Medicare Advantage Plans in Kern County, CA:
Your Complete 2026 Guide
For 2026, residents of Kern County, CA can choose from 20 Medicare Advantage plan options. Of these, 18 cost nothing beyond the Part B premium. Enrollment in the County stands at approximately 37,724, with 26% of plans achieving 4 stars or better. The totals and data on this page do not cover Special Needs Plans. View SNPs available in Kern County, CA.
- Page Updated
- Enrollment Data
- May 2, 2026
- CMS Quality Ratings
- * CMS reviews Medicare Advantage plans annually with a 5-star rating program. Data sources
Medicare Advantage HMO Plans
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans generally require members to use doctors, hospitals, and other providers within the plan’s network, except in emergencies. Because of this structure, HMOs often come with lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs compared with other plan types.
- Total HMO Plans 15
- Average Premium $1.73/mo
- Beneficiaries Enrolled 25,784
- $0 Premium HMOs 14
- Average MOOP $2,383
- Most Popular HMO Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Enhanced Kern (HMO) with 8,509 enrollees
- HMOs Without Drug Coverage 3
| Plan Name | Rating* | Premium | MOOP | Rx Ded. | Plan-ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Basic Kern | $0 | $2,000 | $0 | H0524 036 0 | |
| Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage Enhanced Kern | $26 | $1,500 | $0 | H0524 035 0 | |
| Blue Shield 65 Plus | $0 | $2,300 | $425 | H0504 038 0 | |
| Imperial Courage Plan | $0 | $2,999 | N/A | H5496 016 0 | |
| Imperial Dynamic Plan | $0 | $296 | $0 | H5496 012 0 | |
| Aetna Medicare Signature | $0 | $2,000 | $615 | H0523 022 0 | |
| Aetna Medicare Signature | $0 | $2,000 | $615 | H4982 003 0 | |
| Aetna Medicare Signature Extra | $0 | $2,000 | $615 | H0523 091 0 | |
| Central Health Classic Care Plan I | $0 | $799 | $99 | H5649 027 0 | |
| Central Health Valor Care Plan | $0 | $4,400 | N/A | H5649 030 0 | |
| Humana Gold Plus Giveback H5619-150 | $0 | $5,000 | $0 | H5619 150 0 | |
| Humana Gold Plus H5619-116 | $0 | $2,100 | $615 | H5619 116 0 | |
| Humana Gold Plus H5619-148 | $0 | $2,900 | $615 | H5619 148 0 | |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback | $0 | $5,250 | N/A | H5619 121 0 | |
| Champion Ally | $0 | $199 | $0 | H6170 007 0 |
What is the total number of HMO plans offered in Kern?
In 2026, Kern County has 15 HMO plans with 25,784 members.
How much do HMO plans cost on average in Kern?
The mean monthly HMO premium is $1.73, and 14 have no premium.
Medicare Advantage HMO-POS Plans
HMO-POS plans are structured like HMOs, requiring in-network care for the lowest costs, but they also permit some use of out-of-network doctors and hospitals. Those services are generally more expensive, but the added access can be valuable for people who don’t want to be fully limited to a single network.
- Total HMO-POS Plans
- 5
- Average Premium
- $2.30/mo
- Beneficiaries Enrolled
- 11,940
- $0 Premium HMO-POS
- 4
- Average MOOP
- $2,300
- Most Popular HMO-POS
- Anthem Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS) with 6,961 enrollees
- HMO-POS Without Drug Coverage
- 1
| Plan Name | Rating* | Premium | MOOP | Rx Ded. | Plan-ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC CA-0002 | $0 | $2,000 | $355 | H0543 019 0 | |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx CA-MA01 | $0 | $4,900 | N/A | H0543 121 0 | |
| Aetna Medicare Prime Value Plus | $12 | $599 | $615 | H4982 022 0 | |
| Anthem Medicare Advantage | $0 | $2,800 | $0 | H0544 062 0 | |
| Anthem Prime | $0 | $1,200 | $110 | H4161 005 0 |
- What is the average monthly premium for HMO-POS plans?
- On average, HMO-POS plans in Kern cost $2.30 per month.
- Which HMO-POS plan is most popular in Kern?
- The leading HMO-POS in Kern is Anthem Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS), with 6,961 members.
- How many HMO-POS plans in Kern do not include drug coverage?
- There are 1 HMO-POS plans in Kern without Part D benefits.
