Medicare Advantage

Medicare and Medicaid together in Richmond: a guide to the 15 Dual Special Needs Plans for 2027

People in Richmond can choose from 74 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 72 this year. Eight of this year’s plans are gone, 10 are new to Richmond city, and 42 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 14 of them under a new name.

RICHMOND, Va. — Fall 2026. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid and live in Richmond, you have more coverage options for 2027 than you might realize — and more chances to change plans than most people on Medicare. The CMS Landscape file for 2027 shows 15 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) offered in Richmond city, spread across five carriers. Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026, with any change taking effect January 1, 2027.

What is a D-SNP, and who is it for in Richmond?

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Virginia, Medicaid is run through the Cardinal Care program managed by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). You must have Medicare Part A and Part B and qualify for some level of Medicaid help to enroll.

"Dual eligibility" is not one single category. Some people have full dual status — Medicare plus full Virginia Medicaid benefits. Others have partial dual status through one of the Medicare Savings Programs, such as the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, which helps pay Medicare premiums and cost-sharing but does not include full Medicaid benefits. Different D-SNPs are designed for different groups, so the plan you qualify for depends on your exact Medicaid category.

How many D-SNPs are offered in Richmond city for 2027?

Richmond city has 15 D-SNPs for 2027, out of 74 Medicare Advantage plans total in the county. Alongside the D-SNPs, the county also has 11 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 5 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) for people with specific health conditions or who live in a nursing facility.

Five carriers offer D-SNPs in Richmond for 2027:

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

The table below lists every D-SNP by name and type. A few plans were renamed for 2027 — for example, UHC Dual Complete VA-V001 is now UHC Dual Advantage VA-V1, and Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H2875-002 is now Humana Dual QMB Only. If your current plan was renamed, you should receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from the carrier explaining what, if anything, is different.

How do I know if I qualify as full or partial dual-eligible?

You qualify as dual-eligible when both Medicare and Virginia Medicaid cover you at the same time. The level — full or partial — is set by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services based on your income, assets and household situation.

• Full-benefit dual (FBDE): You get Medicare plus full Virginia Medicaid, including long-term services and supports if you need them.
• QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary): Medicaid pays your Part B premium and your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copays, but you don't get full Medicaid benefits.
• SLMB, QI, QDWI: These Medicare Savings Programs help pay the Part B premium (and in some cases Part A). People in these categories may qualify for certain D-SNPs but not others.

To confirm your category, contact Virginia Cardinal Care / DMAS or call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282. For your Medicare status, use your medicare.gov account or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). A plan can also verify your eligibility when you apply.

How often can a dual-eligible person change plans?

People with Medicaid or the Extra Help low-income subsidy for Part D have more chances to change plans than people on Medicare alone. In addition to the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026, for 2027 coverage), dual-eligible and Extra Help enrollees generally get a Special Enrollment Period once per calendar quarter in the first three quarters of the year to change plans.

There is also a separate monthly opportunity to enroll in an integrated D-SNP — one that coordinates Medicare and Medicaid benefits together — or to leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan. The specific rules have been updated in recent years, so confirm what currently applies to you by calling 1-800-MEDICARE before you switch.

If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews for 2027 if it is still offered, with the changes described in its Annual Notice of Change.

What's changing in Richmond's Medicare lineup for 2027?

Across all Medicare Advantage plans in Richmond city for 2027, CMS data shows 8 plans not returning, 10 new plans, and 14 renamed plans. If your plan is not returning, your carrier will send a non-renewal letter, and you will have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan.

Nationally, two confirmed figures affect everyone with Part D coverage, including D-SNP members:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• The Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).

Many dual-eligible enrollees qualify for Extra Help, which can reduce or eliminate these costs. The 2027 Part B premium and the IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes them in the fall.

How do I enroll or confirm a D-SNP in Richmond?

Start by confirming two things: your Medicare status (through medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE) and your Virginia Medicaid status (through Cardinal Care / Cover Virginia). Once both are confirmed, you can compare D-SNPs offered in Richmond city on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, which shows each plan's premiums, drug list, provider network and star rating for your exact ZIP code.

You can enroll directly through medicare.gov, by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, or by calling the plan. Keep your Medicare card and your Medicaid ID handy when you apply.