What Humana announced
On its second-quarter earnings call, Humana confirmed it will exit a set of Medicare Advantage plans for the 2027 plan year, affecting roughly 600,000 members nationwide, about 8% of its 7.2 million Medicare Advantage enrollees. Becker's Payer Issues has the details.
The company says it's targeting plans with the weakest financial returns rather than pulling out of entire states or regions this time, a different approach than its 2026 exits, when Humana dropped coverage in two states and 194 counties, narrowing its footprint to 46 states plus Washington, D.C.
Who's most likely to be affected
The plans on the chopping block are mostly individual Medicare Advantage HMOs and PPOs with star ratings of 3.5 or lower for the 2027 bonus year, which ties directly into how CMS pays plans for quality performance.
Special Needs Plans for members who are dual-eligible or managing chronic conditions look far less likely to be touched; Humana expanded its SNP offerings during its 2026 round of cuts, and there's no indication that pattern is changing for 2027.
None of that guarantees your specific plan is safe, or that it's affected. The only way to know for certain is to check.
Why is this happening?
Humana has been direct about the reasoning: the plans being cut are largely lower-performing, and leadership has said the goal is returning the Medicare Advantage business to a sustainable margin of at least 3% by 2028. A few other pressures are feeding into this:
- CMS finalized a 2.48% average rate increase for 2027, an improvement over its original near-flat proposal, but insurers say it still hasn't kept pace with rising medical costs.
- The Part D annual out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs rises to $2,400 for 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026, adding cost pressure for plans with a lot of high-utilization members.
This isn't unique to Humana, either. UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Centene, Molina, and Providence have all announced Medicare Advantage cuts for 2027, and industry-wide, well over a million members are expected to need a new plan. Humana expects to move roughly 40% of its affected members, about 240,000 people, into other Humana plans it still offers.
How to find out if you're affected
Federal rules require Humana to send a formal non-renewal notice to everyone whose plan is being discontinued. If your plan isn't being discontinued, you should still receive an Annual Notice of Change outlining what's changing in your existing plan for 2027.
If you're not sure which applies to you, don't wait for the mail. You can call Humana directly, or our licensed insurance agents can look into it for you and confirm your plan's status at no charge.
Key dates to know
- September 30, 2026: Plans are required to mail Annual Notices of Change to current enrollees by this date, so you have a couple weeks to review before enrollment opens.
- October 2, 2026: The federally required date for non-renewal notices to members whose Humana plan is being discontinued.
- December 31, 2026: Coverage ends for discontinued plans on this date, not sooner.
- October 15 to December 7, 2026: The Annual Enrollment Period, when you can choose a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
- December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027: A Special Enrollment Period opens for anyone whose plan was discontinued, in case you miss the AEP window.
- January 1, 2027: New coverage begins. If no new plan is selected, members are automatically moved to Original Medicare, with no drug coverage and no supplemental coverage unless separately arranged.
If your plan is ending: what to do
- Step 1: Confirm your plan's status.
Check your mail for a notice from Humana, or call to confirm directly. Don't assume you're unaffected just because you haven't heard anything yet; letters are still going out.
- Step 2: Compare new plans during the Annual Enrollment Period.
You're not required to accept whatever replacement plan Humana offers you. During the Annual Enrollment Period, you can compare Medicare Advantage and Part D options from any carrier available in your area.
- Step 3: Consider a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan.
Losing your Medicare Advantage plan triggers a guaranteed-issue right, meaning you can enroll in a Medigap Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K, or L without medical underwriting. This window opens 60 days before your coverage ends and stays open for 63 days after it ends, so it's tied to your personal disenrollment date, not the AEP calendar. This is the deadline people miss most often.
- Step 4: Get help before you decide.
Humana will likely encourage affected members to move into one of its other plans. That may or may not be the right fit for your doctors, prescriptions, and budget. An independent licensed agent can compare options across carriers and help you avoid a coverage gap.
The bottom line
If you just found out your Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027, you don't need to worry.
If you follow the four steps above, you should be able to enroll in a new plan smoothly.
If you want help comparing plans or finding a new Humana plan that fits you better, book an appointment with our team of professional licensed insurance agents and we'll check the status of your Humana Medicare Advantage plan and help you find a new one if yours is exiting for 2027.