Is Humana Ending Medicare Advantage Plans? What Members Need to Know for 2027

What Did Humana Announce?

During its July 29, 2026 earnings discussion, Humana said it plans to make targeted changes to its 2027 Medicare Advantage portfolio. Those changes are expected to affect plans covering approximately 600,000 current members.

The company is not making the same change everywhere. Humana is evaluating plans and markets individually and reducing its exposure to products that have produced lower financial returns.

Some affected members may still have another Humana Medicare Advantage plan available where they live. Humana has said it expects to retain or “recapture” slightly more than 40% of affected members by transitioning them into other Humana plans.

However, another Humana plan is not automatically the right choice for every person. Doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, copayments, premiums, maximum out-of-pocket limits and extra benefits can differ significantly from one plan to another.

Why Is Humana Losing Medicare Advantage Plans in Some Markets?

Humana has described the changes as part of a broader effort to improve the long-term financial performance of its Medicare Advantage business.

In plain terms, the company is looking closely at which plans are financially sustainable and which plans are producing lower returns.

Several pressures are influencing Medicare Advantage insurers, including:

• Higher use of hospital, outpatient and other medical services
• Increasing medical and prescription drug costs
• Changes to Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment calculations
• Changes in Medicare Star Ratings and quality bonus payments
• Provider-contracting expenses and local market conditions
• The cost of maintaining supplemental benefits and competitive plan designs

Humana has previously stated that it is working toward a sustainable pretax Medicare Advantage profit margin of at least 3% by 2028.

That financial goal matters to investors, but it is not the part beneficiaries need to lose sleep over. Your concern should be whether your specific plan will remain available—and whether the coverage available for 2027 still fits your healthcare needs.

What About Medicare’s 2027 Payments to Insurance Companies?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized an estimated 2.48% average increase in Medicare Advantage payments for 2027. CMS projects that the change will provide more than $13 billion in additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans.

That is an industrywide average. It does not mean every insurance company, contract, county or individual plan receives the same financial result.

Insurance companies still have to account for local healthcare costs, member health needs, provider agreements, quality ratings, prescription costs, risk-adjustment changes and the benefits offered by each plan.

This is why a national payment increase can occur while an insurance company still decides to discontinue certain plans or leave selected service areas.

Where Is Humana Dropping Medicare Advantage Plans?

Humana has announced targeted plan and market exits, but a complete beneficiary-level list of every affected 2027 plan and service area was not included in the national announcement.

As of August 17, 2026: The complete 2027 Medicare Advantage plan landscape has not yet been released. CMS says finalized 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan offerings are expected in mid-to-late September.

That means you should not assume your county or plan is affected based on a headline alone. Your official Humana notice and the 2027 plan information available for your ZIP code will provide the details that matter to you.

How Will You Know Whether Your Plan Is Affected?

If Humana is discontinuing your plan or will no longer offer it in your area, you should receive an official written notice explaining what is happening.

You may also receive an Annual Notice of Change, commonly called an ANOC. Medicare plans send ANOCs each fall to explain coverage, cost and benefit changes that will take effect in January.

A standard ANOC and a plan nonrenewal notice are not necessarily the same document. If your plan is ending, the notice should explain the termination, your enrollment options and the dates by which you may need to act.

Keep every notice you receive. You may need it to prove that you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or a Medigap guaranteed-issue protection.

What Happens If Your Humana Plan Is Ending?

Your available options will depend on exactly what is happening to your plan and which plans are offered where you live.

In general, you may be able to:

1. Enroll in another Humana Medicare Advantage plan available in your county.
2. Choose a Medicare Advantage plan from another insurance company.
3. Return to Original Medicare.
4. Enroll in a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if you return to Original Medicare.
5. Apply for a Medicare Supplement, also called Medigap, if you are eligible and want additional coverage with Original Medicare.

This is where careful comparison matters. A replacement plan may look similar on the surface but have a different provider network, drug formulary, pharmacy arrangement, prior-authorization requirement or cost-sharing structure.

Will You Receive a Special Enrollment Period?

When a Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare, terminates its contract or stops serving a beneficiary’s area, affected members generally receive a Special Enrollment Period.

This allows eligible members to select different coverage outside the usual enrollment periods.

The exact dates and options should be included in the official plan notice. Do not rely on a general social media post or assume that everyone receives the same deadline.

Medicare’s regular fall Open Enrollment Period also runs from October 15 through December 7. Changes made during that period generally take effect January 1.

Can You Return to Original Medicare and Get Medigap Without Medical Underwriting?

Possibly—and this is an important protection to understand correctly.

If your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Medicare or will no longer cover your area, you may have a federal guaranteed-issue right to purchase certain Medigap plans when you switch to Original Medicare.

With a federal guaranteed-issue right, an insurance company generally cannot deny you an eligible Medigap policy or charge more because of your health history.

Medicare states that an eligible person may generally apply for the protected Medigap coverage beginning 60 days before the Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends.

You only have this particular guaranteed-issue right if you switch to Original Medicare rather than enrolling in another Medicare Advantage plan.

Depending on your circumstances, you may also need a separate Part D drug plan because Original Medicare does not normally include outpatient prescription drug coverage.

Do not cancel coverage or assume you qualify for Medigap until you understand the timing. One wrong move can create a coverage gap or cause you to miss a protected enrollment window.

What Should Humana Members Do Right Now?

Official 2027 plan details must be available before you can make a meaningful comparison. Until then, the smartest step is to organize your healthcare information and pay attention to your mail.

Questions Humana Members May Be Asking

Written & Reviewed by Robin Dall

Florida Medicare Broker & Educator

Licensed Since 2013 • NPN 17032552

Robin helps people understand their Medicare choices and compare coverage without a call center or 1-800 number. Just real, one-on-one help.