Special needs plan


A special needs plan is a category of the US Medicare Advantage plan designed to attract and enroll Medicare beneficiaries who fall into a certain special needs demographic. There are two types of SNPs. The exclusive SNP enrolls only those beneficiaries who fall into the special needs demographic. The other type is the disproportionate share SNP. "Disproportionate share" SNPs enroll a greater percentage of the target special needs population as compared to a national percentage of the target population. Under the federal Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Congress identified special needs individuals" as institutionalized, or dually eligible, or individuals with severe or disabling chronic conditions. More specifically, special needs individuals include: