Medicare Part D, California
2027 Medicare Part D Plans in California
Standalone drug plans for people on Original Medicare, with or without a Medigap plan. California has 10 of them for 2027, and all 10 are sold statewide, in every California ZIP code. The real decision is your prescriptions and your pharmacy, not the premium alone, so this page lists every plan with its premium and deductible, then shows what changed for 2027.
Mon to Thu 9 AM to 8 PM, Fri 9 AM to 3 PM, Sat 9 AM to 2 PM PT · CA license #4551902
What changed for Part D in 2027
Two sets of changes land at once: the national Part D numbers that move every year, and a California plan lineup that shrank and repriced. Both matter if you are keeping a plan from 2026 on autopilot.
National changes, 2026 to 2027
| Change | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deductible | $615 | $700 |
| Annual out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs | $2,100 | $2,400 |
Premiums do not count toward the $2,400 cap. The deductible does. After you reach the cap, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
Negotiated Medicare prices take effect January 1, 2027 for 15 more drugs, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Trelegy Ellipta, Breo Ellipta, Janumet, Tradjenta, Linzess, and others. If you take one of these drugs, its price in your plan can change in 2027 even if you keep the same plan.
Protections that continue
- Covered insulin is capped at $35 per month per product, with no deductible.
- Recommended adult vaccines cost $0.
- There is no donut hole (coverage gap phase).
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan continues: it spreads your out-of-pocket drug costs into monthly bills across the year. It does not lower the total you pay. Participation auto-renews if you stay in the same plan, and you must sign up again if you switch plans.
California changes
Fewer plans: 12 becomes 10
California goes from 12 standalone Part D plans in 2026 to 10 in 2027. All 10 are sold region-wide (PDP Region 32), in every California ZIP code.
SilverScript Choice is gone
SilverScript Choice does not return for 2027, and Aetna offers no standalone Part D plan in California for 2027.
The mid-priced option is gone
HealthSpring Extra Rx, the $70.60 a month enhanced plan that sat between the low and high priced plans in 2026, does not return for 2027.
The premium cliff
Only three plans cost under $10 a month, and the next cheapest plan is $118.30 a month, with nothing in between. In 2026, plans at $70.60 and $103.60 a month bridged that gap.
HealthSpring Assurance Rx changed contracts
HealthSpring Assurance Rx keeps its name but moved to a new contract (S5715-049), and its premium went from $0 a month in 2026 to $9.30 a month in 2027.
The largest premium jumps
AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC rose from $109.40 to $170.80 a month. AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC rose from $165.40 to $242.60 a month, and its deductible rose from $130 to $300. Blue Shield Rx Enhanced rose from $227.80 to $252.60 a month and added a $200 deductible (it had none in 2026). Humana Premier Rx Plan now has a $350 deductible (it had none in 2026).
One premium fell
Wellcare Value Script is the only continuing plan whose premium fell, from $5.70 to $5.30 a month.
All 10 California Part D plans for 2027
The full statewide list, sorted by monthly premium. Plan type is the CMS drug benefit category: Basic plans follow the standard benefit design, and Enhanced plans change parts of it, for example a lower deductible or different cost sharing.
| Plan | Carrier | Monthly premium | Annual deductible | Plan type | 2026 premium | Enroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellcare Value Script | Wellcare | $5.30 | $700 | Enhanced | $5.70 | |
| Wellcare Classic | Wellcare | $7.30 | $700 | Basic | $6.20 | |
| HealthSpring Assurance Rx | HealthSpring | $9.30 | $700 | Basic | $0.00* | |
| Humana Basic Rx Plan | Humana | $118.30 | $700 | Basic | $132.20 | |
| Humana Value Rx Plan | Humana | $130.30 | $687 | Enhanced | $104.60 | |
| AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC | UnitedHealthcare | $170.80 | $700 | Basic | $109.40 | |
| Humana Premier Rx Plan | Humana | $191.20 | $350 | Enhanced | $172.90 | |
| Blue Shield Rx Plus | Blue Shield of California | $210.00 | $700 | Basic | $199.70 | |
| AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC | UnitedHealthcare | $242.60 | $300 | Enhanced | $165.40 | |
| Blue Shield Rx Enhanced | Blue Shield of California | $252.60 | $200 | Enhanced | $227.80 |
* HealthSpring Assurance Rx keeps its name for 2027 but moved to a new contract (S5715-049). Its 2026 premium was $0 a month under its previous contract, and the 2027 premium under the new contract is $9.30 a month.
Premiums and deductibles from the CMS CY2027 Medicare plan landscape file (September 2026 release), checked against the CY2026 file for the 2026 premiums. All 10 plans are offered in every California ZIP code.
The premium is the smallest part of the decision for most people, because formularies, tiers, and preferred pharmacies differ by plan and are not in this table. Check your exact prescriptions before enrolling.
