Medicare Advantage

Before Dec. 7: how Long Beach can weigh 124 plans

For 2027, Long Beach is looking at 124 Medicare Advantage plans: 26 new, 23 gone since 2026, and 61 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 23 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Los Angeles County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Fall 2026. If you have Medicare in Long Beach, you have until Dec. 7, 2026 to pick, switch, or stay with a Medicare Advantage plan for 2027. The lineup has shifted again this year, and the easiest way to feel confident about your choice is to compare plans the same way every time — using your doctors, your prescriptions, and the official Annual Notice of Change your plan mailed you.

Long Beach is in Los Angeles County, where CMS lists 124 Medicare Advantage plans from 20 carriers for 2027. That is a lot to sort through, so this guide walks you through what is new and a simple, step-by-step comparison.

What is new in Los Angeles County for 2027

For plan year 2027, CMS lists 124 Medicare Advantage plans from 20 carriers in Los Angeles County. By plan type, that breaks down to 95 HMOs, 23 HMO-POS plans, and 6 PPOs. All 124 plans include drug coverage.

Compared with 2026, there are 26 new plans, 23 plans not returning, and 23 renamed plans. If your plan is being discontinued, your carrier is required to tell you in writing — that letter is important and triggers a Special Enrollment Period so you can choose a new plan.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are a big part of the Los Angeles County market. For 2027 the county has 41 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs), 8 Dual Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs) for people with both Medicare and Medi-Cal, and 5 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs). SNPs have special rules about who can join, so they are not for everyone — but if you qualify, they are worth a look.

The confirmed 2027 Part D numbers to know: the out-of-pocket drug cap rises to $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum Part D deductible is $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet — CMS usually publishes them in November.

The carriers offering plans in 2027

The table on this page lists every plan. In alphabetical order, the carriers offering Medicare Advantage in Los Angeles County for 2027 are:

Aetna (CVS Health), AHF, Align Senior Care, Alignment Health Plan, Astiva Health, Blue Shield of California, Centene (WellCare), Champion Heath Plan, Clever Care Health Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem), Elite Health Plan, Humana, Imperial Health Plan of California, Kaiser Permanente, L.A. Care Health Plan, Molina Healthcare of California, SCAN Health Plan, UCLA Health Medicare Advantage Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and VillageHealth.

Some carriers offer only a handful of plans; Alignment Health Plan (21) and SCAN Health Plan (17) offer the most in the county for 2027. Plan availability inside Long Beach itself depends on your ZIP code, which is why the Plan Finder step below matters.

A step-by-step way to compare plans

Use the same five checks for every plan on your short list. Doing them in the same order each time keeps the comparison fair.

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your current plan mailed this by Sept. 30. It shows what is changing for 2027 — the premium, the deductible, your drug tiers, your doctor network, and your extra benefits. If nothing has changed in a way that matters to you, staying put is a valid choice.

2. Check your doctors and hospitals. For each plan you are considering, look up every doctor, specialist, and hospital you use. You can search the plan's online provider directory, or call the plan directly. In Long Beach, that means confirming your providers at places like MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, St. Mary Medical Center, or your primary-care clinic are in-network for 2027 — networks can change year to year.

3. Enter your prescriptions in the Medicare Plan Finder. Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare, enter your Long Beach ZIP code, and add every prescription you take, with the exact dose and quantity. The Plan Finder will show you each plan's total yearly drug cost estimate — not just the premium.

4. Check your pharmacy. The same drug can cost very different amounts at different pharmacies, even within the same plan. The Plan Finder lets you pick your preferred pharmacy (chain or independent) and see the difference.

5. Look at the whole picture, not just the premium. A $0-premium plan is not automatically cheaper once you add in copays, the drug deductible, and specialist costs. The Plan Finder's yearly total is a better apples-to-apples number.

HMO, HMO-POS, or PPO — what is the difference?

Most Long Angeles County plans are HMOs, which means you pick a primary-care doctor and generally need a referral to see a specialist. Care is covered only inside the plan's network, except for emergencies.

HMO-POS plans work like HMOs but include a "point of service" option that lets you go out of network for certain services, usually at a higher cost.

PPO plans give you the most flexibility — you can see out-of-network providers without a referral, though you will pay more. There are fewer PPO options in the county (6 for 2027), so if that flexibility matters to you, check which ones serve your Long Beach ZIP code.

If you do nothing

Nothing dramatic happens. If your current plan is offered again in 2027, you are automatically renewed into it with the changes described in your ANOC. If your plan is one of the 23 not returning, your carrier will send you a non-renewal notice, and you will have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan without a gap in coverage.

Just remember: once Dec. 7 passes, your next regular chance to switch Medicare Advantage plans is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027, and that window has narrower rules.