2027 San Diego Medicare Changes: Your ANOC Guide

If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you should have received your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by the end of September. Most people skim it, set it aside, and assume next year will look like this year.

In San Diego, that's a risky assumption for 2027. Several local medical groups and specialists are changing which plans they accept starting January 1, and several plans are ending altogether. If your doctors are in one of those groups, your plan could look the same on paper and still feel completely different when you try to book an appointment.

The good news: you still have time. Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, and any change you make takes effect January 1.

What is an ANOC, and what should you look for?

Your ANOC is a letter from your plan explaining what's changing next year: premiums, copays, drug coverage, and benefits like dental or vision. It's worth 15 minutes of your time, but it has one big blind spot.

Your ANOC usually won't tell you if your doctor's medical group is leaving. Provider networks are negotiated separately, and those changes often show up in a separate letter, or not at all until you call for an appointment in January.

When you read your ANOC, check these first:

Monthly premium – is it going up, or is the $0 plan still $0?
Your prescriptions – are they still covered, and at the same tier?
Copays for the things you actually use – specialists, labs, imaging, hospital stays.
Extra benefits – dental, vision, hearing, and over-the-counter allowances often shrink quietly.

Then, separately, confirm your doctors and medical group are still in network for 2027. That's where the biggest surprises are this year.

San Diego network changes starting January 1, 2027

Three local changes stand out this year, and the first one affects a lot of people. If you see your plan or doctors on this list, call before December 7.

Plan	What's changing on January 1	Who's affected
Molina	Cardiovascular Institute of San Diego no longer accepts Molina, at any of its locations	Molina members who see a cardiologist there, including many people with both Medicare and Medi-Cal
SCAN	Optum Care Network–SDPMG (formerly Scripps Physicians Medical Group) is no longer available to SCAN members	SCAN HMO members in that group, who will be moved to a new medical group
Astiva	Regal Medical Group is no longer contracted with Astiva	Astiva members assigned to a Regal doctor

The big one: Cardiovascular Institute of San Diego is leaving Molina

The Cardiovascular Institute of San Diego has offices all over the county, and starting January 1 it will no longer accept Molina at any of them. If you have Molina and see a heart doctor there, you'll need to either find a new cardiologist in Molina's network or switch to a plan your cardiologist still accepts. This change especially affects people who have both Medicare and Medi-Cal.

Read the full guide: Cardiovascular Institute of San Diego Leaving Molina in 2027

SCAN members are losing the Optum (former Scripps) doctors

Optum Care Network–SDPMG, formerly Scripps Physicians Medical Group, will no longer be available to SCAN members starting January 1. SCAN will move affected members to a new medical group and try to keep their primary care doctor where possible, but members could still lose the specialists they've been seeing.

Read the full guide: SCAN members losing Optum Care Network–SDPMG in 2027

Astiva members with Regal Medical Group

Astiva members assigned to a Regal doctor will need a new medical group in 2027, or a different plan that works with Regal. If you do nothing, the plan will typically reassign you to another group, which may mean a doctor you've never met.

Plans that are ending in San Diego for 2027

Some plans won't be offered in San Diego County at all next year. If you're in one of these, you should have received a separate letter called a plan non-renewal notice, and you'll need to choose new coverage. Tap your plan's name below for a full guide.

Plan ending December 31, 2026	What to know
Aetna PPO	Aetna's Medicare Advantage PPO is leaving San Diego; other Aetna plans may still be available
Alignment PPO	Alignment's PPO is leaving; other Alignment plans may still be available
Sharp Direct Advantage	Sharp Health Plan's Medicare Advantage plan is ending. UnitedHealthcare offers Sharp-based plans that keep Sharp Rees-Stealy and Sharp Community doctors (how to switch)
Central Health Medicare Plan	Central Health's Medicare plan is ending, including for the many former Brand New Day members it absorbed

What happens if you do nothing? On January 1, you'll be moved to Original Medicare. That means no drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan, none of your plan's extras like dental or vision, and no cap on your out-of-pocket costs. If you go too long without drug coverage, you could also owe a Part D late penalty for as long as you have Medicare.

You get extra time, but don't use it. Because your plan is ending, you have a special window to choose a new plan that runs through the end of February 2027. You may also have a one-time right to buy a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan without health questions. But the safest move is to choose by December 7, so your new plan starts January 1 with no gap in coverage or prescriptions.

What to do before December 7

Find your medical group. It's usually printed on your member ID card, or your doctor's front desk can tell you.
Ask your doctors directly whether they'll accept your plan in 2027. Ask your specialists too, not just your primary care doctor.
Make a list of your prescriptions and check them against your plan's 2027 drug list.
Compare your options if anything on your list is changing. Sometimes the fix is a different plan with the same carrier; sometimes it's a different carrier.
Don't wait until January. Once AEP closes, your options to switch are much more limited.

Frequently asked questions

What is an ANOC?

Your Annual Notice of Change is a letter from your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan explaining what's changing next year, including premiums, copays, drug coverage, and extra benefits. It usually won't tell you if your doctor's medical group is leaving the plan.

Which Medicare plans are ending in San Diego for 2027?

The Aetna PPO, Alignment PPO, Sharp Direct Advantage, and Central Health Medicare Plan are ending in San Diego County on December 31, 2026.

What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan ends and I do nothing?

On January 1 you'll be moved to Original Medicare, with no drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan, no extra benefits, and no cap on out-of-pocket costs. You have a special window through the end of February 2027 to choose a new plan, but choosing by December 7 avoids a gap in coverage.

Not sure if this affects you? Let's check together.

I'm Ashley Watson, a local independent Medicare broker here in San Diego County. I work with all the major carriers, including SCAN, Molina, and Astiva, so I can look at your doctors and prescriptions and tell you whether your plan still fits for 2027. There's no cost to you for my help.

Call or text: 619-947-2325
Email: ashley@medicarewithashley.com
Book a time: Schedule a free plan review

The deadline is December 7. A 20-minute review now can save you a very frustrating January.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Medicare with Ashley (Watson Insurance SD) is a licensed independent insurance agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Molina Healthcare, SCAN Health Plan, Astiva Health, Aetna, Alignment Health, Sharp Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, Central Health Medicare Plan, the U.S. government, or the federal Medicare program. This article is for general educational purposes and is not individualized insurance advice. Plan availability, benefits, networks, and enrollment rules can change; confirm details for your specific situation.

Got Your ANOC? What's Changing for San Diego Medicare Plans in 2027