How to choose a Part D plan
1. List your prescriptions exactly
Write down each drug's name, dose, and how often you take it. The same drug can sit on a different tier in a different plan, or need prior authorization in one plan and not another, so a plan that looks cheap on premium can price your actual list badly.
2. Check your pharmacy
Most plans pay less at their preferred pharmacies. The same plan, with the same drug list, can cost noticeably more at a pharmacy that is standard or out of network for that plan, so check the pharmacy you actually use, not just the plan name.
3. Add up the full year cost
Premium plus deductible plus copays, across the whole year, against the $2,400 out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs. The cheapest premium is often not the cheapest year once your own prescriptions are priced in.
4. Watch this warning before you enroll
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, or an employer or retiree group plan (for example a CalPERS group plan), enrolling in a standalone Part D plan can disenroll you from that coverage. That can mean losing medical coverage you meant to keep. Check what you have now before you enroll in any standalone drug plan.
Who needs a standalone plan: people on Original Medicare, usually alongside a Medigap plan. Medigap does not cover prescriptions, so the Part D plan is a separate decision with its own premium. Going without creditable drug coverage can add a late enrollment penalty to your Part D premium for as long as you have Part D, which is why even a low premium plan is worth having in place.
If your income is limited, Extra Help can pay part or all of your Part D premium and lowers what you pay for drugs. The low premium plans are where most Extra Help members in California land, but check your drugs first: a plan still has to cover your prescriptions well for the help to do its job.
Part D or Medicare Advantage drug coverage?
Standalone Part D pairs with Original Medicare, with or without a Medigap plan. It must not be combined with a Medicare Advantage plan: most Advantage plans already include drug coverage, and enrolling in a standalone Part D plan can disenroll you from the Advantage plan. So the drug question follows the bigger one, which medical coverage you want first.
Medicare Advantage plans in California, by county
Advantage plans bundle medical and usually drug coverage in one plan, and the plans available to you depend on your county. Compare them county by county.
See Medicare Advantage by countyMedigap plans in California
Medigap pairs with Original Medicare and a standalone Part D plan like the ones on this page. Compare the standardized letters, California prices, and the Birthday Rule.
See California Medigap plans
Talk with an independent Medicare agent about Part D
I am Eric Ullrich, a licensed independent Medicare agent (CA license #4551902, NPN 22200900). I compare Part D plans against your actual medication list and your pharmacy, because that is where the plans on this page actually differ. I will tell you when your current plan is still the right one to keep, and I never charge you: the carrier pays the agent, and your premium is the same either way.
Mon to Thu 9 AM to 8 PM, Fri 9 AM to 3 PM, Sat 9 AM to 2 PM PT
Questions about Part D in California
How many standalone Part D plans are there in California for 2027?
10, from 5 carriers: Wellcare, HealthSpring, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and Blue Shield of California. Every one of the 10 is sold statewide, in every California ZIP code, so the list on this page is the full list wherever you live in the state.
What is the cheapest Part D plan in California for 2027?
By premium, Wellcare Value Script at $5.30 a month. Three plans cost under $10 a month: Wellcare Value Script at $5.30, Wellcare Classic at $7.30, and HealthSpring Assurance Rx at $9.30, and the next cheapest plan after those three is $118.30 a month. The cheapest premium is not always the cheapest year, though: what your own prescriptions cost on each plan's formulary and tiers, at your pharmacy, usually matters more than the premium.
What is the Part D deductible and out-of-pocket max in 2027?
The standard deductible is $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026. Some plans set a lower deductible, and the lowest on this page is $200. The annual out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs is $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100. Your deductible counts toward the cap, your premiums do not, and after you reach the cap you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
What changed for Part D in 2027?
Nationally, the standard deductible rose to $700 and the out-of-pocket cap rose to $2,400, and negotiated Medicare prices take effect January 1, 2027 for 15 more drugs, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. In California, the plan count fell from 12 to 10, SilverScript Choice is gone, the mid-priced plans are gone, and only three plans cost under $10 a month with the next cheapest at $118.30. The changes section on this page covers both lists in full.
Do I need Part D if I have a Medigap plan?
Yes. Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans do not include prescription drug coverage, so most people on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy also carry a standalone Part D plan. Going without creditable drug coverage can add a late enrollment penalty to your Part D premium for as long as you have Part D, so the drug plan belongs in the decision from the start, not as an afterthought.
When can I switch my Part D plan?
The main window is the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7 each year, for a January 1 start. Special enrollment periods cover situations like moving or losing other drug coverage. If you are turning 65 or new to Medicare, your initial enrollment windows apply instead. Outside a valid window, you generally keep your current plan until the next Annual Enrollment Period.
Written by Eric Ullrich, licensed Medicare insurance agent, CA license #4551902, NPN 22200900. Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Sources: CMS, 2027 Announcement, Medicare.gov, Part D costs, CMS, Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, selected drugs and negotiated prices. Verify plan details with the carrier or at Medicare.gov before enrolling.