Last reviewed September 21, 2026.
Your Doctors May Be in Different Cities
You might see your regular doctor in Pasadena, visit a specialist in a neighboring city, and go to a hospital somewhere else. Before choosing a Medicare Advantage plan, check whether the specific doctors and hospitals you want to use are included.
A hospital's name or an insurance company's name alone is not enough to confirm coverage. The answer depends on your exact plan and the doctor or hospital.
Your doctor, that doctor's medical group, and Huntington or Kaiser may not be the same list. Ask which hospital a referral would use, and what you would pay there.
Nearby city guides: Arcadia, Sierra Madre.
What Is a Medical Group, and Why Does It Matter?
Some Medicare Advantage plans organize care through a medical group or doctor network. A medical group is a set of doctors who work together. That group may help arrange specialist visits and decide which hospital you use.
Ask your doctor's office which medical group your doctor belongs to and whether the group works with the exact plan you are considering. If you need a specialist, ask whether you need a referral or approval first.
A doctor who accepts Medicare does not necessarily accept every Medicare Advantage plan. Original Medicare does not use these medical-group lists the same way. A Medicare Advantage PPO may pay part of a visit to a doctor outside the list, but that does not mean every doctor is covered or that the visit will be inexpensive.
- Huntington Health Physicians
Medical groups and doctor networks near Pasadena
These are examples of medical groups that serve parts of the area. Your doctor may or may not belong to one of them. Call your doctor's office to confirm the medical group and ask which Medicare Advantage plans the doctor accepts. Then confirm the details with the insurance plan.
- USC Care Medical Group. The medical group for Keck Medicine of USC doctors. Heard in central Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley.
- Huntington Health Physicians. The medical group for Huntington doctors in Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley. It is not Huntington Hospital.
- Community Family Care IPA. An IPA heard in the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles, often alongside community clinics.
- Korean American Medical Group. A medical group heard in central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.
- Seoul Medical Group. A medical group many Korean-speaking patients hear in Koreatown, central Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley.
- Allied Pacific of California IPA. An IPA in the San Gabriel Valley. The doctor’s office may name Allied Pacific as the group that lines up its doctors.
- Adventist Health Physicians Network. The physician network for Adventist Health, heard in Glendale, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley. It is not the Glendale hospital by itself.
- Optum Care Network–San Gabriel Valley. Optum’s medical group for the San Gabriel Valley. It is not the same list as Optum Care Network–Los Angeles.
Community health centers
- ChapCare. A community health center in Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley.
Broader medical groups also show up in Pasadena: Global Care Medical Group IPA, Regal Medical Group, Angeles-IPA, HealthCare Partners Medical Group (Optum), and Optum Care Network–Los Angeles. A countywide medical group is still not your doctor’s group until the office says so.
- DoctorYour doctor
- Medical groupThe medical group
- HospitalThe hospital
With some Medicare Advantage plans, your medical group helps arrange referrals to specialists and hospitals. The process depends on your plan. Ask your doctor's office who handles referrals and whether you need approval before seeing a specialist. Your Medicare plan and your medical group has the longer explanation.
Check the Hospital You Want to Use
Think about where you would want to go for a planned procedure, specialist treatment, or hospital stay. Check that hospital against your plan, along with the doctors who would treat you there.
A hospital may belong to a larger health system, but that does not automatically mean every doctor or location in the system accepts your plan.
These are hospitals people in Pasadena use. A name here is not a statement that any plan covers that hospital.
- Huntington Health. 100 WCalifornia Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91105. Main line (626) 397-5000. The physician office at the same address uses (626) 397-8300. Neither number means every doctor takes every plan.
- Kaiser Permanente PasadenaAn integrated model. It does not mix with independent doctors.
- City of Hope, USC Arcadia, and UCLASpecialty care some residents add. Each name is its own check.
- Huntington Health, a major nonprofit hospital and care system based in Pasadena.
- Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Medical OfficesKaiser has its own doctors and hospitals. It is not the same as seeing independent doctors.
- ChapCare community health locations serving the Pasadena area.
- Nearby access to Keck Medicine, USC Arcadia Hospital, UCLA Health, City of Hope, and Los Angeles tertiary centers—depending on the patient’s physicians and referrals.
- Independent practicesMedical groups you may hear locally are listed below. Still verify the doctor, the medical group, and the plan.
Look Beyond the Monthly Premium
A plan with a low monthly premium may still have costs when you visit a doctor, see a specialist, receive outpatient treatment, or stay in a hospital.
Before enrolling, compare the monthly premium, copayments, deductibles, prescription costs, and the maximum you could pay for covered medical services in a year. A copayment is what you pay at the visit. A deductible is what you pay before the plan starts sharing the cost. Also check whether your regular prescriptions are covered.
The right comparison depends on how you use healthcare—not just on which plan advertises the lowest premium.
Four Questions to Ask Before Changing Plans
Write down the answers and confirm important details with the insurance company. If you want help understanding your options, talk with Alan.
- Does my doctor accept this exact plan at the office I visit?
- Which medical group does my doctor belong to, and will I need referrals?
- Can I use my preferred hospital and specialists?
- What will I pay for my regular visits, prescriptions, and other care?
An example in Pasadena
This is an example of what to check. It does not mean any doctor or hospital accepts a particular plan.
A Pasadena resident uses a Huntington-affiliated primary doctor, an independent ophthalmologist, and a specialist at a Los Angeles academic medical center. The correct review is not “Does the carrier include Huntington? ” It is whether each named provider and referral pathway works under the exact plan being considered. Write those four verification questions in My Medicare Checkup, then Talk with Alan if you want help comparing the structure.
