Medicare Advantage Plan Cancellations: Humana, UHC Exits

As of October 26, 2026, Humana and UnitedHealthcare are ending Medicare Advantage plans that together cover close to 1 million people. Humana says about 600,000 of its members are affected and UnitedHealthcare puts its number at about 390,000. The plans stop on December 31, 2026. Affected members can choose new coverage during open enrollment, which closes December 7, and they also get a special enrollment window that runs through February 28, 2027.

Neither company is leaving Medicare. Both will sell Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, and many affected members will be offered a different plan from the same insurer. Still, anyone whose plan is ending should check their options now, especially prescription drug coverage. This article is general information, not personal advice.

What happened

Humana flagged the cuts first. On July 29 it published second-quarter prepared remarks for investors that tied its 2027 Medicare Advantage bids to a goal of returning to a pre-tax margin of at least 3% in 2028. In a statement to CBS News, Humana said: "As previously disclosed, we anticipate plan exits for 2027 will impact approximately 600,000 members."

UnitedHealthcare's figure came out in early October. UnitedHealth Group spokesperson Eric Hausman confirmed that roughly 390,000 members are in plans being discontinued, Medical Daily reported. Quartz, drawing on Bloomberg and Reuters, reported that the insurer's nonrenewal letters were dated October 2.

CBS News described the combined total as about 1 million people. The two company figures add up to roughly 990,000. Counts for the whole market are larger, because Aetna, Centene and others are also trimming plans. A review by the podcast An Arm and a Leg, published by Connecticut Public and NPR, put the number of people affected across all insurers at 2 million or more.

Who is affected and where

UnitedHealthcare's cuts focus on PPO plans, which let members see providers outside the plan's network. UnitedHealthcare president Bobby Hunter said the company is favoring HMOs and special needs plans, according to Medical Daily. Zacks, citing Reuters, reported that 66% of UnitedHealthcare members will have access to both an HMO and a PPO option in 2027, down from 70% in 2026.

For Humana, the exits mostly involve plans with star ratings of 3.5 or lower, Newsweek reported. The affected group is about 8% of the company's Medicare Advantage enrollment.

The sources reviewed for this article do not include a public county-by-county list of affected plans from either insurer. The clearest geographic picture comes from KFF's county analysis of federal plan files, which counts drug plans open to general enrollment. KFF found UnitedHealth Group leaving 228 counties while entering 9, and Humana leaving 62 while entering 4. It named Monroe County, New York, home to Rochester, as one urban county Humana left.

Other analysts count differently. Healthcare Dive, citing analysts at Stephens, reported UnitedHealthcare exiting 63 counties and Humana adding a net 39. The gap reflects different plan types and methods. It also shows why a county count does not tell you much on its own: an insurer can stay in a county but still close the specific plan you have.

The wider market for 2027

• The average beneficiary can choose from 28 Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage in 2027, down from 32 in 2026 and a peak of 36 in 2024, according to KFF.
• Texas lost the most options on average, followed by Illinois and Ohio, KFF found.
• 193 counties will have no Medicare Advantage drug plan open to general enrollment in 2027, up from 123. About 638,000 beneficiaries live in those counties, mostly in rural areas.
• Federal officials still describe the market as stable. Healthcare Dive reported that CMS expects the weighted average Medicare Advantage premium to fall from $14.37 to $12 a month, and that over 99% of beneficiaries will have at least one plan available.

Why insurers are pulling back

UnitedHealthcare points to costs. "We can't ignore the realities facing the healthcare system," Hunter said, in remarks first reported by Reuters and quoted by Newsweek. The company has cited funding pressures, rising medical and drug costs, and members using more care.

Humana frames the exits as part of a push to restore profitability. Chief financial officer Celeste Mellet told investors the company will "work to recapture a significant portion of that volume as we did in 2025," Newsweek reported.

The federal payment picture is mixed. CMS finalized an average 2.48% payment increase for 2027, worth more than $13 billion, well above the roughly flat 0.09% it proposed in January, according to Quartz. Insurers say payments still lag their cost growth. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz has said "CMS is fighting to keep high-quality care options affordable and accessible," according to Newsweek.

Key dates if your plan is ending

• Early October 2026: Insurers sent nonrenewal letters. Connecticut Public reported they went out in the first week of the month.
• October 15 to December 7, 2026: Annual open enrollment. A plan you choose in this window starts January 1, 2027.
• December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027: A special enrollment period for people whose plan is not renewing, according to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner and Connecticut Public.
• December 31, 2026: The affected plans end. New coverage starts on the first of the month after you enroll, so the state regulator advises signing up before December 31 to avoid a gap.
• January 1 to March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage open enrollment, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan who want to switch.

