News Briefs: Brokers React to UHC’s Decision to Cut Commissions

Jun 18
Jun 18, 2025

UnitedHealthcare is pulling back on commissions for select Medicare Advantage plans, including many PPOs, prompting an outcry from industry associations representing agents and brokers. The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) in on June 17 said it “strongly objects” to the insurer’s decision to eliminate agent commissions on more than 100 MA plans across the U.S. “Stripping away their compensation is not only disruptive but deeply irresponsible. It jeopardizes seniors’ ability to make informed decisions in a system that is already complex and confusing,” said NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux. The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professional (NABIP) issued a similar statement warning of potential harm to beneficiaries. “At a time when seniors are grappling with rising costs, changing formularies, and overwhelming plan options, United Healthcare is cutting off the very people best equipped to help — licensed agents who know their communities, understand their clients, and act in their best interest,” argued NABIP CEO Jessica Brooks-Woods. “This is about prioritizing shareholders over seniors.” NAIFA, NABIP and other industry partners have advocated to Congress and CMS for restrictions on enrollment suppression tactics deployed by plans during the Annual Election Period, which was particularly notable during the 2025 AEP.
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Lauren Flynn Kelly

Lauren has been covering health business issues since the early 2000s and specializes in in-depth reporting on Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid and Medicare Part D. She also possesses a deep understanding of the complex world of pharmacy benefit management, having written AIS Health’s Radar on Drug Benefits from 2004 to 2005 and again from 2011 to 2016. In addition to her role as managing editor of Radar on Medicare Advantage, she oversees AIS Health’s publications and manages the health editorial staff. She graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in English.