Medicare SNPs are a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO). Medicare SNPs limit membership to people with particular diseases or characteristics. Medicare SNPs customize their benefits, provider choices, and drug formularies to best meet the particular requirements of the groups they serve. Find out who can join a Medicare SNP.

There are four types of Special Needs Plans:

• Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for individuals who have both Medicare and Medicaid (called "dual eligible")
• Chronic Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) for individuals living with serious or disabling chronic ailments
• Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) for people living in a skilled nursing facility
• Institutional-Equivalent Special Needs Plans (IE-SNPs) for people living in a contracted assisted living establishment and require the same kind of care as those who live in a skilled nursing facility

Special Needs Plans cover the same healthcare services that all Medicare Advantage plans must, including Medicare Part A and B. Some SNPs may also cover extra services customized to the specific group they're devised to serve; however, all Special Needs Plans are required to provide prescription drug coverage. Therefore, you'll want to review each plan you may qualify for carefully to learn exactly what benefits and services will be covered.

Here are some ways an SNP may be able to help:

• Additional support from a special team of care providers
• Prescription drug coverage
• Rides to health-related appointments
• Complimentary healthy meals
• Medicare Part B premium coverage