Browse Chronic Special Needs plans

What is a Chronic Special Needs plan?

A UnitedHealthcare Chronic Special Needs plan (C-SNP) is a Medicare Advantage plan designed for people living with these qualifying chronic conditions:

Diabetes
Chronic heart failure
Cardiovascular disorders

See if you qualify for Medicare based on age, retirement or disability

Why choose a C-SNP with UnitedHealthcare?

A UnitedHealthcare C-SNP offers coverage and reliable guidance you can count on. Benefits may include:

$0 annual physical exams, $0 lab tests and $0 preventive care
A large network of Medicare Advantage providers, including doctors and specialists
$0 copay on dental, vision and hearing exams

UCard® with monthly credit to help pay for OTC products and healthy food¹
$0 diabetic supplies, plus coverage for foot care and diabetic shoes
A 1-month supply of covered insulin prescription for $25² or less

Plan availability and coverage may vary by service area.

What other Special Needs plans are available?

Dual Special Needs plans (D-SNPs) are for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. They combine Original Medicare benefits, plus prescription drug coverage and support to help coordinate benefits with Medicaid.

Institutional Special Needs plans (I-SNPs) are for people who live in a long term care setting, such as a skilled nursing facility. Institutional Equivalent Special Needs plans (IE-SNPs) are for people who receive skilled nursing care at home or in assisted living.

All SNPs include prescription drug coverage. Plan availability will depend on where you live.

A UnitedHealthcare C-SNP provides all the coverage of Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), prescription drug coverage, condition care management and low specialist copays. A C-SNP typically offers many extras like dental, hearing and vision benefits.

Both plan types provide all the benefits of Original Medicare, plus prescription drug coverage. A C-SNP includes care management for chronic conditions while a D-SNP offers coordination between Medicare and Medicaid, intended to deliver benefits at lower cost to the member.

To enroll in a C-SNP, you must be eligible for Medicare Part A and Part B and have a qualifying health condition. You will need to complete a chronic condition verification form with help from your doctor within 60 days of the plan’s start date.

UnitedHealthcare C-SNPs are designed for people with diabetes, chronic heart failure or cardiovascular disorders.

Find providers and estimate your costs

Check if your doctors are in-network and get an estimate of your prescription drug costs based on the medications you take.

Look for doctors, specialists, or hospitals in our network as you compare plans.

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List the medications you take, then estimate your drug costs for a specific plan.

What if there are no C-SNPs where I live?

If a C-SNP is not available in your area, another Medicare Advantage plan may be a good fit.

Explore Medicare Advantage plans

When can I enroll in a C-SNP plan?

You can enroll during:

Your Initial Enrollment Period, the 7-month period starting three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ending three months after.
The Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 to December 7 each year, when you can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, choose a different Medicare Advantage plan, or change your Part D coverage.
The General Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, when you can sign up for Original Medicare if you did not enroll when you first became eligible. You may then enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan from April through June.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, when you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. You can also drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare, with or without enrolling in a Part D prescription drug plan.
The Chronic Condition Special Enrollment Period, which is open any time for people with severe or disabling chronic conditions covered by an available Special Needs plan. This is only allowed for enrolling in a C-SNP, and only if you do not already have a C-SNP serving the same condition.

Note: All Special Needs plans are Medicare Advantage plans.

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Footnotes

Benefits, features and/or devices may vary by plan/area. Limitations, exclusions and/or network restrictions may apply. Provider network may vary by local market.

Most chosen based on total plan enrollment from Medicare Enrollment Data, May 2025.

Reward offerings may vary by plan and are not available in all plans. Reward program Terms of Service apply.

¹OTC and food benefits have expiration timeframes. Review your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) for more information. The healthy food benefit is a special supplemental benefit only available to chronically ill enrollees with a qualifying condition, such as diabetes, chronic heart failure and/or cardiovascular disorders, and who also meet all applicable plan coverage criteria.

²You will pay a maximum of $25 for each 1 month supply of Part D covered insulin drug through all drug payment stages except catastrophic drug payment stage where you'll pay $0.