The Star Rating That Made Her Switch Plans
The Number She Almost Ignored
Susan barely glanced at her plan’s star rating when she first enrolled, a small detail buried in the brochure. Years later, after watching that same plan’s rating slip for three straight years, she finally understood why it mattered, fewer bonus dollars meant fewer extra benefits, and the gap was showing up in her coverage.
Curious if your plan’s star rating has changed without you noticing? Find out what your plan’s rating actually means for you
What Actually Gets Measured
CMS rates plans across up to 45 measures: clinical outcomes, member experience, customer service, chronic condition management. For 2026, the average overall rating is 3.66 stars, barely up from 2025’s 3.65. Eighteen contracts hit the full 5 stars (up from 7), and about 63.5% of MA enrollees sit in plans rated 4+.
Why It Matters to You
4+ stars earns a quality bonus payment, often reinvested into member benefits. 5 stars lets you enroll any time of year through a special SEP. Sub-3-star plans for 3 straight years can eventually be terminated by CMS.
Want to know if your plan is actually holding up? Compare ratings before your next enrollment window
What Do the Stars Measure?
Clinical outcomes, satisfaction surveys, complaint data, customer service.
Should I Switch If My Plan Lost a Star?
Not automatically, but a multi-year decline is worth real attention.
Can I Trust the Ratings?
CMS recently streamlined the system to focus more directly on care quality, a useful, government-verified data point, though not the only factor that matters.
Ready to Talk It Through?
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