Medicare Advantage
Does UnitedHealthcare still cover your Santa Ana doctors?
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Fall 2026. UnitedHealthcare will offer eight Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County, which includes Santa Ana, for the 2027 plan year — one more than it offers in 2026, with one brand-new plan, three renamed plans, and none pulled from the market. The lineup matters now because the Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
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Key takeaways
- UnitedHealthcare has 8 Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County for 2027: 1 HMO and 7 HMO-POS, including 2 Special Needs Plans and 7 plans with drug coverage.
- One plan is new for 2027, three were renamed, and none of UnitedHealthcare's 2026 plans are being discontinued in the county.
- If you do nothing by December 7, 2026, your current plan renews for 2027 under the terms spelled out in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).
- Confirm your doctors and prescriptions on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE before you choose.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans offered in Orange County (2026) | 104 | CMS |
| Medicare Advantage plans offered in Orange County (2027) | 111 | CMS |
| Plans not returning for 2027 / new for 2027 | 21 / 28 | CMS |
| Organizations offering Medicare Advantage in Orange County (2026) | 17 | CMS |
| Share of eligible beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage, Orange County | 56% | CMS |
| Residents age 65 and older, Orange County | 514,824 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Part B standard monthly premium (2026) | $202.90 | Medicare.gov |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap (2026) | $2,100 | CMS |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap (2027) | $2,400 | CMS |
| Annual Enrollment Period (for 2027 coverage) | October 15 – December 7, 2026 | Medicare.gov |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period | January 1 – March 31 | Medicare.gov |
Area counts are for the county as a whole and are not a recommendation of any plan. Program figures are set nationally.
MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site; we are not UnitedHealthcare, and UnitedHealthcare is one of 16 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in Orange County next year. The table below lists every UnitedHealthcare plan available to Santa Ana residents for 2027.
How many UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Santa Ana for 2027?
UnitedHealthcare is offering 8 Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County — the county Santa Ana sits in — for the 2027 plan year. By type, that breaks down to 1 HMO and 7 HMO-POS plans. Seven of the eight include Part D prescription drug coverage; one is offered without drug coverage.
Of those eight, two are Special Needs Plans (both C-SNPs, designed for people with certain qualifying chronic conditions). There are no D-SNPs or I-SNPs from UnitedHealthcare in the county next year.
For context, 16 carriers in total offer Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County in 2027, with 111 plans across all carriers combined. UnitedHealthcare's lineup is one slice of that larger field.
What is new or renamed in UnitedHealthcare's 2027 Santa Ana lineup?
For 2027, UnitedHealthcare is adding one new plan in Orange County, renaming three existing plans, and not retiring any plans. The new plan is AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-46 (HMO-POS).
The three renames are administrative — same plan, new contract ID on your card and paperwork:
- AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-33P (HMO-POS) was AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-43 (HMO-POS).
- AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC CA-31P (HMO-POS) was AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC CA-20 (HMO-POS).
- AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx CA-MA1P (HMO-POS) was AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx CA-MA01 (HMO-POS).
If one of these is your current plan, read the Annual Notice of Change the carrier mailed in late September — that document lists what, if anything, is changing in costs, benefits, networks, or the drug formulary for 2027.
Which UnitedHealthcare plans include drug coverage, and which are Special Needs Plans?
Seven of UnitedHealthcare's eight Orange County plans for 2027 include Part D drug coverage built in. The exception is AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx CA-MA1P (HMO-POS), which, as the name signals, does not include drug coverage.
The two Special Needs Plans are UHC Complete Care CA-19P (HMO-POS C-SNP) and UHC Complete Care Support CA-2AP (HMO C-SNP). C-SNPs are available only to people who have a qualifying chronic condition; the plan's materials spell out which conditions qualify and how to verify eligibility.
The full UnitedHealthcare roster for Santa Ana in 2027 appears in the table below.
How do I check a UnitedHealthcare plan against my doctors and prescriptions before December 7?
Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, add your prescriptions and preferred pharmacy, and the tool will show each plan's drug coverage, estimated yearly drug cost, and plan documents side by side. For doctors and hospitals, check the plan's own provider directory on the carrier's website, or call the plan to confirm your providers are in-network for the 2027 contract year.
A few practical steps before December 7, 2026: 1. Read your Annual Notice of Change if you already have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. 2. List your current prescriptions, pharmacy, and doctors. 3. Run those details through medicare.gov's Plan Finder, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7. 4. If a plan looks like a fit, confirm with the plan directly before enrolling.
If you do nothing by December 7, your current plan simply renews for 2027 under its new ANOC terms — as long as the plan is still offered. None of UnitedHealthcare's Orange County plans are being discontinued for 2027.
What else should Santa Ana enrollees know about 2027?
A few program-wide numbers CMS has already confirmed for the 2027 plan year:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
- The Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
- The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33 (this is a formula input, not what any specific plan charges).
The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not yet been announced. CMS typically publishes those figures later in the fall.
Enrollment windows to keep in mind: the Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, 2026 for 2027 coverage. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, 2027, you also get the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31, 2027, to make one change.
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 Orange County
(MA penetration in Orange 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
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County for 2027
CMS lists 8 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans in Orange County for 2027, alphabetically by carrier. 15 other carriers also offer plans there.
| Plan | Type | Drug coverage | For 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare 8 plans | |||
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-005P (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | Returning |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-021P (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | Returning |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-33P (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | Renamed |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-46 (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | New |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC CA-31P (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | Yes | Renamed |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx CA-MA1P (HMO-POS) | HMO-POS | No | Renamed |
| UHC Complete Care CA-19P (HMO-POS C-SNP) | HMO-POS C-SNP | Yes | Returning |
| UHC Complete Care Support CA-2AP (HMO C-SNP) | HMO C-SNP | Yes | Returning |
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 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans in Orange 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 Period (Open Enrollment)Anyone 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.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does UnitedHealthcare have any Medicare Advantage plans leaving Santa Ana for 2027?
What happens if I do nothing by December 7, 2026?
How do I know if I qualify for one of UnitedHealthcare's Special Needs Plans?
Where can I compare UnitedHealthcare plans to other carriers' plans in Orange County?
Watch
The Medicare Advantage changes for 2027 in California, in 30 seconds
- 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 Santa Ana
Sources and methodology
- CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Source Files
- CMS, Medicare Advantage state/county penetration and enrollment files
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (table B01001, age 65 and older)
- Medicare.gov, Medicare costs (Part B premium)
- CMS, Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) program rules
- CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D plan-year announcements
- Medicare.gov, enrollment periods and plan rules
Figures cited in this article
- CMS — Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files (CY2026 and CY2027): UnitedHealthcare's plan counts, plan types, SNP counts, drug coverage counts, and the new/renamed/not-returning tallies for Orange County; the total carrier and plan counts in the county.
- CMS — 2027 Part D parameters: the $2,400 out-of-pocket cap, $700 maximum deductible, and $41.33 national base beneficiary premium.
- Medicare.gov: Annual Enrollment Period dates, Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment dates, and the Plan Finder tool for checking doctors and prescriptions.
How we put this together: area counts come from the CMS files listed above for the county that contains this city, program figures come from CMS, Medicare.gov and the Social Security Administration, and no plan is ranked or recommended.
By The Medicare Desk · Published . For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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This page was last updated: October 2026.