Medicare Advantage · California · 2026 plan year

Medicare Advantage in San Diego, CA

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2026 Landscape and Star Ratings files, every Medicare Advantage plan available in San Diego, CA for 2026 is ranked by CMS star rating, with premiums and benefits laid out plainly.

101
Plans available
4.5★
Best plan: Top-rated
$0
Lowest premium/mo
$6.07
Avg premium/mo
RSS updates for this county

The short answer

San Diego has 101 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, the best earns 4.5★ from CMS, 47 reach 4★ or higher, and 66 carry a $0 monthly premium.

101
plans to compare
4.5★
highest CMS rating here
66
$0-premium plans
47
plans rated 4★ or higher

Premiums shown are the monthly plan premium (Part C + D). Every enrollee also pays the standard Part B premium (about $202.90/mo in 2026). Confirm any plan's current details on Medicare.gov before enrolling.

What the CMS Plan Finder Shows for San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA (FIPS 06073): 101 individual Medicare Advantage plans available (employer-group plans excluded). Highest CMS Star rating: 4.5/5 via KAISER FOUNDATION HP, INC.. Plan-type mix: 68 HMO, 17 Local PPO, 16 HMO POS. Monthly plan premiums (Part C + D) range $0 – $75.00 (avg $6.07), with 66 $0-premium plans. 83 of 101 plans include Part D drug coverage. CMS Star Ratings methodology →

How to read these figures

The figures above come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2026 plan year file, which CMS publishes each autumn before the October 15 to December 7 open enrollment window. A county premium reflects only the Part C portion that a plan charges. Most enrollees still pay the standard Part B premium of about $202.90 a month on top of it, so a $0 plan is rarely free in practice. The CMS star rating runs from one to five and weights more than 40 measures, including how well a plan manages chronic conditions, how fast it answers member calls, and how members rate their own care. A plan that holds five stars earns a special enrollment period that lets people switch into it at almost any time of year. Premiums alone can mislead a shopper, because a low monthly cost often pairs with a higher deductible or a tighter provider network. Federal rules cap in-network out-of-pocket spending at $9,250 for 2026, which is why two plans with identical premiums can leave very different bills after a hospital stay. Read our methodology for how each value here is sourced and computed.

Where San Diego sits on CMS quality

Average CMS star rating across the plans sold in this county, against every county with rated plans

3.69★ Top 65% higher than 35% of 3,121 US counties

2.5★–2.75★: 19 US counties (1%). Below this entry. 2.75★–3★: 5 US counties (0%). Below this entry. 3★–3.25★: 31 US counties (1%). Below this entry. 3.25★–3.5★: 164 US counties (5%). Below this entry. 3.5★–3.75★: 1,089 US counties (35%). This entry sits in this band. 3.75★–4★: 1,344 US counties (43%). Above this entry. 4★–4.25★: 351 US counties (11%). Above this entry. 4.25★–4.5★: 37 US counties (1%). Above this entry. 4.5★–4.75★: 3 US counties (0%). Above this entry. 4.75★–5★: 78 US counties (2%). Above this entry. This county 2.5★ 5★ every rated county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source CMS Medicare Advantage Star Ratings 2026 · 2026-09-01

