Find a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan for 2027
Medicare Part D
Prescription Drug Coverage 2027
Medicare Part D Plans California 2027: 10 Drug Plans and 5 Sponsors
Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated November 1, 2026
California has 10 standalone Medicare Part D plans for 2027 from five sponsors: Humana, Blue Shield of California, Wellcare, UnitedHealthcare and HealthSpring. The same list applies statewide, from San Diego to Siskiyou County, because California is its own Part D region.
2027 by the Numbers
10
standalone Part D plans in California for 2027 (our count of CMS 2027 plan filings)
394
Medicare Advantage plans in California for 2027, down from 402 (CMS)
$14.12
average monthly MA premium in California for 2027, up from $13.77 (CMS)
A standalone prescription drug plan, or PDP, adds Part D coverage to Original Medicare. In California, it is the drug coverage choice for people who keep Original Medicare, often alongside a Medigap policy, rather than joining a Medicare Advantage plan. The 2027 lineup comes from our count of the CMS plan benefit files; Medicare Plan Finder counts can differ slightly.
Federal rules set the outer limits for Part D coverage in 2027, including the $700 maximum deductible and the $2,400 cap. Those are covered on the Medicare Part D plans 2027 hub. This page sticks to what is specific to California.
Key Takeaways
- Our count shows 10 standalone Part D plans in California for 2027, from five sponsors.
- Blue Shield of California files two of them: Blue Shield Rx Plus and Blue Shield Rx Enhanced.
- Aetna’s SilverScript Choice is not in California’s 2027 standalone lineup in our count.
- Kaiser Permanente and SCAN sell Medicare Advantage plans in California but no standalone drug plan.
- HICAP, California’s free Medicare counseling program, can compare plans with you at no charge.
California's 2027 Standalone Drug Plan Lineup
| Sponsor | 2027 plans in California | Plan names |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | 3 | Humana Basic Rx Plan, Humana Value Rx Plan, Humana Premier Rx Plan |
| Blue Shield of California | 2 | Blue Shield Rx Plus, Blue Shield Rx Enhanced |
| UnitedHealthcare | 2 | Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC, Medicare Rx Saver from UHC |
| Wellcare | 2 | Wellcare Classic, Wellcare Value Script |
| HealthSpring | 1 | HealthSpring Assurance Rx |
Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings for individual standalone plans whose service area includes California. Employer plans excluded. Medicare Plan Finder counts can differ slightly.
HealthSpring is the former Cigna Medicare business, now owned by Health Care Service Corporation. Wellcare appears here as part of the market; its plans follow the same federal rules as the others. Premiums for each plan are listed on Medicare Plan Finder for your ZIP code.
Who Is Missing From the California List
Not in California’s 2027 PDP lineup
✔
Aetna SilverScript Choice (filed in 20 regions, not California, in our count)
✔
Kaiser Permanente (Medicare Advantage only)
✔
SCAN Health Plan (Medicare Advantage only)
✔
Alignment Health Plan (Medicare Advantage only)
Where that coverage shows up instead
✔
Kaiser files 48 MA plans in California in our count
✔
SCAN files 64, the most of any California sponsor
✔
Alignment files 46
✔
Each includes Part D inside the MA plan
Someone leaving a Kaiser or SCAN Medicare Advantage plan for Original Medicare needs a standalone plan from the list above to keep drug coverage. Leaving without one can trigger the Part D late enrollment penalty later.
Blue Shield of California's Two Drug Plans
Rx Plus
one of two Blue Shield standalone plans filed for 2027
Rx Enhanced
the second Blue Shield standalone plan filed for 2027
20
Blue Shield of California MA plans for 2027 (our count)
Blue Shield of California is the state’s only regional Blue standalone sponsor. Anthem Blue Cross sells Medicare Advantage plans in the state but no PDP in our count. Deductibles, tiers and pharmacy networks for the two Blue Shield plans may differ for 2027, so check the plan documents before choosing. More on Blue companies nationwide is on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Part D 2027 page.
