Medicare in Bexar County Is Changing for 2027: Plans Leaving, the New Walmart Grocery Allowance, and the Dual-Eligible Switch

Medicare in Bexar County is changing for 2027: which plans are leaving, what the new Walmart grocery allowance really is, and the January switch for people on both Medicare and Medicaid — and what to do before December 7.

Open Enrollment opens October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026 — and this year, San Antonio seniors face more change than any year in recent memory. Three separate changes are landing at once. Here’s each one in plain English, with the deadlines and phone numbers that matter.

Change 1: Plans are leaving Bexar County — and if yours leaves, you get special rights

KFF‘s analysis of the federal Medicare plan files found that the average Texas enrollee has 9 fewer Medicare Advantage plan options for 2027 — the steepest drop in the country. One county-level plan tracker counts 28 plans leaving Bexar County and 25 more changing their terms. (Treat that county count as an early estimate — your own plan’s letter is the official word.)

Your plan was required to mail your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by September 30. Find that letter. If it says your plan is ending or not being renewed for 2027, you get two protections most people never hear about:

• A Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027 — even if you miss the December 7 deadline, you can still pick a new plan in that window.
• A Medigap guaranteed-issue window — if you want to move to Original Medicare plus a Medigap (supplement) policy instead, Medigap companies cannot turn you down or charge you more because of your health during this window. It runs from 60 days before your current coverage ends through 63 days after it ends. Miss it, and health questions come back.

If your letter says your plan is continuing, you can still switch during Open Enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7) — and you should still compare, because premiums, drug lists, and doctor networks changed across Bexar County this year.

Change 2: The new Walmart grocery allowance — what it is, and what it isn’t

You may see ads for a “Medicare grocery card.” Here’s the honest version. SCAN Health Plan and Walmart launched new co-branded Medicare Advantage plans in Bexar County for 2027, enrolling October 15 – December 7 for coverage starting January 1:

• SCAN Walmart Health Advantage (HMO): $0 plan premium, with a FlexEssentials allowance of up to $780 a year for eligible over-the-counter items and healthy foods (quarterly limits may apply).
• SCAN Walmart Medicare Complete (C-SNP): a plan for people with certain chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart failure, or cardiovascular disease) — Texas premium $6.30/month per SCAN’s announcement, with a FlexEssentials allowance of up to $2,400 a year.

Read this before you believe any ad: the grocery/OTC allowance is a Special Supplemental Benefit for the Chronically Ill. It is not a government benefit, not every member qualifies, and there is no universal “Medicare grocery card” anyone can sign you up for. Never pay a fee, share your Medicare number with a stranger, or trust a caller who says the government is mailing you a food card. If a SCAN Walmart plan fits your doctors and prescriptions, the allowance is a real extra — just confirm your eligibility in the official plan details (link below) or with free help before you switch.

Change 3: If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, your coverage restructures on January 1

Starting January 1, 2027, Texas Health and Human Services is expanding its integrated Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) model to Bexar County. If you are a full dual-eligible — Medicare plus STAR+PLUS Medicaid — your Medicare and Medicaid coverage will sit with one affiliated company, so one plan coordinates both instead of two plans working separately.

Bexar County’s STAR+PLUS plans with affiliated D-SNPs include UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Molina Healthcare, and Community First Health Plans. Watch your mail for a notice from Texas HHS or your plan explaining exactly what changes for you — and don’t ignore it: your doctors, pharmacy, and Medicaid services all ride on getting this right.

Free information webinar: Texas HHS is holding a member information session on Monday, October 19, 2026, 2:00-3:00 PM about the dual-eligible changes (registration details are on Community First’s member news page). If you’re dual-eligible, this is worth an hour.

Your before-December-7 checklist

1. Find your ANOC letter (mailed by September 30). Is your plan continuing, changing, or ending? That one answer decides your deadlines.
2. List your prescriptions and check each one against 2027 plans in Medicare Plan Compare — formularies changed.
3. Confirm your doctors and pharmacy are in-network for 2027, even if your plan “renews.”
4. If your plan is ending, mark both windows: the Dec 8 – Feb 28 special enrollment period AND the Medigap guaranteed-issue window (60 days before to 63 days after coverage ends).
5. If you’re dual-eligible, watch for the Texas HHS notice and consider the October 19 webinar before choosing.
6. Get free, unbiased help before you switch — Texas HICAP counselors don’t sell plans (numbers below).

FAQ

My plan is ending in 2027. Am I out of coverage on January 1? No. You can choose a new plan during Open Enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7), and if you miss that, your Special Enrollment Period runs December 8, 2026 – February 28, 2027. You also have the Medigap guaranteed-issue window described above if you’d rather move to Original Medicare with a supplement.

Is the Medicare grocery card real? Partly — and that’s why it’s confusing. Some Medicare Advantage plans (like the new SCAN Walmart plans in Bexar County) include a healthy-food/OTC allowance for members with qualifying chronic conditions. There is no government grocery card for all Medicare members, and anyone charging a fee to “activate” one is running a scam.

I’m on Medicare and Medicaid. Do I have to do anything for the January 1 change? Watch your mail for the Texas HHS / plan notice and read it — it explains your new arrangement. The October 19 webinar (2-3 PM) walks through it, and free HICAP counselors (1-800-252-9240) can check what it means for your doctors and prescriptions.

When does all of this take effect? Plans you choose during Open Enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7, 2026) start January 1, 2027. The dual-eligible integrated D-SNP change also starts January 1, 2027.

Helpful links & phone numbers

• Medicare.gov — the official Medicare site: coverage, costs, and how enrollment works.
• Medicare Plan Compare — compare 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans side by side, check your doctors and prescriptions, and enroll.
• 1-800-MEDICARE — free plan help by phone, 24 hours a day (except some holidays): 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048).
• SHIP counselor locator (shiphelp.org) — find free, unbiased Medicare counseling near you. Counselors don’t sell plans.
• Texas HICAP (through Texas Health and Human Services) — free Medicare counseling for Texans. Call the Texas Medicare Help Line: 1-800-252-9240.
• SCAN Walmart plans — official plan page — details, eligibility, and FlexEssentials allowance terms for the SCAN Walmart plans new in Bexar County for 2027.
• YourTexasBenefits.com — the official Texas site for Medicaid and STAR+PLUS questions on the dual-eligible change.
• Social Security (ssa.gov) — Medicare enrollment questions and applying for Extra Help with drug costs: 1-800-772-1213.

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