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California · 2027 plan year

Medicare Advantage HMO plans in California

There are 376 Medicare Advantage HMO plans in California from 37 carriers, averaging 3.67 out of 5 stars across the 341 plans CMS has rated. 72% of those with a published premium charge $0 a month (273 of 376); beyond the premium, what separates them is network, drug coverage and how much you could owe in a bad year.

376
HMO plans
37
Carriers
53
Counties covered
3.7
Avg stars (341 of 376 rated)
$3,000
Median out-of-pocket max

Across the 376 HMO plans in California that publish one, the in-network out-of-pocket maximum has a median of $3,000 and tops out at $9,850 — the ceiling on what you pay in a year for covered in-network care. The mean is $4,223, which sits above the median — the spread is not symmetric, so the median is the better guide.

A $0 plan premium is not a free plan. You still pay your Part B premium to Medicare, plus copays and coinsurance as you use care. Star ratings are published by CMS per contract, so every plan a carrier files under the same contract shares one rating — it describes the carrier’s performance, not this specific plan’s benefits. Estimate your real costs.

California HMO plans rank 30th of 49 on star rating.

Across the 341 rated plans here the average overall rating is 3.67 stars, 30th highest of the 49 states with HMO plans. Ratings apply to the contract, so every plan a carrier files under one contract shares the same score.

Not sure whether Medicare Advantage suits you at all? Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare covers the trade in plain language.

Highest rated

Top-rated HMO plans in California

PlanStarsOut-of-pocket maxPremium / mo
Clever Care Breathe Select+ (HMO C-SNP)Clever Care Health Plan · Chronic or Disabling Condition SNP4.5★$499$0
Clever Care Longevity (HMO)Clever Care Health Plan4.5★$499$0
Clever Care Total Choice+ (HMO C-SNP)Clever Care Health Plan · Chronic or Disabling Condition SNP4.5★$499$0
Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage LA, Orange Co. (HMO)Kaiser Permanente4.5★$999$0
Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Enhanced Kern (HMO)Kaiser Permanente4.5★$1,900$29

Showing 5 of 376. See all CaliforniaMedicare Advantage plans →

Who sells here

HMO plans by carrier

CarrierPlansAvg starsSNPs
SCAN Health PlanSCAN Group644.020
Kaiser PermanenteKaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.484.517
UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealth Group, Inc.413.011
Alignment Health PlanAlignment Healthcare USA, LLC403.512
Aetna MedicareCVS Health Corporation262.95
Anthem Blue CrossElevance Health, Inc.223.411
HumanaHumana Inc.214.01
Blue Shield of CaliforniaCalifornia Physicians' Service204.01
Anthem Blue Cross Partnership PlanElevance Health, Inc.143.04
WellcareCentene Corporation143.56
Champion Heath PlanChampion Health Plans-USA, LLC.10—8
Astiva HealthAstiva Health Holdings Incorporated84.05
Other plan types in California

How HMO compares

HMO
3.7★ avg · 37 carriers
376 plans · you are here
PPO
3.9★ avg · 4 carriers
18 plans

All CaliforniaMedicare Advantage plans →

Nearby on quality

States with similar HMO star ratings

Illinois
3.70★ average
68 HMO plans
Mississippi
3.66★ average
50 HMO plans
Kentucky
3.65★ average
70 HMO plans
Common questions

California Medicare Advantage HMO plans, answered

How much do Medicare Advantage HMO plans cost in California?
Of the California HMO plans with a published premium, 73% charge $0 a month. The monthly premium is what you pay the plan for its medical (Part C) and drug (Part D) coverage together. A $0 premium does not mean the plan is free: you still pay your Part B premium to Medicare, plus copays and coinsurance as you use care. The number that actually caps a bad year is the in-network out-of-pocket maximum, with a median of $3,000 across these plans.
What are the star ratings for California HMO plans?
The 341 rated HMO plans in California average 3.67 out of 5 stars, with 167 rating 4 or better. CMS rates a contract rather than an individual plan, so every plan a carrier files under the same contract shares one score. A contract that is too new or has too little data is not rated at all, which is different from rating badly.
How many Medicare Advantage HMO plans are available in California?
There are 376 HMO plans from 37 carriers, sold across 53 counties. Availability is set by county, so the plans you can actually join depend on where you live — the full list is rarely available in any one place. 133 of them are Special Needs Plans with extra eligibility rules (see below).
Do California HMO plans include prescription drug coverage?
371 of the 376 HMO plans here bundle Part D drug coverage into the plan. That is the usual arrangement for Medicare Advantage, and you pay one monthly premium to the plan — but that premium has a medical (Part C) part and a drug (Part D) part, and the drug part is often what makes it more than $0. Each plan's page shows both. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan without drug coverage, you generally cannot add a standalone Part D plan alongside it.
What is a Special Needs Plan, and are there any in California?
133 of the 376 HMO plans in California are Special Needs Plans. SNPs limit enrollment to people who also have Medicaid, live in a nursing home or similar institution, or have a qualifying chronic condition. They often carry richer benefits for that group, but if you do not meet the criteria you cannot join one — so the real number of plans open to you may be lower than the total.

A $0 premium is not the whole cost.
See what a year really looks like.

Simplivera models your actual annual costs across California Medicare Advantage plans.

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