California · Medicare Advantage
California Medicare Advantage Plans for 2026
How many plans are sold in California, what they cost, which extra benefits they list, and who offers them, from public CMS data. Benefits vary by plan and location.
These plan figures are for 2026, the latest plan year in our data. Plans, premiums, and benefits for 2027 can differ. Compare 2027 plans on Medicare.gov Plan Finder before you choose.
California at a glance
California has 391 Medicare Advantage plans from 37 insurers for 2026.
256 of them (65%) charge no monthly plan premium, though members still pay the Part B premium.
203 plans have an overall CMS star rating of 4 or higher.
2,981,829 people in California were enrolled in Medicare Advantage as of September 2026.
The insurer with the most members, Kaiser Permanente, covers 36% of them.
380 of 391 plans include some dental coverage, and 110 list a grocery allowance, usually only for members who meet chronic-condition or Medicaid rules.
- People in Medicare Advantage
- 2,981,829
- As of September 2026
- Plans offered for 2026
- 391
- Excludes employer group plans
- Insurers offering plans
- 37
- $0-premium plans
- 256
- 177 are not Special Needs Plans
- Median monthly plan premium
- $0
- Middle value across plans, not weighted by enrollment
- Plans rated 4 stars or higher
- 203
- Plans with Part D drug coverage
- 383
- Dual-eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP)
- 50
- For people with Medicare and Medicaid
- Chronic-condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNP)
- 62
- Change in enrollment over one year
- +2.2%
- September 2025 to September 2026
Extra benefits in California plans
Medicare Advantage plans can add benefits Original Medicare does not cover. How many California plans list each one:
| Benefit | Plans | Share of plans | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery allowance | 110 | 28% | $876 a year median (range $100–$2,400) |
| Over-the-counter (OTC) allowance | 293 | 75% | $300 a year median (range $60–$2,328) |
| Dental coverage | 380 | 97% | $1,750 a year median (range $200–$5,000) |
| Vision (eyewear) | 386 | 99% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Hearing aids | 297 | 76% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Part B giveback | 57 | 15% | $35 a month median (range $0.20–$185) |
| Transportation | 197 | 50% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Fitness | 319 | 82% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Meals | 164 | 42% | Not enough plans list an amount |
Shares are out of 391 plans checked for benefits. A plan counts if it lists the benefit on its own or on a combined allowance card. Amounts are medians across plans that list a dollar figure; the Part B giveback is per month, the rest per year.
Compare plan benefits in California
Who offers plans in California
Listed by number of Medicare Advantage members in California, largest first (September 2026). The order reflects size only, not plan quality or our view of any insurer.
| Insurer | Members | Share of members |
|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente | 1,077,760 | 36% |
| SCAN | 430,212 | 14% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 242,715 | 8% |
| Alignment Health | 235,232 | 8% |
| Elevance/Anthem/BCBS | 213,143 | 7% |
| Humana | 139,916 | 5% |
| Centene/Wellcare | 78,452 | 3% |
| California Physicians' Service | 75,729 | 3% |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. | 63,208 | 2% |
| Aetna/CVS | 59,516 | 2% |
Plans offered by insurer (2026)
Most plans first. More plans does not mean better plans.
| Insurer | Plans |
|---|---|
| SCAN | 54 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 48 |
| Elevance/Anthem/BCBS | 43 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 43 |
| Alignment Health | 40 |
| Aetna/CVS | 32 |
| Humana | 27 |
| California Physicians' Service | 15 |
| Centene/Wellcare | 15 |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. | 15 |
Counties with the most Medicare Advantage members
Plans are sold county by county, so the choices in one county can differ from the next.
| County | Medicare Advantage members |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 817,043 |
| Orange | 296,250 |
| San Diego | 284,862 |
| Riverside | 248,115 |
| San Bernardino | 203,033 |
| Santa Clara | 129,894 |
| Sacramento | 122,357 |
| Alameda | 104,559 |
| Contra Costa | 78,389 |
| Fresno | 64,716 |
Medicare Advantage enrollment by month
Medicare Advantage enrollment in California grew by 80,217 people (+2.2%) from September 2025 to September 2026.
- September 20253,670,718
- October 20253,679,165
- November 20253,686,313
- December 20253,689,370
- January 20263,656,936
- February 20263,689,316
- March 20263,700,356
- April 20263,708,322
- May 20263,718,525
- June 20263,728,884
- July 20263,735,972
- August 20263,745,195
- September 20263,750,935
Special Needs Plans
Special Needs Plans are Medicare Advantage plans for specific groups. California has 50 plans for people with both Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), 62 for people with certain chronic conditions (C-SNP), and 8 for people who live in a nursing home or need that level of care (I-SNP).
Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help: 2026 Guide for SeniorsKey dates
Plans mail an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. Read it before Open Enrollment: it lists what your plan changes next year.
- October 15, 2026 – December 7, 2026
- Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage. Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or drug plan.
- January 1, 2027
- Changes made during Open Enrollment take effect.
- January 1, 2027 – March 31, 2027
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- December 8, 2026 – November 30, 2027
- You can switch once into a plan with a 5-star overall rating, if one is sold where you live.
Free, unbiased help in California
You can also call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Other senior benefits in CaliforniaMedicare guides
Frequently asked questions
- How many Medicare Advantage plans are in California for 2026?
- CMS data lists 391 Medicare Advantage plans from 37 insurers in California for 2026. The plans you can join depend on your county, so check the plans for your ZIP code on Medicare.gov Plan Finder.
- How many $0-premium Medicare Advantage plans are in California?
- 256 of the 391 plans charge no monthly plan premium for 2026, and 177 of those are open to people without Medicaid or a qualifying condition. You still pay your Part B premium in a $0-premium plan.
- Do Medicare Advantage plans in California offer a grocery allowance?
- 110 of 391 plans list a grocery allowance. Most limit it to members with qualifying chronic conditions or to people who also have Medicaid. Benefits vary by plan and county.
- How many people in California have Medicare Advantage?
- 2,981,829 people in California were enrolled in Medicare Advantage as of September 2026, according to CMS enrollment data.
- When can I join or switch Medicare Advantage plans in California?
- Open Enrollment runs from October 15, 2026, to December 7, 2026. Changes start January 1, 2027. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change from January 1, 2027, to March 31, 2027. Other changes need a Special Enrollment Period.
- Is Senior Deal Club part of Medicare?
- No. Senior Deal Club is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, or any government agency. This page explains public CMS data. It does not recommend a plan.
Sources and method
- Source: CMS Medicare Advantage enrollment data, September 2026
- Source: CMS Medicare Advantage plan data, 2026 plan year
Built from the CMS Medicare Advantage landscape, Plan Benefit Package, star rating, and monthly enrollment files. Plan figures are for the 2026 plan year. Enrollment data as of September 2026. Each plan counts once statewide, even when it is sold in many counties. Employer group plans are left out. CMS hides enrollment counts of 10 or fewer, so shares can add up to a little under 100%.
About this page
Senior Deal Club is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or any government agency. This page is educational. It is not an offer of insurance and does not recommend a plan.
Plan and enrollment figures on these pages come from public CMS data and cover every insurer in that data, listed in a neutral order. Not all plans offer all benefits. Benefits, premiums, and costs vary by plan and location, and limitations and exclusions may apply.
For information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048), or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Senior Deal Club may be paid when visitors to other parts of this site speak with licensed insurance agents. That does not change the figures here. See our editorial policy.