnosis within the window CMS allows, your enrollment can be ended.

A simple way to approach this: before you apply, make sure your provider's office knows you plan to list them as the source of verification, and that your diagnosis is documented in your records.

The Special Enrollment Period for chronic conditions

Most people can only change Medicare Advantage plans during set windows — the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15–Dec. 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1–March 31).

People with a qualifying chronic condition have an extra option: a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that lets you join a C-SNP outside of those windows. In practice:

• You can enroll in a C-SNP once you have the qualifying diagnosis, without waiting for fall.
• The SEP for a C-SNP generally ends once you enroll in a C-SNP.
• If you lose eligibility (for example, the plan cannot verify your condition), you get a limited window to switch to another Medicare plan.

If you already have a C-SNP and want to compare it against the 2027 lineup, the regular Annual Enrollment Period is the time to do that.

The 2027 C-SNPs offered in Bexar County

Below is the full list of C-SNPs available for 2027 in Bexar County, listed alphabetically by carrier. We've noted which plans are new for 2027 and which was renamed. We are not listing premiums, copays, networks or extra benefits here — those belong on the Medicare Plan Finder, where you can compare them side by side.

• Aetna (CVS Health) — Aetna Medicare Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP) (renamed; was Aetna Medicare Prime Chronic Care); Aetna Medicare Chronic Care Total (HMO C-SNP) (new for 2027)
• Alignment Health Plan — Alignment Health Heart & Diabetes 002 (HMO-POS C-SNP) (new for 2027); Alignment Health Heart & Diabetes Plus 004 (HMO-POS C-SNP) (new for 2027)
• Devoted Health — DEVOTED C-SNP 046 TX (HMO C-SNP); DEVOTED C-SNP GIVEBACK EXTRAS 089 TX (HMO C-SNP) (new for 2027); DEVOTED C-SNP PLUS 033 TX (HMO C-SNP)
• Elevance Health (Anthem) — Wellpoint Chronic Care (HMO-POS C-SNP); Wellpoint Chronic Care Advantage Select (HMO C-SNP) (new for 2027); Wellpoint Chronic Care Select (HMO-POS C-SNP) (new for 2027); Wellpoint Kidney Care (HMO-POS C-SNP)
• Humana — Humana Gold Plus - Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP); Humana Gold Plus - Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP); Humana Gold Plus - Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP) (new for 2027)
• SCAN Health Plan — SCAN Balance Texas (HMO C-SNP); SCAN Walmart Medicare Complete (HMO C-SNP) (new for 2027)
• UnitedHealthcare — UHC Complete Care TX-24 (HMO-POS C-SNP); UHC Complete Care TX-29 (Regional PPO C-SNP)

The table on this page lists each one. Some plan names say the condition the plan serves (for example, Wellpoint Kidney Care, or the Humana diabetes-and-heart plans). Others do not — and in those cases you should ask the carrier which conditions the plan covers before you apply.

For context on the rest of the local Special Needs Plan market in 2027: there are also 25 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for people with both Medicare and Medicaid, and 7 Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) for people living in a nursing facility or needing that level of care.

How to decide whether a C-SNP fits

A C-SNP can be a strong fit if your care revolves around a specific chronic condition — but it's not automatically the right answer. A few questions to think through:

• Do your doctors and preferred hospital take the plan? Networks differ. Check with the plan or on medicare.gov before enrolling.
• Are your prescriptions on the plan's drug list, and at what tier? Every 2027 C-SNP in Bexar County includes drug coverage, but formularies vary.
• How is care coordinated? C-SNPs are built around care management for the condition. Ask how it works and who you'll be talking to.
• What happens if your condition changes? If you lose eligibility, you'll need to move to another plan.

A general reminder on what's set 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 2027 Part B standard premium and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes those in the fall.

What to do during Annual Enrollment

Nothing happens to you automatically if you do nothing — your current plan renews for 2027 if it is still offered, with the changes listed in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that arrives by late September.

If you want to switch into (or out of) a C-SNP:

1. Read your ANOC for your current plan. 2. Confirm your diagnosis with your provider so verification is ready. 3. Compare plans on medicare.gov using your drug list and preferred doctors. 4. Enroll by December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027 — unless you're using the chronic-condition SEP, in which case you can enroll outside the window.