Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid in Chesapeake: your 2027 D-SNP choices and when you can switch

People in Chesapeake can choose from 70 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 67 this year. Three of this year’s plans are gone, 6 are new to Chesapeake city, and 45 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 16 of them under a new name.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — For residents who have both Medicare and Medicaid, the 2027 plan year brings 15 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) in Chesapeake city, offered by five carriers. These plans are built for people the government calls "dual eligibles," and the enrollment rules work differently than they do for everyone else. With the Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7, 2026, here is a plain-English look at what is on the shelf, who qualifies, and how often you can change your mind.

What is a Dual Special Needs Plan in Chesapeake?

A D-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Chesapeake city, 15 of the Medicare Advantage plans available for 2027 are D-SNPs. These plans coordinate your Medicare benefits with the help you get through Virginia Medicaid, and all of them include prescription drug coverage.

D-SNPs sit alongside two other kinds of Special Needs Plans in the county for 2027: 8 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs), for people with certain long-term illnesses, and 5 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs), for people who live in nursing facilities or need that level of care. This article is about the D-SNPs.

Which carriers offer D-SNPs in Chesapeake for 2027?

Five carriers offer D-SNPs in Chesapeake city for 2027. In alphabetical order:

• Aetna (CVS Health) — 1 plan
• Elevance Health (Anthem) — 4 plans
• Humana — 3 plans
• Sentara Medicare — 2 plans
• UnitedHealthcare — 5 plans

The individual plan names, in alphabetical order by carrier, are: Aetna Medicare FIDE (HMO D-SNP); Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP); Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (PPO D-SNP); Anthem Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Anthem Full Dual Advantage Support (HMO D-SNP); Humana Dual Fully Integrated H2875-001 (HMO-POS D-SNP); Humana Dual QMB Only (HMO-POS D-SNP); Humana Dual Select H2875-006 (HMO-POS D-SNP); Sentara Community Complete (HMO D-SNP); Sentara Community Complete Select (HMO D-SNP); UHC Dual Advantage VA-V1 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete VA-Q001 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete VA-Y002 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete VA-Y4 (PPO D-SNP); and UHC Dual Complete VA-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP). The table below lists every plan with its type.

Several names changed for 2027 — including Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (both HMO and PPO), Humana Dual QMB Only, and two UnitedHealthcare D-SNPs (VA-V1 and VA-YL). A rename is not a cancellation, but the Annual Notice of Change spells out any benefit or network updates.

Who qualifies for a D-SNP in Virginia — full vs. partial dual eligibility?

To join a D-SNP, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B and be enrolled in Virginia Medicaid at some level. "Dual eligible" is an umbrella term that covers both full and partial Medicaid help.

• Full dual eligibility generally means Virginia Medicaid covers services Medicare does not, such as long-term services and supports, and typically picks up your Medicare cost-sharing.
• Partial dual eligibility usually refers to Medicare Savings Programs like QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary), SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary), or QI (Qualifying Individual), which help pay Medicare premiums and in some cases cost-sharing, but do not provide full Medicaid benefits.

Different D-SNPs are designed for different groups — some only accept full-benefit dual eligibles, others accept QMB-only members. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) is the agency that determines and documents your Medicaid category. The plan will verify your level before enrolling you.

How often can a dual-eligible person change plans in 2027?

If you have Medicare and Medicaid — or you qualify for Extra Help with drug costs — you have more chances to change plans than someone with Medicare alone. In addition to the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027), dual-eligible members generally get a Special Enrollment Period that allows one plan change per calendar quarter during the first three quarters of the year.

There is also a monthly opportunity to enroll in or switch to an integrated D-SNP, or to drop a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone drug plan. These rules have been adjusted by CMS in recent years, so confirm the current version before you act by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) or visiting medicare.gov.

If you do nothing, your current plan renews on January 1, 2027, provided it is offered next year.

How do I confirm my Medicaid eligibility and find the right D-SNP?

Start by confirming your Medicaid status with Cover Virginia (coverva.org, 1-855-242-8282) or your local Department of Social Services; they can tell you whether you are full-benefit, QMB, SLMB, or QI. Keep a copy of your Medicaid card and any award letter — the D-SNP will ask for it.

Then compare plans side by side on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, where you can filter for D-SNPs in Chesapeake city and see each plan's drug list, network and cost details. Each plan's Evidence of Coverage and provider directory is the authoritative source for what is covered and who is in network.

What else is new for 2027?

Across all Medicare Advantage in Chesapeake city, CMS data shows 3 plans not returning in 2027, 6 new plans, and 16 renamed plans. For stand-alone Part D and the drug portion of Medicare Advantage plans, CMS has set the 2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap at $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026) and the 2027 Part D maximum deductible at $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B standard premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes them in November.