The table below shows the quality ratings for Medicare Advantage plans offered in Kern County, CA for 2026.
| Rating Category | Number of Plans | Percent of Plans |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Stars | No 5-star plans available. | 0% |
| 4 Stars (includes 5 Stars) | 5 | 26% |
| 3 Stars | 14 | 74% |
| Below 3 Stars | 0 | 0% |
| Not Rated | 1 | 5% |
| Average Rating | 3.37 | |
Medicare Advantage comes with strict enrollment windows. By knowing when and how to sign up, you’ll avoid missed deadlines and keep your healthcare coverage aligned with your needs.
Understanding Enrollment Windows
- Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): Beginning three months before you turn 65 and lasting until three months after, this is the initial chance to join Medicare. You may also select a Medicare Advantage plan if it fits your needs. Learn more
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP): Running from January 1 to March 31 each year, this period allows one change to your current Medicare Advantage coverage or a move back to Original Medicare. Learn more
- Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): This yearly window, running October 15 to December 7, gives you the opportunity to join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. Learn more
- Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs): Certain qualifying events, such as a change in residence or loss of existing coverage, may allow you to enroll in or change Medicare Advantage plans outside of the usual enrollment windows. Learn more
Enrollment Options Explained
- Talk with a Licensed Agent: Licensed agents at HealthCompare can explain your Medicare Advantage choices. Reach them at 1-833-748-3201 (TTY 711), Monday–Friday 5am–6pm and Saturday 6am–5pm PST.
- Contact the Plan Provider Directly: Enrollment can also be completed by calling the plan provider’s customer service line or visiting their official website.
- Use Medicare.gov: The official Medicare website, Medicare.gov, lets you review available plans and complete enrollment online.
The MA and MAPD plans on this page are available to people on Medicare enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B living in Arvin, Bodfish, Buttonwillow, Delano, Pine Mountain Club, Frazier Park, Kernville, Lake Isabella, Lamont, Lebec, Lost Hills, Mc Farland, Maricopa, Shafter, Taft, Wasco, Weldon, Wofford Heights, Bakersfield, Mojave, California City, Boron, Caliente, Edwards, Inyokern, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Tehachapi, and all other areas of Kern County, California.
Plans Offered for Enrollment through Medicare.org
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Capital Blue Cross, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, Freedom Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, HealthSpring℠, HealthSun, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Medica Central Health Plan, Optimum HealthCare, Premera Blue Cross, SCAN Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare(R), Wellcare, WellPoint
- CMS.gov, Landscape Source Files — Last accessed September 26, 2025
- CMS.gov, Medicare Part C & D Performance — Last accessed October 10, 2025
- CMS.gov, Plan Benefits Package — Last accessed October 13, 2025
- CMS.gov, Medicare Advantage/Part D Contract and Enrollment Data — Last accessed May 2, 2026
Some facts and percentages shown on this page (such as average premiums, distribution of plan types, and percentage of $0 premium plans) are calculated by Medicare.org using data from the CMS Landscape file, Plan Benefits Package (PBP) files and Part C & D Performance files. All underlying values originate from CMS, and calculations are refreshed whenever CMS issues updated data. Enrollment counts and rankings (such as Top 3 plans by enrollment) are derived from CMS monthly enrollment files and aggregated at the county level.
Medicare.org separates Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs) into different pages for clarity. As a result, plan counts, percentages, and other calculations shown here may differ from the aggregate totals published in the CMS Landscape files. All plan availability and benefit details originate from CMS.
Learn more about how we use CMS data.
- Medicare.gov, "Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025
- Medicare.gov, "Explore your Medicare coverage options" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025
- NCOA.org, "5 Steps to Choosing the Right Medicare Plan for You" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025
Some facts and percentages shown on this page (such as average premiums, distribution of plan types, and percentage of $0 premium plans) are calculated by Medicare.org using data from the CMS Plan Benefits Package (PBP) files and Part C & D Performance files. All underlying values originate from CMS, and calculations are refreshed whenever CMS issues updated data.
To explore how 2026 Medicare Advantage plans available in Kern County compare with plans offered elsewhere, you can search the Medicare Advantage plan directory to review options nationwide using the same authoritative data sources.
Medicare.org is owned and operated by Health Network Group, LLC, an Allstate company. Medicare.org provides information only and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program.
Data provenance documentation is maintained in alignment with the U.S. Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) Provenance standard.
Page content independently curated and maintained by David W. Bynon, Medicare Technical Operator, using a standardized, data-driven methodology designed for accurate, non-commercial Medicare plan interpretation and resolution.