Some Humana Medicare Advantage plans will be out of network for Moffitt Cancer Center starting in July
TAMPA, Fla. - Moffitt Cancer Center is now out of reach for many with Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans, and it will soon be the same for Humana Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans.
What they're saying:
"The doctors at Moffitt are great," said Robert Brophy, a Moffitt patient. "I mean, I've had no issues at all. The staff is great. Everybody has just been fantastic."
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Brophy is battling multiple health concerns.
"It's kind of like a pre-leukemia, because my white blood cell count has been low for almost the last two years," Brophy said. "In April of last year, I had an issue all of a sudden with my bladder at the end of April, it just quit working. So I had to get with the urologist."
Patients said they got word that these two insurance companies would no longer classify Moffitt Cancer Center as in-network a few months before the change went into effect.
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"The insurance companies have all the power and the money," Brophy said.
For Brophy, this happened twice, first last summer when he was insured by Aetna and now again this month after switching to Humana.
"I got this email from Moffitt and I said, 'you've got to be kidding me,'" Brophy said. "Now, I've got go find another insurance."
The other side:
The insurance companies clarify that this is only for Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans and is not effective across the board for other plan types.
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Aetna shared the following statement with FOX 13 News:
"As of December 1, Moffitt Cancer Center is no longer in network for our individual Medicare Advantage plans but continues to participate in existing employer-sponsored Commercial and Group Medicare Advantage plans. Previously, Aetna was only one of a few Medicare Advantage plans that had Moffitt Cancer Center participating and we had to ensure we could offer competitive benefits that seniors deserve. We are available to help members who have questions, and they can reach us by calling the number on their membership ID card.
As part of our robust provider network in the Tampa Bay area, we have lots of other cancer care providers available to care for our members. Impacted members that were receiving treatment from Moffitt can also request Transition of Care coverage to have their care covered at the in-network benefit level for a designated period pending approval by Aetna."
Humana also shared the following statement with FOX 13 News:
"Moffitt Health System and Moffitt Cancer Center will be out-of-network for Humana Medicare Advantage members beginning July 1, 2026. Affected members have been notified of the change. We are providing clear guidance and personalized assistance to help members continue receiving the care they need. If members have questions or need assistance, they can call Humana’s toll-free customer support line found on the back of their insurance cards.
Humana remains deeply committed to supporting our members’ health and well-being by ensuring they have access to high-quality, affordable care. Our partnerships with healthcare providers are central to delivering this commitment."
Moffitt Cancer Center also shared the following statement about the changes:
"While Moffitt remains a clinical Institute of Excellence in Aetna’s networks, Aetna made a business decision to terminate Moffitt’s participation in its Medicare Advantage network beginning Dec. 1, 2025. Moffitt is seeing Aetna Medicare Advantage patients moving forward on an out-of-network basis. This change affects Aetna Medicare Advantage patients only, and Moffitt remains in network for other Aetna commercial/HMO/PPO and Medicaid Managed Care plans.
Effective July 1, 2026, Moffitt will become out of network for Humana Medicare Advantage PPO and HMO Plans. This change is the result of a decision by Humana to terminate its agreement with Moffitt for business reasons that are unrelated to the quality of care provided by Moffitt.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services allows changes throughout the Medicare Advantage open enrollment season, which runs through March 31, 2026. For more information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-633-4227."
Why you should care:
For now, patients like Brophy are left in the lurch looking for in-network care all while battling multiple health concerns.
"I'm sure I'm not the only patient," Brophy said. "I'm sure there's a lot of patients out there that are with Moffitt."
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews done by Fox 13's Danielle Zulkosky.