Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans
Explore HealthSpring options for Special Needs Plans.
Shop and compare Medicare Advantage plans now
Find covered prescriptions and in-network pharmacies, too.
Or, call us at
8 a.m. - 8 p.m., 7 days a week
What Are Special Needs Plans?
A Special Needs Plan is a Medicare Advantage plan for members with specific diseases, certain health care needs or who also have Medicaid. An SNP has all the benefits of a Medicare Advantage plan (including prescription drug coverage) and offers extra services specific to the type of plan. Here are some of the services that come with SNPs:
Proactive Case Management
A case manager helps you set goals for your medical needs. For example, a person with diabetes would have an SNP case manager assigned to help monitor blood sugar levels.
Individualized Care Plan
To help develop your tailored care plan, your case manager and/or primary care provider will review the results of your Health Risk Assessment and your overall health goals.
Interdisciplinary Care Team
A dedicated team made up of your primary care physician, caregivers (as needed), and network doctors and specialists (as needed) will be created to handle your needs. You may also get additional support from pharmacists, social workers and nurse case managers.
Care Transitions
If your care plan requires a hospital or skilled nursing facility stay, you may be able to get help with your change of care.
Types of Special Needs Plans
When shopping for SNPs, you will see these types offered:
Dual Eligible SNP (D-SNP) for members with both Medicare and Medicaid. D-SNPs can help coordinate your benefits between Medicare and Medicaid.
Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP) for members with certain conditions. For example, HealthSpring offers C-SNPs for individuals diagnosed with cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure or diabetes.
Institutional SNP (I-SNP) for members who live in a long-term care place or need a level of care most often supplied in a nursing home.
Am I eligible for a Special Needs Plan?
There are 3 different types of SNPs. To be eligible, you must:
- Have Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance)
- Live in the plan’s service area
- Meet the eligibility requirements for the SNP
Are you a caregiver?
As a caregiver we understand the great responsibility and desire to make sure your family member or loved one is getting their health care needs adequately met. A Special Needs Plan can help you with the hard choices that may need to be made. If you have questions, call us at
What are the eligibility requirements for SNPs?
Dual Eligible SNP (D-SNP)
You’re eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. D-SNPs contract with your state Medicaid program to help coordinate your Medicare and Medicaid benefits, depending on the state and your eligibility.
Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP)1
You have been diagnosed with one or more of these severe or disabling chronic conditions:
- Chronic alcohol and other dependence
- Certain autoimmune disorders
- Cancer (excluding pre-cancer conditions)
- Certain cardiovascular disorders
- Chronic heart failure
- Dementia
- Diabetes mellitus
- End-stage liver disease
- End-Stage Renal Disease requiring dialysis (any mode of dialysis)
- Certain severe hematologic disorders
- HIV/AIDS
- Certain chronic lung disorders
- Certain chronic and disabling mental health conditions
- Certain neurologic disorders
- Stroke
Institutional SNP (I-SNP)2
You live in the community but need the level of care a facility offers, or you live (or are expected to live) for at least 90 days straight in a facility like a:
- Nursing home
- Intermediate care facility
- Skilled nursing facility
- Rehabilitation hospital
- Long-term care hospital
- Swing-bed hospital
- Psychiatric hospital
- Other facility that offers similar long-term, health care services and whose residents have similar needs and health care status as residents of the facilities listed above
Already have a plan in mind?
If you have a HealthSpring Medicare Plan in mind, you can enroll online, or by phone, mail or fax.
This information is for educational purposes only.
1 HealthSpring only offers C-SNP plans to individuals with cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure or diabetes.
2 HealthSpring does not offer I-SNP programs at this time.
Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are a type of Medicare Advantage Plan that focuses on certain vulnerable groups of Medicare beneficiaries. SNPs are required to submit a Model of Care (MOC) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for review and approval by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). HealthSpring has received 3-year approvals for our Dual-Eligible SNP (D-SNP) contracts which is the maximum approval period. HealthSpring has received 1-year approvals for our Chronic SNP (C-SNP) contracts which require an annual submission. If you have questions regarding our approval by the NCQA, please contact our Customer Service Team at