Medicare Advantage

If your Medicare Advantage plan in Irvine won't be back in 2027, here is your playbook

Orange County has 111 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 21 plans are not coming back, 28 are new, and 51 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 19 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Irvine, not which plan to pick.

Irvine, Calif. — As the Annual Enrollment Period opens Oct. 15, 2026, some Medicare Advantage members in and around Irvine will open their mail to a letter they weren't expecting: a notice that their plan won't be offered again in 2027. In Orange County, the county Irvine sits in, 21 Medicare Advantage plans listed for 2026 are not in the CMS file for 2027. If one of them is yours, you have a few clear choices, a special window to make a change, and a default that kicks in on Jan. 1 if you do nothing.

Which Medicare Advantage plans are not returning in Irvine for 2027?

Irvine is in Orange County, where 21 Medicare Advantage plans sold in 2026 are not listed in the CMS 2027 file. The plans not returning for 2027, by carrier (alphabetical), are:

• Aetna (CVS Health): Aetna Medicare Eagle (PPO); Aetna Medicare Enhanced (PPO); Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
• Alignment Health Plan: Alignment Health Advantage PPO (PPO); Alignment Health Honor+ Plan (HMO); Alignment Health My Choice Select (HMO); Alignment Health the ONE (HMO)
• Astiva Health: Astiva Health Premier Plan (HMO)
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Giveback (HMO)
• Central Health Medicare Plan: Central Health Classic Care Plan I (HMO); Central Health Dual Access Plan (HMO D-SNP); Central Health Embrace Care Plan (HMO C-SNP); Central Health Embrace Choice Plan (HMO C-SNP); Central Health Medicare Plan (HMO); Central Health Part B Savings Plan (HMO); Central Health Valor Care Plan (HMO)
• Champion Heath Plan: Champion Select (HMO-POS C-SNP)
• Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser Permanente Dual Complete South P1 (HMO D-SNP)
• Providence Medicare Advantage Plans: Providence Medicare Sycamore + Rx (HMO)
• SCAN Health Plan: SCAN Affirm partnered with Included LGBTQ+ Health (HMO); SCAN MyChoice (HMO)

The table on this page shows every 2026 plan and whether it is returning. If your plan is not on the list above, it is expected to renew for 2027 — but it may look different, which is why the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) matters.

How can I tell if my Irvine Medicare Advantage plan is ending?

Your carrier is required to mail you a Plan Non-Renewal Notice (sometimes called a plan termination letter) in early October 2026 if your plan will not be offered in 2027. It arrives in a plain envelope with the carrier's name, and it will say — clearly — that your coverage ends Dec. 31, 2026, and that you need to choose a new plan or you will be moved to Original Medicare.

Two quick ways to double-check:

• Compare the plan name on your member ID card to the list above.
• Look at the mail you received this fall. A non-renewal letter is different from an ANOC. An ANOC says your plan is renewing with changes; a non-renewal letter says your plan is going away.

If you are not sure, call the member services number on the back of your card, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

What happens if I do nothing before Jan. 1, 2027?

If your plan is on the not-returning list and you do not pick a new plan, you will be enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) on Jan. 1, 2027. That coverage is real, nationwide, and starts automatically — but it does not include prescription drug coverage, and it does not have the extras many Advantage plans add on. You would pay the Part A and Part B cost-sharing set by Medicare, and you would not have a Part D drug plan unless you sign one up.

For context, in 2026 the Part D maximum deductible is $615 and the out-of-pocket drug cap is $2,100. For 2027, CMS has confirmed a Part D maximum deductible of $700 and an out-of-pocket cap of $2,400. The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes those in the fall.

What is the Special Enrollment Period for a non-renewed plan?

Members whose Medicare Advantage plan is non-renewing get a Special Enrollment Period that runs from Dec. 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027. During this window, you can:

• Enroll in a different Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage).
• Enroll in a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan if you move to Original Medicare.
• You may also use the regular Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026) to pick a 2027 plan that starts Jan. 1.

You also have a federal guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies when your Medicare Advantage plan is terminating — meaning insurers in that situation cannot deny you coverage or charge you more because of health history, for the specific plans the federal rule covers. California has additional state rules around Medigap; for how those apply to you, contact the California Department of Insurance.

What are my choices if my Irvine plan is on the list?

For 2027, Orange County will have 111 Medicare Advantage plans from 16 carriers, according to the CMS 2027 Landscape file. The table below lists every plan available in the county. Broadly, you have three paths:

1. Pick a new Medicare Advantage plan for 2027. Compare on medicare.gov using your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions. Make sure the plan covers the providers you want to keep. 2. Move to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Many people in this path also buy a Medigap policy to help with Part A and Part B cost-sharing. 3. Do nothing and accept the default. You will have Original Medicare on Jan. 1, 2027 — but no Part D drug coverage until you add one, and late-enrollment penalties can apply if you wait.

A few practical tips as you compare:

• Have your prescription list, your preferred pharmacy, and your doctors' names ready.
• If you take specialty drugs, check both the formulary and the pharmacy network.
• If you are in a Special Needs Plan (D-SNP or C-SNP) that is ending, look specifically for another SNP that fits your situation.