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Hospitals Are Dropping Medicare Advantage Plans

Hospitals and health systems continue to sever ties with Medicare Advantage plans heading into 2026, citing persistent frustrations with prior authorization denials and slow reimbursement from insurers.It’s a growing trend that’s impacting patient access.

MA now covers more than half of the nation’s older adults, making these contract terminations increasingly consequential. Becker’s has tracked these decisions since 2023; our 2025 coverage is hear.

Sixteen health systems dropping Medicare Advantage plans:
Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list and includes contract breaks effective in 2026. It will continue to be updated this year.

1. Tacoma,Wash.-based MultiCare will no longer contract with any MA PPO plans in 2026 in the Puget Sound region.
2. In 2026, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic will be out-of-network with most MA plans from UnitedHealthcare and Humana, per the Star Tribune. This is a big move for a major healthcare provider.
3. NewYork-Presbyterian will be out of network with UnitedHealthcare MA in 2026.
4. Irvine, Calif.-based Hoag will end its contract with UnitedHealthcare MA on April 1, 2026.
5. Ascension will not renew its contracts with UnitedHealthcare MA plans in several states. They’re aiming for smoother patient care.
6. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare reached an agreement on MA plans, but many hospitals are still opting out.
7. CommonSpirit Health reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare, but the overall trend of hospitals leaving MA plans continues.
8. Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare.
9. Baptist Health reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare.
10. Providence reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare.
11. UW Medicine reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare.
12. BayCare reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare.

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