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California's Medicare Advantage Market in 2027
| Measure | 2026 | 2027 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans statewide | 402 | 394 | CMS state fact sheet |
| Average monthly MA premium | $13.77 | $14.12 | CMS state fact sheet |
| Share of 2027 MA plans that are HMOs | 76% | Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings | |
| Special needs plans (SNPs) | 135 (34%) | Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings | |
| Most MA plans by county | Los Angeles 124, Orange 111, San Bernardino 95 | Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings | |
| Fewest MA plans by county | Alpine 4, Lassen 2, Sierra 2 | Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings |
Blank 2026 cells mean the figure was not compared year over year. Medicare Advantage choices vary county by county; standalone Part D plans do not.
Rural California note: in counties with only a handful of MA plans, the 10 standalone drug plans paired with Original Medicare may offer more choice than Medicare Advantage does.
Medigap Birthday Rule and Your Drug Plan
California-specific right: California’s Medigap birthday rule gives people with a Medicare Supplement policy a yearly window, starting on their birthday, to switch to a plan with equal or lesser benefits without health questions. Medigap plans sold today do not include drug coverage, so a switch does not affect your Part D plan.
Drug plans run on a different calendar. Changing your standalone plan normally happens during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
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Getting Free Help Through HICAP
1
Find your local HICAP office. The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program is run by the California Department of Aging through local Area Agencies on Aging.
2
Bring your drug list. Counselors can run your drugs through Medicare Plan Finder against the 10 standalone plans.
3
Ask about Extra Help and Medi-Cal. People with both Medicare and Medi-Cal get Extra Help with drug costs automatically.
4
Review plan notices. Your plan’s Annual Notice of Change spells out what is different for 2027.
State Drug Assistance in California
What California residents can check
✔
California does not list a general State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program for seniors on the SPAP chart published by the Medicare Rights Center.
✔
Extra Help, the federal Part D subsidy, is the main route for lower premiums and copays; see Extra Help 2027.
✔
People with HIV may get help from the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, depending on eligibility.
✔
Medi-Cal enrollees use Medicare Part D for most drugs once they have Medicare.
The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
California’s 2027 standalone Part D market has 10 plans from Humana, Blue Shield of California, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and HealthSpring in our count, and no Aetna SilverScript option. Medicare Advantage shrank slightly to 394 plans with a higher average premium. HICAP offers free, local help comparing drug plans before December 7, 2026.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) to get information on all of your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
➤ How many standalone Part D plans does California have in 2027?
Ten, in our count of CMS 2027 plan filings, from five sponsors. Medicare Plan Finder may show a slightly different number.
➤ Does Blue Shield of California sell a standalone Part D plan for 2027?
Yes. It files two: Blue Shield Rx Plus and Blue Shield Rx Enhanced.
➤ Is Aetna SilverScript available in California for 2027?
Not in our count. SilverScript Choice is filed in 20 Part D regions for 2027, and California is not one of them.
➤ Does Kaiser offer a standalone drug plan in California?
No. Kaiser Permanente includes drug coverage inside its Medicare Advantage plans but does not file a standalone PDP in our count.
➤ Did California lose Medicare Advantage plans for 2027?
Slightly. CMS reports 394 MA plans for 2027, down from 402, with the average monthly premium rising from $13.77 to $14.12.
➤ What is HICAP?
The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, California’s free and unbiased Medicare counseling service, run through local Area Agencies on Aging.
➤ Does the California birthday rule let me change my Part D plan?
No. The birthday rule applies to Medigap policies. Standalone drug plans are changed during Annual Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period.
➤ Are Part D plans the same in Los Angeles and rural counties?
Yes for standalone plans, since California is a single Part D region. Medicare Advantage choices range from about 124 plans in Los Angeles County to 2 in Sierra County in our count.
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