➤ Is Kaiser a good Medicare Advantage plan?
On quality scores, Kaiser is the strongest carrier in the market — every one of its plans rated 4 or 4.5 stars for the second consecutive year, which no carrier of comparable size matches. Whether it is good for you depends on two things the ratings do not measure: how close you live to a Kaiser medical center, and whether the doctors you want are Kaiser physicians. If both work out, it is an excellent plan. If either does not, the ratings will not help you.
➤ Is Kaiser keeping Medicare Advantage plans?
Yes. Kaiser has announced no Medicare Advantage exits for 2027, which makes it one of the few carriers not contracting in a year when more than a million members across the industry face plan exits. The reason is structural: the cuts elsewhere are concentrated among contracts rated 3.5 stars and below, and Kaiser has no plans in that band.
➤ What is the difference between Kaiser Senior Advantage and Advantage Plus?
Senior Advantage is the Medicare Advantage plan itself — Kaiser’s HMO product, and what most Kaiser Medicare members are enrolled in. Advantage Plus is an optional supplemental benefits package added on top of a Kaiser Medicare health plan for an extra monthly cost, not a separate plan and not something you can buy on its own. It also has its own enrollment deadline: within 30 days of your plan’s effective date, or October 15 through December 31 if you are already a member adding it for the following year.
➤ What will happen to Medicare Advantage plans in 2027?
More than one million members across the industry face plan exits, with Humana discontinuing plans covering about 600,000 people and Centene, Molina and UnitedHealthcare all making cuts of their own. Non-renewal letters are dated October 2, 2026, and affected coverage ends December 31. The exits are concentrated among plans rated 3.5 stars and below, which is why higher-rated carriers such as Kaiser are largely unaffected.
➤ What states offer Kaiser Medicare Advantage?
California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia, Oregon and Washington, plus the District of Columbia. Availability varies by county within each of those, so check your specific ZIP code rather than assuming statewide coverage. Kaiser does not sell Medicare Advantage anywhere else in the country.
➤ What star rating does Kaiser Medicare Advantage have?
Under the 2026 star ratings, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii and the Mid-Atlantic region each earned 4.5 stars, while the Northwest region, Washington state and the California dual-eligible plan earned 4. That is the second consecutive year in which every Kaiser Medicare Advantage plan rated 4 or higher. CMS publishes the 2027 ratings in October 2026.
➤ Does Kaiser offer a Medicare Advantage PPO?
No. Kaiser sells HMO plans only. There is no PPO option and no out-of-network tier, so outside of emergency and urgent care your coverage applies at Kaiser facilities. If out-of-network access matters to you, a PPO from another carrier is the structure to look at.
➤ Can I keep my own doctor with Kaiser?
Only if your doctor is a Kaiser Permanente physician. Kaiser employs its own doctors rather than contracting with independent practices, so joining a Kaiser plan generally means moving your care into the Kaiser system. This is the single most important thing to check before enrolling, and it is not something a star rating offsets.
➤ How much does Kaiser Medicare Advantage cost?
Premiums are set regionally and vary by county, with $0 premium plans available in some markets and premium plans in others. You keep paying your Part B premium either way — $202.90 a month in 2026 for most people. Beyond that you pay copays as you use care, up to the plan’s annual out-of-pocket maximum.
➤ Does Kaiser Medicare Advantage include prescription drug coverage?
Most Kaiser Medicare Advantage plans include Part D prescription coverage, filled through Kaiser pharmacies. Confirm on the specific plan before enrolling, since not every plan in every region includes it. Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026.
➤ What happens if I need care while traveling?
Emergency and urgent care are covered anywhere in the country, as they are on every Medicare Advantage plan. Routine care outside your Kaiser region generally is not. If you spend substantial time in another state, that is a real limitation of the HMO structure and worth weighing before you enroll.
➤ Why does Kaiser rate so much higher than other carriers?
Star ratings measure things like preventive screenings, chronic condition management, medication adherence and member experience — all of which are easier to deliver when the insurer, the doctors, the hospital and the pharmacy are the same organization sharing one record system. The integration that limits your provider choice is the same integration that produces the scores.
➤ When can I enroll in a Kaiser Medicare Advantage plan?
Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage beginning January 1, 2027. You can also enroll when you first become eligible for Medicare, during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 if you are already in an Advantage plan, or through a Special Enrollment Period if you qualify — including when your current plan is discontinued.
