Centene (NYSE:CNC) on Wednesday announced it will offer Medicare Advantage (MA) plans across 32 states for 2026, indicating that its products in the government-backed insurance market will remain steady next year, unlike its peers such as UnitedHealth (UNH), which have scaled back their operations.
In conjunction with the start of the Medicare open enrollment period, the Saint Louis, Missouri-based managed care firm declared that Wellcare, its Medicare brand, will cover 51M beneficiaries during the upcoming plan year.
In 2026, the company’s Medicare plans will be available to 75% of the eligible beneficiaries in 32 states and over 1,850 counties. Last year, Wellcare expanded its 2025 offerings to 77% of Medicare beneficiaries across 32 states and more than 1,800 counties.
Centene’s (NYSE:CNC) announcement contrasts with those of its peers, such as UnitedHealth (UNH) and Humana (HUM), which indicated a decline in their geographic reach in the MA market early this month.
UnitedHealth’s (UNH) UnitedHealthcare, the number one player in the MA market, said its 2026 Medicare Advantage plans will be available for 94% of beneficiaries compared to 96% this year.
Humana (HUM), the second-biggest operator, noted that its Medicare Advantage offerings will be available across 46 states, plus Washington, D.C., next year. For 2025, its MA products were accessible across 48 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.