Medicare Advantage plans
During Medicare's Annual Election Period (October 15 – December 7), Dignity Health encourages you to consider Medicare Advantage plans to ensure you can access Dignity Health's comprehensive, quality health care network.
Financial Benefits to Medicare Advantage
New research finds beneficiaries with Medicare Advantage spend less compared to other Medicare plans*:
• Beneficiaries with Medicare Advantage typically receive better value and spend nearly 40 percent less.
• Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage can save $50,000 to $85,000 over their lifetimes.
• Medicare Advantage plans provide additional, high-value services that reduce health care costs and improve outcomes.
*Source: UnitedHealth Group, January 2020
New to Medicare?
To enroll in Medicare, you may need to contact Social Security directly. It's recommended you do this before your 65th birthday to avoid lapse in coverage and avoid any penalties for signing up late. Upon contacting Social Security, you should receive a packet in the mail from Medicare before you turn 65. You can enroll in Medicare online or in person at your local Social Security office.
If you are planning to retire, you have a 7-month window surrounding your 65th birthday to enroll to avoid penalties; this is called your initial enrollment period. After that, you can still enroll in Medicare, but may need to wait for a designated special/annual election period to do so, based on qualifying events such as moving, loss of coverage, or opportunity to get other coverage.
Dignity Health is proud to be offered through these Medicare Advantage health plans*:
- Anthem Blue Cross Senior Secure
- HMO plans accepted through Dignity Health Medical Network - Central California (formerly GEMCare):
- Anthem CalPERS HMO
- Anthem Medicare Select HMO
- HealthNet - CalPERS Salud HMO
- HealthNet - Medicare Advantage
Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs):
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Shield of California
*Please note that hospital and medical group clinics may accept different health insurance plans. To ensure your insurance is accepted at your preferred location, we recommend contacting your health insurance provider directly to confirm coverage.
Considering a Medicare Advantage Plan?
Please call your licensed insurance agent to review the Medicare Advantage plans we accept. If you do not have an agent, let an eHealth licensed insurance agent walk you through your plan options. When speaking with the agent, don’t forget to tell them you want a plan that includes a Dignity Health Medical Group – Bakersfield physician.
eHealthInsurance Services, Inc. is a licensed health insurance agency that does business as eHealth. In NY, IL, and OK, eHealth does business as eHealthInsurance Agency. eHealth is not affiliated with the government. This ad solicits insurance prospects for eHealth. Enrollment in a plan may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a special election period or you are in your Medicare Initial Election Period.
Click here to find the right plan for you or speak with a licensed insurance agent:
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
The Annual Enrollment Period is the time of year when you can enroll in or make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan.
The Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage: October 15, 2025 - December 7, 2025.
Medicare Advantage plans are also referred to as Medicare Part C. These are a type of Medicare health plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide you with all your Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) benefits.
Medicare.gov is the official U.S. Government site for Medicare.
Dignity Health is not a health insurance company. Dignity Health is a provider network of more than 60,000 caregivers and staff who deliver excellent care to diverse communities in hospitals, physician offices, and other types of care centers in 21 states. Headquartered in San Francisco, Dignity Health is the fifth largest health system in the nation and the largest hospital provider in California.
Open Enrollment
If you have a doctor or group of doctors you have been seeing or would like to see, be sure they are in the health plan's network. Always be sure to verify with the insurance plan that your doctor is in-network.
Since health plan and network information may change, we recommend confirming your choice is available in your area by contacting the health plan's customer service number listed on its website.