Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP)
An I-SNP is a Special Needs Plan for people who live in an institution such as a nursing home, or who need a similar level of care at home. It focuses on coordinated care for that setting.
Understanding Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP)
An Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) is a Medicare Advantage plan for people who live in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home, or who need that level of care while living at home. It focuses on intensive, on-site care coordination for people with ongoing, complex needs.
For beneficiaries (and their families), an I-SNP brings care to the resident, often through nurse practitioners who visit the facility regularly. This can reduce unnecessary hospital transfers, improve day-to-day management of chronic conditions, and simplify coordination among the facility staff, physicians, and the plan. Eligibility usually requires that you have lived, or are expected to live, in the facility for 90 days or more.
For example, instead of sending a nursing-home resident to the ER for a minor issue, an I-SNP's on-site nurse practitioner can assess and treat them in place — less disruptive for the resident and often better for their health.
Have questions about Institutional Special Needs Plans? Get a free Medicare review and we will explain whether an I-SNP fits your family's situation.
Related Terms
Special Needs Plan (SNP)
A Special Needs Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage plan that limits membership to people with specific characteristics — a chronic condition, both Medicare and Medicaid, or living in an institution — and tailors its benefits, formulary, and care coordination to that group.
Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP)
A D-SNP is a Special Needs Plan for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. It coordinates benefits across both programs and often includes extra benefits and care coordination for dual-eligible members.
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
PACE provides comprehensive medical and social services to certain frail, older adults who still live in the community. It combines Medicare and Medicaid services through one care team to help people avoid nursing-home care.
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