2027 Medicare Advantage Plans in Santa Clara County

Candor Medicare is an independent Medicare agency serving Santa Clara County, California, founded by licensed agent Eric Ullrich (CA license #4551902). Candor compares Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D plans from multiple carriers, checks your doctors and prescriptions against a plan before you enroll, and charges you nothing — help is free by phone or video.

Santa Clara County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans from 10 carriers for 2027, and 20 of them have a $0 monthly plan premium (you still pay the Part B premium). Candor is independent and can work with multiple carriers, so you can compare the options that fit your needs. Plan menus change every year, so compare on doctors, drugs, and total cost — not premium alone. Source: CMS plan landscape data.

Often, yes — but networks are set by each individual plan, not by the carrier, so the same doctor can be in one CA plan and out of another from the same company. Seniors in Santa Clara County most often ask about Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), Santa Clara County IPA (SCCIPA), and Physicians Medical Group of San Jose. Before enrolling, check every doctor against the exact plan name and contract number, and confirm with the doctor's office. Medigap has no networks: it works with any provider who accepts Original Medicare.

Nothing. Working with an independent Medicare agent like Candor Medicare costs you $0 — agents are paid by the insurance carrier if you enroll, and your plan premium is exactly the same whether you enroll through an agent, through the carrier, or on Medicare.gov. The advice, doctor checks, and annual reviews are free to you in Santa Clara County and statewide.

Most Santa Clara County residents change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7, for coverage starting January 1. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get a second window January 1 through March 31 to switch once. Moving, losing other coverage, or other life changes can open a Special Enrollment Period at other times of year.

Santa Clara County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, compared with 46 in 2026, and 20 of them have a $0 premium. Central Health and UnitedHealthcare no longer offer Medicare Advantage plans here. Standalone Part D plans in California go from 12 to 10 and the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises from $2,100 to $2,400. Even plans that continue can change premiums, deductibles, and cost limits, so check yours before December 7.

Some 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Santa Clara County include a prepaid card for over-the-counter health products, and a smaller number also cover healthy groceries. Card amounts are set by each plan, and grocery money usually sits on chronic-condition or dual-eligible plans, where it only reaches members who meet the plan's requirements. The grocery and OTC section above lists the largest card amounts we have verified from the carriers' 2027 plan documents. Check your doctors and prescriptions first: a bigger card on a plan that misses either will cost more over the year.

You do not need to visit an office. Book a free call with Candor Medicare online or start by entering your ZIP code to compare Santa Clara County plans yourself. Bring your doctor list and prescription list to the call — checking both against a plan before you enroll is the step that prevents most Medicare surprises, and it is free.