About 2.9 million Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees were forced to change plans in 2026 due to plan terminations, representing 10% of all MA enrollees.[1][6] This is a sharp increase compared to 2025, when the forced opt-out rate was 7%, and 2021-2024, when it was only between 0.4% and 1.5%.[1] PPO-type plans were the hardest hit, with their numbers down 12% year-over-year, while HMO plans saw an 8% drop.[3] The total number of MA plans decreased from 3,719 in 2025 to 3,373 in 2026, a 10% decrease.[3] The four largest insurers—UnitedHealthcare, CVS, Elevance, and HCSC—are responsible for 46% of all plan terminations.[1] This situation creates challenges for remaining plans that must suddenly absorb new members without sufficient information about their health and medication history.[2] Median maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) increased from $5,400 in 2025 to $5,900 in 2026, a 9.3% increase.[4]