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More than 150,000 Coloradans with both Medicare and Medicaid coverage who need additional help -- whether due to disabilities, age or income -- can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan known as a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan for the 2026 calendar year starting this week.

Marian Cabanillas, Community and State CEO for UnitedHealthcare, said dual plans can help people maintain good health by removing socioeconomic barriers. Some qualifying enrollees can use the plan to buy healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood.

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"You may be able to get vision coverage, hearing coverage and dental care," Cabanillas outlined. "The other things that these Dual-SNP plans may offer are rides to doctor's visits, so you may be able to get transportation to help you get to the doctor's appointment."

Medicare Advantage Plans, offered by private health insurance companies, have been criticized for deceptive marketing practices and last year the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued standards for TV and other ads.

According to an analysis by KFF, Advantage plans are more than twice as profitable than both the individual and group markets. Last year, advantage plans cost taxpayers $83 billion more than traditional Medicare, a single-payer government program.

Care coordination is a key part of dual plans, helping people manage their doctors, prescriptions and follow-up care across both Medicare and Medicaid.

Hannah Diamond, senior policy advocate for the advocacy group Justice in Aging, said communication between Medicare and Medicaid varies by state and stronger coordination helps people avoid confusion and better understand their coverage.

"When communications are not integrated, for example, an enrollee's Medicaid plan might not reference their Medicare offerings, and vice versa," Diamond explained. "This leads to confusion and potentially conflicting information for the enrollee."

More than 6 million people were enrolled in special needs plans in 2024, more than double the enrollment in 2019. Colorado residents eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid can enroll in a dual for 2026 from tomorrow through Dec. 7, or at other times if they have a qualifying life event. There is also a Star Ratings program where Coloradans can compare plans.