Special Needs Plans, Bibb County, AL, 2024
We reviewed the top 21 Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs) available in Bibb County, Alabama for 2024. This is what we learned:
Key Facts
- Special Needs Plans are not available to everyone. Membership is limited to people with specific diseases or characteristics.
- The average premium for a Special Needs Plan in Bibb County is $35.64 per month.
- If you are dual eligible (Medicare and Medicaid), most of your healthcare costs are fully covered.
- SNPs cover the same services that all Medicare Advantage plans must cover.
- SNPs may also cover extra services tailored to the special groups they serve, like extra days in the hospital.
- All SNPs include a Medicare Part D drug plan. The average drug plan deductible is $489.71 per year.
- SNPs tailor plan benefits, provider choices, and drug formularies to meet the specific needs of the groups they serve.
- Medicare rated 59% of all SNPs in Bibb County 4 stars or higher.
Bibb County, Alabama Medicare SNP Plans
Plan Name | Type | Premium | Network | Part D Deduct. |
Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HumanaChoice SNP-DE H5216-370 | D-SNP | $41 | PPO | $545 | |
UHC Dual Complete AL-D002 | D-SNP | $39 | PPO | $545 | |
Aetna Medicare Dual Preferred | D-SNP | $37 | HMO | $545 | |
Aetna Medicare Dual Select | D-SNP | $32 | HMO | $545 | |
Cigna TotalCare | D-SNP | $29 | HMO | $545 | |
Cigna TotalCare Plus | D-SNP | $33 | HMO | $545 | |
Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H5619-093 | D-SNP | $41 | HMO | $545 | |
UHC Complete Care AL-0005 | C-SNP | $0 | HMO-POS | $0 | |
UHC Dual Complete AL-D001 | D-SNP | $36 | HMO-POS | $545 | |
UHC Dual Complete AL-V002 | D-SNP | $41 | HMO-POS | $545 | |
Wellcare All Dual Assure | D-SNP | $20 | HMO | $545 | |
Wellcare Dual Access | D-SNP | $24 | HMO | $545 | |
Wellcare Dual Access Open | D-SNP | $26 | PPO | $545 | |
Wellcare Dual Liberty | D-SNP | $25 | HMO | $545 | |
Simpra Advantage | D-SNP | $41 | PPO | $545 | |
Simpra Advantage | I-SNP | $41 | PPO | $545 | |
Simpra Advantage Premier | I-SNP | $98 | PPO | $150 |
Bibb County, AL
Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan Information
Special Needs Plans (SNPs), which are part of the Medicare Advantage program, are a private health plan alternative to Original Medicare. However, not everyone with Medicare who lives in Bibb County will qualify. As the name implies, the 21 SNPs available are for people with special needs. Each plan is facilitated by Medicare-approved private companies that agree to provide coverage by Medicare's rules. All plans offer additional benefits that aren’t available through Original Medicare.
SNP plans are limited to those who qualify. To qualify as a special needs individual, you must meet one or more of three criteria:
- An institutionalized individual,
- A dual-eligible (Medicare and Medicaid) person, or
- An individual with a severe or disabling chronic condition.
There are Different Types of Special Needs Plans
Medicare allows private carriers to create different types of SNPs to meet three distinct needs:
- D-SNPs are for dual-eligible people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
- I-SNPs are for institutionalized beneficiaries who live in a long-term care facility or a skilled nursing facility.
- C-SNPs are specially designed plans for people with one or more serious chronic conditions, including diabetes, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), lung conditions or heart disease.
D-SNP
Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) accept people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Alabama covers some Medicare costs, depending on the individual’s eligibility. Medicaid eligibility categories include:
I-SNP
Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) are SNPs that restrict enrollment to Medicare beneficiaries who, for 90 days or longer, have had or are expected to need the level of services provided in a long-term care facility, skilled nursing facility, an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities, or an inpatient psychiatric facility.
Prior to enrolling in a I-SNP, beneficiaries are advised to verify their institution accepts the plan and that its healthcare providers are in the plan's provider network.
C-SNP
Chronic Condition SNPs restrict enrollment to special needs individuals with severe or disabling chronic conditions. About two-thirds of Medicare enrollees have multiple chronic conditions requiring coordination of care among primary care providers, medical and mental health specialists, inpatient and outpatient facilities, and extensive ancillary services related to diagnostic testing and therapeutic management.
There are 15 SNP-specific chronic conditions::
- Chronic alcohol and other drug dependence
- Autoimmune disorders (limited)
- Cancer, excluding pre-cancer conditions or in-situ status
- Cardiovascular disorders (limited)
- Chronic heart failure
- Dementia
- Diabetes mellitus
- End-stage liver disease
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis
- Severe hematologic disorders (limited)
- HIV/AIDS
- Chronic lung disorders (limited)
- Chronic and disabling mental health conditions (limited)
- Neurologic disorders (limited)
- Stroke
When Can I Get a Special Needs Plan in Bibb County?
For those Bibb County residents who qualify, there are several different Medicare Election Periods. This is when you can join or change your plan. Most people wait until 15 October to 7 December to make enrollment changes. This is the Annual Election Period (AEP).
There's also an Individual Election Period (IEP) that you can use once. Your IEP is a 7-month period around your 65th birthday. It starts three months before you turn 65 and ends three months after.
Outside of these periods, you may be able to join a Special Needs Plan with a Special Election Period. Some situations that may qualify you for a Special Election Period include:
- You are diagnosed with a severe or disabling condition: You can enroll in a Chronic-Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP) for beneficiaries with your illness at any time.
- You move into a nursing home or require skilled nursing care at home: You can enroll in an Institution Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) or switch plans at any time.
- You qualify for Medicaid: If you have Medicaid or are newly eligible for Medicaid, you can enroll in a Dual-Eligible Medicare Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) at any time.
- You move outside of your existing Special Needs Plan’s service area: You'll qualify for a Special Election Period to switch to a new plan.
- Your Special Needs Plan leaves the Medicare program: You'll qualify for a Special Election Period to switch plans.
How to Get Enrolled in a Medicare SNP in Bibb County, Alabama
There are three ways to enroll in an SNP:
- Call our Trusted Partner at 1-855-728-0510 (TTY 711). This toll-free number is staffed by HealthCompare, the outsourced partner of choice for some of the nation’s largest health plans.
- Call a plan directly. If you know the plan you want, this way is quick and easy. All of our plan pages provide contact information.
- Go to www.Medicare.gov and enroll through the government website. From there you can look up your medications, compare plans, and get your application started online.
Plans Offered
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Cigna Healthcare, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Scott and White Health Plan now part of Baylor Scott & White Health, UnitedHealthcare(R), and Wellcare.
Citations & References
- CMS.gov, 2024 SNP Landscape Source Files, Last Accessed October 14, 2023
- Medicare.gov, "Special Needs Plans (SNP)", Last Accessed September 11, 2023
- CMS.gov, "Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs)", Last Accessed September 11, 2023
- Medicare.gov, "Understanding Medicare", Last Accessed May 17, 2023