Major insurers scale back Medicare Advantage and Part D plans for 2026

By Donna LeValley, Kiplinger’s Consumer News Service

CVS Health, Humana, and UnitedHealth Group have announced that they will pull back on Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D prescription drug plans next year. These changes are a response to financial pressures, including changes to government funding and rising healthcare costs. This has led insurance carriers to scale back their offerings in less profitable regions.

“The combination of (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) funding cuts, rising healthcare costs, and increased utilization have created headwinds that no organization can ignore,” said Bobby Hunter , who is the CEO of Government Programs at UnitedHealthcare.

Insurers feel cost pressures

One of the reasons insurers are dropping Medicare Advantage (MA) plans is redu