UnitedHealth Is Banking on More HMOs in Bid to Boost Profit

UnitedHealth Group Inc. expects to see Medicare members move next year to HMO plans, which allow the company to have more control over medical costs.

The company’s insurance unit is the largest seller of private Medicare Advantage plans, with more than 8 million members. It’s previously signaled big changes for 2026 as it tries to bolster profit margins after a stunning collapse. That includes dropping plans that cover more than 600,000 people, primarily in flexible plans called preferred provider organizations, or PPOs, that allow a wider choice of doctors.

Bobby Hunter, who leads the company’s government programs insurance ...