Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Pasadena: 121 Plan Choices for 2026

PASADENA, Calif. — If you're sorting through Medicare coverage in Pasadena this fall, here's the short version: you have a lot to look at. Pasadena sits in Los Angeles County, where 121 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Landscape files. That's a big menu — and knowing how the choices break down can make the decision feel a lot less overwhelming.

This article sticks to the numbers: how many plans, how many carriers, and what the 2026 rules look like. We're not ranking anything or naming names. That's for you (and, if you'd like, a trained counselor) to work through.

What's on the Menu in Los Angeles County

Here's the county-level snapshot for 2026, straight from CMS:

• 121 Medicare Advantage plans available in Los Angeles County.
• 19 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) in the area.
• 0 stand-alone Part D plans listed at the county level in this year's Landscape data for the area.
• About 1,487,700 residents age 65 and older across Los Angeles County.

Because Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, every eligible resident of Pasadena sees the same list of Los Angeles County plans on Medicare's Plan Finder. The city you live in doesn't shrink or expand the menu — the county does.

Why 121 Plans Isn't as Scary as It Sounds

A three-digit number can feel paralyzing. But most people don't actually compare 121 plans one by one. On Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, you can filter by:

• The doctors and hospitals you already use.
• The prescriptions you take, by name and dose.
• The pharmacies near you.
• Whether you want extra benefits like dental, vision, or hearing bundled in.

Once those filters are applied, the list usually narrows down quickly. With 19 carriers in the mix, there's real variety in networks and drug formularies — which is why running your own medications through the tool matters so much.

What's New for 2026 Across Medicare

A few program-wide changes are worth knowing before you start comparing:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered prescriptions hits $2,100 in 2026, you pay $0 for the rest of the year on covered drugs.
• Part D deductible maximum: $615. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments across the plan year instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

These rules apply nationwide — in Pasadena, in Peoria, everywhere.

Dates to Circle

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. This is when most people join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the coming year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to change to a different one — or return to Original Medicare — you get one more window here.

Missing these windows usually means waiting a full year, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (for example, after a move or a change in Medicaid status).

A Quick Word on Star Ratings

CMS publishes Star Ratings each year to reflect plan quality and member experience. In the Los Angeles County Landscape files for 2026, 0 contracts in the area are currently rated 4 stars or higher based on the data pulled for this snapshot. Ratings can shift year to year and are just one input — network fit and drug coverage often matter more day to day. Treat stars as a data point, not a verdict.

How to Actually Work Through the List

A simple order of operations:

1. Make a list of your doctors, your prescriptions (with dosages), and your preferred pharmacies. 2. Go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare and enter your ZIP code. This is the official Plan Finder. 3. Filter and sort by what matters to you — network, drug coverage, total estimated yearly cost. 4. Call your local SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for free, unbiased, one-on-one help. In California, that's the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP), reachable at 1-800-434-0222. 5. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) any time, 24/7, for official answers.