Senior and public resources
Resource links are provided for convenience. Medisure Agency is not affiliated with the listed government agencies or healthcare organizations.
- Pasadena Senior Center programs and benefits assistance: pasadenaseniorcenter.org
- City of Pasadena Dial-A-Ride and transit information: cityofpasadena.net
- Pasadena Public Health Department
- Pasadena Elderly and Dependent Adult Liaisons (PEDAL), where appropriate
- HICAP 1-800-434-0222 · LA County Aging & Disabilities 800-510-2020 · Medicare.gov · TTY 711
- Medicare, HICAP, and Social Security
- Rides in Los Angeles County
- Medical groups seen in a ZIP
- Help paying Medicare costs
PACE sites in Pasadena
CalPACE’s January 2025 list names a PACE site in Pasadena. A site in town does not mean your ZIP is in the service area, and it does not mean you qualify. PACE is for some people 55 or older who need a nursing-home level of care and can live safely at home. Joining it means you get Medicare services through that organization. Read what PACE is, then check the ZIP on Medicare.gov. A site can move.
- WelbeHealth, 50 Alessandro Pl., Suite A20, Pasadena, 91105
Your healthcare resource map
The map shows hospitals and medical groups around Pasadena. Add the doctor, hospital, and medical group you want to keep. A name here is not proof that a plan covers them.
City Hospital Health system Medical group ACCESS Senior help
Your focus
Pasadena
This page is about Medicare decisions in Pasadena. Nearby names only help if your coverage pays those doctors and hospitals.
Medicare in PasadenaAround Pasadena
Communities
Cities drawn on this map, then the rest of San Gabriel Valley.
Also in San Gabriel Valley
Hospitals and health systems are not the same thing
A hospital is a specific facility where you receive care. A health system may operate several hospitals and medical facilities. Check the exact location you want to use because coverage at one location does not automatically mean coverage at every location in the system.
Health systems
Hospitals
Medical groups and doctor networks near Pasadena
These are examples of medical groups that serve parts of the area. Your doctor may or may not belong to one of them. Call your doctor's office to confirm the medical group and ask which Medicare Advantage plans the doctor accepts. Then confirm the details with the insurance plan.
Doctor groups and networks that help manage your care
- USC Care Medical GroupMedical group · central Los Angeles · East Los Angeles · San Gabriel ValleyThe medical group for Keck Medicine of USC doctors. Heard in central Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley.For a referral, you usually ask the Medicare Advantage plan, not USC Care.
- Huntington Health PhysiciansMedical group · Pasadena · west San Gabriel ValleyThe medical group for Huntington doctors in Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley. It is not Huntington Hospital.For a referral, you usually ask the Medicare Advantage plan, not Huntington Health Physicians.
- Seoul Medical GroupMedical group · Koreatown · central Los Angeles · San Gabriel ValleyA medical group many Korean-speaking patients hear in Koreatown, central Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley.On many HMO plans, Seoul Medical Group handles the referral and the approval before a visit.
- Allied Pacific of California IPAIPA · San Gabriel ValleyAn IPA in the San Gabriel Valley. The doctor’s office may name Allied Pacific as the group that lines up its doctors.On many HMO plans, Allied Pacific lines up the doctors and is paid a set amount to manage that care. Your plan can keep referrals instead. Ask.
- Adventist Health Physicians NetworkMedical group · Glendale · East Los Angeles · San Gabriel ValleyThe physician network for Adventist Health, heard in Glendale, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley. It is not the Glendale hospital by itself.These are Adventist Health doctors, not Adventist Health Glendale. Ask the office who approves a referral on your plan.
Community health centers
Broader names
- Regal Medical GroupMedical group · San Gabriel Valley · San Fernando Valley · north Los AngelesA large medical group. Offices use this name across the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, and north Los Angeles.On many HMO plans, you call Regal for a referral and for approval before a visit. Some plans keep that job. Ask which one you have.
- HealthCare Partners Medical Group (Optum)Medical group · Los Angeles CountyThe older HealthCare Partners name is now used inside Optum. Ask the office which name is on your card.On many HMO plans, this group handles the referral and the approval before a visit. If the card says Optum, use the name the office confirms.
- Optum Care Network–Los AngelesMedical group · Los Angeles CountyOptum’s countywide Los Angeles medical group. A doctor in the San Gabriel Valley network is not automatically in this one.On many countywide Los Angeles HMO plans, this Optum group handles the referral, the approval before a visit, and much of the paperwork. It is a different list from the San Gabriel Valley Optum group.
Checked September 21, 2026.
Where to ask
These offices explain Medicare. They do not enroll you in a plan.
Questions people ask in Pasadena
Does a doctor’s Huntington affiliation prove that the doctor takes my plan?
No. A Huntington name only helps if your plan pays that doctor at that location. Ask the office which plans they take this year, then check the same names on Medicare.gov so you can keep the care you already use.
What is the difference between an HMO medical group referral and PPO access?
HMOs often require the primary doctor and medical group to authorize specialists. PPOs may allow more outside the plan's doctor list use, usually at a higher cost. Neither structure is automatically better. See Medicare HMO vs PPO.
Can a Pasadena resident keep a Los Angeles specialist after changing plans?
Only if that specialist participates—or if Original Medicare plus a Supplement is the structure you use. Verify the named physician before you change.
What should I check when comparing an integrated system with independent-network coverage?
Kaiser generally keeps care inside Kaiser. Other plans put together a main doctor, a medical group, and hospitals separately. Match the setup to how you actually get care.