Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) are rapidly reshaping the Medicare Advantage landscape heading into 2026, evolving from a niche product into one of the fastest-growing MA segments. Part of Wakely’s The Value Shift series, this whitepaper examines how C-SNP growth has been highly concentrated by condition and geography, driven primarily by plans targeting diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic heart failure, while many other CMS-approved chronic conditions and markets remain underserved.
Using Wakely’s Medicare Advantage Competitive Analysis Tool (WMACAT) and Strategic Market Analysis and Ranking Tool (SMART), the paper analyzes plan growth, enrollment patterns, geographic concentration, and benefit design trends from 2025 to 2026. The findings highlight a market that is expanding quickly but unevenly, underscoring the need for clear strategy, condition-aligned benefit design, and operational readiness as C-SNPs play an increasingly central role in Medicare Advantage portfolios.
