Overview

• UnitedHealth will stop offering Medicare Advantage in 16 U.S. counties in 2026, affecting about 180,000 members, and will close more than 100 plans covering roughly 600,000 members, largely PPO offerings that are expected to steer enrollees toward HMOs.
• The company’s individual Medicare Advantage footprint will shrink by 109 counties next year, even as it continues to operate across most states, after warning of a roughly 20% funding drop versus 2023 and a $4 billion profit risk tied to regulatory changes.
• Minnesota faces outsized disruption: UnitedHealthcare plans to reduce its footprint from 72 to 27 counties, UCare is exiting Medicare Advantage statewide affecting about 158,000 people, and HealthPartners and Humana will scale back in dozens of counties.
• Average Medicare Advantage premiums in Minnesota are projected to rise nearly 18% for 2026 with beneficiaries reporting concerns about keeping their doctors as networks tighten, while national average premiums are expected to decline to about $14.
• State regulators also finalized steep 2026 increases outside Medicare Advantage, approving average premium hikes of about 22% on the individual market and 14% for small-group plans on MNsure, with open enrollment beginning Nov. 1 and Medicare enrollment starting Oct. 15.