Medicare 2026
SHIP counselors and licensed agents for Medicare in Santa Ana
SHIP counselors and licensed agents for Medicare in Santa Ana — plain-language Medicare information for Santa Ana, California.
Compare Medicare options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare listings from licensed insurance partners.
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Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
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This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
This affects which Medicare options you can choose.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Medicare Advantage plans in your area are changing or leaving for 2027.
One call tells you whether your plan is on the list — before enrollment opens.
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Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240Found a plan you like online?
One free call confirms it's actually right for you — online directories are wrong more often than you'd think.
- Your doctors — confirmed in-network for 2027
- Your prescriptions — checked against the plan's 2027 drug tiers
855-729-3240 · free · about 5 minutes
Key takeaways
- California's SHIP program, called HICAP, offers free, one-on-one Medicare counseling and does not sell plans.
- Licensed insurance agents can also help you compare plans, but they are paid by carriers, so ask questions and get everything in writing.
- Santa Ana is in Orange County, where 92 Medicare Advantage plans and 16 MA-PD carriers are available for 2027, according to CMS Landscape data.
- Mark your calendar: Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 through March 31.
If you live in Santa Ana and Medicare feels confusing, you are not alone. Between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, and Medigap, there is a lot to sort out — and the mail and TV ads do not make it easier. The good news: you have free, unbiased local help nearby, plus licensed agents if you want a walk-through of plan options.
Start with SHIP — free, unbiased counseling
Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), funded by the federal government to give free, one-on-one Medicare help. In California, SHIP is called HICAP — the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program.
HICAP counselors do not sell insurance and do not earn commissions. They can help you:
- Understand the differences between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap.
- Compare Part D drug coverage using your actual prescription list.
- Review a plan's Annual Notice of Change letter before renewal.
- Check whether you qualify for programs like Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program.
- Sort out billing problems, denials, or appeals.
Santa Ana residents are served by the Council on Aging – Southern California HICAP office, which covers Orange County. You can reach California HICAP statewide at 1-800-434-0222 to be connected with the local team, or find your counselor on the official site at cahealthadvocates.org.
When a licensed agent might help
HICAP is a great starting point, but some people also want to sit with a licensed agent who can actually enroll them in a plan. Agents are paid by insurance carriers, which is not automatically a bad thing — it just means you should know what you are getting.
A good local agent should:
- Be licensed in California (you can verify at the California Department of Insurance).
- Be certified with the specific carriers they present.
- Explain the trade-offs, not just the highlights, of each option.
- Give you time to think — never pressure you to sign the same day.
Ask whether the agent is "captive" (works with one carrier) or "independent" (offers several). Both can be fine; you just want to know how wide their view is.
What's available in the Santa Ana area
Santa Ana is in Orange County, where CMS's 2027 Landscape files show 92 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 16 carriers. Compared with 2026, 28 plans are new, 21 are not returning, and 19 have been renamed; 32 continuing plans change something in their terms, so the ANOC is worth a close read. Stand-alone Part D drug plans are counted separately at the state/region level rather than the county level. With more than 500,000 residents age 65 or older in the county, there is real demand — and real variety — but that also means comparing plans matters.
Availability is not the same as fit. A plan that works well for a neighbor may not cover your doctors, your hospital, or your medications. That is exactly the kind of comparison a HICAP counselor or a licensed agent can help you run.
Key program figures for 2026 and 2027
Whether you talk to HICAP or an agent, these program-wide figures are worth keeping in mind:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug costs reach that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
- Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. Individual plans may set a lower one.
- The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
- Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional way to spread your drug costs into monthly payments across the year.
- IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
How to decide who to call first
A simple rule of thumb:
- Call HICAP first if you want a neutral explanation, help understanding a letter, or a review of your current coverage.
- Call a licensed agent if you've done some homework and want help enrolling or comparing specific plans side by side.
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for questions about your Medicare card, eligibility, or claims. It is open 24/7.
- Use medicare.gov's Plan Finder if you want to compare on your own with your drug list.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Orange County
(MA penetration in Orange County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is HICAP really free?
When can I change my Medicare plan?
Do I have to use a local agent, or can I enroll on my own?
What should I bring to a Medicare help appointment?
- CMS — MA/Part D Landscape & Plan Finder data
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Santa Ana
Content Integrity Standards
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This page was last updated: September 29, 2026.