The 2026 Count of Hospital Systems Dropping Medicare Advantage Contracts Reaches at Least 30, With October 1 Exits Days Before Open Enrollment

The number of hospital systems that have cut or announced plans to cut Medicare Advantage contracts in 2026 has reached at least 30, according to a running tracker maintained by Becker's Hospital Review updated September 22.

The timing is significant for beneficiaries. Several of the separations take effect October 1, including the exit of NKC Health in North Kansas City, Missouri, from a major Medicare Advantage network, among other systems across the country. Annual enrollment, the main period when most Medicare Advantage members can switch plans, opens October 15. That two-week gap means a member's hospital can go out-of-network before the member has a legal opportunity to change their coverage.

Hospitals that have parted ways with plans this year have cited recurring prior authorization denials, delayed reimbursements, and administrative friction. In some cases, insurers have ended contracts as part of their own county-level exits or benefit changes heading into 2027.

For a beneficiary in the middle of active treatment, such as cancer care or post-surgical rehabilitation, losing in-network access to a hospital can shift cost-sharing substantially or require moving care to a different facility. Federal rules allow members to request a special enrollment period when a provider they depend on leaves their network, though that option is not automatic and requires documentation.

Annual enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Consumer advocates recommend verifying that a hospital and key specialists remain in-network for any plan being considered for 2027 before enrolling or re-enrolling. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov allows searches by provider name.