Medicare changes in Santa Clara County for 2027
Which plans are ending, which cost more, and what to do before December 7.
The short version
- Santa Clara County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, down from 46 in 2026.
- 10 plans are ending, from UnitedHealthcare, Anthem, Aetna and Central Health. If yours is one, you do not lose Medicare. You do need to choose how you get it.
- Some plans that continue cost more. Aetna’s plan now called Medicare Signature goes from $65 to $102 a month.
- Free, private help is available from HICAP, California’s Medicare counselors.
Key dates
- EveryoneOct 15 to Dec 7Change plans. The new plan starts January 1.
- If your plan is endingDec 8 to the last day of FebruaryExtra time to choose another plan. Ask when your new plan would start.
- Medigap, if your plan is leaving60 days before to 63 days after it endsApply in this window and an insurer cannot turn you down because of your health.
Is my plan changing?
Type the insurer, full plan name or number on your member card. For example: UnitedHealthcare, UHC or H0543.
Showing 4 of 27 plans reviewed for this guide. Start typing to find yours.
- Ending
UnitedHealthcare (UHC)
AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-10 (HMO-POS)
Medicare Advantage · 2026 plan number H0543-193
Ends December 31. Choose a new plan by December 7, or by the last day of February. You may also have a right to buy a Medigap policy.
- Ending
Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS)
Medicare Advantage · 2026 plan number H0544-108
Ends December 31. Choose a new plan by December 7, or by the last day of February. You may also have a right to buy a Medigap policy.
- Ending
Anthem Blue Cross Partnership Plan
Anthem Prime (HMO-POS)
Medicare Advantage · 2026 plan number H4161-010
Ends December 31. Choose a new plan by December 7, or by the last day of February. You may also have a right to buy a Medigap policy.
- Ending
Aetna Medicare
Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO)
Medicare Advantage · 2026 plan number H5521-369
Ends December 31. Choose a new plan by December 7, or by the last day of February. You may also have a right to buy a Medigap policy.
Showing 2026 plan names and their changes for 2027. Your plan’s own letter is the final word.
If your Medicare plan sent you a letter about next year, keep it close while you read. It has your plan's full name, its plan number and the date your coverage ends or renews.
Helping a parent, partner or friend? Sit down together with that letter and a list of their medicines. Ask which doctors and services matter most to them before you compare plans.
If your Medicare Advantage plan ends, you do not lose Medicare. If you do not join another plan, you go back to Original Medicare. You still need to decide how you will get your medical care and your drug coverage from January 1.
How many plans are there for 2027?#
Santa Clara County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, down from 46 in 2026. That is about 1 in 5 fewer.
| Kind of plan | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans anyone with Medicare can join | 26 | 19 |
| Special needs plans (only for some people) | 20 | 17 |
| Drug-only plans (Part D) | 12 | 10 |
Special needs plans are Medicare Advantage plans for people who also have Medi-Cal, have certain long-term health conditions, or live in a nursing home. Most people cannot join them, so the number of plans you can actually choose from is smaller than the total.
These counts are for plans you buy on your own. They do not include plans from a former employer or union, or Medigap policies.
Which plans are ending?#
These 2026 Medicare Advantage plans are not coming back in 2027. If yours is on the list, keep the letter your plan sent you and get help choosing your next plan.
- UnitedHealthcare: AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-10 (H0543-193)
- Anthem: Anthem Medicare Advantage (H0544-108) and Anthem Prime (H4161-010)
- Aetna: Medicare Eagle PPO (H5521-369) and Medicare Enhanced PPO (H5521-676)
- Central Health: Classic Care Plan III (H5649-023), Dual Access (H5649-024), Embrace Care (H5649-025-003), Embrace Choice (H5649-026-003) and Valor Care (H5649-030)
Not sure if yours is here? Use the plan search near the top of this page.
UnitedHealthcare will have no Medicare Advantage plan in Santa Clara County in 2027. Its two AARP drug-only plans are still offered.
Anthem's Full Dual Advantage Aligned plan continues, but it is a special needs plan for people who also have Medi-Cal. It is not a replacement most people can join.
Some plans are merging into another plan. Your plan moves you over unless you choose something else:
- Alignment Health the ONE and Honor+ merge into Central Health Harmony 031.
- SCAN MyChoice merges into SCAN Classic.
Read your letter to see what changes. The new plan may have different doctors, drugs or costs.
Two more plans are shrinking the area they serve and are no longer offered in Santa Clara County for 2027: Advantage Care (H3274-005) and Kaiser Permanente Dual Complete North P2 (H8794-002). Some Dual Complete North P2 members are being moved into Dual Complete North P23, which is still offered here. Your letter says which applies to you.
Is my plan changing type, not just name?#
For 2027 there is only one PPO left that anyone can join in the county, down from 3: Alignment Health Advantage 002. A PPO lets you see doctors outside the plan's network, usually for a higher cost.
Aetna's Medicare Enhanced and Medicare Enhanced Extra plans continue under new names, Medicare Signature and Medicare Signature Extra. They also change from HMO-POS to HMO. An HMO-POS may let you get some care outside the network for a higher copay. A regular HMO generally covers only emergency and urgent care outside its network.
If you see a specialist, get care outside the county, or spend part of the year somewhere else, ask how your 2027 plan covers that. Call the doctor's office and ask if they take that exact 2027 plan.
