Medicare Advantage California

As one of the most populous states in the country, California naturally has a high number of Medicare members. Over 6.5 million people had Medicare in California in 2022 according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

And according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, just over half (52%) of the state’s Medicare population held Medicare Advantage plans as of 2022.

California’s average beats out national enrollment data, though not by much. Nationwide, about 45% of people with Medicare choose the private option over traditional Medicare (Parts A and B together).

Advantage has become an increasingly popular choice among America’s seniors.

Due to the sheer volume of California’s population, it makes sense that not everyone living in the Golden State will have access to Medicare Advantage. But almost everyone will.

Per the CMS, 99.9% of California’s Medicare members will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan in 2023.

There are 492 Advantage plans available in California for next year.

On average, premiums will be lower than they were in 2022, dropping to $16.42 a month for next year. Lots of plans will have lower premiums, too, with the lowest-cost plans running at $0 a month.

As an Advantage member, you’ll still pay premiums for Parts A and B as applicable, but you may not have an added premium for your private plan. As a reminder, Advantage plans must cover at least the same benefits as Original. Most cover a wide range of other benefits, such as prescription drugs. In 2023, 99.3% of people with Medicare in California will have access to a $0 Medicare Advantage plan.

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Sources
CMS, state data fact sheet released September 29, 2022
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Medicare Advantage in 2022: Enrollment Update and Key Trends”