All plans in San Diego, ranked by CMS rating

#PlanInsurerTypePremium/moCMS stars
1Aetna Life Insurance Company (SNP)Aetna MedicareLocal PPO-4.5★
2Kaiser Foundation HP, Inc. (SNP)Kaiser PermanenteHMO$04.5★
3Kaiser Foundation HP, Inc. (SNP)Kaiser PermanenteHMO$04.5★
4Aetna Life Insurance Company (SNP)Aetna MedicareLocal PPO$04.5★
5Aetna Life Insurance Company (SNP)Aetna MedicareLocal PPO$59.004.5★
6UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS-4.0★
7California Physicians' Service (SNP)Blue Shield of CaliforniaHMO$04.0★
8UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$04.0★
9UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$04.0★
10UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$04.0★
11UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$04.0★
12UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$04.0★
13Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
14Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
15Astiva Health, Inc. (SNP)Astiva HealthHMO$04.0★
16Astiva Health, Inc. (SNP)Astiva HealthHMO$04.0★
17Astiva Health, Inc. (SNP)Astiva HealthHMO$04.0★
18Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
19Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
20Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO POS$04.0★
21Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
22Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
23Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
24Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
25Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
26Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
27Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$04.0★
28Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
29Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
30Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
31Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
32Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
33Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$04.0★
34Clever Care OF Golden State, Inc. (SNP)Clever Care Health PlanHMO$04.0★
35Clever Care OF Golden State, Inc. (SNP)Clever Care Health PlanHMO$04.0★
36Clever Care OF Golden State, Inc. (SNP)Clever Care Health PlanHMO$04.0★
37Clever Care OF Golden State, Inc. (SNP)Clever Care Health PlanHMO$04.0★
38Kaiser Foundation HP, Inc. (SNP)Kaiser PermanenteHMO$04.0★
39Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$0.704.0★
40Astiva Health, Inc. (SNP)Astiva HealthHMO$4.404.0★
41UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO$8.504.0★
42Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$12.004.0★
43Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$12.004.0★
44Alignment Health Plan (SNP)Alignment Health PlanHMO$12.004.0★
45UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$29.004.0★
46UHC OF California (SNP)UnitedHealthcareHMO POS$53.004.0★
47Scan Health Plan (SNP)SCAN Health PlanHMO$75.004.0★
48Imperial Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc.HMO-3.5★
49Humana Benefit Plan OF Illinois, Inc. (SNP)HumanaLocal PPO-3.5★
50Health NET OF California, Inc. (SNP)Wellcare By Health NetHMO$03.5★
51Sharp Health Plan (SNP)Sharp Health PlanHMO$03.5★
52Sharp Health Plan (SNP)Sharp Health PlanHMO$03.5★
53Sharp Health Plan (SNP)Sharp Health PlanHMO$03.5★
54Imperial Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc.HMO$03.5★
55Imperial Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc.HMO$03.5★
56Humana Benefit Plan OF Illinois, Inc. (SNP)HumanaLocal PPO$03.5★
57Humana Benefit Plan OF Illinois, Inc. (SNP)HumanaLocal PPO$03.5★
58California Physicians' Service (SNP)Blue Shield of CaliforniaHMO$03.5★
59California Physicians' Service (SNP)Blue Shield of CaliforniaHMO$7.003.5★
60Health NET Community Solutions, Inc. (SNP)Wellcare By Health NetHMO$12.003.5★
61Community Health Group (SNP)Community Health GroupHMO$12.003.5★
62Health NET OF California, Inc. (SNP)Wellcare By Health NetHMO$30.003.5★
63Health NET OF California, Inc. (SNP)Wellcare By Health NetHMO$50.003.5★
64Sharp Health Plan (SNP)Sharp Health PlanHMO$62.003.5★
65Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. (SNP)HumanaHMO-3.0★
66Central Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanHMO-3.0★
67Aetna Health OF California Inc. (SNP)Aetna MedicareHMO$03.0★
68Aetna Health OF California Inc. (SNP)Aetna MedicareHMO POS$03.0★
69Aetna Health OF California Inc. (SNP)Aetna MedicareHMO$03.0★
70Blue Cross OF California (SNP)Anthem Blue CrossHMO POS$03.0★
71Blue Cross OF California (SNP)Anthem Blue CrossHMO POS$03.0★
72Molina Healthcare OF California (SNP)Molina Healthcare of CaliforniaHMO$03.0★
73Blue Cross OF California Partnership Plan, Inc. (SNP)Anthem Blue Cross Partnership PlanHMO POS$03.0★
74Aetna Better Health OF California Inc. (SNP)Aetna MedicareHMO$03.0★
75Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. (SNP)HumanaHMO$03.0★
76Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. (SNP)HumanaHMO$03.0★
77Arcadian Health Plan, Inc. (SNP)HumanaHMO$03.0★
78Central Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanHMO$03.0★
79Central Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanHMO$03.0★
80Central Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanHMO$03.0★
81Central Health Plan OF California, Inc. (SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanHMO$03.0★
82Molina Healthcare OF California (SNP)Molina Healthcare of CaliforniaHMO$03.0★
83Anthem Blue Cross Life AND Health INS Company (SNP)Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance CompanLocal PPO$02.5★
84Plan 002-Local PPO-N/R
85Plan 003-Local PPO-N/R
86Plan 001-Local PPO-N/R
87Plan 002-Local PPO-N/R
88Plan 001-Local PPO-N/R
89Plan 002-Local PPO-N/R
90Plan 001-Local PPO-N/R
91Plan 002-Local PPO-N/R
92Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO POS$0N/R
93Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO POS$0N/R
94Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO$0N/R
95Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO$0N/R
96Community Health Group (SNP)Community Health GroupHMO$0N/R
97Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO POS$8.40N/R
98Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO$12.00N/R
99Champion Health Plan OF California Inc (SNP)Champion Heath PlanHMO$12.00N/R
100Alignment Health Advantage Plan Inc (SNP)Alignment Health PlanLocal PPO$12.00N/R
101Alignment Health Advantage Plan Inc (SNP)Alignment Health PlanLocal PPO$45.00N/R

