Medicare Advantage

Have Medicare and Wisconsin Medicaid? Your Madison Options

People in Madison can choose from 48 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 55 this year. Eleven of this year’s plans are gone, 4 are new to Dane County, and 31 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name.

MADISON, Wis. — Fall 2026. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid in Dane County, your choices for 2027 are coming into focus. The federal government's plan data shows 13 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) will be offered in Dane County — the county Madison sits in — for the coming year, from six carriers. Some are new, several have new names, and the rules for when you can switch are more flexible than they are for most people on Medicare.

Here is what Madison readers who qualify for both programs need to know as the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026) runs its course.

What is a D-SNP, and who qualifies in Madison for 2027?

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. To join one in Madison, you must have Medicare Parts A and B, live in the plan's service area (Dane County, for the plans listed here), and be enrolled in Wisconsin Medicaid at a level the plan accepts.

Wisconsin Medicaid recognizes different categories of "dual eligibility." Some people are "full duals," meaning Medicaid helps with Medicare cost sharing and also covers services Medicare does not, like long-term supports. Others are "partial duals," where Medicaid helps only with certain Medicare premiums or cost sharing (for example, through the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program). Each D-SNP spells out which categories it accepts. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is the office that confirms your Medicaid category; 1-800-MEDICARE can help you line that up with the plans available in Dane County.

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

For 2027, Dane County has 13 D-SNPs out of 48 Medicare Advantage plans in the county. The county also has 2 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) and 2 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs), which serve different groups.

The six carriers offering D-SNPs in Dane County for 2027 are:

• Centene (WellCare) — 2 D-SNPs
• Elevance Health (Anthem) — 2 D-SNPs
• Humana — 2 D-SNPs
• Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin — 2 D-SNPs
• Quartz Medicare Advantage (HMO) — 1 D-SNP
• UnitedHealthcare — 4 D-SNPs

The table on this page lists every plan by name and type.

What's new or renamed for 2027 in Dane County?

Several D-SNPs in Dane County are either new or carry a new name for 2027. The plan itself may or may not be changing in other ways — the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your current plan mails each fall is where the specifics live.

New D-SNPs for 2027 in Dane County:

• Anthem Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Anthem Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• HumanaChoice SNP-DE H5216-420 (PPO D-SNP) — Humana
• UHC Dual Complete WI-S1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

Renamed D-SNPs for 2027 (same plan, new name):

• Wellcare MHS Health Wisconsin Dual Liberty Sync (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Access Sync
• Wellcare MHS Health Wisconsin Dual Select (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Reserve
• Molina My Choice Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — was My Choice Wisconsin Medicare Dual Advantage Plan
• Molina My Choice Partnership (HMO D-SNP) — was My Choice Wisconsin Partnership Plan
• UHC Dual Advantage WI-V1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was UHC Dual Complete WI-V001
• UHC Dual Advantage WI-V2 (PPO D-SNP) — was UHC Dual Complete WI-D001
• UHC Dual Complete WI-Q1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was UHC Dual Complete WI-D002

If you do nothing during the fall window, your current plan — if it is being offered again next year — renews on Jan. 1, 2027, with the changes in your ANOC.

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

Most people on Medicare can change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31). People who have Medicaid or qualify for Extra Help get additional chances through a Special Enrollment Period for dual-eligible and low-income enrollees.

Under current CMS rules, that generally means a monthly opportunity to join an integrated D-SNP (one aligned with your Medicaid coverage) or to move back to Original Medicare and pick up a stand-alone Part D plan. The exact rules on how often you can use that SEP and what counts as an "integrated" D-SNP continue to be updated, so confirm what applies to you by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) before you make a change.

If you lose Medicaid, there is also a special period that lets you adjust your coverage. The Wisconsin Medicaid office can tell you where your enrollment stands.

How do I confirm my eligibility before I enroll?

Two separate checks need to line up before a D-SNP will work for you:

1. Medicare. Confirm your Medicare status at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You need Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan, including a D-SNP. 2. Medicaid. Confirm your Wisconsin Medicaid category with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services or your local county office in Dane County. Ask specifically which "dual-eligible" category you fall into — the plan's enrollment team will ask.

If you want to compare D-SNPs side by side, the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your ZIP code and filter for Special Needs Plans. For 2027 Part D cost context: CMS has confirmed a $2,400 out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs (up from $2,100 in 2026) and a $700 maximum Part D deductible (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B premium and IRMAA brackets have not been announced yet — CMS usually publishes them later in the fall.

What should I do during the Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 window?

You do not have to act. If you do nothing, your current plan renews Jan. 1, 2027, if it is still being offered. If you want to switch, the clean deadline is Dec. 7, 2026, for a Jan. 1 start.

A short checklist for Madison readers with both Medicare and Medicaid:

• Read the ANOC your current plan mailed you — it lists every change for 2027.
• Check that your doctors, hospitals and pharmacies are in the plan you are considering.
• Make sure your prescriptions are on the plan's drug list.
• Confirm your Medicaid category still matches the D-SNP's eligibility.
• Keep a note of any confirmation numbers from medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.