'Profit growth over enrollment growth': Health insurers are dropping Medicare Advantage plans — many older Americans will be affected

In 12 states, more than one in five policyholders are losing their plan. Older Americans in Vermont will be particularly hard hit, with 92% of policyholders forced to find another option.

The first major insurer to announce its exit from multiple markets in 2027 is Humana, which is doing so for the second consecutive year. This will impact 600,000 members, Humana’s CFO Celeste Mellet said during a Q2 earnings call, adding that plan exits will be used to “prioritize higher-performing plans.”

During the first half of 2026, Humana reported a profit of $1.9 billion.

“Sadly, Humana’s decision is another sign that Medicare Advantage insurers are prioritizing profit growth over enrollment growth,” Shannon Benton, executive director of advocacy group Senior Citizens League, told MarketWatch. “We expect to hear more from the major insurers in the coming weeks.”

Why Medicare Advantage plans are disappearing

Medicare Advantage (MA), which operates at the county level, is a private-plan alternative to traditional Medicare. As of 2026, more than half (55%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in MA plans, according to KFF, while nearly a quarter (23%) of MA enrollees had a special needs plan.

Enrollment in MA plans had been growing steadily for more than two decades, attracting older Americans away from traditional Medicare with dental, vision and hearing benefits — often with low or zero monthly premiums. But that changed in 2025.

“Multiple large insurers have now substantially reduced their Medicare Advantage offerings for 2026, citing financial pressures and policy uncertainty,” the John Hopkins research notes.

Federal policy changes aimed at reducing overpayments are resulting in lower reimbursement rates from the government to insurers. That, along with rising medical costs, is squeezing insurers’ profitability margins, which is why many are cutting benefits or exiting markets altogether.

The John Hopkins researchers found that annual forced disenrollment rates averaged around 1% between 2018 and 2024. In 2025, however, that rate jumped to 6.9% and it’s expected to reach 10% this year.

Smaller plan providers are withdrawing, too. Clear Spring Health, which previously served Colorado, Georgia and Illinois, shut down its Medicare Advantage operations effective June 1, while Presbyterian Health Plan will exit most markets in 2027, affecting about 30,000 policyholders.

Rural counties with lower MA penetration are more likely to be impacted, according to John Hopkins researchers. And in these counties, there isn’t always much choice to begin with.

“Despite most beneficiaries having access to plans operated by several parent organizations, Medicare Advantage enrollment is highly concentrated among a small number of parent organizations,” according to KFF.

KFF data shows that UnitedHealth accounts for more than a quarter (26%) of MA enrollment in 2026, followed by Humana at 20%. Together, these two providers account for almost half of enrollment across the nation. And, in a whopping 28% of counties, UnitedHealth and Humana account for at least 75% of MA enrollment.

“For seniors, especially those in rural areas, the concern is that insurer exits could mean fewer choices and less competition,” Benton told MarketWatch.

What older Americans can do

If your insurer is exiting your area, you’ll be notified in advance (so check your mailbox). You should be notified by Sept. 30 for any changes that take effect in 2027.

If you’ve been disenrolled from your MA plan, it doesn’t mean you’re suddenly without any coverage. You’ll automatically move back to traditional Medicare (Parts A and B), which covers hospital care and medical services.

But your drug coverage will change, as will perks like dental and vision.

You can switch to another MA plan or move back to traditional Medicare, add a standalone Part D drug plan and apply for supplemental Medigap coverage for deductibles and coinsurance.