Fortune and consulting firm Korn Ferry released their 2026 “World’s Most Admired Companies” ranking Jan. 21, featuring five U.S. health insurers.
The publisher and firm start with 1,500 candidates before focusing on the highest-revenue companies. They then identify the “best-regarded companies” across 51 industries, asking leaders and analysts about nine criteria. Companies scoring in the top half of these rankings make the list.
Apple topped the overall ranking for the 19th year in a row. While four payers were incumbents, one made the list for the first time: Medicare Advantage-focused Alignment Health.
“We’re incredibly proud to be recognized among the world’s most admired companies in the first year we were considered,” Alignment Founder and CEO John Kao said in a news release.
In 2025, the healthcare category for insurance and managed care included UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health, Centene, Molina Healthcare and Humana, in that order. Molina Healthcare did not make the cut in 2026.
Here is the 2026 ranking for the category:
1. UnitedHealth Group
2. Elevance Health
3. Humana
4. Alignment Health
5. Centene
