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2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings: 71% of Members Are in 4-Star Plans or Better

by

Skyler Abilla

2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings: 71% of Members Are in 4-Star Plans or Better

CMS released 2027 star ratings on October 8, 2026. About 71% of Medicare Advantage drug plan members are in plans rated 4 stars or higher. Here is what the ratings mean and how to use them.

2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings

2027 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings: 71% of Members Are in 4-Star Plans or Better

Star ratings are one of the few ways to compare plan quality. Here is what CMS just released and how much weight to give it.

71%
Medicare Advantage drug plan members in contracts rated 4+ stars for 2027
15
Medicare Advantage drug plan contracts earning 5 stars
3.99
Average star rating for Medicare Advantage drug plans, enrollment-weighted

What star ratings measure

Each year CMS rates plans from 1 to 5 stars. The score blends dozens of measures, including preventive screenings, how well chronic conditions are managed, customer service, and member complaints. Medicare Advantage drug plans can be scored on up to 43 measures, and stand-alone drug plans on up to 13.

What changed for 2027

CMS released the 2027 ratings on October 8, 2026. Plans earning 4 or more stars get larger federal bonus payments, which is why insurers care so much about them. For 2027, CMS added two measures on risky medication combinations, brought back a functional status measure, and gave more weight to the measures of members' physical and mental health.

Drug plans improved

About 22% of stand-alone Part D drug plan members are in contracts rated 4 or more stars for 2027, up from 2% in 2026. The average rating for those plans rose from 3.01 to 3.22.

Nonprofit vs. for-profit

About 44% of nonprofit Medicare Advantage drug plan contracts earned 4 or more stars, versus about 34% of for-profit contracts.

How to use star ratings

A 5-star rating is a good sign, but it describes the whole contract, not your local doctors. A highly rated plan can still leave out your doctor or your drug. Use stars as a tiebreaker after you check your doctors, prescriptions, and total costs. People can also switch into a 5-star plan outside of open enrollment once a year if one is available where they live.

Talk to a local agent

Skyler Abilla is a licensed Medicare agent in Bluffton. Call (843) 284-6815 or book a free call and we will compare ratings alongside doctors and drug costs.

The 2027 star ratings are already in Medicare Plan Finder. They apply to plan quality for 2027 and also affect 2028 bonus payments. Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026.
Average Star Rating, Medicare Advantage Drug Plans (Enrollment-Weighted)

Source: CMS, 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings fact sheet, October 8, 2026. The chart axis starts at 3.5 to show small year-to-year changes.

A note on this data: Figures are national averages from CMS's fact sheet. Star ratings describe contracts, not individual plans in your county. A plan's rating does not guarantee that your doctors or drugs are covered.

This article is for educational purposes only. Abilla Advisors does not offer every plan available in your area. For information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). This content is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program.

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