Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Crosses 55 Percent of Medicare Enrollment for the First Time

A KFF analysis of February 2026 data finds more than 35 million people now choose a private Medicare plan, with special needs plans driving 83 percent of recent growth.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamJuly 8, 2026

As of February 2026, more than 35 million people were enrolled in Medicare Advantage, representing over 55 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries, according to a KFF enrollment analysis published in July 2026. That is an increase of about 1.1 million enrollees, roughly 3 percent, compared with February 2025.

Special needs plans, which serve people with chronic conditions, low incomes, or institutional care needs, drove 83 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollment growth over the past year. More than 8 million people are now enrolled in special needs plans, up nearly 900,000 from 2025.

Market concentration remains high. UnitedHealth Group and Humana together account for 46 percent of all Medicare Advantage enrollees. CVS Health holds 12 percent, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan 6 percent, and Elevance Health 5 percent.

Despite growing enrollment, plan availability declined. The average beneficiary could choose from 32 Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans in 2026, down from 34 in 2025, as the total number of plans offered nationwide fell roughly 9 percent.

In plain words

For the first time, more than half of all people on Medicare have a Medicare Advantage plan. In February 2026, about 35 million people were signed up. That is around 1.1 million more than the year before. Most new sign-ups were in special needs plans, which serve people with serious health conditions or low incomes. By early 2026, 8 million people were in those plans. The two biggest companies, UnitedHealth Group and Humana, together cover about 46 out of every 100 people in Medicare Advantage. Even with more people joining, there were fewer plans to choose from in 2026 than in 2025.

Understand the basics first

Source: KFF
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