Humana, UnitedHealthcare End Medicare Advantage Plans
Source reports published 24 Oct 2026, 6:19 am – 8:30 am AEST
Humana and UnitedHealthcare are discontinuing Medicare Advantage plans for approximately 1million seniors, primarily due to rising costs and plan usage pressures. This shift is creating challenges for beneficiaries seeking coverage options.
What happened
- Humana and UnitedHealthcare announced the discontinuation of certain Medicare Advantage plans, impacting roughly 1 million seniors.
- Humana’s plan will affect 600,000 members, while UnitedHealthcare’s plan will impact 390,000.
- Insurers cited higher costs and increased plan usage as key factors.
- Susan Hayse, a Medicare Advantage customer, described difficulty navigating changes and rising costs, including increased deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses for dental and vision care.
- Diane Payne, another customer, highlighted the impact of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, on plan costs.
- Dan Weissmann, host of the "An Arm and a Leg" podcast, explained that insurance companies, as private entities, prioritize shareholder profits and may reduce coverage or alter terms to their advantage.
- Traditional Medicare covers 80% of healthcare costs, leaving beneficiaries responsible for the remaining 20%, which can amount to substantial out-of-pocket expenses.
Original reporting
- CBS News: Humana, UnitedHealthcare ending Medicare Advantage plans for 1 million seniors, insurers say
2026-10-23T20:19:03+00:00 - PBS NewsHour: Medicare Advantage cuts leave millions scrambling to find coverage
2026-10-23T22:30:39+00:00