Is the D-SNP going away in Ohio? What's really ending for 2027

I've had more calls about this than anything else this year: "David, are they getting rid of my D-SNP?" The honest answer is: the D-SNP isn't disappearing, but many of the D-SNPs Ohioans have today are. The plans that survive are the ones that are tied to a Medicaid plan from the same company.

What a D-SNP is, in one paragraph

A Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan is a Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Some only "coordinate" with Medicaid. Others are fully integrated: the same company runs your Medicare and your Medicaid, including long-term care. Ohio's Next Generation MyCare plans are the fully integrated kind.

What's ending

• The old MyCare Ohio demonstration (Medicare-Medicaid Plans) ended December 31, 2025, when the national demonstration expired. It was replaced on January 1, 2026 by Next Generation MyCare.
• Aetna Better Health of Ohio and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan were MyCare plans under the old program and are not part of Next Generation MyCare.
• Under the federal rule taking effect for 2027 plans, a company that also has an Ohio Medicaid contract may offer only one D-SNP for full duals in that area, and new members must be in its Medicaid plan too.
• As a result, many "coordination-only" dual plans and look-alike plans are being discontinued for 2027. Affected members were to be notified about 90 days before termination.

Who's still standing for Ohio duals

Ohio contracted with four companies for Next Generation MyCare: Anthem, Buckeye, CareSource, and Molina. Buckeye was not open to new members in 2026. Industry briefings for 2027 indicate these integrated carriers are where full-dual Medicaid will be managed going forward, with some also offering plans for partial duals. Always confirm against your own plan letter and the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline, because carrier offerings can change late in the year.

If you are a full dual, you can still choose Original Medicare, or a regular Medicare Advantage plan from another carrier. But your Medicaid will be managed by one of the integrated MyCare carriers — so you lose the "one plan, one card, one coordinator" benefit if your Medicare is elsewhere.

What I'm telling my clients

• Don't panic, and don't sign anything over the phone with someone you don't know.
• Find your non-renewal or crosswalk letter. It tells you exactly what happens on January 1 if you do nothing.
• Make a list of your doctors, home-care aides, and medications — continuity of care is what matters most.
• You can use the monthly integrated care window to move into an aligned plan before Annual Enrollment.

Have a question about your own situation? Send me a note from the United Medicare Club home page or call (234) 380-6282. — David