What affected members can do

1. Read your letter closely. It should explain whether you are being moved to another plan from the same insurer or need to choose new coverage yourself.
2. Compare replacement plans. Medical Daily's checklist: confirm your doctors and hospitals are in network, enter every prescription in Medicare's plan comparison tool, and compare out-of-pocket maximums as well as premiums.
3. Know the default. If you do nothing, you are generally moved to Original Medicare, which does not include drug coverage. You would need a separate Part D plan to avoid paying full price for medications, Medical Daily and Newsweek reported.
4. Consider Medigap rights. People leaving a Medicare Advantage plan that is ending can buy certain Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies without medical underwriting, the Washington regulator says. Medical Daily reports this right generally lasts 63 days after the old coverage ends. Check the exact rules for your situation before relying on it.
5. Do not wait too long. Connecticut Public reported that insurers can now limit enrollment in some plans on a first-come, first-served basis, so a plan you want could fill up.

Medical Daily noted that people in cancer treatment, on dialysis or seeing several specialists face the biggest risk from a gap or a network change.

Where to get official help

• Medicare: Compare plans at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is staffed 24 hours a day, according to the Washington regulator.
• SHIP counseling: Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program that offers free, unbiased one-on-one Medicare counseling. Find your local office through the SHIP national center, which also takes calls at 877-839-2675.
• Your state insurance department: Many run Medicare help lines and publish guides for people whose plans are ending.

Connecticut Public also cautioned against handing personal details to online plan-matching services, which can lead to spam or scams.

Our take

This analysis is based on the sources cited above. The headline number is large, but the practical risk for most members is narrower and more urgent: a gap in drug coverage on January 1. Someone who misses December 7 still has until the end of February to pick a new Medicare Advantage plan, but coverage only starts the month after they enroll.

The trend also matters beyond this year. KFF's data show choices per person shrinking for a third straight year, and insurers are steering members toward narrower HMO networks. Members who keep the same insurer should not assume the replacement plan has the same doctors. For another federal program going through changes this fall, see our explainer on PSLF and student loan changes.

What to watch next

• The December 7 deadline, and whether CMS or insurers report how many affected members picked new plans.
• Humana's virtual investor update on December 10, 2026, announced in its July remarks.
• Early 2027 enrollment data, which will show whether people moved to other insurers or into Original Medicare.

Frequently asked questions

Is Humana leaving Medicare Advantage in 2027?

No. Humana is closing some plans that cover about 600,000 members, but it will keep selling Medicare Advantage for 2027. KFF found Humana still offers drug plans in about 80% of U.S. counties, more than any other insurer.

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

You are generally moved to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027. Original Medicare does not include prescription drug coverage, so you could pay full price for medications unless you join a Part D plan. Some members are instead moved to another plan from the same insurer, so read your letter.

How long do I have to choose a new plan?

Annual open enrollment runs until December 7, 2026. People whose plan is not renewing also get a special enrollment period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. Coverage starts the first of the month after you enroll, so signing up by December 31 avoids a gap.

Where can I get free help comparing Medicare plans?

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased one-on-one counseling, and you can find it at shiphelp.org. You can also compare plans at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Sources

1. Humana, UnitedHealthcare ending Medicare Advantage plans for 1 million seniors, insurers say, CBS News
2. Nearly 1 Million UnitedHealthcare and Humana Medicare Advantage Members Should Pick New Plans or Risk Losing Drug Coverage, Medical Daily
3. The Average Medicare Beneficiary has 28 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan Options for 2027, KFF
4. Medicare Advantage Plan Availability Varies Widely by County for 2027, KFF
5. United, Humana Medicare Advantage Plan Cuts Expected to Hit 1M Americans, Newsweek
6. UnitedHealth and Humana cutting Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, Quartz (via Yahoo Finance)
7. UNH Exits Select Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027 Amid Cost Pressure, Zacks (via Yahoo Finance)
8. Here's how much insurers are cutting Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, Healthcare Dive
9. Humana Inc. Second Quarter 2026 Prepared Management Remarks (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.3), Humana / U.S. SEC
10. State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), SHIP Technical Assistance Center
11. Losing your Medicare Advantage plan?, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
12. Is your Medicare Advantage plan ending next year? Here's what to know, Connecticut Public / NPR

How we wrote this

GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 12 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.