UnitedHealthcare and Humana cancel Medicare Advantage plans affecting 1 million

UnitedHealthcare and Humana, the two largest private health insurers for older adults in the U.S., are discontinuing Medicare Advantage plans in specific regions, impacting nearly one million members, politicaldog101.com reported.

UnitedHealth Group said about 390,000 members will lose coverage because of unexpectedly high healthcare usage and rising medical costs that also affected the company's stock value in 2025. Humana will cut coverage for around 600,000 people, according to the report.

The plans being canceled are mainly Preferred Provider Organizations, which offer more flexible provider networks. Insurers typically cancel less profitable plans to encourage customers to switch to plans with fewer benefits and lower costs to the insurer.

This move comes amid a broader trend of major insurers scaling back benefits, reducing dental coverage, and increasing out-of-pocket costs to protect profits as medical expenses rise, politicaldog101.com stated.

The insurers’ decisions coincide with the start of Medicare enrollment season, raising concerns about coverage for those who need care most.