Medicare Advantage · California
Medicare Advantage Plans in California
Medicare Advantage availability in California is set by county, not by state, so two people in the same state can have entirely different options.
- Plans filed for your county
- Licensed agents
- TTY 711
Medicare Advantage in California
California’s free Medicare counseling is the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), run by the California Department of Aging.
A licensed agent in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office compares the Medicare Advantage plans filed for your California county, explains the differences, and you decide. How Medicare Advantage works is the same in every state; what is available to you is not.
A real person calls you back.Licensed agents in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office — not a call center, not a robot.
How plan availability works in California
Medicare Advantage availability is set by county, not by state. The plans open to you are the ones filed for your county, and that list is what a licensed agent compares with you.
Plans are filed by county
Each plan files the counties it will serve, so two people in California can have entirely different options depending on where they live.
A relative’s plan may not be yours
A plan a friend or relative has in another county may not be offered in yours. Only the list filed for your county counts.
Ask, with your ZIP code
Call 1-888-957-3337 (TTY 711), or use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov with your ZIP code.
Free Medicare help in California
Every state runs a State Health Insurance Assistance Program: federally funded, free, and staffed by trained counselors who do not sell insurance. It is a good place to get an independent second opinion on anything a licensed agent, including ours, tells you.
California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)
California’s program is the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), run by the California Department of Aging, at 1-800-434-0222 in California (1-800-677-1116 from outside the state). It is federally funded and free, and its registered counselors do not sell insurance; they help Californians compare plans, understand Medicare notices, appeal decisions and coordinate Medicare with Medi-Cal. California has more residents aged 65 and over than any other state — about 6.5 million in 2024, though only about 16.6% of the state’s population — and HICAP counsels through local offices in every region. Program details as listed by shiphelp.org.
California Department of Insurance
Medicare Advantage plans are approved and overseen federally by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; the agents who sell them are licensed by the state.
The agents and agencies that sell Medicare Advantage in California are licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Its site has a “Check License Status” tool and complaint forms, and the department publishes a consumer complaint study comparing insurers. Ask any agent for their California license number and check it before you enroll.
When you can enroll in California
You can join, switch or leave a Medicare Advantage plan only during set enrollment periods. Four apply to most people.
Initial Enrollment Period
The three months before the month you turn 65, that month, and the three months after. If you are already receiving Social Security, Part A and Part B enrollment is usually automatic; a Medicare Advantage plan is a separate choice.
Annual Enrollment Period
Each fall, anyone with Medicare can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan for coverage starting January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
People already in a Medicare Advantage plan can make one change: switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare.
Special Enrollment Periods
Certain life events open a window outside those dates: moving to a new county, losing other coverage, or a change in eligibility for Medicaid or Extra Help, among others. Whether an event qualifies you is worth confirming rather than assuming; a licensed agent or California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) can tell you.
Common questions in California
Does living in a big California county mean more Medicare Advantage choices?
Often, but it is the county that decides, not the state. Plans file for specific counties, so Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento each have their own list across California’s 58 counties, and rural counties can have far shorter ones. A licensed agent compares the plans filed for your county.
Where can Californians get free Medicare counseling?
From the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), run by the California Department of Aging, at 1-800-434-0222. It is federally funded, free, and staffed by registered counselors who do not sell insurance and who also help coordinate Medicare with Medi-Cal.
I am moving between California counties. Does my plan come with me?
Not necessarily. A plan is filed for specific counties, and moving to one it does not serve is a qualifying event that opens a Special Enrollment Period to choose again. Tell the agent your move date; HICAP’s local office in your new county can confirm the timing independently.
How do I verify a California Medicare agent?
Use “Check License Status” on the California Department of Insurance website and ask the agent for their license number. The same site takes complaints about how a plan was sold; HICAP at 1-800-434-0222 will tell you independently whether the plan itself fits.
Important information about the plans we offer
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, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Senior Solutions Insurance is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Deductibles, copays and coinsurance may apply. Limitations and exclusions may apply. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. Enrollment in a plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare.
To speak with a licensed insurance agent, call 1-888-957-3337 · TTY 711 · Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–7:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Prefer we call you? Here is what happens next.
A real person calls you back.Licensed agents in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office.
A licensed agent calls you back
During business hours: Monday to Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 5, Mountain Time.
We focus on what you actually need
Tell us whether you need help with Final Expense insurance, Medicare or another health coverage question. Your agent reviews the options that apply to your situation.
You decide what fits
We explain the important differences and next steps. If an option makes sense, we can help you move forward. There is no fee for speaking with us.
Sources
- shiphelp.org — California State Health Insurance Assistance Program listing (program name, website and phone number)
- medicare.gov — joining a plan (enrollment periods)
- California Department of Insurance — state insurance regulator
- Wikimedia Commons — state outline (CC0)
.svg){kind=link}
Last updated: September 2026