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Who Sells Medicare Advantage? UnitedHealthcare and Humana Hold 46% of the Market

by

Skyler Abilla

Who Sells Medicare Advantage? UnitedHealthcare and Humana Hold 46% of the Market

35.2 million people are in Medicare Advantage in 2026, and two companies cover nearly half of them. Here is the market share breakdown and what it means for choosing a plan.

Medicare Advantage Market Share 2026

Who Sells Medicare Advantage? UnitedHealthcare and Humana Hold 46% of the Market

More than half of eligible people now choose a private Medicare plan. Here is who they buy it from.

35.2M
People in Medicare Advantage in 2026
55%
Share of eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage
46%
Combined share held by UnitedHealth Group and Humana

The size of the market

KFF reports that 35.2 million people were in a Medicare Advantage plan in March 2026, out of 64.2 million beneficiaries with both Part A and Part B. That is 55%, up from 19% in 2007. Enrollment grew by about 1.1 million, or 3%, from 2025.

Who has the biggest share

UnitedHealth Group leads with about 26% of enrollment, or 9.3 million people, down from 29% in 2025. Humana is second at about 20%, or 7 million people, up from 17%. Together they cover 46%, the same share as the year before. CVS Health, which owns Aetna, holds about 12%, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan about 6%, and Elevance Health about 5%.

Who is growing

Humana added about 1.3 million members, the most of any company. Kaiser gained about 87,000 and Devoted Health about 258,000. Elevance lost about 346,000 members, and UnitedHealth lost nearly 647,000.

What about South Carolina

KFF reports that special needs plans make up about 32% of Medicare Advantage enrollment in South Carolina. These are plans built for people with certain conditions, with both Medicare and Medicaid, or in an institution. They are a separate group from standard plans and have their own rules.

Why market share matters to you

A big name does not guarantee a good fit. What matters is whether your doctors, hospital, and drugs are covered at a cost you can afford. Smaller regional plans, including local Blue Cross plans, may have strong local networks. Compare plans by your own needs, not by market share.

Talk to a local agent

Skyler Abilla is a licensed Medicare agent in Bluffton. Call (843) 284-6815 or book a free call. Abilla Advisors does not offer every plan, so ask which carriers we work with.

Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Compare more than one company, and check your doctors and drugs for each plan.
Medicare Advantage Enrollment Share by Company, 2026

Source: KFF, "Medicare Advantage in 2026: Enrollment Update and Key Trends." The "All others" slice is calculated as the remainder.

A note on this data: Figures are national enrollment shares as of March 2026 from KFF. Shares are rounded. Plans available to you depend on your county.

This article is for educational purposes only. Abilla Advisors does not offer every plan available in your area. For information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). This content is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program.

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