Medicare Advantage

Dual-eligible in Stockton? Five D-SNPs will serve San Joaquin County in 2027

For 2027, Stockton is looking at 39 Medicare Advantage plans: 9 new, 14 gone since 2026, and 30 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 11 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in San Joaquin County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Stockton, Calif. — If you have both Medicare and Medi-Cal and live in or around Stockton, your plan options for 2027 are set. San Joaquin County will have five Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) available next year, with one carrier new to this category and two plans carrying renamed labels. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.

Unlike most people with Medicare, dual-eligible residents don't have to wait for the fall window to make a move. More on that below.

What is a Dual Special Needs Plan, and who qualifies in Stockton?

A D-SNP is a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California). The plan coordinates your Medicare benefits and works alongside Medi-Cal, and every D-SNP includes Part D drug coverage.

Eligibility is set at the program level. You generally qualify if:

• You are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and
• You also qualify for Medi-Cal at some level — either full dual-eligible (Medi-Cal pays a broad set of benefits and typically your Medicare cost-sharing) or partial dual-eligible (Medi-Cal helps with Medicare premiums and/or cost-sharing through a Medicare Savings Program such as QMB, SLMB or QI).

Different D-SNPs are designed for different dual-eligible categories, so the plan that fits a neighbor may not fit you. California's Medi-Cal program — through the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency — is what confirms your Medi-Cal status and category. You can also see your level listed in your Medicare account at medicare.gov.

Which D-SNPs are offered in San Joaquin County for 2027?

San Joaquin County will have five D-SNPs for 2027, offered by five carriers. In alphabetical order by carrier, they are:

• Alignment Health Plan — Alignment Health Duals+ 030 (HMO D-SNP); renamed (it was Alignment Health CalPlusDuals).
• Centene (WellCare) — Wellcare Health Net Dual Align (HMO D-SNP); new for 2027.
• Health Plan of San Joaquin / Mountain Valley Health Plan — HPSJ/MVHP Advantage D-SNP (HMO D-SNP); renamed (it was Advantage D-SNP).
• Humana — Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H5619-038 (HMO D-SNP).
• Kaiser Permanente — Kaiser Permanente Dual Complete North P20 (HMO D-SNP).

Each of these plans is an HMO with drug coverage. The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan in the county, including these D-SNPs. For specific benefits, provider networks, pharmacy lists and costs, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or ask the plan for its Evidence of Coverage.

For context, San Joaquin County will have 39 Medicare Advantage plans overall in 2027, including the 5 D-SNPs and 12 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs). No Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) are offered in the county.

How often can a dual-eligible person change plans in 2027?

For most people with Medicare, big plan changes happen once a year during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). Dual-eligible residents have more flexibility.

If you have Medicaid or qualify for Extra Help (the federal program that lowers Part D costs), you generally get a monthly opportunity to:

• Join an integrated D-SNP that works with your Medi-Cal plan, or
• Switch to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.

The exact rules for using this monthly chance — and what counts as "integrated" in California — can change. Before you make a move, confirm the current rules by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is open 24/7, or by signing in to your account at medicare.gov. You can also contact a D-SNP directly to ask whether it is an aligned/integrated plan with your Medi-Cal managed care plan.

Everyone, including dual-eligibles, can also use:

• The Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7, 2026, for 2027 coverage.
• The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31, 2027, for one change if you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan.

If you do nothing during the fall window, your current plan simply renews for 2027 if it's still being offered — with the changes listed in your plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which arrives by late September.

How do I confirm my Medicare and Medi-Cal eligibility?

Three places give you a reliable answer:

1. Medi-Cal (your dual-eligible status and category): Contact the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency, or sign in to your BenefitsCal account. Your category — full dual, QMB, SLMB, QI, and so on — determines which D-SNPs you can join. 2. Medicare (Parts A and B, Part D, Extra Help): Sign in at medicare.gov to see what you're enrolled in, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. For Part A/B enrollment questions, you can also contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. 3. The plan itself: Each D-SNP has a specific eligibility list. Call the plan's member services line (listed on medicare.gov) to confirm you qualify before you enroll.

What else is changing for Part D and plan availability in 2027?

A few program-level numbers are worth knowing as you compare plans this fall:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs hits that cap, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Individual plans may set a lower deductible.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. You can opt in through your Part D or Medicare Advantage drug plan.
• The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA brackets, had not been announced as of September 2026. CMS typically publishes them in the fall. Don't rely on projections.

For San Joaquin County overall, 14 Medicare Advantage plans are not returning in 2027, 9 are new, and 11 have been renamed. Even if your plan is renewing, read the ANOC — the drug list, pharmacy network and extra benefits can shift year to year.