Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage in Palm Springs: Counting 2026 Plans

People in Palm Springs can choose from 88 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 91 this year. 17 of this year’s plans are gone, 14 are new to Riverside County, and 52 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 20 of them under a new name.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — If you are shopping for Medicare coverage in the desert this fall, you have a lot to sort through. Palm Springs sits in Riverside County, where 68 Medicare Advantage plans are available to residents for the 2027 plan year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Plan Finder and Landscape files.

That is a big menu, and it is one reason many local retirees say Medicare shopping feels overwhelming. This guide walks through what those numbers mean, what is new for 2027, and where to get unbiased help.

How many Medicare options are on the table locally

For the 2027 plan year, Riverside County residents — including those in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert — can choose from:

• 91 Medicare Advantage plans (most include prescription drug coverage).
• 17 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with drug coverage (MA-PD) in the county.
• 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed specifically for this county in the current Landscape file. (Stand-alone Part D availability is set at the region level, so most residents will still see Part D options when they run their ZIP code through Medicare Plan Finder.)

With roughly 382,888 residents age 65 or older across Riverside County, the market here is one of the larger senior markets in California — which helps explain why so many carriers compete for enrollment.

Why the count matters (and why it isn't everything)

A long list of plans is not automatically good news. More choices can mean more time comparing networks, drug formularies, and rules like prior authorization. It also means small differences between plans can matter a lot for your specific doctors and prescriptions.

CMS does publish Star Ratings (1 to 5 stars) that measure plan quality on things like customer service and care coordination. In the current data for this area, no contracts are rated 4 stars or higher — a reminder to compare carefully and to look beyond marketing mailers when you decide.

What is changing in 2027

A few program-wide updates apply no matter which plan you look at:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400. Once your covered drug spending hits that amount in 2027, you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: up to $615. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• No more "donut hole." As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four. That structure continues in 2027.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. You can ask to spread your yearly drug costs into level monthly payments instead of paying large amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA. Higher-income beneficiaries pay an income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D. In 2026, it kicks in above $109,000 for a single filer (higher for joint filers).

Key dates to circle

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Coverage starts Jan. 1.
• Jan. 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.

Missing these windows usually means waiting until the following year, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (for example, after a move or a loss of other coverage).

How to compare plans without getting overwhelmed

A simple approach that works for most Palm Springs residents:

1. Make a list of your current doctors, preferred hospitals (such as Desert Regional or Eisenhower Health), and every prescription you take, with the dose. 2. Run your ZIP code through the official Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. It will show plans available at your address and let you enter your drugs. 3. Check the network for each plan you are considering — call the doctor's office and ask directly. 4. Get unbiased help. In California, the free SHIP program is called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program). Counselors do not sell insurance.

Where to get official help

• Medicare: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7. Visit medicare.gov.
• California HICAP (SHIP): 1-800-434-0222 for free, one-on-one Medicare counseling.
• Social Security Administration: 1-800-772-1213 for Medicare enrollment and IRMAA questions.