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What do dual health plans offer?

Posted: January 17, 2020

Last updated date: January 06, 2025

Dual coverage Medicare and Medicaid: Get more insurance coverage than either Medicaid or Medicare alone

A Dual Special Needs plan (also known as a D-SNP or dual-eligible health plan) works with your Medicaid health plan. You’ll keep all your Medicaid benefits. You’ll also get more benefits than with Original Medicare.* Original Medicare covers hospital stays and doctor visits.

What is dual coverage? A dual-eligible plan has to give you the same coverage as Original Medicare. But dual coverage Medicare and Medicaid plans may also include extra benefits and features. Things like dental, vision and hearing coverage, and much more.* It may also give you more choice and flexibility.

Get your free dual plan guide

 Everything you need to know about Dual Special Needs plans in one, convenient guide.

What you may have now

What you could have

Medicaid benefits
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Hospital stays
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Doctor and
outpatient care
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Prescription drugs
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More choices of doctors
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More hospital choices
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Additional prescription
drug coverage
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Additional benefits
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Extra benefits at no extra cost

UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete® plans include many extra benefits and features.* Dual Special Needs plans have a $0 premium for members with Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy).

If you qualify as full benefit dual-eligible, you could get many extra benefits like more dental coverage, credits to buy OTC products and covered groceries, foot care and a gym membership.* These are just a handful of examples of the extra benefits that may be included with dual health insurance coverage.

You could enjoy extra benefits and features like these:

Routine dental care

Routine foot care visits

Credits to buy OTC products
and covered groceries

Meals delivered at home
(when medically necessary)

Eye exams, plus credit
for eyewear

In-home visits from an
advanced practice clinician

Hearing exams, plus credit
for hearing devices

Speak with a registered
nurse anytime

Rides to health care visits
and the pharmacy

$0 copay for many routine
exams

Acupuncture and
chiropractic visits

Plus many other benefits
and features

Access to participating
fitness centers

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

Dual-eligible or Medicaid plan benefits can change depending on where you live. Search using your ZIP code to find the right plan to meet your health care needs.

Enrollment

Still have questions

We’re here to help

Contact us at:
1-844-812-5967 / TTY: 711
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, 7 days a week.

Still have questions

We’re here to help

Contact us at:
1-844-812-5967 / TTY: 711
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, 7 days a week.


Disclaimer information

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Looking for the federal government’s Medicaid website? Look here at Medicaid.gov.

UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete plans

Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. Benefits, features and/or devices vary by plan/area. Limitations, exclusions and/or network restrictions may apply. Benefits, premiums and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year.

Premium disclaimer

Dual Special Needs plans have a $0 premium for members with Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy).

Benefit disclaimer

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

Nurse Hotline disclaimer

This service should not be used for emergency or urgent care needs. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The information provided through this service is for informational purposes only. The nurses cannot diagnose problems or recommend treatment and are not a substitute for your provider's care. Your health information is kept confidential in accordance with the law. The service is not an insurance program and may be discontinued at any time. Nurse Hotline not for use in emergencies, for informational purposes only. Access to this service is subject to terms of use.

Star ratings disclaimer

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. The 5-Star rating applies to plan year 2025.

Formularies

The formulary, pharmacy network and provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary.

Important provider information

The choice is yours

We will provide you with information to help you make informed choices, such as physicians' and health care professionals' credentials. This information, however, is not an endorsement of a particular physician or health care professional's suitability for your needs.

The providers available through this application may not necessarily reflect the full extent of UnitedHealthcare's network of contracted providers. There may be providers or certain specialties that are not included in this application that are part of our network. If you don't find the provider you are searching for, you may contact the provider directly to verify participation status with UnitedHealthcare's network, or contact Customer Care at the toll-free number shown on your UnitedHealthcare ID card. We also recommend that, prior to seeing any physician, including any specialists, you call the physician's office to verify their participation status and availability.

Some network providers may have been added or removed from our network after this directory was updated. We do not guarantee that each provider is still accepting new members.

Out-of-network/non-contracted providers are under no obligation to treat UnitedHealthcare plan members, except in emergency situations. Please call our customer service number or see your Evidence of Coverage for more information, including the cost- sharing that applies to out-of-network services.

American Disabilities Act notice

In accordance with the requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("ADA"), UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company provides full and equal access to covered services and does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Referrals

Network providers help you and your covered family members get the care needed. Access to specialists may be coordinated by your primary care physician.

Paper directory requests

Paper copies of the network provider directory are available at no cost to members by calling the customer service number on the back of your ID card. Non-members may download and print search results from the online directory.

Declaration of disaster or emergency

If you’re affected by a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or a governor, or an announcement of a public health emergency by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, there is certain additional support available to you.

  • Part A, Part B, and supplemental Part C plan benefits are to be provided at specified non-contracted facilities (note that Part A and Part B benefits must be obtained at Medicare certified facilities);
  • Where applicable, requirements for gatekeeper referrals are waived in full;
  • Plan-approved out-of-network cost-sharing to network cost-sharing amounts are temporarily reduced; and
  • The 30-day notification requirement to members is waived, as long as all the changes (such as reduction of cost-sharing and waiving authorization) benefit the member.

If CMS hasn’t provided an end date for the disaster or emergency, plans will resume normal operation 30 days after the initial declaration.