Nationwide counties with similar Medicare Advantage markets

Data-derived peers across the CMS county landscape file: nearest enrollable plan count and nearest county-wide average CMS star rating. Not same-state neighbors or geographic containment.

Similar plan availability

Similar average CMS star rating

Choosing a plan in this county

Star rating first, then total cost, not the premium alone.

  • Shortlist the 4★+ plans above (47 here) - higher-rated plans manage chronic care and member service better. How star ratings work
  • Weigh total cost, not just premium: compare plan details using Medicare.gov before you enroll. Medicare Plan Compare
  • Check that your doctors and drugs are in-network before you enroll, and confirm the plan on Medicare.gov. Choosing a plan

Premiums shown are the monthly plan premium (Part C + D) from the CMS CY2026 Landscape file. Every enrollee also pays the standard Part B premium (about $202.90/mo in 2026). Always confirm current premiums, copays, and networks on Medicare.gov before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in San Diego, CA?

There are 101 Medicare Advantage plans available in San Diego, CA for the 2026 plan year, including 68 HMO, 17 Local PPO, 16 HMO POS. Counts are individual consumer plans (employer-group / EGHP offerings excluded). Plan availability is determined by CMS and individual insurers.

What is the best-rated Medicare Advantage plan in San Diego?

The highest-rated plan in San Diego has a CMS star rating of 4.5 out of 5 - KAISER FOUNDATION HP, INC.. Star ratings reflect quality measures including preventive care, chronic disease management, and member satisfaction.

How much do Medicare Advantage plans cost in San Diego?

Monthly plan premiums (Part C + D combined) in San Diego range from $0 to $75.00, averaging $6.07. 66 plans offer a $0 monthly premium. Every enrollee also pays the standard Part B premium (about $202.90/month in 2026) on top of the plan premium. Premiums are from the CMS CY2026 Landscape file; always confirm current details on Medicare.gov.

What types of Medicare Advantage plans are offered in San Diego?

San Diego has 68 HMO, 17 Local PPO, 16 HMO POS. HMO plans require in-network providers, PPO plans allow out-of-network visits at higher cost, and PFFS plans let you see any Medicare-accepting provider.

Important: PlainMedicare provides CMS data for informational purposes only. This is not medical or insurance advice. Plan availability, premiums, and benefits change annually. Always verify with Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE before enrolling.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainMedicare