Overview

• UnitedHealth will discontinue more than 100 Medicare Advantage plans representing about 600,000 members, largely PPO offerings that could push enrollees toward HMO products.
• The insurer will also stop offering plans in 16 U.S. counties, affecting roughly 180,000 members, as part of its 2026 lineup changes.
• The company’s individual Medicare Advantage footprint will contract by 109 counties, moving from 2,896 in 2025 to 2,787 in 2026.
• Executives cite lower CMS funding versus 2023, higher utilization, and regulatory adjustments that pose about a $4 billion risk to 2026 profits.
• Despite the pullback, UnitedHealth remains the largest MA carrier with offerings across 48 states and Washington, D.C., as other big insurers also trim presence and analysts forecast a slight enrollment decline in 2026.