Medicare Advantage

Aetna Medicare Advantage in California for 2027: 26 Plans, County by County

SACRAMENTO — For the 2027 plan year, Aetna (which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services groups as Aetna (CVS Health)) is offering 26 Medicare Advantage plans across California, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027. The lineup is a mix of HMO and HMO-POS plans, with some Special Needs Plans aimed at people living with specific chronic conditions. This explainer is published by an independent Medicare education site; it is not the government, not CMS, and not Aetna.

What is Aetna offering across California for Medicare Advantage in 2027?

In California for 2027, Aetna has 26 Medicare Advantage plans on the CMS Landscape file: 15 HMO plans and 11 HMO-POS plans. All 26 include Part D prescription drug coverage.

Of those 26, five are Special Needs Plans — specifically Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs), which serve people with qualifying chronic conditions. Aetna is not listing any Dual Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs) or Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) in California for 2027. For context, the CMS file shows 35 other carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans somewhere in California for 2027, and 394 Medicare Advantage plans statewide across all carriers combined.

Which Aetna California plans reach the most counties in 2027?

The Aetna plan with the widest county footprint in California for 2027 is Aetna Medicare Eagle (HMO), offered in 9 counties, according to the CMS Landscape file. After that, Aetna Medicare Signature Legacy (HMO) is listed in 6 counties.

Several plans — including Aetna Medicare Prime Value Plus (HMO), Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO), Aetna Medicare Signature Extra (HMO), and Aetna Medicare Value Plus (HMO) — appear in 3 counties in at least one of their service-area entries. The rest are offered in 1 or 2 counties each. The full plan-by-plan list is shown as a table elsewhere on this page; county reach does not say anything about what a plan costs, what it covers, who is in network, or how it is rated.

What is new or not returning for Aetna in California for 2027?

Six Aetna plans are new for California in 2027, and 12 Aetna plans from 2026 are not returning. The new 2027 entries, per the CMS Landscape Source File, are all Aetna Medicare Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP) service areas plus Aetna Medicare Eagle (HMO).

Several continuing plans have also been renamed. The CMS file shows the Aetna Medicare Prime, Aetna Medicare Prime Extra, Aetna Medicare Prime Value Plus, Aetna Medicare Signature Extra, and Aetna Medicare Value Plus plans moving from an HMO-POS label to an HMO naming convention, and Aetna Medicare Enhanced / Enhanced Extra listings being folded into the Aetna Medicare Signature / Signature Extra names. One plan previously called Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO) is now listed as Aetna Medicare Signature Legacy (HMO). If you are already enrolled, Aetna will send an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) describing what is changing with your specific plan for 2027.

How do I check whether an Aetna plan is offered in my California county and covers my doctors and drugs?

Medicare Advantage plans in California are licensed county by county, so the fact that a plan appears on the statewide list for 2027 does not guarantee it is sold in your county. The most reliable way to check is the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, using your ZIP code, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For doctors, hospitals and specialists, use the plan's own online provider directory or call the number on Aetna's website to confirm each provider is in network for the specific 2027 plan you are considering. For prescriptions, check the plan's 2027 formulary (drug list) and look up each medication by name and dose. For benefit details — what is covered, what you pay, prior authorization rules, and service area — the controlling document is the plan's 2027 Evidence of Coverage (EOC).

What should California readers do before December 7, 2026?

Before December 7, 2026, review your current coverage against your options for 2027 so that any change you want takes effect on January 1, 2027. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026.

A simple checklist: read the Annual Notice of Change your current plan mails in the fall; list your doctors, hospitals and regular prescriptions; run those details through the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov; and, if you are considering an Aetna plan, confirm it is offered in your California county and that your providers and medications are covered under the 2027 plan documents. If you take no action, in most cases your current plan simply continues into 2027 if it is still being offered — but if your plan is among those not returning, you will receive a non-renewal notice from the carrier with instructions.

Where can Californians get free help comparing Medicare Advantage plans?

Free, official help is available directly from Medicare. You can call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) any time, day or night, or use the Medicare Plan Finder and account tools at medicare.gov to compare every Medicare Advantage plan available at your address for 2027.

Medicare.gov also publishes plain-language explanations of enrollment periods, Special Needs Plan eligibility, and how Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Part D fit together — useful background whether you are new to Medicare or just reviewing your choices for the coming year.