UnitedHealth in California: 242,012 Medicare Advantage members, 8.2% share, 3rd of 37.
UnitedHealth Group, Inc., shown as UnitedHealth, lost 92,038 members (−27.6%) from Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 and stepped −22.8% at the 2026 election period against the market's −0.9%. It sells in 25 of California’s 57 counties with visible members and leads 4; SCAN Group sits just ahead at 14.6%, Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC just behind at 8.0%.
UnitedHealth's twelve months in California
Visible members each month, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026. The December-to-January step is the election period. The market line for the state is on the California page.
Where UnitedHealth's California members are
The carrier’s five largest counties by visible members, with its share of each county’s visible Medicare Advantage members. It sells in 25 counties and leads 4 of them.
| County | UnitedHealth members | Share of county | County visible members | County leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 58,476 | 7.2% | 812,110 | Kaiser |
| San Diego | 55,284 | 19.7% | 280,956 | Kaiser |
| Riverside | 31,920 | 12.9% | 247,220 | Kaiser |
| San Bernardino | 30,751 | 15.2% | 201,978 | Kaiser |
| Orange | 28,393 | 9.6% | 296,150 | SCAN Group |
UnitedHealth against the California market
The carrier’s figures beside the state’s, each weighted by members. A difference is a difference, not a grade: a higher maximum or a lower rating is a design and a result, read in context.
top three hold 59.2%
market 3.93, −0.93, 9th of 10 rated
market 79%, +12 points
market $3,400, −$2,401
| # | Carrier | Members | Share | Twelve months | Election step | Counties led | Rating | $0 premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaiser | 1,080,968 | 36.5% | +4.8% | +1.7% | 24 of 41 | 4.50 | 57% |
| 2 | SCAN Group | 432,945 | 14.6% | +43.2% | +28.2% | 1 of 25 | 4.00 | 93% |
| 3 | UnitedHealth | 242,012 | 8.2% | −27.6% | −22.8% | 4 of 25 | 3.00 | 91% |
| 4 | Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC | 236,607 | 8.0% | +22.1% | +10.4% | 3 of 22 | 3.54 | 93% |
| 5 | Elevance | 212,193 | 7.2% | −14.4% | −9.9% | 6 of 39 | 3.12 | 100% |
| 6 | Humana | 139,381 | 4.7% | +5.3% | +6.2% | 5 of 27 | 4.00 | 85% |
| 7 | Centene | 77,675 | 2.6% | −27.0% | −16.9% | 0 of 21 | 3.50 | 88% |
| 8 | California Physicians' Service | 75,521 | 2.5% | −16.6% | −12.0% | 0 of 15 | 3.95 | 91% |
| 9 | Molina | 62,219 | 2.1% | −41.4% | −25.5% | 0 of 23 | 3.00 | 100% |
| 10 | Aetna (CVS) | 59,443 | 2.0% | −37.8% | −37.4% | 0 of 16 | 3.60 | 99% |
What 2027 does to UnitedHealth's plans in California
The fate assigned to each of the carrier’s plans for 2027, joined to the members in it today.
8,949 members are in 3 plans that end and must choose again. 7,160 members are in 1 plan that drop at least one county; which counties is not stated. In all, 7% of UnitedHealth’s California members are in a plan whose service area or status changes.
The read on UnitedHealth in California is in Carrier Command.
Risk and rebate against the market, the five-test read on coding versus selection, Stars levers and next year's cut points, the election-period forecast and the county-by-county standing, written as a monthly page.
UnitedHealth elsewhere, and the rest of California
- Kaiser36.5%
- SCAN Group14.6%
- Alignment Healthcare USA, LLC8.0%
- Elevance7.2%
- Humana4.7%
- Centene2.6%
- California Physicians' Service2.5%
- Molina2.1%
- Aetna (CVS)2.0%
How these numbers are made
- Members are visible members: CMS suppresses any plan-county cell of ten or fewer, so small counties undercount. Market share excludes employer group plans.
- Enrollment is Oct 2026; the twelve months run Nov 2025 to Oct 2026; the election step compares December 2025 with January 2026.
- UnitedHealth is the parent organization UnitedHealth Group, Inc.; its 43 plans in California may sell under other brand names. The rating is the 2027 overall Star Rating of its contracts weighted by members in California; $0 premium and the in-network maximum are the 2027 filings weighted by members today.
- Plan fates are the ones assigned for contract year 2027.
- Every figure comes from public CMS data as Livmor reads it, and the page is rebuilt when a new month posts. Livmor Carrier Command, public CMS data.