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September 26, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Payers

Humana to Exit MA Plans Covering 600,000 Members in 2027

Humana expects to exit Medicare Advantage plans covering about 600,000 members in 2027, deepening a retreat that reflects mounting cost pressure across the MA business. The move was disclosed on the insurer's July 29 second quarter earnings call, according to Becker's Hospital Review.

CFO Celeste Mellet said Humana will try to hold on to some of those members by steering them into other plans. "We will work to recapture a significant portion of that volume as we did in 2025," she said. In 2025, the company recaptured just over half of the members hit by earlier exits, a benchmark for how much of the 2027 volume it might retain.

The decision fits a broader industry pattern. Insurers are trimming unprofitable MA plans and geographies as medical costs rise and star ratings tighten, prioritizing profitability over raw enrollment. For members, exits mean shopping for new coverage; for providers, they can reshuffle networks and payer mix heading into 2027.

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Payers

Judge Sends Ballad Health's UnitedHealth MA Suit to Arbitration

A federal judge dismissed Ballad Health's Medicare Advantage lawsuit against UnitedHealth, ordering the payment dispute into arbitration.

Why it matters: Arbitration clauses in payer contracts can quietly steer provider-insurer disputes out of court, shaping how health systems fight Medicare Advantage denials.

Payers

Medicare Advantage Plans Rethink Post-Discharge Care Transitions

Medicare Advantage plans are refocusing on the post-discharge period to reduce readmissions and protect Star Ratings.

Why it matters: Star Ratings drive billions in bonus payments and enrollment, and better care transitions are becoming a key way plans defend those scores.

Payers

Vertical Integration Is Quietly Inflating Patient Bills

KFF Health News details how vertical integration across hospitals, insurers, and pharmacies steers patients toward higher-priced care and inflates their bills.

Why it matters: As a handful of integrated companies control care, coverage, and drugs, patients face higher costs with little visibility into why.