Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) are Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that focus on one or more chronic conditions. C-SNPs can target 22 different chronic conditions, yet most target cardiovascular disease, chronic heart failure, and diabetes. No C-SNPs currently focus on cancer, substance use disorders, or stroke.
Key highlights from this explainer include:
- C-SNPs can generate double the profit of standard MA plans, in part because new enrollees receive higher default risk adjustment scores.
- C-SNPs often enroll beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, but unlike Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans, C-SNPs aren’t required to coordinate with the state Medicaid agency – possibly steering dually eligible beneficiaries away from more integrated care options.
- In 2022, 18% of C-SNP enrollees rapidly disenrolled within three months, raising questions about beneficiary understanding and provider eligibility verification.
- C-SNPs are growing faster than any other type of MA plan-increasing by 45% between 2025 and 2026. This explainer breaks down how C-SNPs work, why they are growing rapidly, and critical policy questions surrounding their profitability and oversight.