Will my plan cost more in 2027?#
Some plans that continue will cost more. Here is the monthly plan premium for the same plan in both years. This is on top of the Part B premium.
| Plan | 2026 | 2027 | Extra per year | Drug deductible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Medicare Signature (was Enhanced) | $65 | $102 | +$444 | $300 to $700 |
| Aetna Medicare Signature Extra (was Enhanced Extra) | $71 | $104 | +$396 | $615 to $700 |
| Alignment Health Advantage 002 (PPO) | $75 | $101.50 | +$318 | $0 to $0 |
| Kaiser Permanente Basic Santa Clara | $15 | $27 | +$144 | $0 to $0 |
| Kaiser Permanente Enhanced Santa Clara | $95 | $101 | +$72 | $0 to $0 |
| Blue Shield Inspire | $58 | $61 | +$36 | $425 to $475 |
| SCAN Classic | $0 | $0 | $0 | $250 to $450 |
"Extra per year" is the 2027 premium minus the 2026 premium, times 12. A drug deductible is what you pay for some medicines before the plan starts paying its share; some plans skip it for lower-cost drugs. Extra Help can lower drug costs for people with limited income and savings.
Each plan also has a yearly limit on what you pay for covered medical care in its network. Blue Shield Inspire's limit goes down from $5,300 to $5,100. SCAN Classic's goes up from $799 to $999. Premiums and drug costs do not count toward that limit.
The best question to ask is: what will we pay over the whole year, for the doctors and medicines we actually use? A $0 premium is only one part of the answer.
Do I need to check my drug plan if I have Original Medicare?#
Yes. If you have Original Medicare, with or without Medigap, look at your separate drug plan too. Two UnitedHealthcare drug plans cost much more in 2027:
| Drug plan | 2026 | 2027 | Extra per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC | $165.40 | $242.60 | +$926 |
| AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC | $109.40 | $170.80 | +$737 |
That is just the premium. Your cost for each medicine can change too.
Two drug plans are ending: SilverScript Choice (S5601-064) and HealthSpring Extra Rx (S5617-382). HealthSpring Assurance Rx continues with a new plan number, S5715-049, and its premium goes from $0 to $9.30 a month. A new plan number does not always mean a plan is ending.
When you compare drug plans, bring a list of every medicine: the name, the strength, how often you take it, and the pharmacy you use. A lower premium can still cost more if your medicines cost more on that plan.
What new plans are there?#
New plans in the county for 2027:
- SCAN Costco Medicare Advantage
- Sutter Senior Advantage, a SCAN Medicare Plan
- Aetna Medicare Eagle (HMO)
- Alignment Health Honor Plus 060
- Imperial Flex, a special needs plan for people with certain long-term health conditions
Aetna Medicare Eagle (HMO) does not include drug coverage. If you are thinking about it, plan how you will get your medicines covered first.
A familiar name is a good place to start. Before you choose, check that your doctors, hospitals, medicines and pharmacy work with that exact 2027 plan.
What does Medigap cost?#
If you are thinking about Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, you can start looking at prices now. UniHealth's Santa Clara County Medigap page shows dated price ranges.
Your own price depends on your age, sex, tobacco use, discounts and the date you want coverage to start. Ask the insurer for a quote with your own details. The Medigap premium is on top of the Part B premium and any drug plan premium.
UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plan ending does not mean all of its Medicare products are gone. Ask the insurer what it still offers in your ZIP code.
You do not have to decide from a price list alone. Bring your plan's letter and any Medigap quotes to a free HICAP counselor.
Can I switch to Medigap if my plan is ending?#
Often, yes. If your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving your area, Medicare gives you the right to buy certain Medigap policies when you go back to Original Medicare. During that window, an insurer cannot turn you down because of your health. This is called a guaranteed issue right.
Medicare says you must apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends, and no later than 63 days after it ends. Medigap does not start on its own: you have to apply. See Medicare's page on when you can buy Medigap.
Which policies you can buy, and by when, depends on your situation. Keep your plan's letter, because it can prove your plan ended. A HICAP counselor can check your rights and dates with you. Your drug coverage needs its own plan.
What should I do before choosing?#
- Read your 2027 letter. Is your exact plan continuing, merging or ending? Keep the letter.
- List what you want to keep. Doctors, specialists, hospitals, medicines and pharmacy.
- Compare the whole cost. Premiums, deductibles, copays and the yearly limit. Ask about help like Extra Help.
- Check before you sign up. Call the plan and your doctor's office to confirm the exact 2027 plan.
Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. A change you make then starts January 1. If your plan is ending, you also have from December 8 to the last day of February to choose a new plan. If you wait past December 7, ask when your new plan would start. See Medicare's pages on enrollment dates and special enrollment periods.
If you have coverage from a former employer or union, talk to their benefits office before you change anything.
Where can I get free help?#
California's Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, HICAP, gives free, confidential one-on-one Medicare counseling to people with Medicare and their families. A counselor can read your letters with you, compare your choices and check your rights. Find your local HICAP office, or see HICAP in Santa Clara County.
UniHealth can help you understand your letters, look up Santa Clara County's 2027 plans and get your questions ready for that conversation.
This guide covers plans sold to individuals and some of their published costs. It does not compare every benefit, drug list or doctor network. Check the details for your own situation before you enroll.
Not sure what your letter means?
Add a photo of it. UniHealth reads it and tells you the next step, the date and who to call.
Common questions
If my Medicare Advantage plan ends, do I lose Medicare?
No. If you do not join another plan, you go back to Original Medicare. You will still need to choose how you get drug coverage.
Is UnitedHealthcare leaving Santa Clara County?
Its Medicare Advantage plan here ends after 2026. Its two AARP drug-only plans are still offered in 2027, at higher premiums.
What is the last day to change plans for 2027?
December 7 for most people. If your plan is ending, you can also choose a new plan from December 8 to the last day of February.
Can I get Medigap if my plan is leaving?
Often, yes. Medicare says you can apply from 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends until 63 days after, and the insurer cannot turn you down because of your health.
Where can I get free help in Santa Clara County?
HICAP, California’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, gives free, confidential Medicare counseling to people with Medicare and their families.