Medicare Advantage

HMO or PPO? California Medicare Advantage for 2027: 376 HMO Plans, 18 PPO

SACRAMENTO — Californians comparing Medicare Advantage for the plan year that begins January 1, 2027, will see a lineup that leans heavily toward HMO-style coverage. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027, the state will have 394 Medicare Advantage plans from 36 carriers. Broken down by plan type, that's 290 HMO plans, 86 HMO-POS plans, and 18 PPO plans. Counting HMO and HMO-POS together, 376 of California's 394 plans are HMO-family — about 95% of the statewide total.

HMO or PPO for 2027California

That split matters because the plan type shapes how you see doctors, whether you need referrals, and what happens if you get care outside the network. Here's what the 2027 numbers show, what each plan type means, and how to think it through before the Annual Enrollment Period ends on December 7, 2026.

The statewide split by type

Of the 394 Medicare Advantage plans CMS lists for California in 2027:

• 290 are HMO
• 86 are HMO-POS
• 18 are PPO

The HMO family — HMO plus HMO-POS combined — totals 376 plans. These counts are statewide; each plan is still offered on a county-by-county basis, so the menu in Los Angeles County looks different from the menu in Modoc or Imperial County. The full plan and carrier lists on this page are rendered directly from the CMS Landscape file, and you can scan them to see which organizations are participating.

What HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS mean

These labels describe how a plan handles networks, referrals, and out-of-network care.

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You generally use a defined network of doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Many HMOs ask you to pick a primary care physician and get referrals to see specialists. Out-of-network care is typically not covered except for emergencies, urgent care, and out-of-area dialysis.
• HMO-POS (HMO with a Point-of-Service option). An HMO that allows some out-of-network care for specific services, usually at a higher cost share. The specifics vary by plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see in-network or out-of-network providers, usually without a referral. Out-of-network care is covered but typically costs more than in-network care. PPOs can be local or regional.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). A plan type where the plan — not Medicare — decides how much it will pay providers and how much you pay. California's 2027 Landscape file does not list any PFFS plans among the 394 Medicare Advantage plans; the mix is HMO, HMO-POS, and PPO.

The practical difference: HMO and HMO-POS plans emphasize a defined network and often a referral process. PPO plans give more flexibility to see providers outside the network, with the trade-off being that out-of-network care generally costs more.

Which carriers offer each type

The CMS file lists 36 carriers participating in California for 2027. The lists on this page show exactly which carriers offer which type.

• HMO plans in 2027 are offered by a long list that includes names such as Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California, Health Plan of San Mateo, L.A. Care Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Molina Healthcare of California, IEHP DualChoice, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna (CVS Health), Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, and many county-based and specialty organizations. The full HMO carrier roster is in the table above.
• HMO-POS plans in 2027 are offered by a smaller group: Aetna (CVS Health), Alignment Health Plan, Aspire Health, Champion Heath Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem), SCAN Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and VillageHealth.
• PPO plans in 2027 are offered by four carriers: Alignment Health Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, and UnitedHealthcare.

Several carriers appear in more than one list — for example, Aetna (CVS Health), Alignment Health Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem), SCAN Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare each offer at least two plan types. Whether a specific plan from any of these carriers is sold in your county is a separate question, answered by the Medicare Plan Finder.

How to decide which type fits your doctors and travel

A few questions tend to settle the HMO-versus-PPO question for most people:

1. Are your doctors in the network? Call the clinics you use and ask which 2027 Medicare Advantage plans they're contracted with. A plan only works for you if the providers you want to see accept it. 2. Do you want to see specialists without a referral? HMOs often require a referral from a primary care physician. PPOs typically do not. 3. Do you spend time outside your home county or state? If you travel, split time between homes, or want flexibility to try an out-of-network specialist, a PPO's out-of-network coverage may matter more. HMO-POS plans offer limited out-of-network options; HMOs generally do not, except for emergencies and urgent care. 4. Do you prefer a tightly coordinated system? Some HMOs are built around integrated medical groups, which some people find simpler.

The right answer is personal. The plan type is a starting filter, not the whole decision.

What to do before December 7

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. A plan selection made during that window takes effect January 1, 2027.

A short checklist:

• Make a list of your doctors, hospitals, and regular prescriptions.
• Look up plans available in your county on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov.
• For any plan you're considering, check the plan's own provider directory and drug formulary, and read the Evidence of Coverage.
• Confirm with your providers that they'll accept the specific plan for 2027.
• If you want to switch — or stay — make the change by December 7, 2026.

Free help

For official, no-cost help comparing plans in your county:

• Medicare Plan Finder: medicare.gov
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; TTY 1-877-486-2048

Have your Medicare number, ZIP code, doctor list, and prescription list ready when you call or search.