Medicare Advantage
Blue Shield of California's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego: what changed
SAN DIEGO — As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, Blue Shield of California is bringing a reshaped Medicare Advantage lineup to San Diego County for 2027: two brand-new plans, one plan renamed, and nothing dropped from last year.
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Key takeaways
- Blue Shield of California is offering 5 Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County for 2027, all HMOs, all with drug coverage, including 1 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).
- Two plans are new for 2027 and one has been renamed; no Blue Shield of California plans in the county are being dropped.
- Open Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026; if you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 with the changes listed in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).
- Fourteen other carriers also offer Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County for 2027 — 85 plans in all — so Blue Shield is one option among many.
If you live in San Diego and already have a Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage plan — or you are shopping one for the first time — this is the window to look at what is on the table for next year and make sure the plan still fits your doctors and prescriptions. Any change you make now takes effect January 1, 2027.
MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent news and education site. We are not Blue Shield of California, and we are not Medicare. The plan details below come from the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for plan year 2027.
What Blue Shield of California offers in San Diego County for 2027
San Diego sits in San Diego County, where Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level. For 2027, Blue Shield of California has 5 Medicare Advantage plans listed in the county. All 5 are HMO plans, and all 5 include Part D prescription drug coverage. One of them is a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) for people who have both Medicare and Medi-Cal.
In alphabetical order, the 2027 plans are:
- Blue Shield 65 Plus (HMO)
- Blue Shield Advantage (HMO) — new for 2027
- Blue Shield AdvantageOptimum Plan 1 (HMO)
- Blue Shield Medicare + Medi-Cal Plan (HMO D-SNP) — renamed (was Blue Shield TotalDual Plan)
- Blue Shield Value Advantage Plan (HMO) — new for 2027
The full list, with plan type and drug coverage, is in the table below.
What is new, renamed, or not returning
Two of the five plans are new for 2027: Blue Shield Advantage (HMO) and Blue Shield Value Advantage Plan (HMO). If you look up Blue Shield plans on Medicare's Plan Finder and see names you did not see last year, that is why.
One plan has been renamed. The D-SNP that was called Blue Shield TotalDual Plan (HMO D-SNP) in 2026 is listed for 2027 as Blue Shield Medicare + Medi-Cal Plan (HMO D-SNP). A rename does not automatically mean anything about the plan changed beyond the name — the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed you (or will mail you) spells out what is actually different for 2027.
No Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County are being discontinued for 2027. If your current Blue Shield plan is on the list above, it is still being offered next year.
HMOs and the one D-SNP, in plain English
All five Blue Shield of California plans in the county are HMOs. In an HMO, you generally use the plan's network of doctors and hospitals and pick a primary care doctor who refers you to specialists. Before picking any HMO, it is worth checking that the doctors and hospitals you already use are in that specific plan's network for 2027 — networks can differ between plans from the same carrier.
The D-SNP — Blue Shield Medicare + Medi-Cal Plan (HMO D-SNP) — is a Special Needs Plan designed for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal. You have to meet the dual eligibility rules to enroll.
How to check a plan against your doctors and prescriptions before December 7
Before the December 7, 2026 deadline, there are three checks worth doing for any plan you are considering:
1. Your doctors and hospitals. Look up each provider in that specific plan's 2027 directory, or call the provider's billing office and ask whether they will be in-network for that plan name next year. 2. Your prescriptions. Enter every drug you take, with the dose, into Medicare's Plan Finder at medicare.gov. The tool will show you which plans cover each drug and estimate your yearly costs for that plan. 3. Your pharmacy. Confirm your pharmacy is a preferred or standard in-network pharmacy for the plan — this can change which tier you pay.
If you already have a Blue Shield plan, read the ANOC that arrived in September. It tells you exactly what is changing in your current plan for 2027.
A few 2027 numbers that apply across Part D
These are program-wide figures from CMS, not plan-specific:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (it is $2,100 in 2026).
- The Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (it is $615 in 2026).
- The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33. This is a formula input CMS uses — it is not what any specific plan charges.
- The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced as of September 2026. CMS typically publishes them later in the fall.
Blue Shield is one of several carriers in the county
Blue Shield of California is not the only carrier here. In San Diego County, 14 other carriers also offer Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, and the county has 85 Medicare Advantage plans in total. That is useful context: if a Blue Shield plan does not include your doctor or your drug, you have other carriers to compare on medicare.gov.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in San Diego County
(MA penetration in San Diego County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
2027 plan lineup
Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County for 2027
CMS lists 5 Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County for 2027, alphabetically by carrier. 14 other carriers also offer plans there.
| Plan | Type | Drug coverage | For 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Shield of California 5 plans | |||
| Blue Shield 65 Plus (HMO) | HMO | Yes | Returning |
| Blue Shield Advantage (HMO) | HMO | Yes | New |
| Blue Shield AdvantageOptimum Plan 1 (HMO) | HMO | Yes | Returning |
| Blue Shield Medicare + Medi-Cal Plan (HMO D-SNP) | HMO D-SNP | Yes | Renamed |
| Blue Shield Value Advantage Plan (HMO) | HMO | Yes | New |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
The 2027 choices, by type
How Blue Shield of California Medicare Advantage plans in San Diego County break down for 2027
HMO plans use a network and usually a primary-care doctor and referrals; HMO-POS plans add some out-of-network coverage; PPO plans also cover out-of-network care, at a higher share; PFFS plans pay any provider that accepts the plan’s terms. Special Needs Plans serve people with Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), certain chronic conditions (C-SNP) or living in an institution (I-SNP).
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to do anything if I want to keep my current Blue Shield of California plan?
What is the deadline to change my Medicare Advantage plan for 2027?
Who qualifies for the Blue Shield Medicare + Medi-Cal Plan (HMO D-SNP)?
Where can I compare these plans against each other and against other carriers?
- CMS — MA Landscape Source File (plan-level availability by county)
- CMS — MA Landscape Source Files, current and coming plan year (year-over-year comparison)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Also for San Diego
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This page was last updated: October 2026.