@stevencyrmd: UnitedHealthcare and Humana are abandoning nearly 1 million Medicare Advantage patients. UnitedHealthcare is slashing plans covering 390,000 members. Humana is abandoning roughly 600,000. They cite rising medical costs, but the result is clear: vulnerable patients are being dropped to protect margins and keep shareholders happy. Most of the cuts hit flexible PPO plans—the ones that let patients see specialists outside a narrow network. Forcing people into restrictive HMOs gives these companies more control over which spine surgeon you can see and when. Delayed care is the profit lever. Open enrollment is the window to switch. Check your non-renewal notice now. Do not assume your current specialist will still be covered next year. Dr. Steven Cyr: “I see the fallout from this every day in clinic. Patients who finally got their spine care sorted receive a letter saying the surgeon who knows their history is suddenly out of network. This is not a system crisis—it is a profit calculation. Your pain should not have to wait for their next earnings call.” Follow SASpine for health news and the context behind it. Have you or a loved one received a non-renewal letter or been forced out of your preferred doctor's network this year? Drop your experience in the comments below. #InsuranceGreed #PatientAdvocacy #SpineHealth #OpenEnrollment #Healthcare
