By Amina Niasse
NEW YORK (Reuters) -UnitedHealth mentioned it can cease providing Medicare Benefit plans in 16 U.S. counties in 2026, impacting 180,000 members, as the corporate balances larger prices with reimbursement strain within the insurance coverage program.
“The mix of (Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies) funding cuts, rising healthcare prices and elevated utilization have created headwinds that no group can ignore,” mentioned Bobby Hunter, who runs the corporate’s authorities packages.
UnitedHealth is leaving the counties however will proceed to function in most states, he mentioned in a Tuesday press briefing.
The federal government pays personal insurers to function the Medicare Benefit plans for folks 65 and older or with disabilities. The corporate’s UnitedHealthcare insurance coverage enterprise has essentially the most enrolled members, forward of rivals CVS Well being and Humana.
UnitedHealth suspended its full-year steering this yr, after lacking earnings for the primary time since 2008. The corporate attributed the first-quarter earnings miss to sudden prices in its Medicare Benefit enterprise as members elevated use of medical providers.
UnitedHealth in a second-quarter earnings name mentioned regulatory modifications set to lower funds the corporate receives for sure circumstances would current a $4 billion threat to insurance coverage income in 2026.
It flagged in its second-quarter earnings launch that closing sure plans with about 200,000 members might assist mitigate the affect.
When put next with 2023, Hunter mentioned authorities funding can have dropped in 2026 by about 20%.
The corporate will stop working over 100 plans representing about 600,000 members in all, largely comprised of most well-liked supplier organizations or those who permit members to see suppliers outdoors of a plan community, Hunter mentioned.
The exits will probably steer sufferers towards well being upkeep organizations, or plans which require extra frequent referrals and restrict sufferers to a community of suppliers, Hunter mentioned.
Most plan closures will happen in rural areas mentioned Hunter, the place UnitedHealthcare remains to be working to streamline operations: “We want a mannequin that’s sustainable and permits us to deliver care to people in these areas in an economical approach.”
(Reporting by Amina Niasse; Modifying by Caroline Humer and Jane Merriman)
