By Rob Lourenço, Vice President of Client Services

When multiple carriers announced mid-year that they were looking to drop a number of their MA plans for 2026, we knew we were headed for another turbulent AEP season. Now in Q4, there are no more secrets—2.7 million Medicare Advantage members (non-SNP, non-EGWP) are losing their coverage next year. That is a 50% increase over the highly disruptive 1.8 million MA consumers forced to look for new coverage last AEP. And all the turbulence we saw this year was not limited to plan terminations. A total of 80% of Medicare Advantage members are seeing their benefits degrade in 2026.

Already in our 2025 Medicare Member Experience Study, ahead of 2026 changes, seniors have been expressing their displeasure. Net Promoter Scores and Overall Health Plan Ratings are both meaningfully down in the MA space. And though rising Medical Loss Ratios and back-to-back years of weak reimbursement rates have driven much of this predicament, this hasn’t stopped Mr. and Mrs. Doe from casting blame at their insurers. So, what are carriers to do?

It can be tempting to bury our heads in the sand and wait for the storm to blow over, but never has it been more important to engage with our members with thoughtfulness and intentionality. We have found in our Medicare Member Experience report, that nothing has a greater impact on how a consumer will rate their plan as their satisfaction with the help they’ve received to understand and use their coverage. Medicare is already confusing under normal circumstances; imagine what the average senior is feeling in the current climate?

Now is the time to double down in our member communications and engagement. Plan benefits are set for the next year; and good, bad or indifferent, seniors need help to understand and navigate their coverage. Wherever we landed with our plan designs, let us make sure seniors understand what has changed, know where to turn to with their questions, and feel like we are on their side.