Seniors in Rochester Face Reduced Choices in Medicare Advantage Plans

The Medicare Advantage offerings for seniors in the Rochester area of Minnesota have significantly decreased for 2026. With several insurance providers exiting the local market, residents will have fewer options during the open enrollment period, which commenced on October 15, 2025. Specifically, seniors in Olmsted County can now select from plans offered by only three insurers: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Humana, and Medica. This marks a reduction from five insurers in 2025.

Jen Schimek, a retirement planning agent and Medicare broker with Bankers Life, noted the impact of these changes. “Way fewer plan options,” she stated, emphasizing the limited avenues available for seniors seeking coverage. One major factor contributing to this shift is the exit of UCare from the Medicare Advantage market, following a ruling from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This departure affected around 158,000 seniors, representing 26% of Minnesota’s Advantage market, as reported by the Duluth News Tribune.

Rochester resident Cheryl Osborne, who is currently enrolled in a UCare Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium, plans to switch to one of Medica’s two available plans, which cost $47 and $159 per month, respectively. “If you’re not sick or need health care, it’s not a bad plan, the $47 one,” Osborne remarked, expressing uncertainty about her future health needs.

The exit of UCare has created a “ripple effect downstream” for other insurers, according to Mitch Anderson, an independent health insurance advisor at Prime Time Health Advisors in Rochester. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota will only offer one plan instead of three in several counties, including Olmsted, Dodge, Wabasha, Freeborn, and Watonwan. Additionally, UnitedHealthcare will no longer provide Medicare Advantage plans in southern Minnesota.

Mayo Clinic Changes Impact Coverage Options

Among the three insurers available to Olmsted County residents, one—Humana—will be out-of-network with Mayo Clinic starting January 1, 2026. Humana confirmed this change, stating, “When providers require significantly higher reimbursement rates compared to original Medicare, it further strains our health care system.” This shift will affect many local residents, including Shannon and John Hendricks, who both qualify for Medicare due to disability. After relocating from Seattle to Rochester for better healthcare options, they have found their current Humana plan to be highly satisfactory.

However, they have received numerous notifications indicating that their Mayo Clinic providers will not be in-network next year. “There were lots of choices before this,” Shannon Hendricks said, reflecting on the options that existed prior to these changes. While the couple is still evaluating their alternatives, Shannon expressed a likelihood of switching to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota’s plan, which would increase her monthly premium from $38 to $248. John Hendricks, on the other hand, is eligible for Medicare with supplemental insurance at a cost of $88 per month.

In addition to the network changes, the overall landscape for Medicare Advantage is shifting, with increasing premiums and reduced benefits. According to Anderson, “Premiums are going up, the copays are going up and some of the extra benefits, like dental, vision, and hearing, are being slimmed down.”

Schimek encouraged all Medicare beneficiaries to review their 2026 plan options on the official Medicare website. She also noted that there are options available for those losing their current plans, including guaranteed issue into original Medicare for some individuals.

Medicare is a government-funded health insurance program aimed at Americans aged 65 and older, as well as certain younger adults with disabilities. Medicare Advantage plans, in contrast, are administered by private health insurance companies. According to AARP, approximately half of Medicare-eligible adults choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

As the open enrollment period progresses, seniors in Rochester and surrounding areas must navigate the changing landscape of Medicare Advantage options, balancing their coverage needs with the realities of fewer available plans and rising costs.